Does Eating Food Containing Alcohol Constitute a Violation of the Precepts?

Question: If one has not drunk alcohol, but has eaten food containing alcohol or made from alcohol, does this violate the precept against drinking alcohol? For example, can one consume grape juice that has been left standing and slightly fermented, pickled vegetables, or white vinegar made from alcohol?

Answer: When the chemical components in food transform, they are not the same as the chemical components of alcohol and do not have the effect of numbing the nerves, so consuming them does not violate the precept. There are several key points in violating the precept against drinking alcohol: First, the beverage consumed has the same components as alcohol, the same properties as alcohol, and has a numbing effect on the nerves of the physical body; second, one has drunk it; third, there is a mind of craving and attachment. If there is no mind of craving and attachment, and one drinks a small amount for the purpose of treating illness, then the precept is not violated.

Alcohol can numb the nervous system, causing obstruction in the supreme faculty (rūpa-prasāda) of the brain in receiving information, weakening or even disabling the function of the mind consciousness, resulting in the inability to think normally. When dealing with people and affairs, one lacks rationality and the wisdom to handle them correctly; over the long term, one's intelligence will decline. The retributive result in future lives is shallow and weak wisdom, and stupidity.

Question: If a person has a high tolerance for alcohol and usually enjoys a drink or two, and drinking does not disturb their consciousness—they remain sober, no different from usual—perhaps they are just attached to the taste. If this attachment is much milder compared to other attachments, such as craving for wealth, sex, fame, power, or drugs, why is there no precept against wealth, power, or fame, but a separate precept against alcohol?

Answer: Drinking alcohol can give rise to all kinds of faults and lead to the commission of all offenses, including killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying; craving for wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep is also included therein. Although in some people's drinking no fault can be seen at present, it does in fact paralyze the brain nerves, causing intelligence to quietly decline, and in future lives they will reap the retributive result of stupidity. In view of this, the Buddha established the precept against drinking alcohol. Although sentient beings also crave the five desires of wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep even when not drinking, such craving is an afflictive behavior of the mental nature, which cannot be eliminated by coercive precepts—precepts are of no use here. Only through cultivation, with meditation (samādhi) and wisdom both complete, and after understanding the principles, can it be gradually subdued and eliminated.