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The Concept of Pañcasila in Indian Thought
gambling, and sensuality".1 According to the Mahābhārata it was Sukrācārya who first promulgated the abstinence from intoxication. It is said that once the devils (daityas) made Śukrācārya2 over intoxicated in order to make him eat the meat of kaca, which they had killed only for śukrācārya. When Sukrācārya came to know all this, after having overcome the effect of intoxication, he promulgated that no Brāhmin should indulge in intoxication and whosoever did so would be treated as having gone astray from righteousness and would be accused of an offence which was equivalent to the killing of a Brāhmin. He would be defamed not only in this life, but would suffer in the next lives too.
Jainism
Abstinence from intoxicants is often pronounced as an important virtue in Jaina Scriptures, though among the five precepts it has no place as such. Both for the laity as well as for the monks intoxication is forbridden. It is said that the monks who have renounced the world and accepted the vows for their spiritual purification should never indulge in intoxication. Any monk whosoever develops the habit of drinking would always find himself like a thief, in a restless condition and his equipoise will be disturbed; and even at the time of death he would be unable to procure right conduct, and contrive the stoppage of karman-particles.
For the laity also, abstinence from intoxication is among the prominent virtues. The Jäätādharmakathā cites in
1. Mahābhā., XI. 59.60. 2. Gita Rahasya—B.G. Tilak, p. 47; Viúva Kosa-N.N.
Vasu, vol. 24, p. 343. 3. सुरं वा मरेगं वा वि अण्णं वा मज्जगं वा रसं ।
het faa forte e Arachiquiti -Dasav. 5.38. निच्चुब्विग्गो जहा तेणो, अत्तकम्मेहिं दुम्मई । तारिसो मरणते वि न 3TTTES jail -Dasav, 5.41.
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