something happened today
-
i've been seeing a lot of times a lot of monks going into dfs at the airport looking at & buying cigarettes n liquor. so today finally out of curiosity, I approached him. asking him why r u buying them, is it for some1? (gosh tat made me look so kpo). but he couldn't understand english n said no no with a thai accent. I smiled n said sorry for intruding n thank u to him with my hands together n bowed. he gave me a big friendly peaceful smile n I left.
did I do something wrong? -
As long as you did not disrespect them it's ok to ask, I think. Just to clarify your questioning mind. Monks who don't drink doesn't mean they cant be curious to find out more.Originally posted by paperflower:i've been seeing a lot of times a lot of monks going into dfs at the airport looking at & buying cigarettes n liquor. so today finally out of curiosity, I approached him. asking him why r u buying them, is it for some1? (gosh tat made me look so kpo). but he couldn't understand english n said no no with a thai accent. I smiled n said sorry for intruding n thank u to him with my hands together n bowed. he gave me a big friendly peaceful smile n I left.
did I do something wrong?
Furthermore, there is a percentage of Thai monks who still smoke. Although the numbers have dropped by very large amount in the past decades. -
Vinaya rules didnt say cannot smoke rite cos during the time of the buddha, no ciggarittes that time.
-
If i didn't remember wrongly, though there were no cigarettes during Buddha's time there was a form of "smoking", and it was actually allowed as precautions or remedies for certain illnesses or something like that (read this YEARSSSS ago so i can't remember the details).
-
I think its more of a health issue than sin.
-
Frm wad i feel its toxification too...Harms ones body and something like drug...
-
Strictly speaking smoking cigarretes probably isn't breaking the 5th precept, because the 5th precept concerns taking drugs that are intoxicating. You do not lose as much mental clarity when compared to taking alcohol which clouds the mind very fast and effectively.Originally posted by marcteng:Vinaya rules didnt say cannot smoke rite cos during the time of the buddha, no ciggarittes that time.
But there is also a very big problem with Cigarretes. It is its addictiveness. It is known to be as addictive as Heroin. This 'addiction', compulsion, craving to smoke itself is a big hindrance to our Buddhist cultivation.
Thus, many monasteries, abbots, masters, have banned smoking within the monastic grounds. -
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/learning.htm
To learn Buddhism one needs to eradicate self serving and evil habits
Learning Buddhism is not difficult at all. In fact, it is very easy. First of all, we must know how to eradicate our self serving and evil habits. We can naturally do that when we understand how important it is to our life to eradicate such habits. If we do not understand this, then no matter how learned in Buddhism we are, it does not serve any real purpose. Take for example the question of consuming alcoholic drinks. You could take a fruit juice or tea in its place. It is not necessary that you must take alcohol. If persuaded by your friends, you could say : "I am very sorry, I have been advised by the doctor to lay off alcohol for a year. I will be in trouble should my wife finds out that I have been drinking." Your good friends will understand and therefore let you off. Handling questions like this is a matter of having wisdom.
The most difficult thing for anybody to do, is to eradicate oneÂ’s self serving and evil habits. This is because habits are carried into the present life from the aeons of previous lives. They are deeply rooted and therefore are difficult to eradicate. Once these have been eradicated, then the Mara-hindrances are eliminated. The inability to eradicate them results in one spending his entire lifetime with the Mara without ever knowing it.
Let me tell you a story. There was a very promising lay-Buddhist who came to take refuge in the Three Treasures and before leaving asked, "Master, is there anything about me that I need to correct?" I replied, "Very well, there is nothing you need to correct other than to eradicate your self serving and evil habits." He was puzzled. He wondered if it was because he had evil habits that were deeply rooted. He began to examine himself, "I am a moderate person. My bosses and my colleagues treat me well. What self serving and evil habits does Master want me to eradicate?"
While on his way home, he continued to think over this as he smoked. Four cigarettes later, he was still pondering. Then, as he was lighting his fifth, it suddenly occurred to him, "Oh! I smoke. This is the self serving and evil habit that Master wants me to eradicate!" At this moment he spontaneously extinguished the cigarette and quit the habit.
Thus, when learning Buddhism one should not just talk about the theories. One must really put the teachings into practice. One should not commit even the smallest bad deed, neither should one neglect even the smallest virtuous deed. Only then is one a Buddhist. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
I smoke for ard 10yrs...let me tell u smoking is mind over body...its ur mind tt tells u tt u cant stop smoking..They r nt mindful enuf to quit smoking tts why....I quit it without any hassel...Juz stop
Strictly speaking smoking cigarretes probably isn't breaking the 5th precept, because the 5th precept concerns [b]taking drugs that are intoxicating. You do not lose as much mental clarity when compared to taking alcohol which clouds the mind very fast and effectively.
But there is also a very big problem with Cigarretes. It is its addictiveness. It is known to be as addictive as Heroin. This 'addiction', compulsion, craving to smoke itself is a big hindrance to our Buddhist cultivation.
Thus, many monasteries, abbots, masters, have banned smoking within the monastic grounds.[/b] -
Wow.. congrats!!Originally posted by Bryan^:I smoke for ard 10yrs...let me tell u smoking is mind over body...its ur mind tt tells u tt u cant stop smoking..They r nt mindful enuf to quit smoking tts why....I quit it without any hassel...Juz stop
Very good. It is either mind over body or MINDFULNESS/AWARENESS over mind and body
Eradication of self-serving habits (xi-qi) is very important in Buddhism cultivation... And without Mindfulness, it will not be possible. -
Buddhism is abt practise n meditation...Meditation helps in being focus which aids in ur practise...
-
Ciggies got nicotine, its addictive.Originally posted by Bryan^:Frm wad i feel its toxification too...Harms ones body and something like drug...