Skip to content
True DhammaLibrary · Community
Bu Pc 514 min read

51. Drinking alcohol

Surāpāna

A monk who consumes alcohol must confess the offense.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
  • 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • 0.4SurāpānavaggaThe subchapter on drinking alcohol

0.551. SurāpānasikkhāpadaDrinking alcohol

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā cetiyesu cārikaṁ caramāno yena bhaddavatikā tena pāyāsi.On one occasion when the Buddha was wandering in the country of Ceti on his way to Bhaddavatikā,1.2Addasaṁsu kho gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.he was seen by a number of cowherds, shepherds, farmers, and travelers.11.3Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ—“mā kho, bhante, bhagavā ambatitthaṁ agamāsi.They said to him, “Sir, don’t go to Ambatittha.1.4Ambatitthe, bhante, jaṭilassa assame nāgo paṭivasati iddhimā āsiviso ghoraviso.There’s a highly venomous dragon with supernormal powers there, in the hermitage of a dreadlocked ascetic.1.5So bhagavantaṁ mā viheṭhesī”ti.Don’t let it harm you.”1.6Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.The Buddha was silent.1.7Dutiyampi kho …pe…They repeated their request a second1.8tatiyampi kho gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ—and a third time,1.9“mā kho, bhante, bhagavā ambatitthaṁ agamāsi.1.10Ambatitthe, bhante, jaṭilassa assame nāgo paṭivasati iddhimā āsiviso ghoraviso.1.11So bhagavantaṁ mā viheṭhesī”ti.1.12Tatiyampi kho bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.and the Buddha remained silent.

1.13PTS 4.109Atha kho bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena bhaddavatikā tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā bhaddavatikāyaṁ viharati.The Buddha then continued on to Bhaddavatikā, and he stayed there.

1.14Atha kho āyasmā sāgato yena ambatitthassa jaṭilassa assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā agyāgāraṁ pavisitvā tiṇasanthārakaṁ paññapetvā nisīdi pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.Just then Venerable Sāgata went to the hermitage of that dreadlocked ascetic and entered his fire hut. After preparing a spread of grass, he sat down, crossed his legs, straightened his body, and established mindfulness in front of him.1.15Addasā kho so nāgo āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ paviṭṭhaṁ. Disvāna dummano padhūpāyi.Seeing that Sāgata had entered the fire hut, the dragon was upset and emitted smoke.1.16Āyasmāpi sāgato padhūpāyi.Sāgata, too, emitted smoke.1.17Atha kho so nāgo makkhaṁ asahamāno pajjali.The dragon was not able to contain his rage and emitted flames.1.18Āyasmāpi sāgato tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā pajjali.Sāgata entered the fire element and he, too, emitted flames.1.19Atha kho āyasmā sāgato tassa nāgassa tejasā tejaṁ pariyādiyitvā yena bhaddavatikā tenupasaṅkami.Then, after conquering fire with fire, Sāgata went to Bhaddavatikā.

1.20Atha kho bhagavā bhaddavatikāyaṁ yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena kosambī tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.After staying at Bhaddavatikā for as long as he liked, the Buddha set out wandering toward Kosambī.1.21Assosuṁ kho kosambikā upāsakā—“ayyo kira sāgato ambatitthikena nāgena saddhiṁ saṅgāmesī”ti.

1.22Atha kho bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena kosambī tadavasari. Atha kho kosambikā upāsakā bhagavato paccuggamanaṁ karitvā yenāyasmā sāgato tenupasaṅkamiṁsu;When he arrived, the lay followers there received him.

1.23upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho kosambikā upāsakā āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ etadavocuṁ—But the lay followers at Kosambī had heard about Sāgata fighting the Ambatittha dragon. And so after receiving the Buddha, they went to see Sāgata. They bowed, stood to one side, and said,1.24“kiṁ, bhante, ayyānaṁ dullabhañca manāpañca, kiṁ paṭiyādemā”ti?“Venerable, what can we prepare for you that’s delicious but hard to get?”

1.25Evaṁ vutte, chabbaggiyā bhikkhū kosambike upāsake etadavocuṁ—“atthāvuso, kāpotikā nāma pasannā bhikkhūnaṁ dullabhā ca manāpā ca, taṁ paṭiyādethā”ti.The monks from the group of six replied, “There’s a delicious liquor called Kāpotikā, which is hard for the monks to get. Prepare that.”

1.26Atha kho kosambikā upāsakā ghare ghare kāpotikaṁ pasannaṁ paṭiyādetvā āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ piṇḍāya paviṭṭhaṁ disvāna āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ etadavocuṁ—“pivatu, bhante, ayyo sāgato kāpotikaṁ pasannaṁ, pivatu, bhante, ayyo sāgato kāpotikaṁ pasannan”ti.And the lay followers prepared Kāpotikā in house after house. Then, when they saw that Sāgata had entered the town for alms, they said to him, “Drink, venerable, drink the Kāpotikā liquor.”1.27Atha kho āyasmā sāgato ghare ghare kāpotikaṁ pasannaṁ pivitvā nagaramhā nikkhamanto nagaradvāre paripati.Sāgata drank that liquor in house after house, and as he was leaving town, he collapsed at the town gate.

1.28Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ nagaramhā nikkhamanto addasa āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ nagaradvāre paripatantaṁ.Just then the Buddha, together with a number of monks, was also leaving town, and he saw Sāgata at the town gate.1.29Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi—“gaṇhatha, bhikkhave, sāgatan”ti.He said, “Monks, pick up Sāgata.”1.30“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissuṇitvā āyasmantaṁ sāgataṁ ārāmaṁ netvā yena bhagavā tena sīsaṁ katvā nipātesuṁ.Saying, “Yes, sir,” they led him to the monastery, where they put him down with his head toward the Buddha.1.31Atha kho āyasmā sāgato parivattitvā yena bhagavā tena pāde karitvā seyyaṁ kappesi.But Sāgata turned around, pointing his feet toward the Buddha.

1.32PTS 4.110Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi—“nanu, bhikkhave, pubbe sāgato tathāgate sagāravo ahosi sappatisso”ti?The Buddha said, “Previously, monks, wasn’t Sāgata respectful and deferential toward me?”

1.33“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes.”

1.34“Api nu kho, bhikkhave, sāgato etarahi tathāgate sagāravo sappatisso”ti?“But is he now?”

1.35“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“Certainly not.”

1.36“Nanu, bhikkhave, sāgato ambatitthikena nāgena saddhiṁ saṅgāmesī”ti?“Just recently, didn’t Sāgata fight the Ambatittha dragon?”

1.37“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes.”

1.38“Api nu kho, bhikkhave, sāgato etarahi pahoti nāgena saddhiṁ saṅgāmetun”ti?“Would he now be able to fight a dragon?”

1.39“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“Certainly not.”

1.40“Api nu kho, bhikkhave, taṁ pātabbaṁ yaṁ pivitvā visaññī assā”ti?“So, monks, should one drink that which makes one senseless?”

1.41“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“Certainly not, sir.”

1.42“Ananucchavikaṁ, bhikkhave, sāgatassa ananulomikaṁ appatirūpaṁ assāmaṇakaṁ akappiyaṁ akaraṇīyaṁ.“It’s not suitable, monks, it’s not proper for Sāgata, it’s not worthy of a monastic, it’s not allowable, it’s not to be done.1.43Kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, sāgato majjaṁ pivissati.How could Sāgata drink alcoholic drinks?1.44Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.45evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.46.0Final ruling

1.46.1“Surāmerayapāne pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk drinks this or that kind of alcoholic drink, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Surā nāmaThis kind of alcoholic drink:
2.1.2piṭṭhasurā pūvasurā odanasurā kiṇṇapakkhittā sambhārasaṁyuttā.alcoholic drinks made from flour, alcoholic drinks made from cookies, alcoholics drink made from rice, those with yeast added, those made from a combination of ingredients.
2.1.3Merayo nāmaThat kind of alcoholic drink:
2.1.4pupphāsavo phalāsavo madhvāsavo guḷāsavo sambhārasaṁyutto.alcoholic drinks made from flowers, alcoholic drinks made from fruit, alcoholic drinks made from honey, alcoholic drinks made from sugar, those made from a combination of ingredients.
2.1.5PiveyyātiDrinks:
2.1.6antamaso kusaggenapi pivati, āpatti pācittiyassa.if he drinks even what fits on the tip of a blade of grass, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Majje majjasaññī pivati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is an alcoholic drink, and he perceives it as such, and he drinks it, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Majje vematiko pivati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is an alcoholic drink, but he is unsure of it, and he drinks it, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Majje amajjasaññī pivati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is an alcoholic drink, but he perceives it as non-alcoholic, and he drinks it, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Amajje majjasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is a non-alcoholic drink, but he perceives it as alcoholic, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Amajje vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is a non-alcoholic drink, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Amajje amajjasaññī, anāpatti.If it is a non-alcoholic drink, and he perceives it as such, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2amajjañca hoti majjavaṇṇaṁ majjagandhaṁ majjarasaṁ taṁ pivati,if he drinks a non-alcoholic drink that has the color, smell, or taste of an alcoholic drink; 2.3.3sūpasampāke,if it is cooked in a bean curry; 2.3.4maṁsasampāke,if it is cooked with meat; 2.3.5telasampāke,if it is cooked with oil; 2.3.6āmalakaphāṇite,if it is in syrup from emblic myrobalan; 2.3.7amajjaṁ ariṭṭhaṁ pivati,if he drinks a drink that is normally alcoholic, but which is actually without alcohol; 2.3.8ummattakassa,if he is insane; 2.3.9ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.10Surāpānasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.The training rule on drinking alcohol, the first, is finished.

Translator’s notes

  1. This is a standard group of people also found at MN 50 and MN 86.

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc51:1.2