On 19 May 1880, Colonel H.S. Olcott and Madame H. P. Blavatsky, the founders of the Theosophical Society, took the Triple Gem Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha in the Pali language and publicly professed it to be what they called Buddhism in what was then known as Ceylon and is now called Sri Lanka.

At a council of Monks held at Galle in 1880, Colonel Olcott announced the usefulness of translating Buddhist works into English.

D. J. Subasinha translated two Buddhist suttas and these were first published in 1907 having the title "Buddhist Rules for the laity".

Our library is open three days a week from 10am to 3pm, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Members of the public can visit our library by appointment. Telephone 9754 3334.

The John D. Hughes Collection holds many interesting translations and commentaries.

Work in progress on our library catalogue can be viewed at our website: www.bdcu.org.au .

In our library, we hold a more recent translation of one of these Suttas. This was done by an Australian Monk who lived in Burma, now known as Myanmar.

(insert BDDR pp5-8 on Burma)

This week, we were fortunate to receive a contemporary English translation which summarises what is known of these Pali rules by a learned person who had been a Monk earlier this life.

We will discuss information on these matters later in the program.

One of the interesting stories in the texts is the origin of how alcoholic drinks came into the human world.

Our Vice President of Occupational Health & Safety, Anita Svensson will read this account.

About 2500 years ago, Visakha asked Buddha to tell her the origin of intoxicating liquor, which deprives people of the sense of shame and fear.

Buddha replied as follows:

"Once upon a time when King Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, a hunter named Sura, belonging to the country of Kasi, went in search of game to the Himalaya mountains.

In the jungle there was a large tree, whose height was that of three men.

There was a fork in the tree from which three branches spread, and in the fork there was a hollow about the size of a big pot, which became filled with water when it rained.

Around this tree there were Gall-nut (Terminalia Chebula) and nelli (Phyllanthus Emblica) trees, and pepper creepers covering it.

When the fruits of these trees and creepers became ripe, they fell into the hollow fork.

Nearby there was a hillock sown with paddy.

Now parrots used to pluck ears of paddy from the hillock, carry away and eat them while sitting on the branches of this forked tree.

While they ate, some of the seeds, husks, and grains fell into the hollow.

When the water became heated by the rays of the sun, it resembled the blood of a rabbit in colour.

During the hot weather when parrots, sparrows, doves, minas, felt thirsty, they went to this hollow and drank the water in it.

As they drank they became intoxicated and fell at the foot of the tree.

After the effects of intoxication were removed they flew away.

Monkeys also on the trees close by used to come and drink water from this hollow; they also became intoxicated and fell at the foot of the tree.

When the effects of the drink passed off they got up and frolicked about near the tree.

This drew the attention of the hunter, Sura, who thought that if the water in the hollow was poison it would kill all the birds who drank it.

But he noticed that when the birds drank out of it they dropped down insensible, and after a time they flew away again in great hilarity, and so he concluded that it was not poison.

The hunter now drank of it and became intoxicated and yearned to eat some flesh.

Instantly he kindled a fire near the tree and seizing snipes and other birds, which had fallen to the foot of it, he roasted them on the fire and ate them.

As he took the meat to eat with one hand, he waved the other over his head, indicating ecstasy.

Drinking and eating in this manner he passed three days at the foot of the tree.

In a place near this tree there lived a hermit named Varuna, who visited the hunter.

In his turn when the hunter visited the hermit he took some water from the hollow of this tree in a bamboo and some fried meat.

Telling the hermit that the water was sweet, he desired him to drink it and eat the meat.

Accordingly both partook of the same. As the liquid was first discovered by Sura the hunter, and was seen by Varuna the hermit, it was named Sura and Varuna.

These two friends after spending some time in the forest wished to come into a village and also thought of bringing this newly discovered liquor with them.

Accordingly they filled the bamboos with the liquor and passing through the villages arrived at the town.

They sent a message to the King informing him that they had brought some delicious drink.

So they were summoned to appear before him.

They then presented what they had brought to the King, who drank it during three days and became intoxicated.

The King then asked the visitors if they would bring some more of this liquor, and they informed him that they had found it in the hollow of a tree in the Himalayas, so they were ordered to bring a further supply.

They accordingly went into the forest and bringing this liquor gave it to the King.

Three times they did so, and when ordered again to get more they complained of the great difficulty of the journey, but promised to get it made in the city, provided they were supplied with what they needed.

Thereupon they sent some servants and had all the contents of the hollow of the tree, vizz, gall-nuts, nelli, paddy, rice, pith of the tree, brought and placed in a huge vessel so that for the first time liquor was manufactured in a town.

On this day the townsmen also drank the liquor and all became intoxicated.

For some time they continued to drink the liquor, which made them abstain from their usual work.

This continued absence from work made the men poor, and they became unhealthy and unpleasant, and this town at last verily became like the sporting ground of devils.

There are other aspects of this story which make it clear why the Buddha recommended persons to abstain from alcohol.

At a personal level, as a nurse who has worked in hospitals, I can testify to the damage of body and mind that fermented drinks cause.

As to the argument that it is your body and you can abuse it with chemicals if you wish, very sick persons do not wish to be left to die where they fall.

Because they wish to be cared for in hospitals at public expense they have no idea of knowing what it costs.

In many poorer countries of the world, if you have no money you get no treatment.

Even if you do not know about health, or cause and effect, just remember that playing with alcohol is dangerous stuff.

We are talking about ancient custom duties that do not tax you.

Our organisation says without doubt that alcohol is not worth the trouble.

If you have such troubles, go and get help from other organisations.

Sorry, we cannot help you in this area. but we have not the resources to help you.

When you are sober we may help you, but, I am sure you understand, naturally, we are unable to teach intoxicated persons or persons who insist on taking alcohol about anything new to them.

We can be contacted at 9754 3334 .

As part of our practice, since we are not racist or sexist, we like to wish each other well and share our merits.

Our Members will now chant to share merits.

May you be well and happy.

This script was written and edited by John D. Hughes and Leanne Eames.

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