The consequence for using intoxicants

[Individual]

What did the Buddha say is the consequence for using intoxicants (like marijuana and alcohol)?

And even if he said such things, what is your proof of his claims?

I vaguely remember hearing that people who use intoxicants will be crazy in future lives. Is this true? Is mental illness in the present life due to intoxicants in the past?

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

In the Book of the Eights of the Gradual Sayings, the Buddha teaches:

“Monks, drinking intoxicants, if done frequently or habitually, leads to rebirth in hell, rebirth as an animal or as a hungry ghost. At the very least, the result of this evil deed when born as a human being is that one becomes a mad person.” (Duccaritavipākasuttaṃ)

[Mawkish1983]

...if done frequently or habitually...

Looks like I found the dhamma just in time then

Thank you Bhante

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

10. Duccaritavipākasuttaṃ

I append to the Pali text just the least result of these eight unwholesome kammas, if one is reborn as a human being, and not in hell, or the other lower realms.

40. “Pāṇātipāto, bhikkhave, āsevito bhāvito bahulīkato nirayasaṃvattaniko tiracchānayonisaṃvattaniko pettivisayasaṃvattaniko. Yo sabbalahuso pāṇātipātassa vipāko, manussabhūtassa appāyukasaṃvattaniko hoti. (killing living beings leads to short life)

“Adinnādānaṃ, bhikkhave, āsevitaṃ bhāvitaṃ bahulīkataṃ nirayasaṃvattanikaṃ tiracchānayonisaṃvattanikaṃ pettivisayasaṃvattanikaṃ. Yo sabbalahuso adinnādānassa vipāko, manussabhūtassa bhogabyasanasaṃvattaniko hoti. (stealing leads to destruction or loss of one's property)

“Kāmesumicchācāro, bhikkhave, āsevito bhāvito bahulīkato nirayasaṃvattaniko tiracchānayonisaṃvattaniko pettivisayasaṃvattaniko. Yo sabbalahuso kāmesumicchācārassa vipāko, manussabhūtassa sapattaverasaṃvattaniko hoti. (sexual misconduct leads to having hostile rivals)

“Musāvādo, bhikkhave, āsevito bhāvito bahulīkato nirayasaṃvattaniko tiracchānayonisaṃvattaniko pettivisayasaṃvattaniko. Yo sabbalahuso musāvādassa vipāko, manussabhūtassa abhūtabbhakkhānasaṃvattaniko hoti. (lying leads to false accusations)

“Pisuṇā, bhikkhave, vācā āsevitā bhāvitā bahulīkatā nirayasaṃvattanikā tiracchānayonisaṃvattanikā pettivisayasaṃvattanikā. Yo sabbalahuso pisuṇāya vācāya vipāko, manussabhūtassa mittehi bhedanasaṃvattaniko hoti. (slander leads to the dissolution of friendships)

“Pharusā, bhikkhave, vācā āsevitā bhāvitā bahulīkatā nirayasaṃvattanikā tiracchānayonisaṃvattanikā pettivisayasaṃvattanikā. Yo sabbalahuso pharusāya vācāya vipāko, manussabhūtassa amanāpasaddasaṃvattaniko hoti. (leads to a displeasing voice)

“Samphappalāpo, bhikkhave, āsevito bhāvito bahulīkato nirayasaṃvattaniko tiracchānayonisaṃvattaniko pettivisayasaṃvattaniko. Yo sabbalahuso samphappalāpassa vipāko, manussabhūtassa anādeyyavācāsaṃvattaniko hoti. (idle chatter leads to ones speech being disregarded)

“Surāmerayapānaṃ, bhikkhave, āsevitaṃ bhāvitaṃ bahulīkataṃ nirayasaṃvattanikaṃ tiracchānayonisaṃvattanikaṃ pettivisayasaṃvattanikaṃ. Yo sabbalahuso surāmerayapānassa vipāko, manussabhūtassa ummattakasaṃvattaniko hotī”ti. (taking intoxicants leads to insanity)

āsevitaṃ = practised; bhāvitaṃ = cultivated; bahulīkataṃ = made much of; niraya = hell; saṃvattanikaṃ = leads to; tiracchāna = animal; yoni = womb; pettivisaya = hungry ghosts; yo = whoever; sabbalahuso = the least of all; vipāko = kammic result; manussa = human being; bhūtassa = becoming, state of; ummattakasa = madness, insanity.

[bodom]

"There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in intoxicants which cause infatuation and heedlessness:

(i) loss of wealth,
(ii) increase of quarrels,
(iii) susceptibility to disease,
(iv) earning an evil reputation,
(v) shameless exposure of body,
(vi) weakening of intellect.

Sigalovada Sutta
The Discourse to Sigala
The Layperson's Code of Discipline

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nara.html

[bodom]

What did the Buddha say is the consequence for using intoxicants (like marijuana and alcohol)?

And even if he said such things, what is your proof of his claims?

I vaguely remember hearing that people who use intoxicants will be crazy in future lives. Is this true? Is mental illness in the present life due to intoxicants in the past?

Ever been addicted to drugs? If you have then you have the proof of the Buddhas statement. The consequences of alcoholism and drug addiction are blantantly obvious. 80% percent of the prison population in the world is drug or alchol related.

[Fede]

What great and wondrous kamma I must have had to be born as I am!
I have never been attracted to, nor partaken in any intoxicant save on only one occasion during my dim, distant and foolish youth!
It taught me a lesson I have never forgotten!

never again!

Sadly though, I have all too often seen and witnessed the effects on others.....

[Justin]

I walked into sociology two weeks ago to find that a classmate of mine had his right arm in a cast. When he was asked what happened to him, he replied that he had gotten drunk at a party over the weekend, fallen into a deluded fury, and punched a thick wooden staircase banister, breaking his wrist. Sadly, he now has to type his entire term paper with one hand. Truly the Buddha knew what he was doing when he prohibited intoxicants.

[SeerObserver]

I walked into sociology two weeks ago to find that a classmate of mine had his right arm in a cast. When he was asked what happened to him, he replied that he had gotten drunk at a party over the weekend, fallen into a deluded fury, and punched a thick wooden staircase banister, breaking his wrist. Sadly, he now has to type his entire term paper with one hand. Truly the Buddha knew what he was doing when he prohibited intoxicants.

Right. intoxicants inhibit judgment and therefore make you more likely to do things you normally wouldn't. A main point is that it makes you more likely to break the preceding 4 precepts.

Buddhists are to cease doing evil, do good, and cultivate purity in the mind. The third is clearly hindered by intoxicants.

[Cittasanto]

intoxicants inhibit judgment and therefore make you more likely to do things you normally wouldn't. A main point is that it makes you more likely to break the preceding 4 precepts.

Buddhists are to cease doing evil, do good, and cultivate purity in the mind. The third is clearly hindered by intoxicants.

their is a zen store which is all about this, but Alcohol also aggravates and heightens mental disorders.

[SeerObserver]

intoxicants inhibit judgment and therefore make you more likely to do things you normally wouldn't. A main point is that it makes you more likely to break the preceding 4 precepts.

Buddhists are to cease doing evil, do good, and cultivate purity in the mind. The third is clearly hindered by intoxicants.

their is a zen store which is all about this, but Alcohol also aggravates and heightens mental disorders.

A zen store whose theme is anti-intoxicants? Does this mean that most of the books, tapes, etc. sold there discuss that topic? Do they have a website?

[Cittasanto]

intoxicants inhibit judgment and therefore make you more likely to do things you normally wouldn't. A main point is that it makes you more likely to break the preceding 4 precepts.

Buddhists are to cease doing evil, do good, and cultivate purity in the mind. The third is clearly hindered by intoxicants.

their is a zen store which is all about this, but Alcohol also aggravates and heightens mental disorders.

A zen store whose theme is anti-intoxicants? Does this mean that most of the books, tapes, etc. sold there discuss that topic? Do they have a website?

oops I meant story????

[Mawkish1983]

What great and wondrous kamma I must have had to be born as I am!

Indeed you've earn't it

[Fede]

And the buddies I have 'slap me up de head' if ever I come across as muddled and be-fuddled in the noddle - and long may they keep doing so! Best "sober up!" call anyone could have!

[Jason]

Right. intoxicants inhibit judgment and therefore make you more likely to do things you normally wouldn't.

Yeah, like letting loose and dancing the night away at a Presets show.

[Fede]

Yeh... Saw you Jase.... word of advice.... no luminous pink frock, next time......

[Nibbida]

There is a more insidious effect of alcohol and marijuana. It is a more subtle aspect, one that is easily overlooked. If we only look at the more obvious injuries and mishaps from using an intoxicant, many people will dismiss them saying that they never drink and drive, or they only have a few drinks and never get into much or any trouble. And they may be right about that.

But remember that the Buddha's advice was not to use intoxicants at all, not in moderation. Whenever a person uses moderate amounts of intoxicants it still serves to blunt out unpleasant emotions and thoughts. It becomes a mild form of avoidance. The more one does that, the more it becomes reinforced as a way to deal with the stresses of life. While that may not be terrible, it's the opposite of facing stress with mindfulness and equanimity. The Buddhist goal is to increase awareness of the pain, watch it arise and pass without complicating it, suppressing it, or avoiding it. Consuming intoxicants does not enhance mindfulness and equanimity, and instead is practicing it's opposite. Done repeatedly, over time, this makes a person less prepared to manage stress.

I'm not moralizing against intoxicants or people who use them. I'm pointing to the literal but subtle mental consequences of their use.

[BlackBird]

What did the Buddha say is the consequence for using intoxicants (like marijuana and alcohol)?

I would like to bring up the subject of psychoactives and what is regarded as an intoxicant. In fact, some of them probably lead me to the path I'm on today.
I've had a lot of experiences with various psychoactives, I wouldn't consider all of them, at least in a conventional sense to be 'intoxicants' whether this transposes to the Dhamma or not I am not sure.

Although it can be said that Marijuana is conventionally regarded as an intoxicant, in the sense that it does result in attention lapses (lapses of mindfulness?) and thus is not conducive to practise, I don't think it's nearly as harmful as Alcohol.

However I'm sure this is a debate that's been done before and so I would be interested to hear wise opinions on this subject.

Metta
Jack

[Mexicali]

I've used a lot of what I call "desert drugs" like weed, mescaline, and mushrooms, and drank a lot. Never tried the harder stuff except opiate pills a couple times. It could be fun, but certainly was not conducive to any kind of honest look at life. People who claim that there are enlightening properties to such substances are sort of missing the point; you do get a few scattered insights into the working of your own mind (provided you are paying any attention to your mind and not Cartoon Network), but they're too fleeting and difficult to integrate when you're straight again. Besides the short term inability to function fully, it destroys long term ability to use your mind to its full extent. 'Buddhist' teachers who encourage psychedelic use and/or drinking are reprehensibly irresponsible.

[Ngawang Drolma.]

"There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in intoxicants which cause infatuation and heedlessness:

(i) loss of wealth,
(ii) increase of quarrels,
(iii) susceptibility to disease,
(iv) earning an evil reputation,
(v) shameless exposure of body,
(vi) weakening of intellect.

Sigalovada Sutta
The Discourse to Sigala
The Layperson's Code of Discipline

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nara.html

Thanks a lot for this