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Is it okay to have addictions and still call yourself a Buddhist master?

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Some 'Buddhists' believe that it is okay for one to be addicted to smoking and drinking. They give examples of Chogyam Trungpa and the like who were known to indulge in these and other addictions. It might seem puritanical, but I don't agree with them, and I believe the Buddha wouldn't either. I think any kind of addiction is connected with cravings and a 'master' cannot be called one until he/she has at least mastered these cravings. I also think that as a Buddhist of any stripe, one follows the Four Noble Truths (and the 8-fold path within it) and if one does, one clearly understands the perils of unregulated cravings. And then there is the issue of creating wrong 'role models' for the followers of the 'master'. What do people on this forum think about this issue?
Asked by Jagger (21 rep)
May 1, 2015, 12:08 PM