L/O/G/O

DRUG REHABILITATIONDRUG REHABILITATION

BUDDHISM and SOCIAL WORKS

AJARN VEN. PANDIT CITTASAMVARO

First Semester of Third Year, Academic 2014

Ven. VO HUU DANH 5501201045Ven. NGUYEN HOANG PHUC 5501201046

IntroductionIntroduction

Social works seek to improve the quality of life and well-being. Drug has been described as one of the prime causes of man’s physical and moral degradation. This problem is now worldwide. Thefts, robberies, sexual crimes and swindling of vast magnitude have taken place due to the pernicious influence of drugs. Drug rehabilitation is one of importance problems in our society.

The drugs which are most commonly used consist of traditional opiate, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, wine, beer, tobacco and some other stimulants causing the nervous system to be excited.

Drug Addiction and Its EffectsDrug Addiction and Its Effects

The drug addiction is not the strange problem, or a hot potato that has just arisen that people always talk about these days.

It used to be a problem that people discussed and argued, but there is no solution leading to the drug addiction to be completely solved.

To support my opinion above, according to the 2010 annual report of the United Nations said, the world has an estimated 155 to 250 million drug addicts of all kinds and it tends to increase every year.

1. Healthy living.1. Healthy living.• liver disease, • high blood pressure, • high blood fats, • heart failure, • stroke,

• certain cancers, • injury, • violence, • death, etc.

2. Traffic accident.2. Traffic accident.

In Vietnam, in the first 10 months of 2013, according to statistics, there are 7.812 people die caused by traffic accidents and the main cause of traffic accidents is driving while either intoxicated or drunk.

3. Crimes and social evils rising.

3. Crimes and social evils rising.

Drinking is a social evil because it causes a person to lose control over himself and increases his likelihood of causing harm to people.

4. Broken home.

4. Broken home.

Drinking alcohol or using drugs is one of causes leading broken home, family happiness will be shattered. Properties can be divided because of addicts. Drinking and drugs, they bring unhappiness.

Drug and Buddhist PerspectiveDrug and Buddhist PerspectiveThe 5th of the Buddhist precepts for lay people: to abstain from wine, spirits and strong drink, which tempt men to sin – surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī.

And the 51st Sikkhāpada of the Pācittiya part in the discipline (Pāṭimokkha) of bhikkhus:

The drinking of alcohol or fermented liquor is to be confessed - Surāmerayapāne pācittiyaṃ.

Kumbha Jātaka (Jā.512)Kumbha Jātaka (Jā.512)According to the Jātaka, a fruit tree with a fork in its main trunk once grew in a certain forest. Rain water and ripe fruit would collect in a hollow in the fork and, warmed by the sun, the resulting concoction would turn into crude natural ale.

One day a forester, his name was Sura, came across a flock of happy drunk birds and discovering that their inebriation was due to drinking the concoction, became the first person to discover and introduce alcohol into the world.

What is ‘surā’?What is ‘surā’?1. Fermented liquor from flour (piṭṭhasurā)

2. Fermented liquor from cakes (pūvasurā)

3. Fermented liquor from cooked rice (odanasurā)

4. If it is worked-up yeast (kiṇṇapakkhittā)

5. If it is mixed with ingredients (sambhārasaṃyuttā)

When that meraya is distilled so that the water is vaporized to make the strength of alcohol greater according to the degree desired by people, this is called 'surā'.

What is ‘meraya’?What is ‘meraya’?1. An extract from flowers (pupphāsavo)

2. An extract from fruits (phalāsavo)

3. An extract from honey (madhvāsavo)

4. An extract from sugar (guḷāsavo)

5. If it is mixed with ingredients (sambhārasaṃyutto)

All kinds of water either naturally having a sweet taste, such as palmyra juice when they have been kept overlong, become alcoholic, weak or strong according to the strength of the sugar and they are called 'meraya‘.

In other words, we can see that the ‘surā’ is not only the intoxicant drink, but it also a kind of habit-forming substance that makes people addicted like opium, heroin, etc.

However, drinks which are not intoxicants but which have colour, smell and taste like intoxicating liquors such as some kind of fermented medicines, are not the base of āpatti.

A small quantity of intoxicating liquor which is mixed in curry, meat or in other foods for flavoring or for preventing decay and which is not a cause for intoxication is regarded as abbohārika (negligible). If a bhikkhu eats or drinks such things, he is not āpatti.

Or has distilled, fermented drinks:Who with abandon

follows theseextirpates the root of self

even here in this very world.

(Dhp.247)(Dhp.247)

Benefits of the abstinence from alcohol or drug

Benefits of the abstinence from alcohol or drug

When we respect and keep precepts, not only do we give peace and happiness to ourselves, we also give happiness and peace to our families and society. People will feel very safe and comfortable when they are around us.

Pāṭaligāmiyasutta (Ud.8.6)Pāṭaligāmiyasutta (Ud.8.6)Observing of the five precepts will give us benefits as follows:

1. To accumulates much wealth through his diligent ways.

2. To get a favorable loud acclaim of fame.

3. Whatever assembly he enters, whether of kings, Brahmins, householders or recluses, he does so unconfused and untroubled.

4. Die with an unconfused and alert mind.

5. After death. One can reborn in some happy state in heaven.

Dīghajāṇusutta (AN.4.54)Dīghajāṇusutta (AN.4.54)

According to Dīghajāṇusutta, the person who indulges himself to drug – surādhutta; as the consequence of this behavior, it leads him to the destruction of wealth, morality, etc. Therefore, the surādhutta is a factor of the apāyamukha – the state of loss and woe.

Apāyamukha – Cause of ruinApāyamukha – Cause of ruinThere are four sources for the destruction of the amassed wealth, such as:

1. Debauchery (Iṭṭhīdhutta),

2. Drunkenness (Surādhutta) .

3. Indulgence of gambling (Akkhadhutta) .

4. Bad company (Pāpamittatā).

Sigālakasutta (DN.31.8)Sigālakasutta (DN.31.8)

According to Sigālakasutta, the Lord Buddha taught to Singālaka - the son of a householder that indulgence in intoxicants which cause inebriety and negligence leads to dissipation of wealth.

There are these six dangers attached to addiction to strong drink and sloth-producing drugs:

1. Present waste of money,

2. Increased quarrelling,

3. Liability to sickness,

4. Loss of good name,

5. Indecent exposure of one's person,

6. And weakening of the intellect.

Dhammikasutta (Sn.398)Dhammikasutta (Sn.398)For through intoxication the stupid commit sins and make other people intoxicated; let him avoid this seat of sin, this madness, this folly, delightful to the stupid.