Written for the AQA syllabus by Upeksacitta (Robert Ellis), member of the Western Buddhist Order and a former Head of RS.
The second precept: avoiding taking the not-given
I undertake the rule of training which consists in abstention from taking the not-given
The second precept involves undertaking not to take things that belong to others, unless these have been freely given. This is seen as a form of violence.
Stealing vs. generosity
Why is this so important? After all, Buddhist monks and nuns give up all individual property apart from a bowl and robe, all in a spirit of renunciation. If you steal someone else’s brand new Mercedes-Benz, isn’t this helping them to renounce possessions? It becomes obvious that the answer to this is “no” if you then think through what the average Mercedes-Benz owner would do once their car was stolen. First of all they’d be very angry, then go to the police, try to get the car back and the thief punished, and so on. These are not the actions of someone who has renounced attachment to their property! The fact is that you cannot force someone into renouncing their property. They have to do it freely for themselves. Stealing someone’s property generally has the opposite effect, of making them realize how much they are attached to it.
Instead, Buddhism puts forward the positive ideal of generosity. Generosity is an application of anatta, the doctrine of no-self that you will be studying in the next section. Through generosity, the boundaries of the self can gradually begin to be dissolved, as we no longer think of the thing we are giving (whether this is an object, a favour, time etc) as “mine”. Stealing and having things stolen, however, reinforce these ego-boundaries.
Generosity also leads to further good effects as other people respond to it. Gratitude is a natural effect of generosity, and has a similarly opening effect on our states of mind. Expressions of gratitude are encouraged in Buddhism for this reason. For example, disciples may formally express gratitude to a spiritual teacher.
Issues relating to taking the not-given
As with the other precepts, the interpretation of this precept raises problems about where you draw the line. A burglar who picks a lock, creeps into a house when the owner is away, and steals a computer is obviously stealing. But what about the starving person who steals a loaf of bread? What about the pocketing of corporate property at work? What if you fail to repay a loan made to you by a friend?
One basic principle in Buddhist ethics is that the motive behind the moral offence should be considered. If a man steals a loaf of bread so as to feed his starving family and save their lives, he has a good motive for his action. The Mahayana would stress this point more than the Theravada. The Theravadins, who tend more towards a deontological interpretation, would be more likely to say that a Buddha could not act in this way because of the nature of the act, regardless of the motive, so that even if we can easily understand why the loaf of bread was stolen, that doesn’t make it right.
Stealing indirectly, then, may also be a breach of the precept, depending on how deliberately this is done. Failing to repay a loan would be a form of taking the not-given, though it would be more blameworthy if it was deliberate than if one simply forgot to do so (though one is also responsible for one’s lack of mindfulness in Buddhism). It would also be more blameworthy depending on the size of the loan, as it requires a more deliberate action to fail to repay a larger loan, just as it it requires more deliberate effort to decide to steal a more important or more valuable thing.
Issues relating to generosity
Generosity is a very important positive emotion in Buddhism, and it is said that giving (dana) is a practice that anyone can engage in, however difficult they find other Buddhist practices. Generosity contributes to awareness as we become more aware of those we are giving to. Giving should also be made with good intentions, not out of self-interest or because one wants something back.
Any kind of giving is said to produce good karma because it reduces attachment and increases awareness. The Buddhist tradition particularly stresses the value of giving to monks, who are seen as a “field of merit”, i.e. providing an opportunity for others to create good karma, because of the way in which they are using the gift to help them directly in spiritual development.
There is no limit to how far generosity can be developed. There are some Jataka stories (stories of the Buddha’s previous births, found in the Pali Canon) that give examples of the ultimate gift: of one’s life. For example, there is the story of a prince who fed himself to a starving tigress (see Buddhist Scriptures p.24-6), and the story of Prince Vessantara, who gave away all his possessions, then his family, and finally himself. These examples might be considered extreme and questioned from the point of view of wisdom: it may be very generous to give away your body to a starving tigress, but is it the best use of your life, when you could do other greater things? It may be that they should be treated as exaggerated ways of making a basic point about the importance of generosity.
Reflection and discussion
How do you think the second precept should be applied in these situations, and why?
- 1. A beggar on the street asks for some money. You suspect he is an alcoholic.
- 2. You are considering taking out a loan to buy a newer and more expensive car.
- 3. You are considering taking out a mortgage to buy a small house.
- 4. You have removed several paper-clips from college for home use.
- 5. You are unemployed and have been receiving income support from the state. One week you are overpaid by accident. Should you own up?
Further Reading
Sangharakshita The Ten Pillars of Buddhism p.64-70
Peter Harvey An Introduction to Buddhism p.205
Peter Harvey An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics p.69-71
Tricycle Winter 2003 p.39-40