I don't view any "threat" of hell, except in the sense that fire is threatening because it is dangerous.Jechbi wrote: I've taken another look, and I suspect you and Individual are viewing this following quotation as a threat of lower rebirth:What exactly is wrong with that statement? Actually it seems to support your view that moderation is okay, because if you just taste a small portion of wine or whiskey for the purpose of some kind of mindfulness exercise, then it's probably not going to be enough to make you tumble off the narrow ledge of a sharp precipice.Ven. Bodhi wrote:Our stream of consciousness does not terminate with death but continues on in other forms, and the form it takes is determined by our habits, propensities, and actions in this present life. The possibilities of rebirth are boundless, yet the road to the lower realms is wide and smooth, the road upward steep and narrow. If we were ordered to walk along a narrow ledge overlooking a sharp precipice, we certainly would not want to put ourselves at risk by first enjoying a few drinks. We would be too keenly aware that nothing less than our life is at stake. If we only had eyes to see, we would realize that this is a perfect metaphor for the human condition ...
I believe this on not the basis of Ven. Bodhi's quote, but because of the Buddha's words:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"The drinking of fermented & distilled liquors — when indulged in, developed, & pursued — is something that leads to hell, leads to rebirth as a common animal, leads to the realm of the hungry shades. The slightest of all the results coming from drinking fermented & distilled liquors is that, when one becomes a human being, it leads to mental derangement."