TAKING THINGS FROM THE GUAN YIN HALL WITHOUT PERMISSION CONSTITUTES THEFT
Master Jun Hong Lu: There are guidelines to follow when making offerings to Bodhisattvas: One must never consume the fruits that have been set aside for offering.
When offering some apples to Bodhisattvas, you may think of consuming one of them to quench your thirst. You must not do it at all costs because in doing so, you would have committed theft. Do you think it is alright for you to eat the food set aside for someone as a gift?
It is prohibitive to take anything from the temple or the Guan Yin Hall without permission. If you do, the act of theft has been established. This is why I am here to talk about the Buddhist precepts, of which abstaining from stealing is an equally important precept.
You may have a great relationship with your spouse, but the moment you quietly take some cash from your husband’s wallet, without his knowledge, to purchase something, the act of stealing is constituted. This is because you take things without the rightful owner’s consent. It is important to observe this precept.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Radio Program), Volume 1 Chapter 54
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