Upasaka Huang Nien Tsu on the Karmic Offense of Stealing (Infinite Life Sutra)
Note: Upasaka Huang Nien Tsu (1913–1992) was one of Ven. Master Chin Kung’s benefactors and teachers, and a major figure in Pure Land Buddhism. He studied under both the Great Zen Master Hsu Yun and the Eminent Upasaka Xia Lian Ju.
Moreover, the Master Chin Kung has mentioned that different diseases or disasters correspond to different karmas, and that lung diseases (such as the recent pandemic) are caused by the collective karma of stealing. Thus, the karmic offence of stealing is rife in our materialistic, commercialised and financialized world, so we must all pay attention to this post.
Upasaka Huang Nien Tsu’s Commentary on Passages from Chapter 35 of the Infinite Life Sutra (Upasaka Xia Version):
其二者．世間人民不順法度。奢婬驕縱．任心自恣。居上不明。在位不正。陷人寃枉。損害忠良。心口各異．機僞多端。尊卑中外．更相欺誑。
The Second Kind (the offense of stealing): People of this world defy the principles of justice. They are promiscuous and arrogant without measure. Impulsive and dissolute, they do as they please. Negligently abusing whatever position or authority they have, they persecute the loyal and virtuous, and preside over miscarriages of justice. What they say differs from their heart, and they are both dishonest and deceitful. No matter where they are from or what class they belong to, they are all united by the desire to defraud.
「People of this world defy the principles of justice」It is like this all over the world, for instance, as we have all eaten meat before we all have a share in the karma of killing. Thus, we must not feel that this has nothing to do with us. The karmic offense of stealing is the same — it is evident everywhere in the world.「Defy the principles of justice」They break the laws and do not respect the rules.
「They are promiscuous and arrogant without measure」 They are excessively lustful, and their arrogance and conceit runs unchecked.「Impulsive and dissolute」This refers to their impulsive habit of indulging in revelry and luxury.
「Negligently abusing whatever position or authority they have, they persecute the loyal and virtuous, and preside over miscarriages of justice.」Such behaviors also fall under the offense of stealing. For instance, powerful persons, such as the chancellors of past dynasties, were negligent and did not appoint the wise and able , instead, they engaged in nepotism, which is also a form of stealing. Appointing friends and relatives at the expense of the able and deserving while possessing the public trust is certainly theft. In the past, I thought this passage was overly complicated, but I now consider it to be very clear and relevant. If they have authority, but are unjust and betray that trust, then this passage can encompass many abuses and offences. For instance, it could refer to bribes, promiscuity , organised crime, and so forth. All such unjust behaviors are considered theft.
Moreover,「 preside over miscarriages of justice」refers to malicious prosecutions and false accusations. Because they are not honest and have ulterior motives，they often take action against those who know the truth or are outspoken.「They persecute the loyal and virtuous」 Naturally, they are unable to coexist with the loyal and virtuous, thus, they persecute them. This adds the karma of killing to their karma of avarice and theft.
「What they say differs from their heart」Such persons are hypocrites whose actions differ from their words. Moreover, they are dishonest and deceitful, insincere like demagogues.
「No matter where they are from or what class they belong to」 It doesn’t really matter if they are superior or subordinate, from here or there, familiar or stranger, they are all「 united by the desire to defraud」. Why are they like this? Why do they add the karma of lying upon the karma of stealing? It is because they wish for unjust gain or to protect their position, their motive is their greed.
瞋恚愚痴．欲自厚己。欲貪多有．利害勝負。結忿成讐。破家亡身。不顧前後。
Foolish, wrathful and rapacious, they selfishly retain for themselves all the gain and benefits. Locked in belligerent struggles for profit, they make enemies and create feuds. In their pursuit of wealth, they sacrifice their lives, ruin their families and disregard the laws of karma.
What is their temperament like？The answer is that they are「Foolish, wrathful」.They are quick to anger and very muddle headed. They think of themselves as highly capable, and they throw their weight around. They are unable to realize that they are incompetent and ignorant.
「They selfishly retain for themselves all the gain and benefits」They wish only to benefit themselves, to line their pockets everywhere they go, and this is their greatest and most foolish mistake.
「Rapacious」 Always seeking to obtain more, doing so by encroachment. As they are competitive and belligerent，they fight in the realms of commerce no less aggressively than in a real war. They wish to bankrupt others and take over their competition. As they fight for gain, there are victors and losers, thereby creating feuds, cycles of revenge leading to both death and ruin. Thus,「they sacrifice their lives, ruin their families and disregard the laws of karma」, in their viciousness, they destroy themselves and disregard future karmic retribution.
富有慳惜．不肯施與。愛保貪重．心勞身苦。如是至竟．無一隨者。
When they are wealthy, they are stingy and refuse to give alms. Sunk in avarice, they hoard all for themselves. Toiling in mind and body to retain what they have, non of their wealth follows them after they die.
And when such persons are wealthy, they are stingy and uncharitable. This is not referring to the act of unjustly obtaining wealth, but to their lack of charity, their refusal to give or share with others.
「Sunk in avarice, they hoard all for themselves」This refers to their selfish emotional attachment to their wealth, their extreme greed. Thus, as they「toil in mind and body to retain what they have」, they are physically exhausted and mentally afflicted. The result is that「non of their wealth follows them after they die」, and so even though they fought and schemed, they cannot keep any of it. It is just like the saying: “None of the myriad things can be kept, only karma follows.” Only their deeds follow them after death.
Good deeds lead to blessings ; evil deeds cause calamities…. no matter where one is reborn, they will follow. However, neither prized possessions nor dear relatives will follow you after death.
又或見善憎謗．不思慕及。
Some of this type, whenever they see others perform virtuous deeds, become irritated and inflict calumny upon them. Never giving the virtuous deserved admiration.
Some such persons, by this we mean people who like to steal, may「 see others perform virtuous deeds, become irritated and inflict calumny upon them」. Whenever they see others do meritorious deeds, they become prejudiced or angry, and subsequently slander the doer.「Never giving the virtuous deserved admiration」They do not know that they ought to admire good conduct and emulate it.
常懷盜心．悕望他利。用自供給。消散復取。
Always larcenous at heart, they covet the benefits of others. Appropriating at will, they squander as quickly as they plunder.
「Always larcenous at heart」Can be described as a mentality that views anything that could be stolen, but not stolen, as a wasted opportunity. They do not refuse gifts, bribes or unjust gain, and nor do they turn down any chance to encroach on the rights or property of others. All this falls under the offense of stealing.
「They covet the benefits of others」They always eye what they do not deserve. They coerce others and appropriate at will, and as such wealth comes easily, they squander it just as quickly. As their spending cannot be controlled, they repeatedly commit the same offense to satisfy themselves.
神明尅識．終入惡道。自有三途無量苦惱．輾轉其中．累劫難出．痛不可言。
The demigods and spirits have recorded all their wicked deeds. Upon death, they descend into the Evil Realms. Thrown into the unlimited pains of the Three States of Woe. Cycling within, their suffering is unbearable, and they cannot hope to escape for eon after eon.
…「Upon death, they descend into the Evil Realms」There is no escape from the retributions for evil acts.「The unlimited pains of the Three States of Woe」They must cycle among the myriad pains and anxieties of the Evil Realms, which are unlimited and boundless.
「Their suffering is unbearable, and they cannot hope to escape for eon after eon. 」Amidst such unspeakable suffering, they are further confronted by the fact that they must suffer such intolerable pains for eon after eon, without hope of escape.
— Page 27, Treasury of Dharma Gems Edition II
