[Buddha-l] Buddhism and psychoactive substances

[Michael J. Wilson]

>......... Does anyone have any knowledge of a Buddhist lineage that 
>advocates the use of psychoactive substances? Or can anyone refer me to a study of this question? I wouldn't be too surprised to hear that some Ngakpas somewhere had something that they liked to smoke.
If this topic has come up previously, my apologies. Alas, the archives are not searchable. regards, Barnaby Thieme
We took LSD in the early 1970's when I was in high school, but I have never taken any since.  I was not part of a buddhist lineage, and only knew about buddhism through the book by Herman Hesse called Siddharta.  I remember there was a theory at the time that Jesus was actually the psychadelic mushroom "soma", based on a Greek or Latin mis-translation.  So I read a lot of the Bible with that in mind and actually came to believe that spurious linguisitic science.  I also briefly flirted with Scientology, but could never fully understand how my mind could become "Clear" by practicing Dianetics.  When I became initiated into the Sufi Order of the West in the early 1980's I had to make only one promise - not to take any psychadelic substances.  

Speculating now on why or if buddhist lineages would use these substances, I would say there would be no use for them.  Ngakpas were not based in monastic orders as much as other Tibetan lineages and may be known more for using experiences in the world for their spiritual development. Recent scientific examination on human participants of psychedelic mushrooms in clinical studies have shown a remarkable ability to lift people out of despression.  I wonder why it has taken so long for science to establish this kind of evidence.  At the same time, neuroscientists are suggesting that buddhist meditators are "happier" than people who do not meditate. How is the brain structured that way?  I recall the story told by Ram Das (the Harvard prof who took a lot of LSD) who went to Indian and gave his guru many many hits of LSD and observed that it had no effect on him.  He was already in that state!

I was able to do a liquid only diet-fast (the Master Cleanser so called) for 10 days.  After 6 days my dreams at night were almost on the order of being psychadelic.  Hunger can do that.  Or, call it purifying the channels. Meditation retreats can do that to.  The Tibetan practice of living on the essence of flower pills would really do that.  Though living for a year or more on pills containing the essence of flowers, some of these Tibetan yogis are actually quite plump.

My final personal anecdote is hearing a story by a well known non-Tibetan Tibetan translator who was once stoned out of his tree on LSD while looking at at Tibetan tanka.  This was way before he even knew anything about Tibet or buddhism.  The experience of looking at the tanka under the influence of a psyschadelic substance had a profound effect on him.  Shortly after, he bought a ticket and went to India and Nepal looking for Tibetan lamas to study with.

Of couse in Nepal, and other Himalayan states there are many wandering Sadhus who are constanlty filling their pipes with bhang. To be fair there are also many wandering Sadhus who do not.  But no doubt some Tibetans or other buddhists are indulging in that from time to time.  Personally, I have never heard of it being made into a sacrement, a ritual, or a practice, unlike say, the use of peyote in the Native American church.

peace

mike


 		
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