Do Buddhists drink alcohol?

Question

Does being a Buddhist mean to completely give up alcohol?

Answer 1

The fifth of the Five Precepts tells us to abstain from substances which cloud the mind. Alcohol certain does that.

On the other hand, Buddhism really isn't about absolutes. The Precepts are prefaced by "I undertake to ... " and not "Thou Shalt not ..." - there is free will and choice involved.

And I do love a glass of good malt whisky.
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Answer 2

I don't drink alcohol because I agree with the Buddha's point that it affects the brain functions making it harder to maintain mindfulness per the Buddha's teachings, but being a Buddhist is not defined by what we do or not do, it is defined by the belief, or agreement that:

1. All things are impermanent and there is no concept or substance that is permanent
2. All emotions eventually bring pain and suffering and nothing is purely, inherently pleasureable
3. All phenomena are illusory and "empty" (the definition of the word according to Buddha's teaching of emptiness, not the nihilistic version believed by many)
4. Enlightenment is beyond concepts

This is what being a Buddhist means... so if you sip a little bit of alcohol because you have no clean water to drink, or sharing a tiny bit with friends, you aren't condemned... there's no such thing as "sin" or condemnation... the idea is altruism and WISDOM and common sense... alcohol in certain quantities warps your brain functions a little bit and you're not as mindful of your speech or behavior.

Hope this clarifies.

_()_

Answer 3

There are 5 basic precepts to Buddhism. The fifth one is to abstain from alcohol and drugs that lead to heedlessness.

I take that to mean that alcohol is off the list. Many people also take it to mean that you can drink alcohol as long as you don't get heedless (drunk).

Many people become Buddhist and just ignore that precept altogether.

I hope that helps!

Answer 4

you will little question obtain many solutions asserting that alcohol is forbidden by skill of the 5th theory. yet evaluate the backstory first, in case you will. The commencing place of the 5th theory is somewhat specific, and that's defined in the Buddhist monastic scriptures referred to as the Vinaya. in the very early days of Buddhism, while the Buddha lived and the Buddhist monastic order only began to form, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct have been extreme offenses, yet there grew to become into no theory concerning alcohol. priests might circulate on alms rounds and are available lower back to take heed to the Buddha's teachings as popular. at some point, a monk got here lower back from alms around, walked as much as the Buddha, all of sudden fell flat on his butt, and handed out in front of the Buddha with the monk's ft pointing in direction of the Buddha. while the monk got here to, the Buddha puzzled him and discovered that between the villagers had presented alcohol to the monk for the period of his alms around. That grew to become into while the Buddha desperate that abstinence from intoxicants ought to be required, and hence the 5th theory got here into existence. in accordance with this tale, Buddhists are inspired to take under consideration whether or no longer they ought to eat alcohol or no longer. endure in innovations that Buddhist precepts are no longer commandments -- there's no divine punishment for breaking a theory, yet none people want damaging karma. From a Buddhist perspective, the very act of eating alcohol itself does no longer create damaging karma, yet there is damaging karmic effects for strikes or innovations handed off together as intoxicated.

Answer 5

In general they avoid anything that clouds the mind, and alcohol definitely does.

Answer 6

Usually yes.

Answer 7

I think some of them probably do, but they generally discourage it because it gets in between you and enlightenment.

Answer 8

No, & that is the problem !