Is it really not breaking the Sila to steal from a Bodhisattva (or other enlightened people)?
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Today I see a great Vajrayana khenpo monk (also a vajra master) sharing an interesting opinion in this video :
> (Translation)
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> One of the 5 Silas of monks forbids stealing... However, you will not break the Sila if you steal from a bodhisattva.
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> Why? Because a bodhisattva has no obsession (on material posessions),
> he has given them up. So, if you take something from a bodhisattva...
> you steal something from a bodhisattva, it is not breaking the Sila. If you steal from a normal person, because he will be obsessive on his possesions, so it is breaking the Sila.
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> What the Sila forbids is robbing or stealing something from another person who cares about them...what about an enlightened bodhisattva? His thing is practically owned by no one (because of his Dāna). Remember this.
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> This is how the bodhisattva's Dāna is different with normal person's Dāna...
The Khenpo mainly wants to tell us bodhisattva's Dāna donates everything, and a normal person's Dāna does not, by this example.
But this really sounds strange. In modern legistration system, a crime of theft or robbery is determined by the convict's will and action, and not by whether the victim cares about his/her property. The Khenpo says otherwise, since a bodhisattva does not care about his/her property, then it is not owned and can be taken away freely. Does the Sila here work more like the police than laws, that if the victim does not call the "police" (Sila? Karma?), then the convict will not be arrested?
My question is,
1. Is it really legal (in perspective of Sila) to steal from a Bodhisattva? Is there any books or written creeds confirming this? Or the Khenpo just makes simile and not really means it is legal?
2. Is it also legal (in perspective of Sila) to steal of other enlightened people, like, an Araham?
3. Is it also legal to steal from a monk who claim him/herself as bodhisattva, or vow to follow a bodhisattva's standard?
Asked by Cheshire_the_Maomao
(228 rep)
Apr 20, 2025, 04:08 AM
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