Drinking and the fifth precept
The Sigālaka Sutta gives the reasons for the fifth precept entirely in terms of this life: money wasted now, more quarrels, more illness, a bad name, exposing oneself, and a weakening of wisdom. Elsewhere the precepts are described not as a test but as a gift — to everyone around you, of freedom from fear. The same sutta is blunt about friends who are only there for the drinking. None of that says exactly where the line falls for a glass at dinner; that is between you and the precept you took, and your teacher if you have one. If the question is really whether you can stop, that is not a precepts question, and a doctor or a recovery community is the place to take it.
What the suttas say
There are these six drawbacks of habitually consuming intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. Immediate loss of wealth, promotion of quarrels, susceptibility to illness, disrepute, indecent exposure; and weakened wisdom is the sixth thing. These are the six drawbacks of habitually consuming intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor.
Six drawbacks of habitual drinking, given to a young householder entirely in terms of this life — wasted money, quarrels, illness, a bad name, exposing oneself, and a weakening of wisdom.
Where this stops: Said of habitual drinking and offered as a list for reflection; it is not a diagnosis, and someone whose drinking has become a dependency needs more than a list.
DN 31:8.1–8.3 · Advice to Sigālaka
Cha khome, gahapatiputta, ādīnavā surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānānuyoge. Sandiṭṭhikā dhanajāni, kalahappavaḍḍhanī, rogānaṁ āyatanaṁ, akittisañjananī, kopīnanidaṁsanī, paññāya dubbalikaraṇītveva chaṭṭhaṁ padaṁ bhavati. Ime kho, gahapatiputta, cha ādīnavā surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānānuyoge.
You can recognize a fake friend who’s a spender on four grounds. They accompany you when drinking, roaming the street markets at night, frequenting festivals, and gambling. You can recognize a fake friend who’s a spender on these four grounds.
The companion who is there only for the drinking and the nights out, named as one of four fake friends.
Where this stops: A type, not a verdict on anyone who enjoys a drink with you; the sutta puts it among the ways a friend can be false, for looking, not labelling.
DN 31:19.1–19.3 · Advice to Sigālaka
Catūhi kho, gahapatiputta, ṭhānehi apāyasahāyo amitto mittapatirūpako veditabbo. Surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānānuyoge sahāyo hoti, vikālavisikhācariyānuyoge sahāyo hoti, samajjābhicaraṇe sahāyo hoti, jūtappamādaṭṭhānānuyoge sahāyo hoti. Imehi kho, gahapatiputta, catūhi ṭhānehi apāyasahāyo amitto mittapatirūpako veditabboti.
Mendicants, these five gifts are great, primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. They are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them. What five? Firstly, a noble disciple gives up killing living creatures. By so doing they give to countless sentient beings the gift of freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will. And they themselves also enjoy unlimited freedom from fear, enmity, and ill will.
The precepts described as gifts — keeping one gives countless beings safety from fear, hostility, and ill will, and the one who keeps it shares in that safety.
Where this stops: The sutta counts the precepts among kinds of merit that lead to heaven; carry the picture of a precept as a gift, not the accounting. Never offered as a ruling on whether to continue a pregnancy.
AN 8.39:3.3–3.7 · Overflowing Merit
Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, dānāni mahādānāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Katamāni pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti. Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ deti, averaṁ deti, abyābajjhaṁ deti. Aparimāṇānaṁ sattānaṁ abhayaṁ datvā averaṁ datvā abyābajjhaṁ datvā aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa abyābajjhassa bhāgī hoti.
“Sir, good friends, companions, and associates are half the spiritual life.” Not so, Ānanda! Not so, Ānanda! Good friends, companions, and associates are the whole of the spiritual life. A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path.
Ānanda says half; the Buddha says all of it.
Where this stops: Never used to make someone without such friends feel that their practice is lacking.
SN 45.2:1.4–2.3 · Half the Spiritual Life
“upaḍḍhamidaṁ, bhante, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti. Mā hevaṁ, ānanda, mā hevaṁ, ānanda. Sakalamevidaṁ, ānanda, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa—ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarissati.
Gnawing on such a fleshless skeleton, would that dog still get rid of its hunger? “No, sir. Why not? Because that skeleton is scraped clean of flesh and smeared in blood. That dog will eventually get weary and frustrated.”
The skeleton simile — why wanting is not quieted by getting.
Where this stops: One of seven similes for sensual pleasure; use it for the hunger, not as a verdict on the person or on pleasure itself. It is about the pull of a pleasure or an appetite, not about resentment, a grievance, money one is owed, or attachment to a teacher or a partner. Where a habit has become a dependency, it is for a doctor or a program first.
MN 54:15.4–15.8 · With Potaliya the Householder
api nu kho so kukkuro amuṁ aṭṭhikaṅkalaṁ sunikkantaṁ nikkantaṁ nimmaṁsaṁ lohitamakkhitaṁ palehanto jighacchādubbalyaṁ paṭivineyyāti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Taṁ kissa hetu”? “Aduñhi, bhante, aṭṭhikaṅkalaṁ sunikkantaṁ nikkantaṁ nimmaṁsaṁ lohitamakkhitaṁ. Yāvadeva pana so kukkuro kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.