酒肉穿肠过，佛祖心中留。
世人若学我，如同进魔道。
The phrase "酒肉穿肠过，佛祖心中留。wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha keeps it in his heart" has often been misunderstood or taken out of context.
While it might seem to encourage monks to consume alcohol and meat, the full version of the quote, as attributed to Jigong, actually emphasises that doing so is not appropriate for most people and can lead them astray. 世人若学我，如同进魔道。
The true meaning of this phrase is illuminated through folk allusions in which monks temporarily break their vows by consuming alcohol and meat, but only in order to save lives or alleviate suffering. These stories highlight that the phrase is not about disregarding the precepts, but about prioritizing the well-being of others when necessary. In such cases, the Buddha's compassion and wisdom are preserved in the heart, even when the physical actions seem to contradict the precepts.
An allusion also records that in the Ming Dynasty, a monk was forced by bandits to drink and eat meat in order to rescue refugees who fled to the temple. The bandit said to the monk, "As long as you eat the meat in my hand and drink the wine in the bottle, I will leave immediately." After drinking all the wine and eating the meat, the bandits were stunned, so they had to keep their promise and let the refugees go.
It is important to understand the context and full meaning of these words, as they are often misused or misrepresented. The emphasis should be on compassion, wisdom, and the intention to help others, rather than on simply disregarding the rules.
世人若学我，如同进魔道。
The phrase "酒肉穿肠过，佛祖心中留。wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha keeps it in his heart" has often been misunderstood or taken out of context.
While it might seem to encourage monks to consume alcohol and meat, the full version of the quote, as attributed to Jigong, actually emphasises that doing so is not appropriate for most people and can lead them astray. 世人若学我，如同进魔道。
The true meaning of this phrase is illuminated through folk allusions in which monks temporarily break their vows by consuming alcohol and meat, but only in order to save lives or alleviate suffering. These stories highlight that the phrase is not about disregarding the precepts, but about prioritizing the well-being of others when necessary. In such cases, the Buddha's compassion and wisdom are preserved in the heart, even when the physical actions seem to contradict the precepts.
An allusion also records that in the Ming Dynasty, a monk was forced by bandits to drink and eat meat in order to rescue refugees who fled to the temple. The bandit said to the monk, "As long as you eat the meat in my hand and drink the wine in the bottle, I will leave immediately." After drinking all the wine and eating the meat, the bandits were stunned, so they had to keep their promise and let the refugees go.
It is important to understand the context and full meaning of these words, as they are often misused or misrepresented. The emphasis should be on compassion, wisdom, and the intention to help others, rather than on simply disregarding the rules.
