[Buddha-l] Fw: Buddhism & Alcohol

[Mike Austin]

In message <001901c5d3d2$a648a9e0$6900a8c0 at vic.bigpond.net.au>, Kate 
<marshallarts at bigpond.com> writes

>Contrary to what one may assume, the monastic rules were not set down 
>beforehand by the Buddha, but were developed from the living experience 
>of the monks themselves.

Yes. In recent conversations I have had with our resident Geshe, this is 
a subject that has occasionally come up. It indicates to me that no rule 
was absolute but that they arose contingently with monks' behaviour that 
the Buddha deemed inappropriate. I tend to see the majority of teachings 
in this way - antidotal rather than prescriptive. First, one appreciates 
the problem (or perhaps experiences it).  Then one takes the appropriate 
countermeasure.

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin