The Fifth Lay Precept: not to use intoxicants
Keeping the Precepts - Mongolian version
Once upon a time a Buddhist lama was traveling in the steppe as a "badarch,"
a holy man that brings blessings to the nomad families in exchange for food and
lodging. It was close to sunset, and he came upon a lone ger [yurt] and
some livestock.
As he approached the ger, a young woman came out to greet him. She was
the only person living there.
He requested hospitality and she agreed, but said he could stay the night only
under one condition. He had to choose to do one of three things. He could drink
alcohol, sleep with her, or sacrifice a goat.
Now the last was taboo for lamas since only shamans sacrifice goats. Since
all three choices were in some degree sinful, he had a difficult decision. He
decided that drinking alcohol would be the least harmful.
He drank the alcohol, and while he was drunk, fed up with its bleating, he
killed the goat. When he woke up the next morning, he found himself in bed
with his hostess.
He then learned that drinking alcohol is a small sin but it can easily make a
man do bad things under its influence.
~ www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/8226/mythology.html
No longer available.
