Verse 12 of the 37 Verses teaches us how to let stealing become giving. It says,
“Even if someone, driven by desperate want, steals or makes someone else steal everything you own, dedicate to him your body, your wealth and all the good you have ever done or will do- this is the practice of a bodhisattva.”
In an art-imitates-life moment, my son’s wallet was stolen out of his car this weekend. He lost his drivers license, a bunch of cash, a debit card that was used on a spending spree, and a stash of gift cards. He felt all the things you’d imagine: rage, grief, despair, frustration. And then my husband and I looked at him and said “Ok, but what is that really going to do?” We focused on learning the lesson (don’t leave your wallet in the car!) and also letting go. Nothing to do now but cancel the debit card and get a new license. It was a tough lesson in impermanence.
Nothing belongs to us forever. Someone can take it from us at any time. That doesn’t make it right, but it always remains possible. So what then do we do when someone steals? Verse 12 says we can let stealing become giving. Instead of bemoaning the stolen items, we can choose to actively give it over to the thief in our minds. Imagine what state this person may be in to do this kind of thing. Find some compassion. In this way, we prevent our anger and other emotions from adding more suffering to an already difficult situation.
As Thubten Chodron teaches, “Getting angry doesn’t help. It only poisons our mind and keeps us mentally trapped… Instead of thinking, ‘This is mine,’ and trying to get it back when there’s no way we can ever get it back, we mentally give it to the thief… Instead of holding a grudge and having it gnaw at us year after year, we let go and happily give the clung-to possessions to the person.” (Happily may be hard, but the process works even if our emotions don’t feel happy about it. Which is why Ken McLeod wisely tells us this isn’t a feel-good practice.)
This little flip of the switch feels hard but powerful. The Dalai Lama tells this true story of Gyalsas Zongpo: after being attacked on the streets, he asks for the items back so that he can bless them. And then he tells the robbers not to use one path, where his neighbors will surely recognize his things, but to take an alternate path instead. This reminds me of Jesus telling the disciples that if someone takes their coat, give them their shirt also. The truth is, our anger doesn’t change people, or the situation. But our compassion might.
