Asteya: Abstinence, Non-Stealing and Gratitude

Now, no matter what the mullah teaches, there is only one sin. Only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. When you kill a man, you steal a life. You still his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. There is no act more wretched than stealing.

~Excerpted from The Kite Runner (2003), by Khaled Hosseini.

Thievery may be broadly interpreted beyond material property, such as the inclusion of copyright infringement, taking a friend’s time through tardiness, or using the carpool lane and denying the rightful users a smoother passage. Asteya may also refer to gratitude, not to consume more than we should and to not covet the possessions of others. Asteya does not, however, refer to the zero-sum game of trading, as all participation is equal, fair, and voluntary. Selfishness, entitlement, jealousy and envy are all insidious emotions related to asteya, and we should remain alert to indulging in them. Ensuring our needs are met will decrease our susceptibility to unscrupulously act to acquire the possessions others.

A life full of pain and anguish is a life nonetheless and should be worthy of our gratitude. This appears unjust to those whose suffering seems insurmountable. Reminding ourselves of the intransitive state of being is the only way out of this misery and not by coveting or appropriating the factors that we assume will contribute to our own happiness (as it seems to do in our neighbour).  If our appreciation of success is defined by the ownership of material property, titles and distinctions, then we may needlessly engage in thievery to acquire them.

With that being said, ambition is not greed. Ambition is the development and expression of our body, mind and spirit, while valuing yogic principles. Everyone has a right to fulfill their dharma, the unique expression of the gifts and talents of every individual, and pursue opportunities that lead to love, health, wealth and happiness, which is the best we may, arguably, hope for in the bounds of our phenomenological reality. Our path to contentment should be undertaken while upholding the yamas and niyamas. We should not take more than we need, we should not take away the rights of others, nor should we let them do the same to us. We should remain the ever watchful warriors and peacefully protect our necessary interests.

Asteya and Trading

Monetary value is implicit within the markets and we may, therefore, be at a heightened risk for overvaluing the importance profit plays on our contentment. Asteya may be ignored for many reasons—most of which hope to lead to a life of happiness. Desperation may cause overexposure of risk capital. Over-trading may result from the need to attain self-imposed quotas. Comparing our performance to others, allowing self-deprecating thoughts of anger or frustration, as well as, perhaps, ingratiating ones when greed is met with short-term fulfillment are all states attributed to those of us who place our identity in material worth.

A unified decision-making process will be impeded by internal dialogue that creates emotional disturbances and fatigue. If the focus is not one of relations with the markets, but with the “keepin’ up with the Jones’ mentality,” then we will not see chart patterns from an unbiased view. Gratitude for the cognitive capacities we have to engage in the markets and in life should always be brought forth. Our priorities should be focused on the appropriate acquisition, rather than taking that which is not ours, of health, wealth and happiness.