There are many instances of stealing, for example there are little thieves, or robbers. There are many such cases brought before the justice system. What is the cause of stealing and robbery cases? Perhaps, in our past lives, we have taken other people’s possessions without permission or we have been a thief and stolen or cheated others of their possessions. Another case would be that we did not repay our parents for using their possessions. Thereafter they have become our karmic debtors. All these are our karma accumulated from past lives.

Therefore, in this lifetime we experience being robbed or things stolen from us. In actual fact it is like having borrowed possessions from others without returning it, thus establishing debts for this lifetime. If we can understand this point then when we are being robbed or things stolen from us we will not have hatred thoughts in our mind. We will not have hatred thoughts directed towards the thieves or robbers. Naturally we will not be angry, at the same time we will dedicate the merits to them. Why do we need to dedicate merits to them? It is because we already understand the cause and effect and that they may be our past life debtors coming to collect what are truly owed to them. Or they are our past life parents coming to collect their time and efforts to bring us up. All these debts we need to clear and at the same time dedicate the merits to them. Hoping that they will quickly attain enlightenment. Also hoping that their riches will increase and their lives without obstacles. If we can truly perform this dedication of merit, then we would have carried out the most precious form of giving. The possession that was lost would not be wasted.

This is especially true at present; people engaged in commerce often borrow money. Many people are not able to repay the loan and because of this suffer pain and suffering. We should contemplate on this in detail. We should contemplate on this. On the one hand we wish to repay all debts, so that we will feel happiness in our mind. If we are not able to collect debts owed by our friends; we should forgive them. Because if we did not incur any debt in our past life to these people, in future we could, through legal means, collect what is owed. If we owed them in our past life, this amount of money, no matter what methods we employ, we will not be able to get repayment. Even though in their heart they want to repay the money, somehow you will not be successful in retrieving your money. Therefore in these matters we must not feel agitated or get angry.

We must understand that the above method is very good and will lessen your pain and sufferings. If we do not have this type of attitude, when we lose our possessions we would suffer the initial loss of the possession, then we will suffer the anger thoughts that follow. Anger will lead us to the hells realms. Can you imagine how you can withstand the pain and suffering of the hells realm? Therefore when we lose a lot of our possessions we must not feel pain. Because we still have Bodhicitta in our mind. If we lose our Bodhicitta then every day you would just think of the loss of your possessions. One day when Buddha Amitabha wants to take you to pureland you would not be able to go. Because you will still be in the hells realm. Why? Because after your loss of possessions, each day you have anger in your mind and in the end you will end up in the hells realm.

If after we lost possessions, we only think that we should repay this debt and not generate any anger thoughts. Then after repayment of this debt, we should also practice giving. In the future we will enjoy the karmic fruition of giving paramitas. To contemplate a little further, if you are able to meet a thief it is fortunate because you are able to repay your debts and at the same time practice the giving paramitas. Therefore we should give thanks to this thief. If you can think like this, we will be able to stop your own pain and suffering as well as those of others. Isn’t that a good thing to do?