法苑珠林 93.18

93.18

Question: "Is it known whether there is the taste of liquor in the heavens?" Answer: "There is no real liquor made from yeast and grain; there is only liquor produced by the transformation of karma. Thus the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra* states: 'The gods and multitudes of devīs in that Yāma Heaven enter pools to play and together drink heavenly liquor, free from the fault of intoxication, experiencing present pleasures and virtues, fully endowed with taste, touch, color, and fragrance. Among them, some gods drink liquor from jeweled vessels, enjoying sudhā food, fully endowed with color, touch, fragrance, and taste. They form the thought: "May this water become liquor for me to drink," and at the very moment of thought, it is all heavenly liquor, free from the fault of intoxication. When the gods drink it, it increases supreme pleasure, and due to the power of wholesome karma, their minds give rise to joy. Yet those gods experience pleasure in this way because of their own karmic power.' A bird named Constantly Joyful saw those gods drinking liquor in the River of Joy and spoke a verse for them: