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Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:11 am

Intoxicants and Cultivation: Smoking
By: Lin Ai Wei

Out of the Five Precepts, there is one specific about intoxicants. It has been comprehended to mean only alcohol, but it actually refers to anything that alters the mind.
Specifically speaking, one common mind altering drug is the cigarette. In our modern world, the cigarette has been advertised as the additive to a casual time spent alone or with friends.

This mindset has led out world society to attach to advertised views of casual get-togethers with friends, family and even personal time with oneself. The outcomes of such views are manifest within the behavior and lifestyle of those who smoke cigarettes. All people are good people; it is their views of things which cause unwholesome results. The education of living beings is what causes their “ups and downs” in life.

This is why we have the Five precepts; To look deeper at the mind, and contemplate the causes and conditions which arise from our personal views. Looking deeper in to the precept of ‘No taking of Intoxicants’ we arrive at a shore filled with myriad views which behold within them poisons which alter the mind, muddle the mind.

A cigarette, as we all know, contains over 4,000 additives, all poisonous to living beings. There is nothing good that can come from smoking. The cigarette is the “Anti-Man”; That which is against humanity. It infests the body with poisons which degenerate the body over a long period of time. This slow degeneration alters the clarity of the mind instantly, and opens the doors of confusion, allowing a tidal wave of false views.

As a cultivator of Buddhist Education, one must, at all times, keep the body and mind from confusion. Confusion here refers to ordinary mental confusion, anger, and greed, ignorance; as well as sicknesses diseases, cancers and unpleasant situations/experiences.

When one begins to smoke, whether they are aware of it or not; their energy becomes clouded and unstable. The smoke itself is filled with poisons which when enter the lungs, disrupt the blood and energy, deteriorate the lungs, heart, stomach, spleen, liver, gall bladder, kidneys, adrenals, urinary tract, large and small intestines, bones and marrow, the brain and the nervous system, for men; gonads, for woman; ovaries and uterus.

Every function of the body becomes altered by the cigarette, which in turn alters the mind. When the body is sick, it is difficult to cultivate without hindrances. Pain in the lungs diverts concentration to the lungs, and views of pain result. The same goes for the rest of the body when dis-eased. This outcome is not beneficial to one’s cultivation.

The mind is quickly influenced by the poisons absorbed by the body from the cigarette. Dizziness may result; a feeling of a magnetic heaviness expanding throughout the body will arise, as well as fatigue and loss of breath.
How does this affect the mind? Because of the poisons in the cigarette, the mind of the person becomes confused. It can not decide what is right or wrong, for the person chooses to take another inhale from the cigarette. If the person was clear before, and smokes, they sacrifice clarity after the first inhalation. There is no excuse for smoking.

Cultivation wise, if the mind is not clear, one can not concentrate sincerely. If one can not concentrate, their cultivation has been done in vain. With the mind muddled by views of addiction, one can not detach from views, or will find difficulty in doing so, and as a result, will not attain the Patience of Non-Production.

The poisons of cigarettes cause the mind to become fatigued, unclear, easily frustrated, arrogant, selfish, easily angered and violent. They also cause the mind to become submissive to the intoxicant, and inner dialogue as to whether one should quit or not arises, which causes more reasoning, and confusion.

This result therefore is not conducive to a wholesome lifestyle. Many, though, would argue that their lives are fine with smoking. They claim to not get sick, be patient, and have better control of their temper. Yet, once they stop smoking, they turn into demons, snapping at anyone who shares criticism, or even finding themselves frustrated at the smallest of misunderstandings.

They claim that smoking helps them cope, but actually, the smoking causes their dependency to become stronger and stronger. Anything “outside” tool used to alter the mind in non-constructive and benevolent outcomes, is not a proper tool, and will only result in suffering, and death.

Some also will argue that their family members lived to old ages while smoking and others have as well. This does not mean cigarettes are healthy for you. People are very ignorant to think that they understand all causes and outcomes, without realizing and actually understanding the law of cause and effect. They believe they are immune to bad results, and that karma is only bad and good karma is ordinary enjoyments.

There are causes and conditions for the way people live their life, the experiences they have and the people they meet. These things must be considered as well when looking for excuses to pursue what one wants to have in their life.

Smoking causes the body to heat up, thus agitating the mind. When the body is imbalanced, it is difficult to function at one’s full cultivation potential. The body must be pure, as well as the mind. When there is addiction to cigarettes, the mind can not be at ease, thus making it difficult to attain stillness in meditation.

One may experience states of stillness, but the greed of the addiction will cause movement in the mind and the state of stillness is lost. Specifically pointing to spiritual cultivation, smoking will not enhance one’s progress, but only slow them down, making it very difficult to attain any true results.

Abilities attained with addictions present in the mind are not the mark of true wisdom. The mark of true wisdom is without marks, for an addiction is the mark of views, not wisdom. One may have some wisdom while with addiction, but it isn’t complete. For wisdom to be complete, addictions must be put down permanently

Addictions are a view of self, which is the manifestation of greed. When there is greed, the view of separation manifests, vice verse. This view of needing to fulfill holds one back from attaining stillness of mind, and results in distorted thinking.

When the mind can be moved, it is mind. When the mind is still, there is no mind, no duality. The state of non moving such-ness can only be attained by the dropping of views, the putting down of addictive behavior and purity of body and mind.

To go further on the effects smoking has upon one’s spiritual cultivation would take too many years to explain in full detail. It is thus that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions did not indulge in intoxicants. With this in mind, it is best to follow their example and keep close their Dharma.

Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:58 pm

Articles like this are good reads, methinks. It is nice to see how the dots connect. Thank you. _/\_

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:16 am

Everything we do, say, etc has an effect on our life and how it turns out. If we can become aware of the outcomes before hand by paying attention to what we have done and are doing, thinking, living, we can alter our fate; decided outcomes by our past causes.

Shifu

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:22 am

jingxinyuan wrote:

If we can become aware of the outcomes before hand by paying attention to what we have done and are doing, thinking, living, we can alter our fate; decided outcomes by our past causes.

An old Taoist recluse once wrote, "There is that which is near at hand but cannot be seen; there is that which is far away but can be known."

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:55 am

That is one of the differences between Daoism and Buddhism. Daoism gives everything to the will of heaven, following fate. But Buddhism goes beyond that to realize that the Heavens are still a manifestation of views and emotions, and are still on the revolving wheel of birth and death. Therefore, it can be altered. If all is the will of heaven, then that which is beyond the will of heaven is basically not controlled by heaven.

In this sense, the heaven the Daoists refer to is the trayastrimsa Heaven, or the Heaven of the 33 which is of the desire realms and the god of that realm is the Jade Emperor. There is the Brahma Heavens which is "higher" in cultivation than the Heavens of Daoist cultivation, but not closed to Daoist cultivators.

The will of heaven is still simply the will of those in the heavens and their accumulation of merit and virtue.

Thus, that which is far away, and that which is close by are all views of the mind, and are subject to rise and fall. They can be known, they can be changed.

Buddhist education goes tot he root and changes the un wholesome. Some Daoist teachings only go to the leaves.

You really know how to pick my mind Obi Wan! hahaha

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:48 am

jingxinyuan wrote:

You really know how to pick my mind Obi Wan! hahaha

Jedi are extremely subtle, and they know many secrets, you see.

*tries to keep a straight face...*

*...fails* Laughing

But seriously, I was reminded of the Taoist quote, and thought to include it because I thought its juxtaposition to the idea of fate was very interesting, and rich with the potential for reflection or discussion.

There is the Brahma Heavens which is "higher" in cultivation than the Heavens of Daoist cultivation, but not closed to Daoist cultivators.

I'm not sure what it means for one heaven to be higher than another, but I will reflect on this some, and maybe I can ask a wise question.

Again, thank you for explaining things.

*bows*

Old Ben

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:16 am

What I meant in saying "higher than the other", was just to keep in mind that the heaven of the Jade Emperor is what is spoken of as "The Will of Heaven" in Daoist cultivation.

In meaning "higher, I just mean less afflictions, less attachment to desire. With this in mind, less means not heavy, and not heavy means light. So, we can say that the Heaven of the Jade emperor, though wonderful and not easy to attain rebirth in, is still of desires, though not as turbid as the realms of animals, ghosts, the hells and humans.

And the realm of the Brahman heavens is less attached to desires. for example if in the human realm, desire for sex comes every day, or even every other day for most/some, desire for this occurs in the Desire heavens once every year. And the Brahman Heavens almost not at all.

Very Happy

Peace,
Shifu

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:36 pm

jingxinyuan wrote:

What I meant in saying "higher than the other", was just to keep in mind that the heaven of the Jade Emperor is what is spoken of as "The Will of Heaven" in Daoist cultivation.

In meaning "higher, I just mean less afflictions, less attachment to desire. With this in mind, less means not heavy, and not heavy means light. So, we can say that the Heaven of the Jade emperor, though wonderful and not easy to attain rebirth in, is still of desires, though not as turbid as the realms of animals, ghosts, the hells and humans.

And the realm of the Brahman heavens is less attached to desires. for example if in the human realm, desire for sex comes every day, or even every other day for most/some, desire for this occurs in the Desire heavens once every year. And the Brahman Heavens almost not at all.

Well, that explains a lot, then. It is difficult for me to imagine gods and goddesses of the Jade Emperor's heaven desiring sex, though, haha. I was sure they were above that. Laughing

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:16 pm

hahaha...

I was making an example of what desire would be like in those heavens. Mainly, what you want, appears. ^_^