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stealing

ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
edited October 2010 in Buddhism Basics
We all know that stealing is wrong in the eyes of the law and buddhism/religion in general. I was thinking earlier about the action of stealing to different extents and why it is actually wrong.

Firstly, it is wrong as the object in question is not yours, you did not pay for it, so to take it would be wrong. But why is this negative.. because it can generate negative kamma for you and the person who the object belongs to. Now, for a quick example, lets say that you are at somebodies house and you are both going out for a meal. You are in their bathroom and realise you need some deodorant. You do not wish to smell bad and to take 2 sprays or rubs from their can/bottle will not be noticeable to them, so they will not feel bad about the matter. You on the other hand will not smell and did not have time to go to the shop or your place for 2 sprays of this deodorant. You may feel a little guilty but why would this be considered wrong?

Comments

  • GuyCGuyC Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Don't worry about it, next time just ask to borrow their deoderant.
  • andyrobynandyrobyn Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Asking the person first is a good option - lets them know you believe you need deodorant which is what it is ... not a biggie in my opinion - in my experience I would rather a friend ask, let me know they have problems remembering sometimes ( I sure do and this does concern me !!! ), are too busy sometimes to get to do everything they want/ need to - like shower before going out !!! ( again - good to know it is not only me ) and don't want to go out with me unprepared. To not ask is missing a chance - in my opinion.
  • DazzleDazzle
    edited October 2010
    If I was in a friend's bathroom and realised I needed some deodorant, I'd just open the door and call out to them 'Can I have a spray of your deodorant, please?'.

    Maybe try that next time and don't worry too much ?



    .
  • exonesionexonesion
    edited October 2010
    ThailandTom wrote: »
    We all know that stealing is wrong in the eyes of the law and buddhism/religion in general. I was thinking earlier about the action of stealing to different extents and why it is actually wrong.

    Firstly, it is wrong as the object in question is not yours, you did not pay for it, so to take it would be wrong. But why is this negative.. because it can generate negative kamma for you and the person who the object belongs to. Now, for a quick example, lets say that you are at somebodies house and you are both going out for a meal. You are in their bathroom and realise you need some deodorant. You do not wish to smell bad and to take 2 sprays or rubs from their can/bottle will not be noticeable to them, so they will not feel bad about the matter. You on the other hand will not smell and did not have time to go to the shop or your place for 2 sprays of this deodorant. You may feel a little guilty but why would this be considered wrong?


    This Link will provide perhaps all answers to your questions regarding stealing. I found this site on the internet and the in-depth explanation regarding the precepts allayed all my doubts :D
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    I did not think the situation through properly, ( i do not need to borrow something of my friends, it was merely an example lol) Say if they are away and you cannot contact them, would it be okay to borrow something and tell them later.. I know it is something so terribly small, but it is still technically stealing. I cannot see how it would induce negative kamma personally.
  • andyrobynandyrobyn Veteran
    edited October 2010
    One way of looking at it is that the fact that you used the example means it could potentially stay with you, cause difficulties ( hey if someone used the last of my hubby deodorant and didn't tell me I woudn't be happy !!!) - it is difficult for others on an online forum to offer more than very generalist responses - to further use the current example when you next saw the friend you could still choose to speak to them about using the deodorant, or choose not to and either way a different outcome will result that much we all know.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Stealing a couple sprays of deodorant is what they call "gateway theft". Well, not really, but the thought made me laugh. :)
  • andyrobynandyrobyn Veteran
    edited October 2010
    :)
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Cloud wrote: »
    Stealing a couple sprays of deodorant is what they call "gateway theft". Well, not really, but the thought made me laugh. :)

    First it's deodorant, then toothpaste. Once you get a taste of that, the adrenalin starts flowing, and you find yourself steeling a whole roll of toilet paper. After that you're wearing an orange jumpsuit and picking up trash on the side of the highway, watched by a fat guy with a shotgun.

    :)
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    edited October 2010
    Mountains wrote: »
    First it's deodorant, then toothpaste. Once you get a taste of that, the adrenalin starts flowing, and you find yourself steeling a whole roll of toilet paper. After that you're wearing an orange jumpsuit and picking up trash on the side of the highway, watched by a fat guy with a shotgun.

    :)

    What we have here is a failure to communicate.:D
  • thickpaperthickpaper Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Clearly, in an under-arm way, such actions go against the ninth and tenth items of the path:

    Right Application
    Right Perspiration

    ;)
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Stealing Is a Direct cause of having no resources.
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    lol, you all make good points. I myself have stolen in my teen years from shops on a few occasions. believe it or not, it started when I could not be bothered to wait for the que so decided to just walk out with the stuff. I have stolen from people as well in my 'dark period' but now I do not steal from anybody. It is just earlier I was examining the action of stealing and how it is a negative action upon people, how it causes negative kamma
  • milkmothmilkmoth
    edited October 2010
    When I was homeless I would steal. I would walk into grocery shops and take some fruit or sandwiches.

    At the time... I had no qualms about it whatsoever. Didn't even think about it. I was that messed up. From that point of view I think that stealing is in the eye of the beholder.

    My point is it doesn't matter one bit... take anything you want. If you're doing it for some sick sense of "getting away with it" that may produce unwanted karma or turmoil in your mind... but again it's totally personal.

    Is this right? Who or what is going to say? Karma? Karma is personal.

    I heard of this guy who had a past life regression where he was a bandit, stealing, pillaging, and raping women. According to him he believed it was one of his best lifetimes where he grew as a person or a "soul". So it's interesting... eye of the boholder.
  • GuyCGuyC Veteran
    edited October 2010
    milkmoth wrote: »
    I heard of this guy who had a past life regression where he was a bandit, stealing, pillaging, and raping women. According to him he believed it was one of his best lifetimes where he grew as a person or a "soul". So it's interesting... eye of the boholder.

    Source, please?
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