Asteya
Encyclopedia
Asteya is a Sanskrit
word meaning "avoidance of stealing" or "non-stealing". In Jainism
, it is one of the five vows that all Śrāvakas and Śrāvikā
s as well as monastics must take.
The concept of "Asteya" is also a principal part of Hinduism
, forming one of the core principles that all human beings should try to abide by. Traditionally it is one among the 10 yamas
and in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
it is one among the 5 Yamas or disciplines. The concept is frequently confused as being an equivalent of the Biblical commandment "Thou shall not steal" although in principle it means more than that. Asteya refers to not stealing, not coveting, nor hoarding, as well as not obstructing other people's desires in life. Swami Jyotirmanda of Miami's Yoga Ashram frequently states that "all the wealth of the world will be drawn to one who has mastered the practice and discipline of Asteya." This is analogous to the Christian (Biblical) saying, "The meek shall inherit the world."
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word meaning "avoidance of stealing" or "non-stealing". In Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, it is one of the five vows that all Śrāvakas and Śrāvikā
Sravaka
Shravaka or Śrāvaka or Sāvaka means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple".This term is used by both Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism, a shravaka is any lay Jain...
s as well as monastics must take.
The concept of "Asteya" is also a principal part of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, forming one of the core principles that all human beings should try to abide by. Traditionally it is one among the 10 yamas
Yamas
Yamas, and its complement, Niyamas, represent a series of "right living" or ethical rules within Hinduism and Yoga. These are a form of moral imperatives, commandments, rules or goals...
and in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali are 194 Indian sūtras that constitute the foundational text of Rāja Yoga. Yoga is one of the six orthodox āstika schools of Hindu philosophy, and Rāja Yoga is the highest practice....
it is one among the 5 Yamas or disciplines. The concept is frequently confused as being an equivalent of the Biblical commandment "Thou shall not steal" although in principle it means more than that. Asteya refers to not stealing, not coveting, nor hoarding, as well as not obstructing other people's desires in life. Swami Jyotirmanda of Miami's Yoga Ashram frequently states that "all the wealth of the world will be drawn to one who has mastered the practice and discipline of Asteya." This is analogous to the Christian (Biblical) saying, "The meek shall inherit the world."