Did Buddha say drinking Alcohol is bad?

[DNS]

A related story you may have heard before (perhaps a zen story):

A monk is given the order to do one of the following:

1. Kill a goat and eat it.
2. Sleep with a prostitute.
3. Drink a bottle of whiskey.

Knowing that all 3 break the precepts, the monk considered which would be the "lesser" of the evils. He concluded that drinking whiskey would be the least damaging since it is not killing anyone nor a serious violation of his monk's precepts. So he drank the whiskey, got drunk and while drunk, slept with the prostitute, killed the goat and ate it.

[vishuroshan]

Dear sarath, Remember, even Buddha has adviced not to beleive anything just because its mentioned in the books. or just because someone said. think. as i told you earlier, how come an occasional drinker go to hell? then those who drink other drinks will also go to hell? some medicines have ALCOHOL. in another way, what you are telling is People go to hell by EATING and DRINKING ? is it logic ? then why didnt buddha mention about Alcohol in other suttas which i have told you ? think about everything and come to a conclusion. there's a problem in suttas. what we are referiing to as TRIPITAKA is not 100% accurate. some people have added things and removed some important things. there are so many siuttas in tripitaka which are not BUDDHA's deshana. anyway DRINKING leads to HEEDLESSNESS, a buddhist must always be in MINDFULNESS. therefore he should avoid drinking alcohol. therefore we dont need to talk about this thing in one hand. but remember we should not add things in to BUDDHA dehsana.

[Babadhari]

Hello all,

A good short article by Ven. Dhammika with two quotes from the Buddha against the consumption of alcohol:

The Fifth Precept
http://sdhammika.blogspot.com.au/2009/0 ... ecept.html

With metta,
Chris

The Buddha says: ‘There are these six dangers of drinking alcohol: loss of wealth, increase of quarrels, ill-health, a bad reputation, making a fool of oneself and impaired intelligence’. (D.III,182).

In the Dhammapada the Buddha warns, ‘The person who drinks alcohol digs up his own root in this world’ (Dhp.247)

http://sdhammika.blogspot.com.au/2009/0 ... ecept.html

............... So he drank the whiskey, got drunk and while drunk, slept with the prostitute, killed the goat and ate it.

just a typical saturday night

[Weakfocus]

as i told you earlier, how come an occasional drinker go to hell? then those who drink other drinks will also go to hell? some medicines have ALCOHOL. in another way, what you are telling is People go to hell by EATING and DRINKING ?

The person who consumes medicine (which may have some form of alcohol) is not doing it with volition of getting intoxicated, or deriving sense pleasure from imbibing the medicine. In fact he or she very much wishes they would never have to take the medicine in the first place, and as soon as illness passes they stop taking medicine. So that's the difference.

AFAIK Buddha cautioned against intoxication and drugs. So that would include substances which cause a dulling of mind and loss of control over behavior. Also substances that can cause addiction. Alcohol qualifies on all counts.

[Babadhari]

i wonder how many people battling with addictions wish they had never started using alcohol or drugs in the first place.
if contact with the senses never occurs, the craving cannot arise.
the fifth precept saves lives!

[zamotcr]

Dear sarath, Remember, even Buddha has adviced not to beleive anything just because its mentioned in the books. or just because someone said. think. as i told you earlier, how come an occasional drinker go to hell? then those who drink other drinks will also go to hell? some medicines have ALCOHOL. in another way, what you are telling is People go to hell by EATING and DRINKING ? is it logic ? then why didnt buddha mention about Alcohol in other suttas which i have told you ? think about everything and come to a conclusion. there's a problem in suttas. what we are referiing to as TRIPITAKA is not 100% accurate. some people have added things and removed some important things. there are so many siuttas in tripitaka which are not BUDDHA's deshana. anyway DRINKING leads to HEEDLESSNESS, a buddhist must always be in MINDFULNESS. therefore he should avoid drinking alcohol. therefore we dont need to talk about this thing in one hand. but remember we should not add things in to BUDDHA dehsana.

What lead you to hell is not the alcohol, but the actions/misconduct you do while drunk. And it's very easy to loose control with booze, so it's better to avoid it.

[SarathW]

Hi Vroshan
Tripitaka is only a guide and a road map. It can’t be 100% accurate all the time.
You can’t travel in Sri Lanka or India today with a 2600 year old road map.

You have to interpret Tripitaka in it’s essence.

Why do you have to consume alcohol deliberately?
It is due to attachment and addiction.
This is a hindrance to attaining your final goal, Nirvana!

It is irresponsible for a Buddhist monk to say that consuming alcohol is not against Buddha’s teaching.
==============

Too much Saddhā and you will believe in
anything. Too much Paññā and you will become deceitful.

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=19591

Metta

[vishuroshan]

Dear sarath,
i have already told you that drinking ALCOHOL is not good as a buddhis he/she should be mindful everytime. its not the problem. thos who were alcoholics think thet they will go to Hell just because they drank alcohol and they will be worried. its wrong. this is what i wanted to correct. its not in the budda deshana under the percepts. under NOBEL EIGHTFOLD PATH.

[cooran]

Hello all,

The whole dissertation is worth reading - especially Section 3 - the Fifth Precept and it's underlying significance
http://www.chezpaul.org.uk/buddhism/MSt ... tation.htm

With metta,
Chris

[SarathW]

Hi Viran

I do not think I can argue this point with you any more. Please read Cooran's link carefully.

The life of the bird is in your hand now.

Please read this story.

"The Wise Man and the Baby Bird."

http://www.sayitwithastory.com/articles ... byBird.pdf

[vishuroshan]

dear Sarath, i didnt want to argue. i wanted to give you a chance which i didnt give everyone. but you missed it. but not matter how hard you try to prove your side, one day you will identify that this is the real dhamma. those people who worship, BO TREES , STATUES, PAGODAs will never know the real DHAMMA of Buddha.

[purple planet]

just saw this link of s.n goenka words against drinking

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

[SarathW]

Dear sarath,
i have already told you that drinking ALCOHOL is not good as a buddhis he/she should be mindful everytime. its not the problem. thos who were alcoholics think thet they will go to Hell just because they drank alcohol and they will be worried. its wrong. this is what i wanted to correct. its not in the budda deshana under the percepts. under NOBEL EIGHTFOLD PATH.

Hi Viran

Can you clarify some thing for me from that monk please?
Could you ask him whether he undertook ten precepts when he became a monk.
If he says “yes”, then ask him whether the ten precepts are in accordance with N8P.
If he say “no”, then you ask him why he undertook the ten precepts.
Please note that monks are meant to follow N8P.

[vishuroshan]

dear sarath, thank you for your message. listen to those dhamma discussions more than 10 times. then you will begin to understand little by little. you will not understand it at once. he was meditating in ATHDALAGALA AARANYA(Anuradapura). it inside ATHDALAGALA forest. obviously when you are practicing meditation everyday, sometimes for about 15 hours constantly(as per thero), you will automaticaly undertake all the percepts. all 10 percepts. coz SILA is the foundation. without that you cannot develop Samadhi/Pragna. its not about the rules and regulations, watching your own mind is the most important thing. when you directly watch your mind, you will undertake all the percepts. ( CHETANA is the kamma). you will eat carefully, without craving, you will sleep carefully without craving, you will talk without craving..etc. so obviously you will go beyond the basic sila. when you feel greedy you will know, when you get angry you wil know. when you are jelous you will know. look at your mind. dont cling to rules blindly.
hope you understand.

[culaavuso]

AN8.39

Furthermore, abandoning the use of intoxicants, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking intoxicants. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the fifth gift, the fifth great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans. And this is the eighth reward of merit, reward of skillfulness, nourishment of happiness, celestial, resulting in happiness, leading to heaven, leading to what is desirable, pleasurable, & appealing; to welfare & to happiness.

(Similarly with the rest of the five precepts)