Buddhism: What's Hot Now: Buddhism and Today's Issues

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Buddhism and Today's Issues Jan 4th 2013, 11:04 Global warming, Wall Street and embryonic stem cells were not concerns during the Buddha's life. On the other hand, there was war, sexism and abortion 25 centuries ago. What does Buddhism have to teach about these and other contentious issues? Sex and Buddhism What does Buddhism teach about issues such as homosexuality and sex outside of marriage? Most religions have rigid, elaborate rules about sexual conduct. Buddhists have the Third Precept -- in Pali, Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami -- which is most commonly translated "Do not indulge in sexual misconduct." However, for laypeople, the early scriptures are hazy about what constitutes "sexual misconduct." Buddhism and Abortion The U.S. has struggled with the issue of abortion for many years without coming to consensus. We need a fresh perspective, and I believe the Buddhist view of the abortion issue may provide one. Buddhism does consider abortion to be the taking of a human life. At the same time, Buddhists generally are reluctant to intervene in a woman's personal decision to terminate a pregnancy. Buddhism may discourage abortion, but it also discourages imposing rigid moral absolutes. See also "Election 2008: Abortion and the Middle Way." Buddhism and Sexism Buddhist women, including nuns, have faced harsh discrimination by Buddhist institutions in Asia for centuries. There is gender inequality in most of the world's religions, of course, but that's no excuse. Is sexism intrinsic to Buddhism, or did Buddhist institutions absorb sexism from Asian culture? Can Buddhism treat women as equals, and remain Buddhism? Buddhism and the Environment Care of the earth and all living creatures has always been an essential part of Buddhist practice. Which teachings connect directly to environmental issues? See also "A Climate in Crisis." Economic Policies and Buddhism We don't normally link issues like banking, finance and the stock market to Buddhism. But current events show us the wisdom of the middle way. Church-State Issues and Buddhism "Wall of separation of church and state" is a metaphor coined by Thomas Jefferson to explain the religion clauses of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The concept behind the phrase has been controversial for more than two centuries. Many religious people argue that it is hostile to religion. But I argue that separation of church and state is good for religion. Morality, Ethics and Buddhism The Buddhist Approach to morality avoids absolutes and rigid commandments. Instead, Buddhists are encouraged to weigh and analyze situations to come to their own decisions about what is moral. War and Buddhism Is war ever justified in Buddhism?

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Buddhism: What's Hot Now: Mount Meru

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Mount Meru Jan 4th 2013, 11:04 Buddhist texts and teachers sometimes refer to Mount Meru, also called Sumeru (Sanskrit) or Sineru (Pali). Mount Meru is a sacred mountain in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain mythology. For a time, the existence (or not) of Meru was a heated controversy. Ancient Buddhists thought Meru was the center of the universe. The Pali Canon records the historical Buddha speaking of it. In time, ideas about Mount Meru and the nature of the universe became more detailed. For example, a renowned Indian scholar named Vasubhandhu (ca. 4th or 5th century CE) provided an elaborate description of the Meru-centered cosmos in the Abhidharmakosa. The Buddhist Universe Ancient Buddhists imagined the universe as essentially flat, with Mount Meru at the center of all things. Surrounding this universe was a vast expanse of water, and surrounding the water was a vast expanse of wind. This universe was made of thirty-one planes of existence, stacked in layers, and three realms, or dhatus. The three realms were Ārūpyadhātu, the formless realm; Rūpadhātu, the realm of form; and Kāmadhātu, the realm of desire. Each of these was further divided into multiple worlds that were the homes of many sorts of beings. This cosmos was thought to be one of a succession of universes coming into and going out of existence through infinite time. Our world was thought to be a wedge-shaped island continent in a vast sea south of Mount Meru, called Jambudvipa, in the realm of Kāmadhātu. The earth, then, was thought to be flat and surrounded by ocean. The World Becomes Round As with the sacred writings of many religions, Buddhist cosmology can be interpreted as myth or allegory. But many generations of Buddhists understood the universe of Mount Meru to exist literally. Then, in the 16th century, European explorers came to Asia claiming the earth was round and suspended in space. And a controversy was born. Donald Lopez, a professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies at the University of Michigan, provides an illuminating account of this culture clash in his book Buddhism and Science: A Guide for the Perplexed (University of Chicago Press, 2008). Conservative Buddhists rejected the round world theory. They believed the historical Buddha had perfect knowledge, and if the historical Buddha believed in the Mount Meru cosmos, then it must be true. Some scholars, however, adapted what we might call a modernist interpretation of the universe of Mount Meru. Among the first of these was the Japanese scholar Tominaga Nakamoto (1715-1746). Tominaga argued that when the historical Buddha discussed Mount Meru, he was only drawing upon the understanding of the cosmos common to his time. The Buddha did not invent the Mount Meru cosmos, nor was belief in it integral to his teachings. Stubborn Resistance However, a great many Buddhist scholars stuck to the conservative view, that Mount Meru was "real." Christian missionaries tried to discredit Buddhism by arguing that if the Buddha was wrong about Mount Meru, his teachings couldn't be trusted. It should be noted that most of these same missionaries believed the sun revolved around the earth. Faced with this foreign challenge, to some priests and teachers defending Mount Meru was tantamount to defending the Buddha himself. Elaborate models were constructed and calculations made to "prove" astronomical phenomena were better explained by Buddhist theories than by western science. And of course some fell back on the argument that Mount Meru existed, but only the enlightened could see it. In most of Asia the Mount Meru controversy continued until late in the 19th century, when Asian astronomers came to see for themselves that the earth was round, and educated Asians accepted the scientific view. The Last Holdout: Tibet Professor Lopez writes that the Mount Meru controversy didn't reach isolated Tibet until the 20th century. A Tibetan scholar named Gendun Chopel spent the years 1936 to 1943 traveling in south Asia, soaking up the modern view of the cosmos that by then was accepted even in conservative monasteries. In 1938 Gendun Chopel sent an article to the Tibet Mirror informing his country persons that the world is round. The current Dalai Lama, who has flown about the round world several times, seems to have put an end to flat earthism among Tibetans by saying the historical Buddha was wrong about the shape of the earth. However, "The purpose of the Buddha coming to this world was not to measure the circumference of the world and the distance between the earth and the moon, but rather to teach the Dharma, to liberate sentient beings, to relieve sentient beings of their sufferings." Even so, Donald Lopez recalls meeting a lama in 1977 who still held onto a belief in Mount Meru. Mount Meru in the West In the West, in some Buddhist traditions, little is said these days about Mount Meru. It seems only to be a quaint bit of irrelevant trivia that pops up in sutras from time to time. Possibly some mistake the mythical Mount Meru for an African mountain of the same name. In other traditions, the old cosmology is still taught as a metaphysical model. The historical Buddha taught us about the nature of suffering and the means to be liberated from it, not to teach us facts about the phenomenal universe. This might teach us to be cautious about linking Buddhism and science too tightly. There is no need for Buddhism and science to contradict each other, but they are not necessarily about the same things.

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Buddhism: What's Hot Now: About Time

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About Time Jan 4th 2013, 11:04 We all know what time is. Or do we? Read some explanations of time from the perspective of physics, and you may wonder. Well, Buddhist teaching about time can be a bit daunting, also. This essay will look at time in two ways. First is an explanation of measurements of time in Buddhist scriptures. Second is a basic explanation of how time is understood from the perspective of enlightenment. Measures of Time There are two Sanskrit words for measurements of time found in Buddhist scripture, ksana and kalpa. A ksana is a tiny unit of time, approximately one seventy-fifth of a second. I understand this is a generous amount of time compared to a nanosecond. But for purposes of understanding the sutras, it probably isn't necessary to measure ksana precisely. Basically, a ksana is an imperceptibly small amount of time, and all kinds of things happen within the space of a ksana that elude our conscious awareness. For example, it is said there are 900 arisings and ceasings within each ksana. I suspect the number 900 is not meant to be precise but rather is a poetic way of saying "a lot." A kalpa is an aeon. There are small, medium, great, and uncountable (asamhyeya) kalpas. Over the centuries various scholars have attempted to quantify kalpas in various ways. Usually, when a sutra mentions kalpas, it means a really, really, really long time. The Buddha described a mountain even bigger than Mount Everest. Once every hundred years, someone wipes the mountain with a small piece of silk. The mountain will be worn away before the kalpa ends, the Buddha said. The Three Times and Three Time Periods Along with ksanas and kalpas, you may run into mention of "the three times" or "the three periods of time." These can mean one of two things. Sometimes it just means past, present, and future. But sometimes the three time periods or three ages are something else entirely. Sometimes "three periods of time" refers to the Former Day, Middle Day, and Latter Day of the Law (or Dharma). The Former Day is the thousand-year period after the life of the Buddha in which dharma is taught and practiced correctly. The Middle Day is the next thousand years (or so), in which dharma is practiced and understood superficially. The Latter Day lasts for 10,000 years, and in this time the dharma completely degenerates. You might notice that, chronologically speaking, we are now into the Latter Day. Is this important? It depends. In some schools the three periods of time are considered important and discussed quite a bit. In others they are pretty much ignored. But What Is Time, Anyway? These measurements may seem irrelevant in light of the way Buddhism explains the nature of time. Very basically, in most schools of Buddhism it is understood that the way we experience time -- as flowing from past to present to future -- is an illusion. Further, it could be said that the liberation of Nirvana is liberation from time and space. Beyond that, teachings on the nature of time tend to be on an advanced level, and in this brief essay we can do no more than stick a tip of the toe into very deep water. For example, in Dzogchen -- the central practice of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism -- teachers speak of four dimensions of time. These are past, present, future, and timeless time. This is sometimes expressed as the "three times and timeless time." Not being a student of Dzogchen I can only take a stab at what this doctrine is saying. The Dzogchen texts I have read hint that time is empty of self-nature, as are all phenomena, and manifests according to causes and conditions. In the absolute reality (dharmakaya) time disappears, as do all other distinctions. Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche is a prominent teacher in another Tibetan school, Kagyu. He said, "Until concepts are exhausted, there is time and you make preparations; however, you should not grasp onto time as truly existent, and you should know that within the essential nature of mahamudra, time does not exist:" Mahamudra, or "great symbol," refers to the central teaching and practices of Kagyu. Dogen's Being and Time Zen master Dogen composed a fascicle of Shobogenzo called "Uji," which usually is translated as "Being Time" or "The Time-Being." This is a difficult text, but the central teaching in it is that being itself is time. "Time is not separate from you, and as you are present, time does not go away. As time is not marked by coming and going, the moment you climbed the mountains is the time-being right now. If time keeps coming and going, you are the time-being right now." You are time, the tiger is time, bamboo is time, Dogen wrote. "If time is annihilated, mountains and oceans are annihilated. As time is not annihilated, mountains and oceans are not annihilated."

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Buddhism: What's Hot Now: The Six Perfections

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The Six Perfections Jan 4th 2013, 11:04 The Six Perfections, or paramitas, are guides for Mahayana Buddhist practice. They are virtues to be cultivated to strengthen practice and bring one to enlightenment. The Six Perfections describe the true nature of an enlightened being, which is to say they are our own true nature. If they don't seem to be our true nature, it is because the perfections are obscured by our delusion, anger, greed, and fear. By cultivating these perfections we bring this true nature into expression. Origins of the Paramitas There are three different lists of paramitas in Buddhism. The Ten Paramitas of Theravada Buddhism were gleaned from several sources, including the Jataka Tales. Mahayana Buddhism took a list of Six Paramitas from several Mahayana Sutras, including the Lotus Sutra and the Large Sutra on the Perfection of Wisdom (Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita). In the latter text, for example, a disciple asks the Buddha, "How many bases for training are there for those seeking enlightenment?" The Buddha replied, "There are six: generosity, morality, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom." Prominent early commentaries on the Six Perfections can be found in Arya Sura's Paramitasamasa (ca. 3rd century CE) and Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara ("Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life," 8th century CE). Later, Mahayana Buddhists would add four more perfections -- skillful means (upaya), aspiration, spiritual power, and knowledge -- to make a list of ten. But the original list of six seems to be more common. The Six Perfections in Practice Each of the Six Perfections supports the other five, but the order of the perfections is significant also. For example, the first three perfections -- generosity, morality, and patience -- are virtuous practices for anyone. The remaining three -- energy or zeal, meditation, and wisdom -- are more specifically about spiritual practice. 1. Dana Paramita: Perfection of Generosity In many commentaries on the Six Perfections, generosity is said to be an entry way to the dharma. Generosity is the beginning of bodhicitta, the aspiration to realize enlightenment for all beings, which is critically important in Mahayana. Dana paramita is a true generosity of spirit. It is giving from sincere desire to benefit others, without expectation of reward or recognition. There must be no selfishness attached. Even charity work done to "feel good about myself" is not true dana paramita. Read More: "The Perfection of Giving" 2. Sila Paramita: Perfection of Morality Buddhist morality is not about unquestioning obedience to a list of rules. Yes, there are precepts, but the precepts are something like training wheels. They guide us until we find our own balance. An enlightened being is said to respond correctly to all situations without having to consult a list of rules. In the practice of sila paramita, we develop selfless compassion. Along the way we practice renunciation and gain an appreciation for karma. Read More: "Sila Paramita" 3. Ksanti Paramita: Perfection of Patience Ksanti is patience, tolerance, forbearance, endurance, or composure. It literally means "able to withstand." It is said there are three dimensions to ksanti: the ability to endure personal hardship; patience with others; and acceptance of truth. The perfection of ksanti begins with acceptance of the Four Noble Truths, including the truth of suffering (dukkha). Through practice our attention turns away from our own suffering and toward the suffering of others. Accepting truth refers to accepting difficult truths about ourselves -- that we are greedy, that we are mortal -- and also accepting the truth of the illusory nature of our existence. Read More: "Ksanti Paramita" 4. Virya Paramita: Perfection of Energy Virya is energy or zeal. It comes from an ancient Indian-Iranian word that means "hero," and it is also the root of the English word "virile." So, virya paramita is about making a courageous, heroic effort to realize enlightenment. To practice virya paramita, we first develop our own character and courage. We engage in spiritual training. And then we dedicate our fearless efforts to the benefit of others. Read More: "Virya Paramita" 5. Dhyana Paramita: Perfection of Meditation Dhyana, Buddhist meditation is a discipline intended to cultivate the mind. Dhyana also means "concentration," and in this case great concentration is applied to achieve clarity and insight. A word closely related to dhyana is samadhi, which also means "concentration." Samadhi refers to a single-pointed concentration in which all sense of self falls away. Dhyana and samadhi are said to be the foundations of wisdom, which is the next perfection. Read More: "Dhyana Paramita;" 6. Prajna Paramta: Perfection of Wisdom In Mahayana Buddhism, wisdom is the direct and intimate realization of sunyata, or emptiness. Very simply, this is the teaching that all phenomena are without self-essence. Prajna is the ultimate perfection that includes all other perfections. The late Robert Aitken Roshi wrote, "The Sixth Paramita is Prajna, the raison d'être of the Buddha Way. If Dana is the entry to the Dharma, then Prajna is its realization and the other Paramitas are Prajna in alternate form." (The Practice of Perfection, p. 107) That all phenomena are without self-essence may not strike you as especially wise, but as you work with prajna teachings the significance of sunyata becomes more and more evident, and the importance of sunyata to Mahayana Buddhism cannot be overstated. However, this wisdom cannot be understood by intellect alone. So how do we understand it? Through the practice of the other perfections -- generosity, morality, patience, energy. and meditation. Read More: "Sunyata, or Emptiness: The Perfection of Wisdom"

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Buddhism: What's Hot Now: Seven Factors of Enlightenment

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Seven Factors of Enlightenment Jan 4th 2013, 11:04 The Seven Factors of Enlightenment are seven qualities that both lead to enlightenment and also describe enlightenment. The Buddha referred to these factors in several of his sermons recorded in the Pali Tipitika. The factors are called satta bojjhanga in Pali and sapta bodhyanga in Sanskrit. The factors are said to be particularly useful as antidotes to the Five Hindrances -- sensual desire, ill will, sloth, restlessness, and uncertainty. 1. Mindfulness Right Mindfulness is the seventh part of the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, and it is essential to Buddhist practice. Mindfulness is a whole-body-and-mind awareness of the present moment. To be mindful is to be fully present, not lost in daydreams, anticipation, indulgences, or worry. Mindfulness also means releasing habits of mind that maintain the illusion of a separate self. Mindfulness does not judge between likes and dislikes. Mindfulness means dropping conceptualizations -- when being mindful of breath, for example, it is just breath, not "my" breath. 2. Investigation The second factor is keen investigation into the nature of reality. In some schools of Buddhism, this keen investigation is analytical. The Pali term for this second factor is dhamma vicaya, which means to investigate the dhamma or dharma. The word dharma has many uses in Buddhism. It's broadest meaning is something like "natural law," but it more often refers to the teaching of the Buddha. It also can refer to the nature of existence or to phenomena as manifestations of reality. So this investigation of dharma is both an investigation into the Buddha's doctrines as well as into the nature of existence. The Buddha taught his disciples to not accept what he said on blind faith, but instead to investigate his teaching to realize the truth of them for themselves. 3. Energy The Sanskrit word for energy is virya (or viriya in Pali), which also is translated as "zeal" and "enthusiastic effort." The word virya originated from vira, which in ancient Indo-Iranian language means "hero." Virya, then, retains a connotation of heroic effort and a warrior's determined zeal. The Theravadin scholar Piyadassi Thera says that when the prince who would become the Buddha began his quest for enlightenment, he took as his motto ma nivatta, abhikkhama -- "Falter not; advance." The quest for enlightenment requires tireless strength and courage. 4. Happiness Of course, we all want to be happy. But what do we mean by "happy"? The spiritual path often begins when we deeply realize that getting what we want doesn't make us happy, or at least not happy for very long. What will make us happy? His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama said, "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." It's what we do, not what we get, that grows happiness. It is a basic Buddhist teaching that the craving for things we think are outside ourselves binds us to suffering. When we see this for ourselves, we can begin to let go of craving and find happiness. Read More: The Four Noble Truths; Renunciation 5. Tranquility The fifth factor is calmness or tranquility of body and consciousness. While the previous factor is a more joyous happiness, this factor is more like the contentment of one who has finished his work and is resting. Like happiness, tranquility cannot be forced or contrived. It arises naturally from the other factors. 6. Concentration Like mindfulness, Right Concentration also is part of the Eightfold Path. How do mindfulness and concentration differ? Very basically, mindfulness is a whole-body-and-mind awareness, usually with some frame of reference -- body, feelings, or mind. Concentration is focusing all of one's mental faculties onto one physical or mental object and practicing the Four Absorptions, also called the Four Dhyanas (Sanskrit) or Four Jhanas (Pali). Another word associated with Buddhist concentration is samadhi. The late John Daido Loori Roshi, a Soto Zen teacher, said, "Samadhi is a state of consciousness that lies beyond waking, dreaming, or deep sleep. It's a slowing down of our mental activity through single-pointed concentration." In deepest samadhi, all sense of "self" disappears, and subject and object are completely absorbed into each other. 7. Equanimity Equanimity in the Buddhist sense is a balance between the extremes of aversion and desire. In other words, it is not being pulled this way and that by what you like and dislike. Theravadin monk and scholar Bhikkhu Bodhi said that equanimity is "evenness of mind, unshakeable freedom of mind, a state of inner equipoise that cannot be upset by gain and loss, honor and dishonor, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. Upekkha is freedom from all points of self-reference; it is indifference only to the demands of the ego-self with its craving for pleasure and position, not to the well-being of one's fellow human beings."

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Buddhism: Morality Versus Rules

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Morality Versus Rules Jan 3rd 2013, 12:09 This morning I found a new comment to an old post from last April. The old post was on a lack of emphasis on the Precepts in western dharma centers, followed by a discussion in the comments about Precepts practice and why working with the Precepts is different from following the Ten Commandments. And here is the new comment: "It's very simple, or at least it was before westerners began to complicate things and transformed the dharma, according to their own whims and desires, into a new-age "anything goes" kind of philosophy. Lol, rules like "don't steal, don't commit adultery, don't murder people, etc., are universal and exist in some form or another in almost every civilized society-we need them in order to function in the everyday, conventional world that we inhabit., no matter how much you dislike it." This is similar to some comments left to more recent posts on our infamous misbehaving Zen teachers. The main points usually made are these -- One, morality isn't complicated; just follow the rules. Two, the only reason you western Buddhists think this is complicated is that you are a bunch of post-modernist New Agers who have imposed your "anything goes" philosophy onto Buddhism. Actually, I believe the notion that "morality" consists of faithfully following some list of external rules is the "western" notion here. Certainly one can find rigid "moralism" in Asia as in the West, but I have read here and there that older Asian civilizations on the whole adopted a more situationist approach to law and morality than did the strict "by the book" approach favored in the West. Much of our western attitude about following moral rules probably is a vestige of a belief that prevailed in western civilization for centuries -- that humans are inherently foul and wicked creatures who can be made "good" only by obeying God.  The only alternative to obeying God's Rules, in this view, is obeying our own willful egos, and that always leads to ruin. Western popular culture has softened up on that attitude quite a bit in the past century or so, but  we haven't gotten around to re-thinking our "by the book" approach to morality. Buddhism has an entirely different view -- we humans are not inherently evil. It's just that we are lost in a fog of illusion, and we thrash around doing harm to ourselves and to others because of our own ignorance. The antidote is enlightenment, waking up from the illusion, which unbinds us from the chains of ego and craving. It is said that an enlightened being doesn't need moral rules, but naturally and spontaneously responds correctly to all moral questions. Of course, those of us still thrashing around in ignorance could use some guidance, so there are Precepts. But the Precepts are not meant to be absolute rules obeyed without question. Rather, working with them helps us grow in wisdom and compassion. The point is, though, that a reactive "just follow the  rules" approach to morality is -- and always has been -- contrary to what the Buddha taught. Reflecting on and analyzing moral situations in their infinite messiness is not some post-modern indulgence; it is dharma practice. In the much-quoted-out-of-context Kalama Sutta,the Buddha taught us to not believe things just because they're written in authoritative books or spoken by authoritative teachers, but rather to determine for ourselves what is true. But if you read the whole sutta, it is apparent he is talking as much about morality as about doctrine -- Judge actions by whether they are wholesome and beneficial, or not. Don't just follow something written in a book. I think the "just follow the rules" approach to morality is a kind of a crutch. Following rules does not require wisdom and compassion. Human history is full of terrible things done in the name of some greater good, done by people never taught to reflect and to feel, but to just follow rules. In his book The Mind of Clover: Essays in Zen Buddhist Ethics, Robert Aitken Roshi said (p.17), "The absolute position, when isolated, omits human details completely. Doctrines, including Buddhism, are meant to be used. Beware of them taking life of their own, for then they use us." An example of what the Roshi was talking about might be the murder of abortion doctors in the name of "life." Dharma practice ain't for weenies, and going beyond the rule book requires discipline and self-honesty. But that's our path.

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Buddhism: What's Hot Now: The Fifth Precept

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The Fifth Precept Jan 2nd 2013, 11:04 The Fifth Precept of Buddhism, translated from the Pali Canon, is "I undertake the training rule to abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis for heedlessness." Does this mean Buddhists aren't supposed to drink? About the Precepts of Buddhism It is said that an enlightened being naturally responds correctly and compassionately to every situation. In this way, the precepts describe the life of a Buddha. They are not a list of commandments or rules to be followed without question. By working with the precepts, we train ourselves to live more compassionately and harmoniously, as enlightened beings live. An American Zen teacher, the late John Daido Loori, Roshi, said ("kai" is Japanese for "precepts"), "The Precepts contain the totality of the teachings of the Buddhadharma. ... People inquire about practice, 'What is lay practice?' Kai -- the precepts. 'What is monastic practice?' Kai -- the precepts. 'What is home practice?' Kai -- the precepts. 'What is the sacred?' -- Kai. 'What is the secular?' -- Kai. Everything we see, touch, and do, our way of relating, is right here in these precepts. They are the Buddha Way, the heart of the Buddha." (The Heart of Being: Moral and Ethical Teachings of Zen Buddhism, page 67) See also "The Buddhist Precepts: An Introduction." The Fifth Precept is interpreted somewhat differently in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. The Fifth Precept in Theravada Buddhism Bikkhu Bodhi explains in "Going for Refuge" that the Fifth Precept can be translated from the Pali to prohibit "fermented and distilled liquors which are intoxicants" or "fermented and distilled liquors and other intoxicants." Either way, clearly the guiding purpose of the precept is "to prevent heedlessness caused by the taking of intoxicating substances." According to Bikkhu Bodhi, violating the precept requires an intoxicant, an intention to take an intoxicant, the activity of ingesting the intoxicant, and the actual ingestion of the intoxicant. Taking medication containing alcohol, opiates or other intoxicants for genuine medical reasons does not count, nor does eating food flavored with a small amount of liquor. Otherwise, Theravada Buddhism considers the Fifth Precept to be a clear prohibition of drinking. Although Theravada monks generally don't march around calling for prohibition, laypeople are discouraged from drinking. In southeast Asia, where Theravada Buddhism dominates, the monastic sangha often calls for bars and liquor stores to be closed on major uposatha days. The Fifth Precept in Mahayana Buddhism For the most part, Mahayana Buddhists follow the precepts as explained in the Mahayana Brahmajala (Brahma Net) Sutra. (There is a Theravada sutra with the same name, but they are different texts.) In this sutra, drinking liquor is a "minor" offense, but selling it is a major breach of the precepts. To drink liquore hurts only oneself, but selling (and, I assume, distributing it for free) hurts others and is a violation of the Bodhisattva vows. Within the several schools of Mahayana there are some sectarian differences on the matter of drinking, but the Fifth Precept often is not treated as an absolute prohibition. Further, the meaning of "intoxicant" is broadened to include anything that distracts us from the path, not just alchohol and drugs. Zen teacher Reb Anderson says, "In the broadest sense, anything we ingest, inhale, or inject into our system without reverence for all life becomes an intoxicant." (Being Upright: Zen Meditation and the Bodhisattva Precepts, page 137). He describes the act of intoxication as bringing something into yourself to manipulate your experience. This "something" can be "coffee, tea, chewing gum, sweets, sex, sleep, power, fame, and even food." One of my intoxicants is television (I find crime dramas soothing; I have no idea why). This doesn't mean we are prohibited from using coffee, tea, chewing gum, etc. It means to take care not to use them as intoxicants, as ways of soothing and distracting ourselves from the direct and intimate experience of life. In other words, whatever we use to distract ourselves into heedlessness is an intoxicant. In the course of our lives most of us develop mental and physical habits that enable nice, cozy states of heedlessness. The challenge of working with the Fifth Precept is to identify what those are and deal with them. From this perspective, the question of whether to abstain from alcohol entirely or drink in moderation is an individual one that requires some spiritual maturity and self-honesty.

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