A Well-Intentioned Theft Brings Good Karmic Retribution

Stealing—almost everyone commits it. Taking what has not been given is stealing, and ordinary people don't understand this. I have committed it, and moreover knowingly and deliberately. In the past, I liked to give away extra things to others; I had the habit of generosity (dāna), and I also hoped my family members could practice giving and cultivate merit, letting go of their stinginess. I cannot control others, only my mother. But she is a bit miserly and wouldn't listen to me—she had too many things that were of no use, yet she still wouldn't give them away. Having no other way, I secretly took things she seldom used and gave them away. Then every time she couldn't find something, she would say I had stolen it and given it away. Actually, secretly taking things from one's own family members also has karmic retribution. What will the future retribution be? Giving things away brings a thousandfold merit—who obtains it?

If I were the one to obtain the merit, it would be far more than a thousandfold or ten-thousandfold. But the things were not mine, so how could I obtain merit? The act of giving was something I created, so of course I obtain merit. Depending on one's role, the amount of merit obtained differs; depending on one's intention, the amount of merit obtained also differs. But the things belonged to my mother, so she should also obtain merit. However, without the mind of giving, the merit she obtains is limited; and it is because of me that she obtains merit—without me, she could not obtain it. In the future, when I receive my merit, I will need to give a portion back; I only obtain the merit of the portion of my own intention.

Being in mutual debt with one's own close relatives, by this karmic connection, we will still be together in future lives—even if it is to repay debts, that is still good, for after all there is the opportunity to liberate them. Between relatives, it has always been a muddled account that no one can calculate clearly. Because of these debt relationships, we become entangled with one another life after life: with wholesome connections there is happiness; with unwholesome connections there is suffering. Form many wholesome connections with all people, and in future lives there will be happiness without suffering.