Understanding the First Two Precepts of Buddhism : หน้า 88/115

Benefits for keeping the First Precept—Not to Kill • You will be free from physical disability; you will have good appearance and beauty • You will have superior physical attributes and strength • You will have radiant complexion • You will have gentle personality • You will not have enemies, and will not suffer a violent death • You will not be plagued by illness • You will enjoy a long life. 2. Stealing — Breaking the Second Precept Stealing is the act of taking possession of something without permission from the owner. Cheating, taking bribery, corruption and fraud, all fall under the category of stealing. The act of stealing is complete, and the Precept of ‘Not to Steal’ is broken, when the following five components are in place: • The object has an owner • We are aware that the object has an owner • We have the intention to steal • We put in the effort to steal • The object is stolen as intended Stealing — How bad is your Karma? The seriousness of the offence, and the resulting retribution, are based on the following considerations: • The value of the object -- This can depend on the monetary value, or the refinement, of the object. It is more damaging to steal an expensive object than a cheap one; or a more refined one than a crude one. • The size of the object -- In general, it is more damaging to steal a large object than a small one. • The debt of gratitude owes to the victim -- It is bad enough to steal from a stranger who we never met before, but to steal from someone who has done us favors in the past is a worse offense. • The degree of the intention to steal -- If someone wants to steal something so bad that he would be willing to die for it, the retribution from such stealing is more severe than if his intention less intense.