Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 51Drinking Alcohol

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

51. DRINKING ALCOHOL

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At the time the Buddha was in the land of Kīṭa, together with a great assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikkhus. At that time, the Venerable Svāgata served as the Buddha's personal attendant. Now, Svāgata stopped at the dwelling of a matted-hair brahmin and said to the brahmin:

"I wish to lodge here for one night in the finest room of your dwelling. Would you be willing to permit this?"

The brahmin replied:

"There is no objection on my part. However, in that room there dwells a venomous dragon. I fear it may do you harm."

The bhikkhu said:

"So long as you give permission for me to stay, perhaps it will not harm me."

The matted-hair brahmin said:

"That room is quite spacious. Stay there as you please."

At that time, the Elder Svāgata entered the room, spread grass as a mat, sat in the cross-legged posture, and fixed mindfulness before him. The venomous dragon, seeing Svāgata seated in the cross-legged posture, immediately emitted smoke and fire. Svāgata likewise emitted smoke and fire. The dragon, enraged, sent forth flames from its body. Svāgata also sent forth flames from his body.

At that time, the room was like a great conflagration. Svāgata thought to himself: "Should I now extinguish the fire of this dragon without causing any injury to its body?" Having thought thus, Svāgata extinguished the fire of the dragon without harming it.

At that time, the flames of the venomous dragon had no colour, whereas the flames of Svāgata shifted through every kind of colour—blue, yellow, red, white, green, and crystal.

That very night, Svāgata subdued the venomous dragon and placed it inside his alms bowl. At the break of dawn, he brought it to the matted-hair brahmin and said:

"The venomous dragon has been subdued by me and is now inside the alms bowl. I have brought it for you to see."

At that moment, the master of Kauśāmbī was also sleeping at the matted-hair brahmin's house, and he thought: "Truly this is something unprecedented! Even a disciple of the Blessed One possesses such great spiritual power—how much more so the Tathāgata himself." He then addressed Svāgata, saying:

"Whenever the Blessed One comes to Kauśāmbī, please let me know. I wish to pay homage to the Tathāgata."

Svāgata said:

"Very well."

At that time, the Blessed One traveled from the land of Kīṭa, wandering through the human world, and arrived at the land of Kauśāmbī. The ruler of that land, hearing that the Blessed One was approaching with one thousand two hundred and fifty disciples, mounted his carriage and went out to receive the Blessed One.

From afar, he beheld the Blessed One—of dignified and upright countenance, with faculties serene and composed, his mind tranquil, having attained the highest level of self-mastery, like a great elephant fully tamed, like a deep pool clear and still. Seeing this, faith arose in his heart. With a mind of reverence, the ruler descended from his carriage, approached the Blessed One, paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, and stood to one side.

At that time, the Blessed One, by means of countless skillful means, expounded the Dharma and exhorted the ruler, causing him to be filled with joy. When the ruler of Kauśāmbī had heard the Buddha's teaching and exhortation and his mind was filled with great joy, he turned and looked upon the Sangha, but did not see the Venerable Svāgata. He then asked the bhikkhus:

"Where is Svāgata at present?"

The bhikkhus replied:

"Svāgata is coming behind. He will arrive presently."

At that time, Svāgata arrived together with the group of six bhikkhus. The ruler of Kauśāmbī, seeing Svāgata approach, went out to receive him, paid homage at his feet, and stood to one side.

Svāgata then by means of every skillful method expounded the Dharma and exhorted him, causing the ruler's mind to be filled with joy. When the ruler of Kauśāmbī had heard Svāgata expound the Dharma by every skillful means and was filled with joy, he addressed the Venerable, saying:

"Please let me know what you need."

The Venerable Svāgata replied:

"That is enough. Your regard for me is itself an offering."

The ruler spoke again:

"Please, I would like to know what you need."

The group of six bhikkhus said to the ruler:

"Do you know? Robes, alms bowls, sitting cloths, needle cases—these things are easily obtained by a bhikkhu. But there is something that is difficult for a bhikkhu to obtain; you should offer that."

The ruler then asked:

"What is something that is difficult for a bhikkhu to obtain?"

The group of six bhikkhus replied:

"What is needed and hard to come by is dark liquor."

The ruler said:

"If that is what is needed, come tomorrow morning to receive it—as much or as little as you wish."

At that time, the ruler paid homage to Svāgata, circumambulated him, and took his leave.

Early the next morning, Svāgata put on his robe, took up his alms bowl, went to the house of the ruler of Kauśāmbī, and took his seat. At that time, the ruler offered a variety of fine and nourishing foods, including dark liquor, and served him until he was fully satisfied.

After Svāgata had eaten and drunk his fill, he rose from his seat and departed. Along the way, the liquor intoxicated him, and he fell to the ground and vomited his food. Birds gathered and quarreled over the vomit, crying out noisily. The Blessed One, knowing what had happened, nonetheless asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"Why are the birds crying out like that?"

The Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

"The Elder Svāgata accepted the invitation of the ruler of Kauśāmbī, ate and drank various things including dark liquor, became intoxicated, lay by the roadside, and vomited. The birds are therefore quarreling over the vomit and crying out noisily."

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"This foolish bhikkhu Svāgata—at this very moment he could not subdue even a small dragon, let alone subdue a great dragon!"

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"One who drinks alcohol has ten kinds of harmful consequences: 1. An unsightly complexion. 2. Diminished physical strength. 3. Impaired eyesight. 4. Manifestation of a fierce and angry appearance. 5. Destruction of property and livelihood. 6. Increase of illness. 7. Increase of quarrels and litigation. 8. No one praises him, and an ill reputation spreads everywhere. 9. Diminishment of wisdom. 10. At the breaking up of the body and the end of life, falling into the three evil paths.

"Ānanda, these are called the ten harmful consequences of drinking alcohol."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"From this day forward, whoever has taken my religious teaching as their teacher—even if one were to dip the tip of a blade of grass in liquor and place it in the mouth—is not permitted to do so."

After the Blessed One had rebuked the bhikkhu Svāgata by means of countless skillful expressions, he said to the bhikkhus:

"This foolish Svāgata is a field in which many kinds of defiled seeds are planted. He is the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall establish a precept for the bhikkhus, comprising ten points of meaning, down to the phrase that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept is to be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu drinks alcohol—pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Alcohol: alcohol brewed from trees, alcohol brewed from grain, alcohol brewed from rice—a general term covering all kinds of alcohol made from rice, barley, or through other methods of fermentation.

—Alcohol brewed from trees: such as pear-fruit wine, jambū-fruit wine, sugarcane wine, śālūka-fruit wine, uvī-fruit wine, and grape wine.

—Pear-fruit wine: made by mixing in honey or sugar cane. Through to grape wine, which is prepared in the same manner.

Alcohol: if it has the colour of alcohol, the scent of alcohol, and the taste of alcohol, it must not be drunk. Or if something does not have the colour of alcohol yet has the scent and taste of alcohol, it must not be drunk. Or if something does not have the colour of alcohol and does not have the scent of alcohol, yet has the taste of alcohol, it must not be drunk.

Or if something does not have the colour of alcohol, does not have the scent of alcohol, and does not have the taste of alcohol, it must nonetheless not be drunk. If something is not alcohol but has the colour, scent, and taste of alcohol, it may be drunk. If something is not alcohol, does not have the colour of alcohol, yet has the scent and taste of alcohol, it may be drunk.

If something is not alcohol, does not have the colour of alcohol, does not have the scent of alcohol, yet has the taste of alcohol, it may be drunk. If something is not alcohol, does not have the scent of alcohol, and does not have the taste of alcohol, it may be drunk.

Whatever bhikkhu drinks alcohol, brews alcohol, blends alcohol, or eats or drinks it—pācittiya. If one drinks alcohol that has a sweet taste—duṣkṛta. If one drinks alcohol that has a sour taste—duṣkṛta. Eating yeast or fermented grain mash—duṣkṛta.

Alcohol, with the perception that it is alcohol—pācittiya. Alcohol, with doubt—pācittiya. Alcohol, without the perception that it is alcohol—pācittiya. Not alcohol, with the perception that it is alcohol—duṣkṛta. Not alcohol, with doubt—duṣkṛta.

A bhikkhunī—pācittiya. A śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, a śrāmaṇerī—duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if one has such-and-such an illness, and the various other medicines do not effect a cure, alcohol may be used as medicine; or if alcohol is applied to sores and ulcers—in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who are not at fault: one who commits the act for the first time before the precept has been established; one who is mad; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is tormented and oppressed by pain.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation volumes 1–21, Vietnamese translation volumes 1, 2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board 2002