The Phenomenon of Theft in the Three Evil Realms

Among the six realms, beings in the Three Evil Realms are the most impoverished. Hell beings, due to their extreme suffering, are unable to commit evil karma; hence, the concept of stealing does not apply to them. Hungry ghosts (pretas), possessing supernatural powers, easily develop habits of theft. Some consume human vital energy, while others attach themselves to human bodies, utilizing all of their host's resources for sustenance—essentially living by stealing lives. As for animals, they survive primarily in two ways: firstly, by preying on each other, and secondly, by relying on humans—either through domestication or by stealing human food. A minority of animal species depend on nature for survival, such as bees collecting nectar to make honey, silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves, or cattle and sheep grazing on grass. These creatures sustain themselves without resorting to theft. Ironically, it is precisely these animals that humans often exploit—for instance, bees laboriously produce honey only to have it stolen by humans or other animals in the end. Generally, animals survive through stealing, fighting, and struggle. This behavior becomes fixed due to their ingrained habits, rooted in poverty and helplessness, leaving them no alternative.

When an animal's evil karma is temporarily exhausted and it accumulates sufficient merit to be reborn as a human, it temporarily assumes human form. Yet, it often carries over the habitual tendency to steal from its animal existence, lacking many inherent human traits. Consequently, most humans also engage in mutual exploitation through theft. Accustomed to this behavior, they perceive it as normal and even justified. Evil people do not recognize their own wickedness, just as the mentally ill are unaware of their illness. Such is the nature of this delusion.

Those who descend from the heavenly realms generally possess traits of aloofness, nobility, magnanimity, and a propensity for charitable giving. They disdain using others' belongings, maintaining both mental and physical purity. They refrain from engaging in base acts of theft.