菩薩戒本疏 2.9

2.9

Alcohol is a basis for heedlessness (pramāda-sthāna); it can produce various faults and violates all wholesome dharmas, hence it is proscribed. It is the same for Mahāyāna and the Śrāvakayāna; both are proscribed for the seven assemblies. The second precept among the twenty-eight [minor precepts] states: 'If an upāsaka, having received and kept the precepts, indulges in drinking alcohol, he incurs a loss-of-mind offense.' In the description of the matter, there are three parts: first, revealing the loss; second, from 'one must not instruct' downward, proscribing that one should not drink; third, from 'if one intentionally drinks it oneself' downward, violating it constitutes an offense. In the first part, revealing the loss, 'intentionally drinks alcohol' appears to permit accidental drinking; yet in the Vinaya, perceiving alcohol as non-alcohol still constitutes an offense. If from beginning to end there is no intention to drink alcohol, and by error and delusion one merely believes it to be drinking water, it should logically be permitted. If originally there was an intention to drink alcohol, even if at the time of drinking one thought it was not alcohol, one should also commit an offense. 'Producing limitless faults and offenses of alcohol': although it is not inherently evil (prakṛti-sāvadya), it can open the way to inherent evils, hence it is said to have limitless faults. As stated in the treatise: when drunk, except for causing a schism in the Saṃgha, there is no evil one would not commit. Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa fully sets forth thirty-six faults, and the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya lists ten kinds of faults: 'The Buddha addressed Ānanda: Whenever someone drinks alcohol, there are ten faults: first, poor complexion; second, weak strength; third, unclear eyesight; fourth, manifesting signs of anger; fifth, destroying the agriculture and livelihood assets; sixth, increasing and causing diseases; seventh, increasing disputes and lawsuits; eighth, lacking a good reputation and spreading bad fame; ninth, diminishment of wisdom; tenth, upon the breakup of the body and the end of life, falling into the evil destinies. These are called the ten faults. From this day forward, whoever takes me as master must not even place the tip of a blade of grass or wood into alcohol and put it into their mouth.' 'Passes a wine vessel' means to hand over a vessel of wine. One explanation says: passing a vessel containing wine and giving it to someone to make them drink. Another explanation says: merely passing an empty vessel to someone to have them pour it. The former explanation means sending another to drink, while the latter means instructing another to drink; neither sense is mistaken. 'Without hands for five hundred lifetimes' refers to holding a wine vessel with the hands and giving it, thereby obtaining the retribution of being without hands, like earthworms and such kinds, or being born among humans and lacking hands. Some say: there are five sets of five hundred years—one five hundred in the salty dregs hell, a second five hundred in boiling urine, a third five hundred being maggot-worms, a fourth five hundred being flies and gnats, and a fifth five hundred being human yet foolish, obtuse, and devoid of knowledge. Here, mentioning five hundred perhaps refers to the last one. In proscribing that one should not drink, 'one must not instruct any person to drink' means one must not teach others to make them drink. 'Nor any sentient being to drink alcohol' means one must not dispatch or give it to others to drink. 'To say nothing of drinking alcohol oneself' means that in order to prevent the fault of one's own heedlessness, one adduces others to contrast with oneself. The Vinaya states: 'Alcohol includes tree-alcohol, non-glutinous rice alcohol, other rice alcohol, and barley alcohol. If there are other methods of brewing alcohol, what is made is alcohol.' 'Blended alcohol: if it has the color of alcohol, the fragrance of alcohol, and the taste of alcohol, one must not drink it. Or there is alcohol that does not have the color of alcohol, fragrance of alcohol, or taste of alcohol; one must not drink it. Or there is alcohol that does not have the color of alcohol or fragrance of alcohol, but has the taste of alcohol; one must not drink it. Or there is alcohol that does not have the color of alcohol, fragrance of alcohol, or taste of alcohol; one must not drink it. If it is not alcohol, but has the color of alcohol, fragrance of alcohol, and taste of alcohol, one may drink it.' It is explained in detail as there. Regarding non-offenses: if there is an illness of this sort that cannot be cured by other medicines, using alcohol as medicine, or applying alcohol to an ulcer, none of these constitute an offense.