Cattāri Brahmavihārā

I undertake the training rule to refrain from drink and drugs which cloud the mind.

There was a time when I would have scoffed at even the mere idea of refraining from intoxicants. Even after I had been introduced to the Dharma (it was the Bodhicaryavatara that truly put the hooks into me in the beginning) I kept on for years drinking and drugging simply because the pain was so great and my faith, though growing, was yet small. But were it not for the Dhamma I am sure I would be dead or in prison now. Sila saved my life.