<p>Consider the intent of the originator. We live in a world that <em>has</em> Copyright, which didn't exist at the time of the Buddha. If I walk into your house and remove your favourite object - how do you feel? If I make use of something that you have been led by the law of your land to believe that I am not allowed to use, how do you feel? The second precept is all about respecting others - we must not look at it in a legalistic way, as if it is a set of rules to be understood and then actioned rigidly. The intent is simply that we act in accordance with the first precept - with kindness, consideration, and respect. That, alone, would cause me to think very hard before copying something to which I do not have the rights.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-07T20:51:41.640Z
2015-08-07T20:51:41.640Z
Malcolm Holmes
<p>So I enjoy Dungeons and Dragons a bunch, and have recently begun trying to follow the first 5 precepts of Buddhism. I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I think they are a good way to live my life. So I have lots of PDF's that I didn't pay for bookmarked so I can use them, but since I didn't buy them would that count as breaking the do not steal precept? Thank you!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-05T15:13:56.917Z
By downloading the PDF you are not depriving the original owner of its use.

Buddhist rules don't consider this stealing.

See Ven. Yuttadhammo's excellent answer on this topic: http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2869
Buddho
<ethics><modern-world><five-precepts>
Does using a pdf for sale for free violate the 2nd precept?
# Does using a pdf for sale for free violate the 2nd precept?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-05)

So I enjoy Dungeons and Dragons a bunch, and have recently begun trying to follow the first 5 precepts of Buddhism. I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I think they are a good way to live my life. So I have lots of PDF's that I didn't pay for bookmarked so I can use them, but since I didn't buy them would that count as breaking the do not steal precept? Thank you!

**Tags:** ethics, modern-world, five-precepts

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: By downloading the PDF you are not depriving the original owner of its use.  Buddhist rules don't consider this stealing.  See Ven. Yuttadhammo's excellent answer on this topic: http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2869  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-08-07. Score: 4

Consider the intent of the originator. We live in a world that *has* Copyright, which didn't exist at the time of the Buddha. If I walk into your house and remove your favourite object - how do you feel? If I make use of something that you have been led by the law of your land to believe that I am not allowed to use, how do you feel? The second precept is all about respecting others - we must not look at it in a legalistic way, as if it is a set of rules to be understood and then actioned rigidly. The intent is simply that we act in accordance with the first precept - with kindness, consideration, and respect. That, alone, would cause me to think very hard before copying something to which I do not have the rights.


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