Marijuana and the Fifth precept

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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DonnieRage
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:36 pm

Marijuana and the Fifth precept

Post by DonnieRage »

I've been smoking weed for years. I don't drink and I don't smoke cigarettes. I don't pop pills, snort coke, take hallucinogenics, or shoot dope. I've been struggling with the Fifth precept a lot because I've often found translations that refer specifically to alcohol and I've found translations that just say "intoxicants". Upon research what I seem to find the most on the subject is that if it leads to heedlessness or interferes with your dhamma practice it shouldn't be taken. In the few months I've been practicing meditation and (hopefully) practicing buddhism, I've found indeed, it does interfere with my practice, in that when I'm stoned I find it more difficult to focus during meditation (mala beads have helped though). My solution has been to only smoke occasionally and only at night, after work, after meditation, after working out and yoga, after anything I had important to do in the day was over. To smoke less so I can accurately gauge and control my cravings. To smoke less so I don't waste my money on it. And I've been incredibly successful in controlling the cravings for weed itself (I used to have a real problem where I'd get upset over not having it). I feel like i can manage winding down after work every now and then, but I'm curious what are other more experienced buddhists thoughts and opinions on the matter are?
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cooran
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Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Marijuana and the Fifth precept

Post by cooran »

Hello DR,

If you do a search, there are a few threads on use of marijuana. Basically, it is a breach of the precept, and ought to be given up.
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 59#p201638

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
DonnieRage
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:36 pm

Re: Marijuana and the Fifth precept

Post by DonnieRage »

After reading and thinking on this for the past few hours, I think I may have to face the fact that I still hold attachment to an object of escapism. The fact that in my use of marijuana I have to break the 4th precept as well, just to avoid trouble. The fact that no matter what I tell myself, in times of boredom I still just want to get baked and waste my precious time watching tv. I'll reflect on this more tomorrow, but it seems like it's time I quit.
Jhana4
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Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:20 pm
Location: U.S.A., Northeast

Re: Marijuana and the Fifth precept

Post by Jhana4 »

Hi DonnieRage,

I think you are going in the right direction handling things the way you are handling them.
In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:
One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.
The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.
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