Item 5 in Ten Buddhist Precepts

Refrain from Intoxicants

Avoid intoxicating substances associated with heedlessness.

Position
5
Form
Prohibition
Obligation
Mandatory
Wording status
Editorial paraphrase
Intended audience
Buddhist novice monks and nuns; sometimes adopted temporarily by lay practitioners
Last reviewed
28 June 2026

Names and terminology

Canonical name: Refrain from Intoxicants

Source wording

Editorial paraphrase: Avoid intoxicating substances associated with heedlessness.

Editorial paraphrase

Literal meaning

Avoid intoxicating substances associated with heedlessness.

Broader interpretation

This item should be interpreted within the historical purpose, intended audience and wider structure of its parent ethical framework.

Historical context

This item belongs to Ten Buddhist Precepts. Early Buddhist monastic tradition; Indian subcontinent.

Practical meaning

Practical application requires attention to intention, consent, evidence, rights, foreseeable effects and the needs of all persons or beings affected.

Ethical purpose

To shape conduct, judgment or character in a way consistent with the wider framework.

Exceptions and disputes

Medical use and substances unknown to ancient communities require contextual judgment.

Variations across schools or traditions

Wording and interpretation may vary between translations, denominations, schools and historical periods.

Modern application

Modern application should distinguish the historical formulation from present legal, social and ethical conditions.

Criticism and difficult cases

Medical use and substances unknown to ancient communities require contextual judgment.

Truth By Reason analysis

Truth By Reason assesses this principle through evidence, intentions, rights, foreseeable consequences, consistency and the treatment of all affected beings.

Ethical themes

  • Intoxicants
  • Self-control

Sources