[Buddha-l] Buddhism, drug use and LSD

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Stefan Detrez schreef:

>Now, to get back to a question undiscussed until now: what about
>'moderate' drug use? A 'middle way' in mind altering substance use?
>What good reasons are there to approve or decline getting high from a
>Buddhist point of view?
>
>Stefan
>  
>
To me this is a matter of phronesis, practical wisdom. I don't believe 
in any causality here. I mean I don't think anyone gets bodhi through 
starvation, LSD, philosophy, getting hit, an upcoming flue, meditating 
or humping a tree. But sometimes these things might help. Some practices 
are more often usefull and for more persons then others. I myself don't 
see much good in taking LSD at the moment since my experiences with 
cannabis and mushrooms didn't help very much. Meditation and philosophy 
seem to be for me much more convenient and helpfull, but it might be 
different for others. In the end I think some philosophy is unavoidable, 
because in order to have a bodhi experience one has to know that one 
experiences it and understand what it is. Perhaps one gets a better 
understanding of life when one is in extreme situations and the routine 
judgements don't fit anymore.

erik