(Clearwisdom.net) The foul smell of the mouth, or halitosis, is a disgusting and embarrassing smell emanating from the mouth. The reason that I bring up this topic is that some fellow practitioners have this problem and do not try to eliminate it. Halitosis causes a negative effect when clarifying truth and validating the Fa. Another woman urged me to write this article after a senior practitioner told her she had halitosis. Eliminating the smell is not just for oneself, but also for others.
There are several causes of halitosis: According to research, 90% of halitosis results from oral diseases, such as gingivitis, parodontitis and dental problems. In my case, I have a tendency to form dental tartar (incrustation on the teeth from a mix of saliva, food residue and salts). The accumulation of tartar can lead to halitosis. Before cultivation, I often visited dentists to have my teeth cleaned. If we fail to clean the mouth soon after eating, the food residue will not only detract from our smile, but also emit an unpleasant smell. Also, if we don't eat enough vegetables and fruits, we are more likely to develop halitosis.
As practitioners, both of our bodies and minds must be purified and improved. If a practitioner has chronic halitosis, that indicates a problem. Maybe his cultivation is not good, or his hygienic habits are not good, or he has a xinxing problem. Some bad habits such as overly indulging in snacks or cold drinks may also cause halitosis.
With respect to eating food, I recall what Master say in Zhuan Falun, “The truth is, when you really get rid of that attachment it doesn’t matter what you fill your belly with.” So my understanding is that we can eat anything just to fill our belly, but not for catering to one's taste or desire. Teacher did not say we cannot eat onion, ginger or garlic, but He talked about the related principles:
“If somebody ate those things, it would produce a strong, pungent odor that would affect other people’s meditation and their ability to become still inside, so it would seriously interfere with other people’s practice.” “A lot of beings that are developed from the human body through cultivation get really bothered by such foul odors. Onions, ginger, and garlic can also stimulate a person’s desires, and when you eat a lot of them you can get hooked. That’s why they were considered taboo."(Zhuan Falun)
My personal opinion is that as a practitioner, it is better not to eat onion, ginger and garlic. Teacher requires us to attend group Fa-study, practice the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts. We also need to clarify the truth about Dafa. If we eat onion, ginger and garlic, the smell from our mouth will be pungent. That will affect saving sentient beings.
