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the permission of their lawful owner. He even went further to include taking things not owned by anybody (As the government is the legal owner of such things), cheating, stealing other's rights, conspiring or stealing of other's legacy, waging of war to usurp other's territories. Gandhi further expanded this concept of non-stealing even to the mental state by suggesting that not wanting things which we do not need also as Asteya or nonstealing. Mankind's greed and craving for artificial needs are also stealing. When we compound our needs and wants, we actually steal from others' right to basic requirements. One who follows the observance of Non-stealing will bring about a progressive reduction of his own wants. Much of the distressing poverty in this world has risen out of the breaches of the principle of Non-stealing". He considered Non-stealing as an integral part of Truth and Ahimsa as seen from following incidences.
During his Quit India movement, he stressed this concept of Asteya to British Empire as they have usurped India without the permission of Indians and kept on forcing them to quit.
Gandhi did not write the essay on Swadeshi in Yeravda jail as he thought it will be in conflict with the precinct of British Empire.
He further observed that non-observance of Asteya stands as an obstruction towards self-realization. Non-anxiety for future is another characteristic of Asteya. Our anxiety for future security in all directions knows no bounds. It baffles us and the tranquillity of our mind. It often induces us to adopt crooked and unfair measure for the acquisitions of future provisions and leads us to go astray. Similarly he considered plagiarism as theft committed by men of letters
Jain definition of Achaurya-anuvratall4 or the minor vow of non-stealing is similar to what Gandhi says wherein stealing is
Pg.166 Gandhi & Jainism
