Why did your Buddhist friend steal money from you?

Answer 1

There are many different types of Buddhism, and all of them recognize that stealing is an act that will slow your progress toward understanding the true nature of reality, so its not a good idea. There are ten precepts in Tibetan versions of Buddhism: Don't kill, don't steal, don't engage in illicit sex, don't tell lies, don't speak divisively, don't speak abusively, don't engage in idle chatter, abandon greed, abandon ill-will and cultivate right views. Your Buddhist friend, like all people Buddhist or otherwise, was confused about what will make him or her happy in the long run, thinking that having free money would bring more happiness than not. Buddhist thinking does not consider anything a "sin", but recognizes that true happiness can be found not in satisfying desires or avoiding difficulties, but in understanding the true nature of reality. To gain that understanding it's helpful to live according to the ten precepts.