四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 2.88

2.88

In the Vinayavibhāṣā, the meanings of theft are extremely numerous. Provisionally, according to eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, one gives rise to non-Dharmic conduct with respect to the six sense objects; one either commits a grave offense or commits a light offense; if someone consumes poison or is bitten by a snake, one commits such offenses. If someone steals the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and so forth, he likewise commits a pārājika; all are judged under the precept against theft. The explanation says: There are seers who are physicians for crawling snake venom; they compose the written characters of seers, and whoever sees them is cured; whoever wishes to see them must pay a price. A bhikṣu who was harmed steals a look at them; calculating the value, he commits a grave offense. Even when another person has learned it, stealing a look is also like this (secret texts, commentaries, and the like, stealing a look at them is judged according to this). If someone chants spells to cure illness and one must pay a price if one wishes to learn them, and a bhikṣu secretly listens, calculating the value, he incurs a grave offense. Stealing a smell, taste, or touch is also like this. If one knows that for a secret formula and essential art, the patient's mental focus immediately cures the illness, and only upon receiving the price will [the master] show it, and only upon receiving the price will he permit copying it; if a bhikṣu receives the method by approaching the master, and his mental focus cures the illness without his paying the price, he therefore commits a grave offense. Next, according to the six elements, the first three can be understood. There is a fan with spells and applied medicine; if a bhikṣu secretly waves it without paying the price, [he incurs an offense]. If one erects an upper storey that encroaches upon another's space element and obstructs his building, this is called stealing space. The treatise states: "And so forth" means equal to the consciousness element; wisdom belongs to consciousness. A person has a craft and will not transmit it to another for nothing, but requires payment; if a bhikṣu uses an expedient to learn it from him without paying the price, this is stealing consciousness (meaning stealing the functioning of intelligence). Other than these, various circumstances cannot be fully recorded. One should simply know that stealing is defined as causing loss of wealth contrary to principle; no meaning is left unincluded. It is explained in detail as in the Commentary on the Prātimokṣa.