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Context: Online piracy means downloading of books/games/movies/courses which might be available for sale at some non-zero price. Hinduism has strict rules against stealing. But is online piracy equivalent to stealing?

Opinions: There might be two opposing opinions on this:

  1. Online piracy is downloading a 'copy' of the original content and hence not stealing the actual source.
  2. It is stealing nevertheless as you aren't paying for it.

Question: Is piracy a sin similar to stealing?

  • Yes it is considered as stealing. Online piracy is illegal in countries because it is stealing, and stealing is a sin. – Ikshvaku Feb 28 '20 at 14:16
  • @Ikshvaku First, there are many things that might be legal/illegal by law but considered correct in Hinduism. Second, if you have a book as in electronic format and I copy the same in my phone, you still have that book with you and so nothing is stolen from you. –  Feb 28 '20 at 14:20
  • If someone buys a paper copy of a book and you photo scan each page, that is considered stealing. The producers of online movies do not want people freely downloading their movies. So piracy is stealing. – Ikshvaku Feb 28 '20 at 14:22
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    hinduism does not recognize "intellectual property" except in the form of guru dakshina. this Q is off-topic. – S K Feb 28 '20 at 14:24
  • @SK I definitely don't think it is off-topic considering there is still some confusion in opinions, see Ikshvaku's comment. –  Feb 28 '20 at 14:26
  • @Ikshvaku Does Hinduism recognize IP? –  Feb 28 '20 at 14:30
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    @JohnRay One can learn from a guru only with the guru's permission. One must not secretly listen to his classes without his permission. So yes there is some form of IP in hinduism. –  Feb 28 '20 at 14:37
  • @yAdRcchika Good point for non-book related things. –  Feb 28 '20 at 14:40
  • @JohnRay A guru can demand guru dakshina or fee from his disciples. Whatever guru dakshina he asks, the disciple is obliged to give. This can be easily generalized to current situation. When you download a book from online without permission of the author (guru), you are denying the author (guru) the right to his dakshina (fees). –  Feb 28 '20 at 14:52
  • @yAdRcchika But 'guru' is specified only for the vedas not other subjects (like Geography/Science/etc), right? –  Feb 28 '20 at 16:10
  • @yAdRcchika See this: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/21639/19925 –  Feb 28 '20 at 16:12
  • @JohnRay Guru can also be one who teaches secular subjects. Dronacharya taught weaponry to Pandavas and Kauravas. –  Feb 28 '20 at 16:53
  • @yAdRcchika Exactly right. It is a sin to steal knowledge according to scriptures. – Ikshvaku Feb 28 '20 at 17:15
  • @JohnRay Intellectual property? Yes, it is a sin to steal knowledge according to scriptures. – Ikshvaku Feb 28 '20 at 17:16
  • @Ikshvaku Can you answer this one: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/38404/how-to-find-your-varna-from-your-caste –  Feb 28 '20 at 17:17
  • @Ikshvaku Can you show some sources? –  Feb 28 '20 at 17:18
  • @JohnRay Viṣṇu-Smṛti (30.42-43).—‘Until permitted by the Teacher, one should not acquire knowledge from another person who may be reading with the Teacher; | https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc199580.html – Ikshvaku Feb 28 '20 at 17:21
  • Similar question was asked here and closed as off-topic: Is reading pirated books a sin? – Say No To Censorship Feb 28 '20 at 18:18
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    Well you haven't stolen anything. It is jusy a copy of a book. Intellectual property does not exist in Hinduism. So no it is not a sin. – Wikash_ Feb 29 '20 at 00:22

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