Explanation of Precepts (Draft)

III. Regarding the Crime of Tomb Robbery and Offerings to the Buddha

To whom do the items stolen by tomb robbers belong? Whose property is being stolen? All items within a tomb belong to the tomb owner, who is the deceased, not the family members. Family members have the responsibility and right of guardianship and oversight. Burial objects belong entirely to the deceased, as they are gifts presented to the deceased, both in principle and in practice, thus reverting to the deceased. The deceased is the owner of all items in the tomb. The deceased possesses the manas (mind faculty) and the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness), enabling them to own the burial objects, regardless of whether they can use them or whether they cling to them. Until the burial objects decay, no one else is permitted to use them. Unless the tomb owner appears in a dream to entrust someone with instructions on how to use them, taking them constitutes theft—even family members cannot use them.

Although the deceased's body has perished and lost its functionality, the deceased remains a sentient being, with the manas and ālaya-vijñāna enduring. They can possess, protect, and use the burial objects. Even for living beings with physical bodies, all objects are owned and used by the mind-consciousness; the body is utilized by the mind-consciousness, which should naturally care for and cherish the body. Regardless of the owner's feelings, property always belongs to the owner. Burial objects belong to the deceased forever, regardless of whether the deceased clings to them or not. Whether the deceased becomes a ghost, an animal, or a celestial being, those items still belong to that individual. Others cannot arbitrarily take and use them unless exchanging them for other items as substitutes. For example, suppose you buy a set of furniture and place it in your house, then move abroad permanently, not necessarily returning. That furniture and house still belong to you, regardless of the items' usefulness. What belongs to whom always belongs to whom. Regardless of whether the owner is compassionate, generous, or magnanimous, as long as the owner does not permit it, any use by others constitutes theft.

For instance, the Buddha is the greatest, highest, and most revered sage—the most compassionate, generous, unattached, and magnanimous. Yet, items offered to the Buddha belong to the Buddha. Using them casually constitutes stealing the Buddha's property. Stealing the Buddha's property or the property of the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha) is infinitely more severe than stealing ordinary people's property. Moreover, the more virtuous, compassionate, and generous the owner, the greater the sin of stealing their property. Therefore, guilt cannot be determined by whether the owner is generous or magnanimous.

The conviction for theft is not determined by the Buddha, nor by the Dharma protectors, nor even by the owner. It is determined by the law of cause and effect (karma), which is governed by the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature). The Buddha does not intervene in significant karmic consequences. For minor outcomes, it depends on the thief's sincerity in repentance, their virtuous roots, and their karmic connection with the Buddha. The Buddha may remove some obstacles; Dharma protectors may offer some shielding; the rest is settled by karma. Repentance is the most effective way to lessen karmic retribution. Eliminating the intention to steal eradicates the root source of the sin, allowing part or all of the sin to be eradicated.

From this, it is understood that items offered to the Buddha by sentient beings belong to the Buddha. The Buddha is the owner. Even the person who made the offering cannot casually take and use them; otherwise, it constitutes stealing the Buddha's property. If one wishes to use items after offering them to the Buddha, one must state during the offering: "I offer these items to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. After the Buddha has performed the Buddha's work and received the essence of the offering, I will retrieve the remaining shell for my own use. The parts unusable by the Buddha revert to me." After making this declaration, once the incense has burned out, one may remove the offerings. Alternatively, one may exchange them with other items as substitutes for what the Buddha has used.

Since the Buddha receives the essence of the offerings, we should understand what constitutes the essence. We must be careful not to touch this part; it must be reserved for the Buddha. Otherwise, it deceives the Buddha. Deceiving the Buddha means that since the Buddha naturally receives the fragrance and flavor, if you first consume the delicious taste and aroma of the offering yourself, what the Buddha needs is either gone or diminished. Consuming it before the Buddha is disrespectful and does not bring blessings. If the Buddha uses the offered items, sentient beings receive blessings. If the Buddha does not use them, sentient beings still receive blessings due to the sincere mind of offering, which generates merit. However, the difference in the blessings received is very significant.