The study concerns the disciplinary rules against theft found in the Pāli and Chinese Vinaya texts of early Buddhist schools and their link to Buddhist monastic life and the monastic community’s property. Apart from comparing the original texts of the five versions of the Vinaya, the PhD also examines the Pāli and Chinese commentaries compiled by Vinaya masters of the Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions, along with relevant Buddhist thoughts and Vinaya practices. Text translation and analysis will be incorporated to explore historical perceptions of these ideas and practices.