If A Buddha Got Drunk

Q: I was out drinking last night and it was interesting to see all the old habits kick back in the more drunk I got, it was almost like stepping in a time machine and observing my old character traits.

It got me thinking, how would a Buddha act if he / she got drunk? In theory, if he / she was completely enlightened, would they act exactly the same as if they were sober? (bar limb control)

MM: Alcohol removes inhibition. A buddha is already his most ancient self. We on the other hand, have an "old self" and an "improved self" that is easily undone by alcohol. When one is one's most ancient self, even "happy drunk people" seem in great suffering.

Then there is being drunk on the divine as in this video of Amma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIGidWtaMD8

and my post on this kind of drunkeness here

There is no question that an enlightened one would be subject to almost the same physical effects of alcohol - loss of coordination, dulling of the senses like smell, sight, etc, as mentioned above (maybe slower) - just as he or she would go unconscious with anesthesia and could be operated on, but there would not be any change in personality or behavior as in reverting to a more primitive or uninhibited self.

There is no uninhibited self. Even the most deep seated, primitive reactions and reflexes from the reptilian brain are well known and conscious to an enlightened one and are relaxed consciously and instantly before they manifest in behavior. Not suppressed, mind you - that is a different mechanism, which is easily undone by alcohol.

If you want to practice, try to make yourself sneeze - or when you need to sneeze, stop yourself. Or - learn to master your startling reflex. A gun shot goes off right near you and you don't have any reaction at all. Or your toaster. This takes a few decades to master. You need a friend or master to keep startling you. Actually this is just training that does not guarantee enlightenment, but - someone who is enlightened is very familiar with relaxing the most deep seated reflexes.

The only way to get enlightened is relaxing the most fundamental and deep seated reflex of all - the one of not wanting to die. If you can do that in meditation - the truth opens up before your very eyes and you are forever free. Unless - you then become identified with being enlightened, and being free.