Offense of Stealing Others' Five Jewels

Original text from Section Two of the Sutra on the Five Precepts for Upāsakas: If an upāsaka knows that another possesses the five precious things, or items similar to the five precious things, and with a thieving mind selects them but has not yet removed them from their original location, he commits an offense entailing expiation. If, after selecting them, he takes them away from their original location and their value amounts to five māsaka coins or more, he commits an offense not entailing expiation. "Removed from the original location" means: if the five precious things are placed on fabric, a different cord of the fabric is considered a different location. If they are placed on leather or clothing, one color is considered one location; a different color is considered a different location. If they are placed on leather garments or clothing, one color is considered one location; a different color is considered a different location. If they are placed on a woolen mattress, one layer of wool is considered one location; one color is considered one location; a different color is considered a different location. These are called the various locations.

Explanation: If an upāsaka knows that another person possesses the five precious things—gold, silver, copper, iron, tin—or items similar to them, and with a thieving mind selects them but has not yet removed the items from their original location, he commits an offense entailing expiation. If, after selecting the items, he removes them from their original location and their value reaches five māsaka coins or more, he commits an offense not entailing expiation. "Removed from the original location" refers to: if the five precious things are placed on fabric, when the weaving cord of the fabric changes, the items leaving the original cord is equivalent to removal from the original location. If they are placed on leather or clothing, one color is one location; a change in color means removal from the original location. If they are placed on garments made of leather or fur, one color of the garment is one location; a different color means removal from the original location. If they are placed on a mattress made of wool, one layer of wool is one location; one color is one location; a change in color means a different location. This explains the distinctions among various locations.

Original text: If an upāsaka carries an object for another and, with a thieving mind, shifts it from the left shoulder to the right shoulder, or from the right hand to the left hand, such bodily parts are called different locations. For a cart, the wheels, axle, yoke, and crossbar are different locations. For a boat, the two sides (gunwales), front, and rear are different locations. For a house, the beams, ridgepoles, rafters, purlins, the four corners, and the inner chamber are all different locations. If one shifts an object with a thieving mind and places it in any of these different locations, one commits an offense not entailing expiation.

Explanation: If an upāsaka carries an object on his shoulders for another person, and with a thieving mind shifts the object from the left shoulder to the right shoulder, or from the right hand to the left hand, such different parts of the body are called different locations. For a cart, the wheels, axle, yoke, and crossbar are different locations. For a boat, the two sides (gunwales) and the front and rear sections are different locations. For a house, the beams, ridgepoles, the slanted wooden strips on the roof, the four corners of the house, and the inner chamber are all different locations. If one shifts an object with a thieving mind and places it in any of these different locations, one commits an offense not entailing expiation.

Original text: Regarding stealing objects in water: If logs or timber from a raft are flowing downstream with the current, and an upāsaka takes them with a thieving mind, he commits an offense not entailing expiation. If, with a thieving mind, he seizes the wood causing it to stop, and later lets it flow downstream to a point further ahead; or if, with a thieving mind, he sinks it to the bottom of the water; or if he lifts it out of the water—in all these cases, he commits an offense not entailing expiation.

Explanation: Regarding the case of stealing objects in water: If someone sets cut timber adrift flowing downstream with the current, and an upāsaka takes it with a thieving mind, he commits an offense not entailing expiation. If, with a thieving mind, he intercepts the wood causing it to stop, and then lets it flow in the water to a point further downstream; or if, with a thieving mind, he sinks the wood to the bottom of the water; or if, with a thieving mind, he transports the wood out of the water—in all these cases, he commits an offense not entailing expiation.