200. Q. Does Buddhism teach us to return evil for evil?
A. In the Dhammapada the Buddha said: "If a man foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my ungrudging love; the more evil comes from him, the more good shall go from me." This is the path followed by the Arhat.[[7]] To return evil for evil is positively forbidden in Buddhism.
201. Q. Does it encourage cruelty?
A. No, indeed. In the Five Precepts and in many of his discourses, the Buddha teaches us to be merciful to all beings, to try and make them happy, to love them all, to abstain from taking life, or consenting to it, or encouraging its being done.
202. Q. In which discourse is this stated?
A. The Dhammika Sutta says: "Let him (the householder) not destroy, or cause to be destroyed, any life at all, or sanction the act of those who do so. Let him refrain from even hurting any creature."[[8]]
203. Q. Does it approve of drunkenness?
A. In his Dhammika Sutta we are warned against drinking liquors, causing others to drink, or sanctioning the acts of those who drink.[[9]]
204. Q. To what are we told that drunkenness leads?
A. To demerit, crime, insanity, and ignorance—which is the chief cause of rebirth.