Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga: YAMA | Asteya

Yoga Sutra 2.37 says when we are established in Asteya, (non stealing) all gems manifest. Non-stealing is more than refraining from the physical act of theft. Non-stealing is a subtle force that seizes our desire to acquire things that are not rightfully ours. This force is infused with great discernment power. Practicing Asteya requires that we refrain from personally involving ourselves in the act of stealing, refrain from directing others to steal for us and even not give unspoken consent to steal.

The second term, all gems means much more than precious stones. Great ideas, scientific discoveries, human values and uplifting thoughts. The virtues of the heart, love, compassion, selflessness, are invaluable gems. To become established in the principle of non-stealing requires that we refrain from stealing these more subtle gems as well as the obvious ones.

The thought of stealing arises from greed. Greed is an extension of our desires. When desires corrupt our discernment (our buddhi) we become consumed by attaining them at any cost. Because our buddhi is compromised, we neither see nor care to see the difference between right and wrong. Ethics and morality no longer matter, we are determined to get what we want at any cost. 

To accomplish this, we may involve ourselves directly in achieving what is not ours, employ others to get it for us, or give our unspoken consent. To some extent, this has been accepted as a standard business practice. Only when it disrupts the social order are we forced to see what we are doing, pretending that a destructive vice is actually a virtue.

This is why the 4th Niyama, Svadhyaya (self study) is really important. If we’re not careful we could end up down a very destructive path.