Two Situations of Violating the Precept Against Alcohol

Original text of Section Five of the Sūtra on the Precepts for Upāsakas (Upāsaka-pañca-śīla-sūtra)：佛种种呵责饮酒过失已。告诸比丘。优婆塞不得饮酒者。有二种。谷酒木酒。木酒者。或用根茎叶花果。用种种子。诸药草杂作酒。酒色酒香酒味。饮能醉人。是名为酒。若优婆塞尝咽者。亦名为饮犯罪。若饮谷酒。咽咽犯罪。若饮酢酒。随咽咽犯。若饮甜酒。随咽咽犯。若啖麹能醉者。随咽咽犯。若啖酒糟。随咽咽犯。若饮酒淀。随咽咽犯。若饮似酒色酒香酒味。能令人醉者。随咽咽犯。若但作酒色。无酒香无酒味。不能醉人及余。饮皆不犯。

Explanation: After the Buddha rebuked the faults of drinking alcohol in various ways, He told the bhikṣus: There are two kinds of alcohol that upāsakas must not drink: grain wine and wood wine. Wood wine is wine brewed from the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits of vegetation, or brewed from seeds, various medicinal herbs, and miscellaneous grasses; it has the color, aroma, and taste of wine, and drinking it can intoxicate people—this is called alcohol. If an upāsaka tastes it and swallows it into the esophagus, he has committed the offense of drinking alcohol. If he drinks grain wine, each swallow constitutes an offense; if he drinks sour wine (vinegar-like wine), each swallow down the throat constitutes an offense; if he drinks sweet wine, each swallow down the throat constitutes an offense; if he consumes wine starter (jiuqu, the raw material for brewing) that can intoxicate, each swallow down the throat constitutes an offense; if he consumes wine lees, each swallow down the throat constitutes an offense; if he drinks wine dregs, each swallow down the throat constitutes an offense; if he drinks something resembling wine in color, aroma, and taste that can intoxicate people, each swallow down the throat constitutes an offense; but if it only has the color of wine, without the aroma or taste of wine, cannot intoxicate anyone, and has no other side effects, then consuming it involves no offense at all.