Asteya (अस्तेयम् )

The meaning of the term Asteya (अस्तेय) is non-stealing. Also known as Achourya (अचौर्य) It means to not steal or have an intention to steal and property of other person through thought, speech and action. This is considered as a Yama as per Patanjali Yoga Sutra.

Scriptural Occurrences:

1.   Patanjal Yoga Sutras (2.29) enlists Yama as one of the limbs of Ashtanga Yoga as below.

यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि ।। २.२९ ।। yamaniyamAsanaprANAyAmapratyAhAradhAraNAdhyAnasamAdhayo.aShTAva~NgAni || 2.29 ||

Meaning : The 8 limbs of yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayam, Pratyahar, Dharna, Dhyana, Samadhi.

2.   Further Patanjali mentions the 5 Yamas in Sutra 2.30

The five Yama as per Patanjali are Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha.As per other texts the number may vary.

अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः ।। २.३० ।। ahiMsAsatyAsteyabrahmacharyAparigrahA yamAH || 2.30 ||

Meaning : The five Yama as per Patanjali are Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. As per other texts the number may vary. 3.   The 10 Yamas as per Shandilya Upanishad are as below.

“.... तत्राहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यदयाजप- क्षमाधृतिमिताहारशौचानि चेति यमादश ....” ".... tatrāhiṁsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryadayājapa- kṣamādhr̥timitāhāraśaucāni ceti yamādaśa ...."

Meaning: Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Daya, Japa, Kshama, Dhriti, Mitahara and Aarjava. 4.   Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swatmaram also mentions Satya as below.

अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं बरह्मछर्यं कष्हमा धॄतिः |

दयार्जवं मिताहारः शौछं छैव यमा दश || १७ ||

ahiṁsā satyamasteyaṁ barahmacharyaṁ kaṣhamā dhr̥̄tiḥ |

dayārjavaṁ mitāhāraḥ śauchaṁ chaiva yamā daśa || 17 ||

Meaning : “Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, continence (being absorbed in a pure state of consciousness), forgiveness, endurance, compassion, humility, moderate diet and cleanliness are the ten rules of conduct (yama)”

Why Asteya is required?

Asteya is a virtue that a person is expected to bear. It is a Yama that a person can follow. Below are reasons for it.

a.    M. K. Gandhi in From Yervada Mandir says

Non-stealing will bring about a progressive reduction of his own wants. Much of the distressing poverty in this world has arisen out of breaches of the principle of Non-stealing.

b.    Osho also discusses about Non-stealing in “Revolution in Education”  

The present education system cannot do anything, because the whole system of education today is devised keeping goals in mind. We are teaching goals to children. We are teaching children not to steal – non-stealing is the goal. That goal is somewhere in the future: today the children steal. Today the teacher is stealing, the father is stealing, the mother is also stealing, the town is stealing, the whole world is stealing. And everybody is teaching non-stealing, to give up stealing. The child also takes a vow to give up stealing, but the moment this vow is being taken, at that very moment the stealing is accepted; stealing will continue – because the child says, he will give up stealing. What is promised for tomorrow becomes a lie; nothing is to be done today. Today stealing is to be done, has to be done – but it will have to be given up, that is the goal of man. Talking about the goals in the life of man is a highly dishonest thing.

c.   Osho gives below details of Asteya in Talks on Yoga - the Alpha and Omega

"The third is asteya, achaurya -- nonstealing, honesty. The mind is a great thief. In many ways it goes on stealing. You may not be stealing things from people, but you can steal thoughts. I say something to you; you go out and you pretend that that is your thought. You have stolen it, you are a thief -- you may not be aware what you are doing."

"Says Patanjali, "Be in a state of nonstealing." Knowledge, things -- nothing should be stolen. You should be original and should always be aware that "these things don't belong to me." Remain empty, it is better, but don't fill your house with stolen things, because if you go on stealing you will lose all originality. Then you will never be able to find your own space: you will be filled with others' opinions, thoughts, things. And, finally, they don't prove of any value. Only that which comes out of you is valuable. In fact only that which comes out of you can you possess, nothing else. You can steal but you cannot possess."

"A thief is never at ease, cannot be -- he is always afraid of being caught. And even if nobody catches him he knows that this is not his. This remains a constant burden in his being."

"Patanjali says, "Don't be a thief -- in any way, in any dimension," so that your originality can flower. Don't burden yourself with stolen things and thoughts, philosophies, religions. Allow your inner space to flower."