Eye commends Quaker Action on Alcohol & Drugs for introducing an interfaith perspective on addiction in its winter issue of QAADRANT.

The director of the Hindu Council UK, Suraj Sehgal, explained something of the Hindu approach to drinking, gambling and drug dependency.

It's non-judgemental, as you would expect, but addiction is viewed under the five main vices - greed, anger, jealousy, obsession and haughtiness.

So gambling would come under 'greed': the excessive love of money, particularly that acquired without effort or labour.

In Hindu scripture the downside of this can be seen in the Mahabharata where a crown prince loses his kingdom through gambling.

Indulgences, explained Suraj, keep people away from living the spiritual life. But his religion does not prescribe what to do.

Labels: hindu, qaad