Is Drinking Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage by a Monk in Violation of the Discipline?

Abstract

This article seeks to examine whether non-alcoholic malt beverages, also commonly known as "non-alcoholic beer", should be considered an intoxicating drink, and if a monk consumes it, would it be in violation of the Discipline? In early 2019 C.E., advertisements, news presentations, and invitations to sample a non-alcoholic malt beverage of a certain brand during work, exercise, or even while operating vehicles were rampant. It was claimed that the beverage does not cause intoxication.

The research is divided into 3 parts: 1) studying information on different types of intoxicating beverages in Ancient India, an era contemporaneous with the time that Buddhism discussed the prohibitionof monks from consuming alcoholic beverages in Surāpānavagga; 2) analyzing the text of the Vinaya that pertains to the consumption of intoxicating beverages; and 3) examining relevant law articles in the Royal Thai Government Gazette - Excise Act B.E. 2017

The study found that the production process of non-alcoholic malt beverages is similar to that of rice-liquor in the Ancient Indian tradition. Today, fermented alcoholic beverage made from rice is called "beer". The Excise Act does not categorize non-alcoholic malt beverages as harmful to the human body or as impairing conscience since they contain no alcohol or less than 0.5 degrees of it. Yet the Vinaya Pitaka does not use intoxication but material as the criterion for offence. Therefore, if a monk consumes a non-alcoholic beverage, even a small drop at the tip of a grass leaf, thinking or suspecting that it may be intoxicating, he is considered to be in violation of the disciplinary rule and must be penalized.