If You'll Be Partying and Drinking New Year's Eve Consider This...
Buddhism doesn’t have just one thing to say about consuming alcohol and other intoxicants. In time for party season, we look at the surprising diversity of Buddhist views. Just a Little A little beer or wine is okay, says Sozan Miglioli, as long as you remain mindful of yourself and others. In Zen, we try to understand the spirit of the five precepts rather than just the words. The precepts are guides toward the cessation of suffering, not strict or prescriptive admonitions. They are there to open our eyes, to help us see clearly what creates unwholesome karma. A definition of enlightenment is “to see reality as it is.” For this reason, the precept “I vow not to intoxicate the mind or body of self or others” is very important. It asks us to keep our eyes open, our awareness alive, to what creates suffering in this world. It directly addresses the issue of not seeing things clearly and can guide us on our path of awakening in many different ways. Being mindful of the effect of our...