I admire the Buddhists for taking “Thou shall not steal” to a more pervasive level. This is our western approximation part of the second precept of Buddhism (“Right Action”) on the Eightfold Path. The actual Pali translation is: “I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.”
My guess is that most of us westerners consider ourselves to abide by this precept. After all, steeling seems pretty black and white – the domain of criminals and petty thieves.
But the Buddhists take a broader view: they include, for example, the idea that buying runners made by enslaved workers or child labour is stealing. Stealing is not just taking of a thing, but the taking away of opportunity, of hope, of health, of someone’s childhood. Perhaps this is even more egregious than stealing money or a possession, especially when one may be doing the latter out of desperation rather than saving a few dollars on clothes.
As with all Buddhism though, “Thou shall not steal” is not a commandment. Everything is practice, guidance, direction, suggestion if you will. Without punishment but with the opportunity to live a better and more enlightened life.
Buddhist teachers give their teachings freely. Their only compensation is the “dana” or donations from the students. I have watched as the money is put into the basket. My cynical side wonders if the teacher adds up the money and declares it on his/her income tax return. Probably not. We are all human and can easily justify these small inconsistencies. But I am confident that the extra money left over is not spent supporting child labour.
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