BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Buddhist Monastic Code IChapter 8.6Pācittiya: The Alcoholic Drink Chapter51. The drinking of alcohol or fermented liquor is to be confessed."Then Ven. Sāgata went to the hermitage of the coiled-hair ascetic of Ambatittha,and on arrival — having entered the fire building and arranged a grass mat — satdown cross-legged with his body erect and mindfulness to the fore. The nāga(living in the fire building) saw that Ven. Sāgata had entered and, on seeing him,was upset, disgruntled, and emitted smoke. Ven. Sāgata emitted smoke. The nāga,unable to bear his rage, blazed up. Ven. Sāgata, entering the fire element, blazedup. Then Ven. Sāgata, having consumed the nāga's fire with his own fire, left forBhaddavatikā."Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Bhaddavatikā as long as he liked, left on awalking tour to Kosambī. The lay followers of Kosambī heard, 'They say that Ven.Sāgata did battle with the Ambatittha nāga!'"Then the Blessed One, having toured by stages, came to Kosambī. The Kosambīlay followers, after welcoming the Blessed One, went to Ven. Sāgata and, on arrival,having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there they said tohim, 'What, venerable sir, is something the masters like that is hard for you to get?What can we prepare for you?'"When this was said, some group-of-six bhikkhus said to the Kosambī lay followers,'Friends, there is a strong liquor called pigeon's liquor (the color of pigeons' feet,according to the Commentary) that the bhikkhus like and is hard for them to get.Prepare that.'"Then the Kosambī lay followers, having prepared pigeon's liquor in house afterhouse, and seeing that Ven. Sāgata had gone out for alms, said to him, 'MasterSāgata, drink some pigeon's liquor! Master Sāgata, drink some pigeon's liquor'Then Ven. Sāgata, having drunk pigeon's liquor in house after house, passed out atthe city gate as he was leaving the city."Then the Blessed One, leaving the city with a number of bhikkhus, saw that Ven.Sāgata had passed out at the city gate. On seeing him, he addressed the bhikkhus,saying, 'Bhikkhus, pick up Sāgata.'"Responding, 'As you say, venerable sir,' the bhikkhus took Ven. Sāgata to themonastery and laid him down with his head toward the Blessed One. Then Ven.Sāgata turned around and went to sleep with his feet toward the Blessed One. Sothe Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying, 'In the past, wasn't Sāgatarespectful to the Tathāgata and deferential?'357