| By: N. Samphell
I was kind of elated last year, when my neighboring, Skokie City banned smoking in public places like restaurants and bars. But I sympathized the owners, if they are losing customers for business. I really did. It is matter of their earning - their livelihood.
Not long after this, Evanston City followed suite, which is also my neighbor. By then I realized, the restaurants and bars are not losing, but are gaining customers on the contrary. How hard one might be addicted to smoking, I thought, one likes Good Health and long life more than smoking. I was impressed, that every body would choose good health than pursue an addiction.
However, I heard recently, that my own Chicago city proposed smoking ordinance in public places like the other two cities. I watched, of course in TV, members of the city council argue for and against smoking ordinance couple of times. I heard opinions of some rich and famous Chicagoans, too. One of them was Mike Ditka, the former football coach. Oh My! He was pugnaciously showing off his fist at the idea of smoking ban ordinance.
Though he has a restaurant in Downtown, Chicago, and he is a smoker himself (often seen in TV with Cigar in his mouth), but that was rather rude of him.
May be because of him and his kinds, I heard the Mayor in NPR talking "compromise" on smoking ordinance. Of course, there are lot of compromises in Chicago when it comes to rich and famous people! But poor folks... Health matters, much more.
I do not know, if people knew about smoking being a health hazard in ancient times, I mean before the birth of Jesus Christ, but they definitely knew that smoking is a bad thing, and a negative influence in society. It obstructs one’s spiritual development, and clouds mental clarity in meditation. They knew that in Buddha’s time.
In later times Padmasambhava, the first Buddhist Guru of Tibetans said, that smoking clogs mental channels and one will mis-focus at the time of death.
We have this story during Buddha’s time that tells the reason behind smoking being a bad influence:
When, Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was living and teaching many were jealous of his name and fame. Among them were six demon kings including Dut Garab Wangchuk, the principle demon. Out of their burning jealousy, they desired to harm and hurt Buddha. So, they looked for ways, but failed to find one.
Since they found no way to hurt Buddha, they wished him the worst. They hoped, wished and prayed intensely for the worst thing to happen for Buddha
Then one day, an evil Ogress dripped drops of her menstrual drop and from there grew saplings that blossomed into plant. Being evil herself, the plant that grew from her blood was evil energy of the evil wishes of the Demon Kings. And that plant is what we call tobacco today.
In this degenerate time, people smoke, snuff and chew tobacco. By doing so nothing is satiated - hunger, thirst, and all other needs, but people just do it. And they become addicted to doing it again and over again. People, who are the objects of Buddha’s compassion, are just tempted to do it, knowing not, that it is the demons curse befalling the world.
Beware my friends, therefore, tobacco, the evil intension of the six demon kings and the evil ogress, could cause Armageddon! (My insertion) I am just kidding. But the truth is smoking harms health and obstructs spiritual development. |
