諸經要集 17

English (machine translation) 17

Language: English

17.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Daoshi of Ximing Monastery

17.2

Section 26: Alcohol and Meat (herein are three circumstances)

17.4

Circumstance of Stating the Intention / Circumstance of Drinking Alcohol / Circumstance of Eating Meat

17.5

First, the Circumstance of Stating the Intention

Alcohol is the gateway to negligence; the Great Sage knew it to be the root of suffering. Therefore, one should stay far away from heavy drinking and abandon conditions for alcohol, discard drunken companions and approach companions in the Dharma, exit the gate of darkness, and enter the realm of clarity. Meat cuts off the seed of great compassion; the Great Sage knew it to be the cause of killing. Therefore, one should cast away the fishy and rank and purify body and speech, consume vegetables and discipline mind and spirit, invite compassion, and resonate with prolonging life. Thus the secular Book of Rites says: 'Seeing them alive, one cannot bear to see them die; hearing their cries, one cannot bear to eat their meat.' This is also the principle of not killing. If one eats meat and drinks alcohol, one is no different from beasts, jackals, and wolves, birds and beasts; it is also tantamount to killing all of one's relatives, eating one's kinsmen, and retaliating against enemies, endlessly through kalpas and long nights without limit. As the Vibhāṣā-śāstra states: There was a woman who harmed a wolf's cub for five hundred lifetimes, and the wolf's cub also harmed her child for five hundred lifetimes. There was also a woman who severed a ghost's life-faculty for five hundred lifetimes, and the ghost also severed her life-faculty for five hundred lifetimes. Thus we know that wandering through the six realms, one undergoes all manner of enmity and retribution. They may have been one's teachers or elders, or parents, or brothers, or sisters, or children and grandchildren, or friends. Now, in ordinary mortal bodies, lacking the Dharma-eye, we cannot distinguish them, and we eat each other without realizing it. At the time of eating, this creature possesses consciousness; it immediately gives rise to anger and resentment, becoming an enemy again. Flesh-and-blood dearest kin conversely turn into foes. How could one not reflect on such matters? For a momentary quarrel on the tip of the tongue and a fleeting small taste, to become an adversary of enmity and kinship forever—this is truly heart-rending, difficult to express in words. Therefore, the Nirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'All meat must be abstained from; even [meat from animals] that died of themselves must still be abstained from, let alone that which did not die of itself.' Furthermore, the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra states: 'Killing sentient beings for profit, netting various meats with wealth: both karmas are unwholesome, and at death, one falls into the Raurava Hell.' What does it mean to net meat for profit? Setting nets and snares on land and setting nets and traps in water—this is netting meat for profit. What does it mean to net meat with wealth? If one buys meat with money from a slaughterer—this is netting meat with wealth. If this person today did not net meat with wealth, [the slaughterer], practicing evil rules of conduct, capturing and harming sentient beings—would this person only provide for his own mouth, or would there also be other purposes? If there are other purposes, does the person who consumes meat earlier not have a share in the killing? How can one say, 'I do not kill living beings'? This clearly contradicts the sūtra texts, cuts off the seed of great compassion, and creates an obstacle to seeing the Buddha.

17.7

Second, the Circumstance of Drinking Alcohol

17.8

To state: This single teaching has the expedient and the real. The expedient is the instruction of gradual inducement, using the light to escape the heavy; initially permitted without transgression, based on the principle of obstruction, it is not without fault. If according to the real teaching, both light and heavy are prohibited, and from beginning to end there is no transgression; this is called upholding the precepts. First, based on the expedient explanation, the Adbhutadharma-sūtra says: At that time, the king's crown prince, named Jeta, heard the Buddha explain that the retribution of the path of the ten virtues is boundless. Kneeling with palms joined, he addressed the Buddha, saying: 'The Buddha formerly had me receive and uphold the five precepts. Now I wish to return and renounce them. Why? Among the rules of the five precepts, the precept against alcohol is difficult to uphold, and I fear incurring fault.' The World-Honoured One told him, saying: 'When you drink alcohol, what evil do you commit?' Jeta addressed the Buddha: 'The mighty and powerful in the kingdom often gather together bringing alcohol and food, entertaining one another to produce joy. In myself, there is no evil. Why? When obtaining alcohol, I remain mindful of the precepts; because there is no negligence, drinking alcohol does not result in evil deeds.' The Buddha said: 'Excellent, excellent, Jeta! You have already attained wisdom and expedient means. If worldly people could be like you, what evil would there be in drinking alcohol for one's whole life? Practitioners like this should engender merit and have no fault. If a person drinks alcohol without giving rise to evil karma, because of a joyful mind, defilements do not arise. Due to the causes and conditions of a wholesome mind, one receives wholesome retributions. As with upholding the five precepts, how could there be any loss? Drinking alcohol while mindful of the precepts further increases one's merit. Having previously upheld the five precepts, now receiving the ten virtues, the merit is doubled compared to the retribution of the ten virtues.'

17.9

At that time, King Prasenajit addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One, as the Buddha has said, when the mind is joyful and does not give rise to evil karma, it is called tainted wholesome [karma]; this is not so. Why? When a person drinks alcohol, the mind is joyful. Because of a joyful mind, defilements do not arise. Because there are no defilements, one does not cause harm. Because one does not harm living beings, the three karmas are pure. The path of purity is untainted karma. World-Honoured One, I recall that in the past, I went out on a hunting trip and forgot to bring along the royal cook. In the deep mountains, I felt hungry and wanted food and drink. Those around me replied, saying: 'When the King departed in the morning, no order was given to bring along the cook; currently there is no food.' When I heard these words, I galloped back to the palace and ordered food to be demanded. The royal supervisor of the kitchen was named Śukla. Śukla said: 'There is no ready-made food right now; it must be prepared now.' At that time, pressed by hunger, I did not reflect in my anger and ordered the ministers to behead the kitchen supervisor. Having received the King's order, the ministers discussed among themselves, saying: 'Searching throughout the state, this is the only person who is loyal, upright, and serves directly. If we kill him now, there will be no one else capable of supervising the kitchen for the King to the King's satisfaction.' At that time, Queen Mallikā heard the King's command to kill Śukla and felt great pity and affection for him. Knowing that the King was hungry and fatigued, she immediately ordered fine meat and delicious wine to be prepared, bathed with renowned scents, adorned her body, and took singing girls to my presence. When I saw the Queen adorned and beautiful, bringing along singing girls and fine wine and meat, my angry mind subsided. Why? Because Queen Mallikā upheld the Buddha's five precepts and abstained from drinking alcohol. I had always resented this in my heart; today, suddenly, she brought wine and meat to celebrate together and express feelings. I immediately drank wine and ate meat with the Queen, enjoyed various musical performances, and made merry; my resentful mind was extinguished. The Queen knew that I had forgotten my anger, so she sent a eunuch to convey my command without authorization, telling the ministers outside not to kill the kitchen supervisor, who immediately complied with the order. The next morning, I deeply blamed and regretted myself, grieved without eating, and my complexion withered. The Queen asked me: 'Why are you grieved? What troubles you?' I said: 'Yesterday, pressed by the fire of hunger, out of an angry mind I killed Śukla. Considering the entire state, there is no one else capable of supervising my kitchen like Śukla. For this reason, I am sorrowful and filled with regret.' The Queen smiled and said: 'That person is still alive; may the King not grieve.' I asked again, saying: 'Is this true, or is it a joke?' She answered, saying: 'He is truly alive; it is no joke.' I ordered those around me to summon the kitchen supervisor. The messenger went to summon him, and shortly brought him forth. I was overjoyed, and my sorrow was immediately dispelled.'

17.10

The king said to the Buddha: "Lady Mallikā observes the Buddha's five precepts and keeps the six monthly fasts. Within a single day, of the lifelong five precepts she has already broken the two precepts against drinking alcohol and lying; and among the eight fasting precepts she suddenly broke six precepts. How is this? Is the offense of breaking these precepts light or heavy?" The Bhagavat replied: "Violating the precepts in this way brings great merit, and there is no offense. Why is this? Because it was done for benefit. As I said before, when a lady cultivates goodness, there are in general two kinds: first, contaminated goodness; second, uncontaminated goodness. That in which Lady Mallikā broke the precepts enters into contaminated goodness; that in which she did not break precepts is called uncontaminated goodness. Relying on the literal expression: breaking precepts to cultivate goodness is called contaminated goodness. Relying on the underlying meaning: any goodness arisen from the mind is an uncontaminated act." The king said to the Buddha: "As the Bhagavat has said, Lady Mallikā broke the precepts by drinking alcohol without giving rise to an evil mind, and thus possessed merit without retribution for an offense. All common people are likewise also like this. Why is that? I recall that in recent times, in the city of Śrāvastī, there were various noble clans, kṣatriyas, kings, and dukes, who, because of a small dispute, came to harbor great enmity. Each hatched plots and raised troops to attack one another. Both houses were royal kin and could not be arrested. Embroiled in battle, they would not heed rational admonition, which caused me deep worry. I then thought to myself: 'Formerly, when I was crown prince, I had a dispute with the great minister Devīra. We truly could not be reconciled, and I wished to eliminate him. Because the Queen Mother gave me wine, after drinking it my feelings were harmonized.' Having reflected on this, I immediately ordered the ministers to prepare fine wine and various sweet delicacies. I also sent out a proclamation commanding the noble clans, all ministers, gentry, and commoners of the realm all to assemble, as there was a great state matter to deliberate. Due to the ministers' dispute, the two factions each brought five hundred attendants in response to the summons to assemble. In the royal hall, magnificent music was arrayed. The king ordered a loyal minister to prepare crystal bowls, each holding three shêng. The precious bowls were filled with fine wine. Before the assembly, I first gulped down a bowl. The king said: 'Today we discuss state affairs, and I presume there are no divergent minds. Now, each person must finish this bowl of sweet dew and fine medicine, and only then shall we deliberate matters.' All agreed, saying, 'Yes.' Magnificent music was performed and sung. When the people obtained the wine and heard the music, their minds were delighted and they forgot their feud and hatred. Due to the wine, the dispute was ceased, and peace was attained. Is this not indeed the efficacy of wine? Furthermore, I observe in the world that impoverished and lowly persons, slaves, servants, and barbarian peoples, either on account of festivals or in taverns, gather together to drink wine. Because of their joyful minds, without needing anyone to instruct them, they each get up and dance. Before obtaining the wine, there was nothing of the sort. Therefore, one should know that it is on account of drinking wine that people attain joy. When the mind is joyful, it does not give rise to evil thoughts. Not giving rise to evil thoughts is indeed a wholesome mind. With a wholesome mind as condition, one should receive a wholesome retribution. Even a monkey, when it gets wine, can get up and dance, how much more so people of the world? As the Bhagavat has said: 'Bestowing good brings a good retribution; bestowing evil brings an evil retribution.' Lady Mallikā, entirely because in a former life she gave generously to others, has now obtained a good retribution. Why then does the Bhagavat have her observe the five precepts and keep the six monthly fasts? On the days of the six fasts, she must not adorn herself with fine ornaments, fragrances, flowers, and fine clothing, nor perform or sing instrumental music; furthermore, she is not permitted to approach her husband. Her loving and pleasing charms—to what end are they applied? If it is merely said to be meritorious, is it not indeed suffering?" The Buddha told the king: "What the Great King challenges is not incorrect. When Lady Mallikā was young, had I not instructed her to receive the precepts and cultivate wisdom, how could she have today's virtue so as to be able to attain deliverance and further deliver the king's own person? To whom else would such merit belong?" (The above briefly explains the provisional teaching.) Daoshi says: The following second part explains according to the real teaching: not violating the light or the heavy is truly called upholding precepts. Therefore, the Great Sage knows the proper time and measures the faculties to determine what is permissible and what is barred. Permissibility means lifting prohibitions in accordance with the occasion, weighing preceding loss and benefit. It is like King Prasenajit wishing to kill the kitchen supervisor, or the crown prince wishing to harm his father: both forgot their wrath because of wine, preserved lives, and avoided great offenses, escaping heavy retribution through a light act without suffering accumulated disaster. Yet this does not mean there is no fault in drinking wine, nor retribution for the offense in the future. One must not, seeing that there was a previous exemption, blindly follow suit and violate it universally. Each person must measure the intention of the teaching and examine the superiority or inferiority of their own conduct and virtue, considering whether they qualify for the lifting of prohibitions granted to the sage Prasenajit and Mallikā. Since one is not like them, one must rely on the sūtras not to violate even the slightest hair, which is most excellent. Thus the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya says: "Those who are my disciples shall not even place a drop of wine into the mouth with the tip of a blade of grass, how much less drink abundantly! Therefore, with every swallow, a pāyattika is incurred."

17.11

Furthermore, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra asks: "Is drinking wine an actual offense?" It replies: "No. Why is that? Because drinking wine does not cause affliction to sentient beings. Rather, it is a cause of offenses. If a person drinks wine, it opens the door to unwholesome actions, as it can obstruct meditative concentration and all wholesome dharmas. Just as planting various fruit trees requires a surrounding wall or fence, so too should one know that the fault of wine is like having fruit without an orchard wall."

17.12

Furthermore, the Upāsakaśīla-sūtra says: "If there is a person who delights in drinking wine, this person in the present life will frequently lose wealth and property, have many physical and mental illnesses, constantly delight in quarreling, have evil reputation spread far and wide, lose wisdom, have a mind devoid of shame and conscience, acquire poor bodily complexion and strength, constantly be rebuked by all, be disliked by people, and be unable to cultivate goodness. This is called the evil retribution of drinking wine in the present life. After shedding this body, they will abide in the hells, enduring immeasurable suffering and distress such as hunger and thirst. This is called the fruit of evil karma in a future life. If they obtain a human body, their mind will constantly be deranged and distracted, unable to focus thought and contemplate wholesome dharmas. Due to the power of this single evil cause and condition, all external material necessities of life will completely rot away."

17.13

Furthermore, the Dīrgha-āgama says: "One who drinks wine has six kinds of loss: first, loss of wealth; second, occurrence of illness; third, quarreling; fourth, spread of an evil reputation; fifth, sudden arising of wrath and rage; sixth, daily decrease of wisdom."

17.14

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "Drinking wine has thirty-five faults. What are the thirty-five? Answer: First, wealth and property in the present life are depleted. Why? Because when one is intoxicated and disordered from drinking wine, one's mind has no restraint, and spending is without measure. Second, it is a doorway to all diseases. Third, it is a root of quarreling. Fourth, one exposes oneself nakedly without shame. Fifth, one's ugly reputation and evil vices are exposed, and one is not respected by people. Sixth, one no longer has wisdom. Seventh, things that ought to be gained are not gained, and things already gained are squandered. Eighth, one reveals all hidden secrets to others. Ninth, various enterprises are abandoned and not accomplished. Tenth, intoxication is a root of sorrow. Why? Because in drunkenness many mistakes are made, and upon sobering up there is shame and distress. Eleventh, bodily strength progressively decreases. Twelfth, bodily complexion is ruined. Thirteenth, one does not know to respect one's father. Fourteenth, one does not know to respect one's mother. Fifteenth, one does not respect śramaṇas. Sixteenth, one does not respect brāhmaṇas. Seventeenth, one does not respect uncles and elders. Why? Because being stupefied and confused from intoxication, one makes no distinctions. Eighteenth, one does not respect the Buddha. Nineteenth, one does not respect the Dharma. Twentieth, one does not respect the Saṃgha. Twenty-first, one associates with wicked companions. Twenty-second, one distances oneself from the worthy and good. Twenty-third, one becomes a breaker of precepts. Twenty-fourth, one is without shame and conscience. Twenty-fifth, one does not guard the six sense faculties. Twenty-sixth, one indulges in sensual desire and heedlessness. Twenty-seventh, one is hated and despised by people, who take no pleasure in seeing one. Twenty-eighth, one is rejected collectively by esteemed relatives and good friends. Twenty-ninth, one practices unwholesome dharmas. Thirtieth, one abandons wholesome dharmas. Thirty-first, one is not trusted by clear-sighted and wise persons. Why? Because wine causes heedlessness. Thirty-second, one stays far away from nirvāṇa. Thirty-third, one plants the causes and conditions for madness and foolishness. Thirty-fourth, when the body breaks up at the end of life, one falls into the evil destinies in hell. Thirty-fifth, if one manages to become a human, wherever one is born one will constantly be mad and foolish. Due to such various faults, one does not drink wine."

17.15

Furthermore, the Śrāmaṇerī Precept Sūtra says: "One must not drink wine, must not crave wine, and must not taste wine. Wine has thirty-six faults: straying from the Way, ruining the family, endangering the body, and losing one's life all arise from it. It pulls east and drags west, holds south and sticks north. One is unable to chant the sūtras, does not respect the Three Honored Ones, treats teachers and friends with disdain, and is unfilial to parents. The mind is closed and thought obstructed; for lifetimes one is foolish, not encountering the Great Way, and the mind is devoid of understanding. Therefore, one does not drink wine. Wishing to transcend the five aggregates, the five desires, and the five hindrances, and to attain the five spiritual superknowledges and cross beyond the five destinies, one does not drink wine." Furthermore, a verse in the Satyakanirgrantha-sūtra says:

17.16

"Drinking wine leads to much heedlessness; / in the present life one is constantly foolish. / Forgetting all affairs, / one is constantly rebuked by the wise. / In future lives one is constantly dull and dim, / and loses many virtues. / Therefore, the clever and wise / abandon all the faults of drinking wine."

17.17

Furthermore, the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā asks: "If someone gives wine in charity, is it known whether they incur an offense or not?" It replies: "The giver gains merit, but the recipient must not drink it. Thus the treatise says: 'This bodhisattva sometimes delights in giving away everything: giving food when food is needed, giving drink when drink is needed. If giving wine, one should generate this thought: "Now is the time for practicing dāna, giving according to whatever is needed. Later I will skillfully instruct and cause them to abandon wine, to attain mindfulness and wisdom, and not be heedless." Why? The practice of dāna-pāramitā completely fulfills people's wishes. For a lay bodhisattva to give wine in charity is without offense.'"

17.18

Furthermore, the Brahmajāla-sūtra says: "If with one's own hands one passes a wine vessel and gives it to someone to drink wine, for five hundred lifetimes one will have no hands, how much less drink it oneself! One must not instruct any person to drink, nor any sentient being to drink wine, how much less drink wine oneself!"

17.19

Furthermore, the Upāsakapañcaśīla-sūtra states: The Buddha was in the country of Ceti, in the town of Bhadravatī. In that place there was a wicked nāga named Ambaratītha, who was fierce and cruel and harmed people. No person could reach that place, nor could elephants or horses approach it; even the birds could not fly above it. When the autumn grains ripened, they were all destroyed. At that time, there was an elder arhat bhikṣu named Svāgata wandering through the country of Ceti, who gradually reached the town of Bhadravatī. After that night had passed, in the early morning he put on his robes, took his bowl, and entered the village to beg for food. At that time, he heard that this town had a wicked nāga that was fierce and cruel, harmed people, birds, and beasts, and destroyed the autumn grains. Having heard this, he begged for food and went to the dwelling place of the nāga Ambaratītha. Beneath the trees of numerous birds, he spread his sitting mat and sat down cross-legged. When the nāga smelled the scent of his robes, it immediately gave rise to wrath and emitted smoke from its body. The elder Svāgata then entered samādhi, and through his supernatural power his body also emitted smoke. The nāga became doubly enraged and emitted fire from its body. Svāgata again entered the fire-light samādhi, and his body also emitted fire. The nāga then rained down hailstones; Svāgata immediately transformed the hailstones into śaṣkulī cakes, marrow cakes, and the like. The nāga then unleashed claps of thunder; Svāgata transformed them into various modaka sweets. The nāga then rained down bows, arrows, knives, and spears; Svāgata immediately transformed them into utpala flowers, padma flowers, and the like. The nāga then rained down venomous snakes, centipedes, vipers, and house centipedes; Svāgata immediately transformed them into garlands of utpala flowers, garlands of campaka flowers, and the like. In this manner, all the powers possessed by the nāga were completely manifested toward Svāgata, yet none could prevail, and it immediately lost its majesty, power, and radiance. Svāgata, knowing that the nāga's strength was exhausted and it could no longer stir, then transformed himself into a minute body. He entered through both of the nāga's ears and emerged from both of its eyes; having emerged from both eyes, he entered through its nose and emerged from its mouth. Atop the nāga's head he paced back and forth in walking meditation without harming the nāga's body. At that time, when the nāga saw such things, its mind was greatly terrified and its hairs stood on end. It joined its palms toward Svāgata and said: “I take refuge in you.” Svāgata answered: “Do not take refuge in me; you should take refuge in my teacher, the Buddha.” The nāga replied: “From now on I take refuge in the Triratna; know that for the rest of my life I will be a lay disciple of the Buddha.” After this nāga received the three refuges and became a disciple of the Buddha, it never again committed such fierce and evil acts as before. People, birds, and beasts could all reach the place, and the autumn grains were unharmed. His reputation spread far and wide; all countries came to know that the elder Svāgata was able to subdue the wicked nāga and bend it to goodness. Because Svāgata's reputation spread far and wide, people all prepared food and vied with one another to invite him. Among them was a poor woman who, with faithful reverence, succeeded in inviting Svāgata. This woman prepared ghee milk-gruel for him to eat. The woman thought: “The śramaṇa has eaten this ghee milk-gruel; perhaps a cold ailment will arise.” She then took some liquor that looked like water in colour and offered it to Svāgata. Svāgata took it without looking. After drinking it, he preached the Dharma for her and then left. While proceeding toward the monastery, the intoxicating effect of the liquor flared up. Near the monastery gate, he collapsed to the ground without realizing it. His saṅghāṭī robe, water strainer, bowl, staff, and so forth were each in a different place, and his body was in another place, drunk and insensible. The Buddha, walking to that place with Ānanda, saw this bhikṣu. Knowing full well, he deliberately asked Ānanda: “Who is this person?” He answered: “Bhagavat, this is the elder Svāgata.” The Buddha then said to Ānanda: “Spread a seat for me here, prepare water, and assemble the saṅgha.” Ānanda received the instruction, spread the seat, prepared water, and assembled the saṅgha. Having done so, he said to the Buddha: “The saṅgha is already assembled; the Buddha himself knows the proper time.” The Buddha then washed his feet and asked the bhikṣus: “Have you ever seen or heard that there was a nāga named Ambaratītha who was fierce, wicked, and harmful, whose dwelling place no person could previously reach, nor could even birds or beasts reach above it, and when the autumn grains ripened, it destroyed all the crops; yet Svāgata was able to subdue it and bend it to goodness, so that birds and beasts could reach above and below the spring?” Among them were those who had seen or heard it, and they said: “We have heard.” The Buddha said to the bhikṣus: “What do you think? Can this good man Svāgata now subdue even a frog?” They answered: “He cannot.” The Buddha said: “If even a noble one suffers such a loss from drinking liquor, how much more so an ordinary person! Such transgressions all arise from drinking liquor. From now on, anyone who says, ‘I am a disciple of the Buddha,’ must not drink liquor, even a single drop on the tip of a blade of grass; they must not drink it.” After the Buddha had rebuked the faults of drinking liquor in various ways, in accordance with the Vinaya, he laid down the precept against drinking liquor on account of this bhikṣu. Question: It is not yet 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 says: Those male devas of the Yāma heaven, together with the assembly of female devas, enter the ponds to sport and together drink heavenly liquor. Free from the fault of drunkenness, they manifest pleasurable virtues; the tastes, tangibles, colours, and fragrances are all fully complete therein. Some devas drink liquor using jewelled vessels, enjoying food of amṛta, fully endowed with colour, tangibles, fragrance, and taste. When they think, “May this water become liquor so that I may drink it,” at the very moment of thought it is all heavenly liquor, free from the fault of drunkenness. When the devas drink it, their superior joy increases; by the power of wholesome karma, joy arises in their minds. However, those devas experience pleasure in this way because of their own karmic power. There is a bird named Ever-Joyful. Seeing those devas drinking liquor in the River of Joy, it spoke a verse for them:

17.20

“Submerged in the ocean of heedlessness, / they covet and cling to all sensory realms. / This liquor can delude the mind; / what use is there in drinking liquor? / Burned by the fire of sensory realms, / they know not what should or should not be done. / In gardens and groves covetous minds arise; / what use is there in drinking liquor?”

17.21

That Ever-Joyful bird, seeing the devas who enjoy drinking liquor drinking liquor in the river, spoke this verse in order to tame them.

17.22

Furthermore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra says that King Yama, in reprimanding sinners, spoke a verse, saying:

17.23

“Liquor can derange people's minds, / making people like sheep and the like. / Not knowing what should or should not be done, / thus one should abandon liquor. / If a person is intoxicated with liquor, / they are no different from a dead corpse. / If one wishes to be forever deathless, / that person should abandon liquor. / Liquor is the source of all faults, / constantly bringing no benefit, / the stairway to all evil destinies, / the place where darkness resides. / Drinking liquor leads to hell, / and also leads to the realm of hungry ghosts; / one performs the deeds of animals, / deceived by the faults of liquor. / Liquor is the poison among poisons, / the hell within hells, / the great disease among diseases; / this is what the wise proclaim. / If a person drinks liquor, / they rejoice without cause, / they rage without cause, / and they do evil without cause. / Toward the Buddha they generate foolish delusion, / ruining worldly and supramundane affairs; / it burns liberation like fire, / this single dharma that is called liquor. / If a person can abandon liquor / and practice uprightly in the Dharma and precepts, / they will arrive at the supreme place, / the place of no death and no birth.”

17.24

Question: Drinking liquor without illness incurs guilt; if one is ill, is it permitted to drink it? Answer: According to the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya, if there is a real illness that other medicines cannot cure, and one uses liquor as medicine, it is not an offense.

17.25

Question: How much is permitted to be taken? Answer: According to the Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā-sūtra, if compounding medicine as prescribed by a physician, mixing many medicines together, using a little liquor with many medicines is permissible.

17.26

Furthermore, the Śāriputraparipṛcchā-sūtra says: Śāriputra addressed the Buddha, saying: “How is it, Bhagavat, that you taught the dharmas that obstruct the Path, saying that one must not drink liquor even the size of a mustard seed, for this is called breaking the precepts and opening the gateway to heedlessness? Why then was there a bhikṣu in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove Monastery who had been sick for years and was critically ill, on the verge of death? At that time, Upāli asked him: ‘What medicine do you need? I will seek it for you in heaven and among humans, even in the ten directions; whatever should be used, I will obtain it all for you.’ He answered: ‘The medicine I need goes against the Vinaya, therefore I have not sought it, leading to this state. I would rather end my life than have any violation of the Vinaya.’ Upāli said: ‘What is your medicine?’ He answered: ‘The physician said five sheng of liquor are needed.’ Upāli said: ‘If it is permitted for illness, it is allowed by the Tathāgata.’ He begged for and obtained the liquor for him. After taking it, his illness subsided and was cured. Once cured, he felt ashamed, still thinking he had violated the Vinaya. He went to the Buddha's presence and earnestly repented his fault. The Buddha preached the Dharma for him; having heard it, he rejoiced and attained the way of the arhat. The Buddha said: ‘Liquor has many faults and opens the gateway to heedlessness. Drinking even as much as a mustard seed accumulates guilt; yet if it dispels painful illness, it is not what was previously prohibited.’”

17.27

The commentary states: One must not take the preceding text's permission as an all-inclusive excuse to drink indiscriminately. There must truly be a grave and critical illness bordering on death, where other medicines have first been used to treat it without cure, and liquor must be blended in to achieve a cure; only then is it permitted according to the preceding text. Recently, one sees ignorant persons of robust bodily strength running about daily, not complying with the assembly's deportment; at the slightest minor ailment, they foster cravings and attachments, neglecting their cultivation of the Path. They falsely cite the sūtras and Vinaya, claiming: “The Buddha permitted various medicinal decoctions and famous, superior robes to be offered to the Buddha and the saṅgha,” using public pretexts for private gains, deceiving both monastics and laity. Therefore, the wise safeguard the precepts like their very lives, not daring to violate them.

17.28

Therefore, a verse in the Satyakanirgrantha-sūtra states:

17.29

“Liquor is the root of heedlessness; / not drinking it closes the evil destinies. / Rather give up hundreds of thousands of bodies / than transgress and violate the Dharma's teachings. / Rather let the body wither and dry / than ever drink this liquor. / Even if violating the precepts / allowed a lifespan to reach a full hundred years, / it would be better to guard the prohibitory precepts / and have the body immediately perish. / Even if it were certain to bring a cure, / I still would not drink it; / how much less when it is now uncertain / whether it will bring a cure or not! / Causing this resolute mind to arise / brings forth great joy in the mind; / immediately one attains the vision of the True Reality, / and the affliction is straightway dispelled.”

17.30

One should know that all illnesses of sentient beings take greed, hatred, and arrogance as their causes. From the causes arise the effects, and one receives this painful retribution; it is not because of not obtaining medicinal liquor that an illness cannot be cured. Therefore the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: “All sentient beings have four poisoned arrows, which are the causes of illness. What are the four? First, lust; second, hatred; third, delusion; fourth, arrogance. If there are causes of illness, then illnesses arise: namely, fever from desire, pulmonary disease, shortness of breath and vomiting, burning fever of the flesh and body, mental distress and confusion, diarrhea, retching and hiccups, dripping urinary pain, pain in the eyes and ears, swelling and fullness of the abdomen and back, madness, emaciation, and possession by ghosts and spirits. Such various physical and mental illnesses arise. If one recognizes the root of illness, cuts off evil, and cultivates good, the painful retributions of the three periods of time will be forever eliminated and not received. If one does not contemplate the principle, even if one uses all the medicinal liquors under heaven to treat it, the illness will only increase and be difficult to cure.”

17.31

Furthermore, the Vinayamātṛkā states: The Venerable Mahīśāsaka said: “The bhikṣu Svāti had from a young age sustained his life by means of liquor. Later, after going forth, he could not obtain liquor, so his four great elements fell out of harmony. The bhikṣus reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha said: ‘The sick person is permitted to sniff it above the jar. If cured, he is not permitted to sniff it. If not cured, he is permitted to wash his body with liquor. If still not cured, he is permitted to mix liquor with flour to make cakes and eat them. If still not cured, he is permitted to soak himself in liquor.’”

17.32

Furthermore, the New Mahāvibhāṣā states: As a sūtra says, the Venerable Śāriputra was dwelling in a forest in the country of Kosala. At that time there was an Ājīvika mendicant non-Buddhist who also dwelt in that forest, neighbouring the Venerable One. In the villages and towns not far from the forest, an extensive four-month festival was held from time to time. At that time, that non-Buddhist went around the villages and towns, gorging himself on pork and drinking liquor without restraint. Secretly carrying the leftovers, he returned to the forest and saw Śāriputra sitting beneath a tree. Confused by liquor, he gave rise to a contemptuous thought: “Although he and I have both gone forth, I alone am rich and happy, while he is impoverished and wretched.” He immediately approached the Venerable One and spoke this verse:

17.33

“I have gorged on liquor and meat, / and have secretly carried the leftovers back; / the grasses, trees, and mountains upon the earth / I view them all as heaps of gold.”

17.34

Then Śāriputra, having heard this, thought: "This vile non-Buddhist has no sense of shame at all, to so brazenly utter this gāthā. I too should now speak a verse in reply to him." Having thought thus, he immediately recited this verse:

17.35

"I am constantly sated with the signless, / Ever abiding at the gate of empty concentration. / The grasses, trees, and mountains upon the earth / I view entirely as a place for spitting."

17.36

Now in this verse, the venerable Śāriputra roared the lion's roar and expounded the three gates of liberation: that is, in the first line, he expounded the signless gate of liberation; in the second line, he expounded the emptiness gate of liberation; and in the latter two lines, he expounded the wishless gate of liberation.

17.37

Section 3: Conditions of Meat-Eating

17.38

The Commentary states: In this single teaching, there are also provisional and real [teachings]. Regarding the provisional teaching, based on the Vinaya, when the Bhagavat first achieved bodhi, in order to cross over coarse and evil ordinary persons who were not yet capable of receiving the subtle, he provisionally spoke in the gradual teaching of the three kinds of clean meat: those free from seeing, hearing, and suspecting [that it was killed for oneself], not killed for one's own sake, left over by birds, or naturally dead—these he permitted them to eat. Moving from the coarse to the subtle, he gradually caused them to abandon faults. This was the intention for a specific time, an incomplete teaching. If based on the real teaching, from the time he attained bodhi until the night of nirvāṇa, the Great Sage earnestly, from beginning to end, never permitted it.

17.39

Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "When any sentient being smells the scent of meat, they are all terrified and conceive fear of death. Creatures possessing life that travel by water, land, or air all abandon him and flee, all saying: 'This person is our enemy.' Therefore, bodhisattvas do not practice meat-eating. To deliver sentient beings, they may manifest eating meat; although manifesting eating it, in truth they do not eat it. But those sentient beings who have dogmatic views fail to understand the Tathāgata's intention in expedient teaching, and immediately cling strictly to the narrow teaching of the Vinaya, saying that the Buddha permitted the eating of three kinds of clean meat, and also slander me, saying: 'The Tathāgata himself ate it.' Those foolish people incur great obstacles of sin, falling throughout the long night into places of no benefit, nor will they behold the worthy and noble disciples of the present and future, much less behold the Buddhas and Tathāgatas. Mahāmati! That which the śrāvakas and others should always eat—such as grains, flour, oil, and honey—can produce pure livelihood. If unlawfully stored up or unlawfully received, I declare it to be impure and do not even permit it to be eaten, how much less permit the eating of the impurity of meat and blood? Not only does meat-eating ruin good and obstruct the path, but even wrong livelihood and crooked flattery in seeking one's own subsistence likewise obstruct the path."

17.40

Furthermore, the Sūtra of Mañjuśrī's Questions says: "If it was killed for one's sake, one may not eat it. If the meat has already naturally rotted like forest trees, if one desires to eat it, one may eat it. If one desires to eat meat, one should recite this incantation."

17.42

"Only after reciting this incantation three times may one eat meat. One would not even eat cooked rice; why? Because if one contemplates that cooked rice should not be eaten, how much less should one eat meat!" The Buddha told Mañjuśrī: "Because sentient beings lack the power of maitrī-karuṇā and harbor murderous thoughts, for this reason I cut off meat-eating. If one can harbor no harmful thoughts, [possess] the mind of great maitrī-karuṇā, and [act] for the sake of transforming all sentient beings, then there is no transgression."

17.43

The Commentary states: This too was before the gradual prohibitions of the early teaching; therefore, apart from what was killed for one's own sake which could not be eaten, if it died naturally and rotted, conceived of as grasses and trees, he provisionally permitted it to be eaten, and so forth. Those wishing to eat were made to recite the incantation to give rise to a sense of shame, and only then was it permitted to be eaten. After the prohibition was enacted, all varieties of meat, without question of natural death or leftovers by birds, may not be eaten at all. Just as the Weicengyou jing permits drinking liquor and the Wenju wen jing permits eating meat, when considering these sūtras, they were all when the Tathāgata first attained bodhi: measuring the capacities of sentient beings, they could not be abruptly cut off and abruptly prohibited; therefore he gradually permitted and gradually prohibited them. Later, knowing that the roots of sentient beings were mature, he then permanently cut off and permanently prohibited it, not allowing even the finest hair. If the root origin were not excerpted, foolish people of the time, reading this sūtra exclusively, would immediately indulge in transgressions, failing to understand that allowing and prohibiting, opening and closing are different. Therefore, I have collected the texts of the gradual and sudden together, so that the intention of their branches and roots may be known, hoping to cause it to be permanently severed and to manifest brahmacarya.

17.44

Question: Liquor is a medicine that harmonizes the spirit; meat is food that satisfies hunger. They have tasted the same from ancient times to the present. Why now do you alone hold this view, despising them and not eating them? Even if the Buddha's teaching has pure prohibitions, just as in mourning rituals, when facing a stern ruler who bestows mundane food, how could a monk reject and refuse to eat it without fault? Answer: Greed for wealth and fondness for sex are despised by chaste men; craving delicacies and relishing fine food are detested by upright scholars. Severing passions to follow the Way was praised by former sages; curbing desires to exalt virtue was universally extolled by past philosophers. How much more so since meat derives from killing life, and liquor can disorder the spirit! Not eating is reasonable; how could it be wrong? Even if one meets with suppression from superiors, one must ultimately strictly abstain. Though one violates a ruler's command, one still accords with the Buddha's mind.

17.45

Question: Meat derives from harming life; that it is cut off is indeed so. Liquor does not harm life; why is it abruptly prohibited? If there is no harm, reckoning sin there is no fault, and one cannot call it wrong. Drinking syrup and eating cooked rice should likewise incur sin, but that is not really the case; why is liquor uniquely prohibited? Answer: Precepts are formulated according to circumstances; the incurring of sin depends on the mind. The nature of meat comes from harm; eating it is immediately sinful. The nature of liquor is not harmful; the fault arises from obscuring the spirit, which gives rise to faults elsewhere. Since the arising of faults comes from liquor, cutting off liquor eliminates them. Therefore, the restrictive prohibitions are different; it does not mean that the substance of liquor is itself a sin.

17.46

Question: Sins have restrictive and intrinsic natures. Liquor by its nature gives rise to sin. Now there are people with alcohol tolerance who can drink without becoming drunk, and without obscuring the spirit, nor do they give rise to sin; such a person drinking liquor should not incur sin. In that case, being able to drink has no fault and cannot incur blame; what does cutting off liquor have to do with fulfilling the goodness of precepts? One could say that being able to drink with alcohol tolerance is always called keeping precepts, while being drunk from a little drink makes one a great sinner. Answer: Formulating precepts to guard against wrongdoing is originally to generate goodness. Precepts are the goodness of cessation, with body and speech not violating [them]. Ceasing amidst conditions, both restrictive and intrinsic [sins] are severed—only this is called the goodness of precepts. Now as for the person tolerant of liquor, since he does not disorder his spirit and has not yet broken the other precepts, in actual principle it is not an intrinsic sin; but precisely because drinking generates causes of sin and externally violates the restrictive teaching, incurring an infraction amidst conditions, he is still termed sinful. Because it departs from not drinking, it is still not keeping the precepts.

17.47

First, regarding the actual harm: according to the sūtras, a person who eats meat has ten kinds of faults. First, explaining that all sentient beings since beginningless time have all been one's own relatives, so it is improper to eat meat. Thus the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra says: "I observe that sentient beings transmigrate in the five destinies, together in saṃsāra giving birth to one another, mutually becoming parents, brothers, and sisters, whether male or female, maternal and paternal, inner and outer relatives and kin; or born in other destinies, whether good destinies or evil destinies, always becoming kin. Due to these causes and conditions, I observe sentient beings: in mutually devouring flesh, there are none who are not relatives. From savoring the taste of meat, they devour one another in turn, constantly giving rise to harmful thoughts, increasing painful karma, drifting in saṃsāra without being able to escape. When the Buddha spoke this, all the evil rākṣasas, hearing what the Buddha said, all abandoned their evil minds, ceased and did not eat meat, and mutually exhorted one another to generate the mind of a bodhisattva, protecting the life of sentient beings and also protecting themselves, shunning all meat and not eating it. Weeping tears of grief, they addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One, having heard the Buddha's explanation, we closely observe the six destinies: the meat we have eaten is entirely our relatives. We now know that meat-eating sentient beings are our great enemies, severing the seed of great maitrī, increasing unwholesome karma, being the root of great suffering. From this day forward, we abstain and do not eat meat, and our kin will likewise not be permitted to eat it. If there are disciples of the Tathāgata who do not eat meat, we shall day and night approach and protect them; if they eat meat, we shall bring great harm to them.' Mahāmati! When the evil rākṣasa ghosts who constantly eat meat heard what I said, they still generated the mind of maitrī and abandoned meat without eating it; how much less should my disciples who practice wholesome dharmas be permitted to eat meat! If one eats meat, know that he is indeed the great enemy of sentient beings, severing my noble lineage. Mahāmati! If my disciples, hearing what I have said, do not closely observe it and eat meat, know that they are indeed of the caṇḍāla lineage, not my disciples, and I am not their teacher."

17.48

Second, explaining that when sentient beings see a meat-eater, they are all terrified; therefore, one should not eat it. As that sūtra says: "When sentient beings smell the scent of a person who eats meat, they are all terrified and flee far away. Therefore, a bodhisattva cultivating the practice of reality, in order to transform sentient beings, should not eat meat. For example, caṇḍālas, hunters, butchers, and those who catch fish and birds: wherever they go, sentient beings seeing them from afar think: 'Now I am certain to die; this one coming is a greatly evil person who does not recognize sin and merit, severs the life of sentient beings, and seeks immediate gain. Now coming to this place, it is to seek us. Now our bodies all have meat; therefore he now comes, and we are certain to die.' Mahāmati! Because a person eats meat, he causes sentient beings who see him all to generate such terror. Mahāmati! All sentient beings in the sky and on earth, seeing one who eats meat, all generate fear and give rise to doubt: 'Am I now to die or to live?' Such evil people do not cultivate the mind of maitrī, and are like jackals and wolves roaming in the world, always seeking meat to eat, like oxen eating grass or dung beetles pursuing dung without knowing satisfaction. 'My body is meat, precisely their food; I should not encounter them,' and they immediately abandon and flee far away from them, no different from people dreading rākṣasas."

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諸經要集 — Classical Chinese