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{{short description|Non-stealing, a virtue in Indian religions}}
{{italic title}}
'''''Achourya''''' ([[Sanskrit]]: अचौर्यः, [[IAST]]: Acauryaḥ ) or '''''Asteya''''' ([[Sanskrit]]: अस्तेय; [[IAST]]: ''asteya'') is the [[Sanskrit]] term for "non-stealing". It is a [[virtue]] in [[Hinduism]] . The practice of ''asteya'' demands that one must not steal, nor have the intent to steal another's property through action, speech and thoughts.<ref>Patricia Corner (2009), Workplace spirituality and business ethics: Insights from an Eastern spiritual tradition, Journal of business ethics, 85(3), 377–389</ref><ref name=kntiwari87>KN Tiwari (1998), Classical Indian Ethical Thought, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120816077}}, page 87</ref>

Asteya is considered one of five major vows of [[Hinduism]] and [[Ethics of Jainism#Maha vratas (Major vows)|Jainism]].<ref name=jw/> It is also considered one of ten forms of [[Temperance (virtue)|temperance]] (virtuous self-restraint) in [[Indian philosophy]].<ref name=knaiyar>KN Aiyar (1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, Kessinger Publishing, {{ISBN|978-1164026419}}, Chapter 22, pages 173–176</ref>

==Etymology==
The word "'''''asteya'''''" is a compound derived from Sanskrit language, where "'''''a'''''" refers to "non-" and "'''''steya'''''" refers to "practice of stealing" or "something that can be stolen". Thus, ''asteya'' means "non-stealing". ''(lit.)"not immoral"''

==Jainism==
In [[Jainism]], it is one of the five vows that all [[Śrāvaka (Jainism)|Śrāvakas and Śrāvikā]]s (householders) as well as [[Jain monasticism|monastics]] must observe.<ref>{{citation|last=Glasenapp|first=Helmuth Von|title=Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation|year=1999|location = Delhi|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WzEzXDk0v6sC|isbn=81-208-1376-6}}</ref> The five transgressions of this vow as mentioned in the [[Jain text]], ''Tattvārthsūtra'' are: "Prompting another to steal, receiving stolen goods, underbuying in a disordered state, using false weights and measures, and deceiving others with artificial or imitation goods".{{sfn|S.A. Jain|1992|p=208}}
This is explained in the Jain text, [[Sarvārthasiddhi]] as (translated by S.A. Jain): {{quote|Prompting a person to steal, or prompting him through another or approving of the theft, is the first transgression. The second is receiving stolen goods from a person, whose action has neither been prompted nor approved by the recipient. Receiving or buying goods otherwise than by lawful and just means is an irregularity or a transgression. An attempt to buy precious things very cheaply in a disordered state is the third transgression. Cheating others by the use of false weights and measures in order to obtain more from others and give less to others, is the fourth transgression. Deceiving others with artificial gold, synthetic diamonds and so on, is the fifth transgression. These five are the transgressions of the vow of non-stealing.| ''Sarvārthasiddhi'' (7–27){{sfn|S.A. Jain|1992|p=208}}}}

==Hinduism==
Asteya is defined in Hindu scripts as "the abstinence, in one's deeds or words or thoughts, from unauthorized appropriation of things of value from another human being".<ref name=jw/> It is a widely discussed virtue in ethical theories of Hinduism.<ref name=kntiwari87/> For example, in the [[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali|Yoga Sūtras]] (II.30), ''Asteya'' (non-stealing) is listed as the third [[Yamas]] or virtue of self-restraint, along with [[Ahimsa]] (nonviolence), [[Satya]] (non-falsehoods, truthfulness), [[Brahmacharya]] (sexual chastity in one's feelings and actions) and [[Aparigraha]] (non-possessiveness, non-craving).<ref name=jw>[https://archive.org/stream/yogasystemofpata00wooduoft#page/178/mode/2up The yoga system of Patanjali] James Wood (Translator), Harvard University Press, pages 178–182</ref><ref>Georg Feuerstein and Jeanine Miller (1997), The Essence of Yoga, {{ISBN|978-0892817382}}, Chapter 1</ref>

{{quote|
<poem>
{{lang|sa|अहिंसासत्यास्तेय ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहाः यमाः ॥३०॥}}

Non-violence, Non-falsehood, Non-stealing, Non-cheating (celibacy, chastity), and Non-possessiveness are the five Yamas. (30)
</poem>
|[[Patanjali|Patañjali]]|Yoga Sutra 2.30<ref>[http://www.ashtangayoga.info/source-texts/yoga-sutra-patanjali/chapter-2/ Yoga Sutra], Sadhana Pada, Verse 30</ref>}}

Asteya is thus one of the five essential restraints (''yamas'', "the don'ts") in Hinduism, that with five essential practices (''niyamas'', "the dos") are suggested for right, virtuous, enlightened living.<ref>Mathew Clarke (2014), Handbook of Research on Development and Religion, Elgar Reference, {{ISBN|978-0857933577}}, page 83</ref>

===Discussion===
Asteya in practice, states Patricia Corner, implies to "not steal", "not cheat" nor unethically manipulate other's property or others for one's own gain.<ref>Patricia Corner (2008, August), EXTENDING THEORY THROUGH EXPERIENCE: A FRAMEWORK FOR BUSINESS ETHICS FROM YOGA, In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2008, No. 1, pp. 1–6), Academy of Management</ref> Asteya as virtue demands that not only one "not steal" through one's action, one should not want to encourage cheating through speech or writing, or want to cheat even in one's thinking. Smith states<ref>D'Arcy Smith (2007), The Issue of Vocal Practice: Finding a Vocabulary for Our Blocks and Resistances, Voice and Speech Review, 5(1), 128–131</ref> that the virtue of ''asteya'' arises out of the understanding that all misappropriation is an expression of craving and a feeling of lack of [[Compassion#Hinduism|compassion]] for other beings. To steal or want to steal expresses lack of faith in oneself, one's ability to learn and create property. To steal another's property is also stealing from one's own potential ability to develop.<ref>JP Falk (2005), Yoga and Ethics in High School, Journal of Dance Education, 5(4), pages 132–134</ref> The [[Sutra]]s reason that misappropriation, conspiring to misappropriate or wanting to misappropriate, at its root reflects the sin of ''lobha'' (bad greed), ''moha'' (material delusion) or ''krodha'' (bad anger).<ref>Klaus Klostermair (2007), A Survey of Hinduism, 3rd Edition, State University of New York Press, {{ISBN|978-0791470824}}, page 347</ref>

[[Mahatma Gandhi|Gandhi]] held ''[[ahimsa]]'' as essential to the human right to life and liberty without fear, ''asteya'' as human right to property without fear.<ref name=nikam>Nikam, N. A. (1954), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20123409 Gandhi's Philosophy], The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. 7, No. 4, pages 668–678</ref> Asteya follows from Ahimsa, in Gandhi's views, because stealing is a form of violence and injury to another person.<ref name=nikam/> Asteya is not merely "theft by action", but it includes "theft by intent" and "theft by manipulation". Persistent exploitation of the weak or poor is a form of "asteya in one's thought".<ref name=nikam/>

Further Discussion:

When Gandhi said that anyone who possess more than what he needs is a thief. So, he had the right understanding of “asteya”. His implication is that one can have wealth or possession only through misappropriation, in other words, taking away or stealing what belongs to others. It implies again that no wealthy person has the virtue of “asteya”.

Further interpretation could be that “asteya” is socialism in a broader sense. No individual has the right to possess anything more than what he/she needs.

To continue further, “Yoga” has a very limited understanding of people at large. “No rich person can call oneself “Yogian”, a person with principles.

===Related concepts===
[[Dāna]], that is charity to a deserving person without any expectation in return, is a recommended ''[[niyama]]'' in Hinduism. The motive behind Dāna is reverse to that of "stealing from others". Dāna is a complementary practice to the [[yamas]] (restraint) of ''asteya''.<ref>Patañjali (Translator: SV Bharti), Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: With the Exposition of Vyasa, Vol. 2, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120818255}}, pages 684–686</ref>

==Difference from Aparigraha==
Asteya and [[Aparigraha]] are two of several important virtues in Hinduism and Jainism. They both involve interaction between a person and material world, either as property, fame or ideas; yet Asteya and Aparigraha are different concepts. Asteya is the virtue of non-stealing and not wanting to appropriate, or take by force or deceit or exploitation, by deeds or words or thoughts, what is owned by and belongs to someone else.<ref name=nikam/><ref>[[Donna Farhi]] (2011), Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness, MacMillan, {{ISBN|978-0805059700}}, pages 10–11</ref> Aparigraha, in contrast, is the virtue of non-possessiveness and non-clinging to one's own property, non-accepting any gifts or particularly improper gifts offered by others, and of non-avarice, non-craving in the motivation of one's deeds, words and thoughts.<ref>David Frawley, Yoga and the Sacred Fire: Self-Realization and Planetary Transformation, Motilal Banarsidas, {{ISBN|978-8120827462}}</ref><ref>C Bell (2011), Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice, [[Rodmell Press]], {{ISBN|978-1930485204}}, page 74-89</ref>

Aparigraha means non-covetousness. Graham is where one stands. Pari is the limit. When one crosses the limit of one’s graha, even by intention it’s covetousness, not a virtue. It’s misappropriation or manipulation. This principle applies not only to physical property, but also to intellectual property. Crossing one’s limit, craving for something or someone rightfully belonging to others even by thoughts or intentions is a sin. “...whosever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” Mathew5:27-28

==References==
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== Sources ==
* {{citation |last=Jain |first=Prof. S.A. |title=Reality (English Translation of Srimat Pujyapadacharya's Sarvarthasiddhi) |date=1992 |orig-year=First edition 1960 |publisher=Jwalamalini Trust |url=https://archive.org/details/Reality_JMT |edition=Second |quote={{PD-notice}} |ref={{sfnref|S.A. Jain|1992}} }}

[[Category:Jain philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Relational ethics]]
[[Category:Jain ethics]]
[[Category:Hindu ethics]]

Achourya - Revision history

ImportMaster at 22:56, 18 January 2022