The Sin of Drinking Alcohol

Original text of the Sūtra on the Karmic Consequences of the Five Precepts for Upāsakas, Section Five: 长老莎伽陀能降恶龙。折伏令善。诸人及鸟兽得到龙宫。秋谷熟时不复破伤。因长老伽莎陀名声流布。诸人皆作食。传请之。是中有一贫女人信敬。请长老莎伽陀。莎伽陀默然受已。是女人为办名酥乳糜。受而食之。女人思惟。是沙门啖是名酥乳糜。或当冷发。便取似水色酒持与。是莎伽陀不看饮。饮已。为说法便去。过向寺中。尔时间酒势便发。近寺门边倒地。僧伽梨衣等。漉水囊钵杖。油囊革屣针筒各在一处。身在一处。醉无所觉。

Explanation: The Elder Svāgata was able to subdue the vicious nāga, making it submit and change from evil to good, so that people and birds and beasts could approach the nāga's palace, and when the autumn grain ripened, it was no longer destroyed or damaged. Because the Elder Svāgata's reputation spread far and wide, everyone prepared food in their homes and took turns inviting Svāgata to banquets. Among them there was a poor woman who had faith and reverence for Svāgata, and she invited the Elder Svāgata to a meal. After Svāgata silently accepted the invitation, this woman prepared ghee and rice-gruel with milk for Svāgata, and Svāgata took it and ate it. The woman thought to herself, "This śramaṇa has eaten this fine ghee and milk gruel; perhaps he will feel a chill." So she took some liquor that looked like water in color and offered it to Svāgata. Svāgata, without looking to see what it was, drank it. After drinking, he expounded the Dharma to this woman and departed. On his way back to the monastery, at that moment the potency of the liquor arose, and as he approached the monastery gate he fell to the ground. His saṃghāṭī robe, water-straining bag, alms bowl, staff, oil pouch, leather sandals, and needle case were each scattered in a different place, his body lay in yet another place, and he lay drunk without any awareness.

Original text: 尔时佛与阿难游行到是处。佛见是比丘。知而故问。阿难。此是何人。答言。世尊。此是长老莎伽陀。佛即语阿难。是处为我敷座床。办水集僧。阿难受教。即敷座床。办水集僧已。往白佛言。世尊。我已敷床。办水集僧。佛自知时。佛即洗足坐。问诸比丘。曾见闻有龙。名庵婆罗提陀。凶暴恶害。先无有人到其住处。象马牛羊。驴骡驼驼无能到者。乃至诸鸟无敢过上。秋谷熟时。破灭诸谷。善男子。莎伽陀能折伏令善。今诸人及鸟兽得到泉上。是时众中有见者言。见。世尊。闻者言。闻。世尊。佛语比丘。于汝意云何。此善男子莎伽陀。今能折伏虾蟆不。答言不能。世尊。佛言。圣人饮酒尚如是失。何况俗凡夫。如是过罪。若过是罪。皆由饮酒故。从今日若言我是佛弟子者。不得饮酒。乃至小草头一滴。亦不得饮。

Explanation: At this time the Buddha and Ānanda were traveling and arrived at this place. The Buddha saw this bhikṣu and, though He already knew who it was, deliberately asked: "Ānanda, who is this person?" Ānanda replied: "World-Honored One, this is the Elder Svāgata." The Buddha then said to Ānanda: "Spread out a seat and bed for me at this place, prepare water, and assemble the saṅgha." Ānanda accepted the instruction, and after spreading out the seat and bed, preparing water, and assembling the saṅgha, he went to the Buddha and said: "World-Honored One, I have spread out the bed, prepared water, and assembled the saṅgha." The Buddha knew it was time to expound the Dharma, so He washed His feet and sat on the seat, and asked the bhikṣus: "Have you ever heard of a nāga named Āmrapradhā? He was fierce, violent, and harmful. Previously no one dared to go to his dwelling place; elephants, horses, cattle, sheep, donkeys, mules, and camels were unable to approach it, and even the birds did not dare to fly over it. When the autumn grain ripened, he destroyed all the grain. Good men, Svāgata was able to subdue him and make him good, and now all people as well as birds and beasts can go to that spring." At that time, among the assembly, those who had seen it said: "We have seen it, World-Honored One." Those who had heard of it said: "We have heard of it, World-Honored One." The Buddha said to the bhikṣus: "What do you think—can this good man Svāgata now subdue fish, shrimp, and frogs?" They replied: "No, World-Honored One." The Buddha said: "If even a noble one who drinks liquor has such a lapse, how much more so worldly ordinary beings. Such transgressions, and even transgressions exceeding these, all arise from drinking liquor. From today onward, those who claim to be disciples of the Buddha must not drink liquor—not even a single drop on the tip of a small blade of grass may be drunk."