Like most religions, Buddhism emphasizes the dangers of intoxication. The Buddha points out six reasons why we should avoid alcohol as well as other intoxicants.
Video by Einzelgänger
Key Takeaways
A weird thing about Western society is the collective acceptance of one of the most dangerous drugs—alcohol. A lot of people drink weekly or even daily. In many cases drinking a few beers on Friday afternoon has become a corporate ritual.
We are so under the spell of that poisonous substance that washes away our worries and sorrow and makes us flee from the one thing we dread the most—our minds.
I believe that most of us can name a few downsides of drinking from personal experience—like those dreadful hangovers and doing stuff you regret later—but what can we say about drinking from a spiritual perspective or to be more specific what did the Buddha say about drinking alcohol?
Like most religions, Buddhism emphasizes the dangers of intoxication in Buddhist ancient scriptures called the Sutta Pitaka. The Buddha points out six reasons why we should avoid alcohol as well as other intoxicants.
1. Loss of Wealth
Boozing eats up your bank account.
Reflect on how much money you actually spend on alcohol. At the liquor stores, clubs, going out for a drink—whatever or wherever, the cost of alcohol adds up.
It can cost you your job.
Appearing at work with a hangover or calling in sick because you drank too much the night before, makes you unreliable and unattractive for your employer.
So if you care about the contents of your wallet, avoid alcohol.
2. Increased Quarreling
Often times alcohol usage destroys families and relationships. Of course drinking has a bonding effect as well, but there are many examples of misery induced by drinking.
Why do you think there’s so much aggression in places where people drink—because alcohol makes some people recklessly aggressive.
So if you want less fighting and drama in your life, avoid alcohol.
3. Susceptibility to Illness
The Hangover is just one facet of immediate health consequences of drinking booze. Alcohol lowers your immune system and makes you more susceptible to illness.
There are many long-term health risks in regards to drinking, like weight gain, liver damage, stomach damage, brain damage, fertility problems and psychosis.
So if you care about your health, listen to the Buddha and avoid/limit alcohol.
4. Disrepute
Many people drink because of social reasons. Buddha advises you not to drink, and also because of social reasons.
Although your reputation is not entirely in your control, you can influence it for sure. Being drunk all the time is a way to destroy your reputation or at least create a reputation that you do not want to have.
- We often hear from people that they regret what they did in a drunken stupor. That’s why drinking heavily at the presence of your co workers or worse your boss is not a good idea.
- Also a lot of promiscuity is a consequence of alcohol consumption, along with infidelity. Cheating brings you in disrepute aside from the fact that it’s insanely hurtful to the person you have cheated on.
So take the Buddhist advice if you want to protect your reputation avoid alcohol.
5. Weakened Insight
A more spiritual dimension in regards to drinking and other intoxicants is that it basically makes you unconscious. Alcohol alters your mind and weakens your ability to think and react properly.
The true nature of a person appears when that person is drunk. I believe that this is only partly true. I would say that the primal parts of a person comes to the surface, which manifests in more lusts, more aggression, and basically more raw emotion.
While your awareness and thinking capacity goes down the drain, this affects your ability to make good decisions. Drunk people make a lot of poor decisions — this list goes on.
So if you want to stay clear and focused, you might want to consider to avoid alcohol.
6. Indecent Exposure
Well this point is related strongly to the fourth point. During the years I’ve seen many other people men and women publicly exposing themselves in ways they would normally never do. Most of the times they regret it.
Also exposing your body parts often attracts the wrong people especially as a woman. There are plenty of predators out there that seek to exploit drunk people who have lost any decency.
So if you are prone to exhibiting your body parts to the public when drunk, avoid alcohol.