(Minghui.org) For many years, I was hooked on computer games. My attachment to them was so strong that even after I began practicing Falun Gong, I was not able to let go of it.
Whenever I finished studying the Fa, my first thought was to take a break and play a few games. However, once I began I would not stop until several hours had passed. Afterwards I was exhausted and would take a nap for a few hours.
In this way I wasted the whole day. Sometimes I told myself I had no time to read the Fa and instead wasted time playing computer games before going to bed.
Day after day, I was lost in the virtual world, but I did not think this was wrong.
One day I suddenly had a stomachache while playing games. I was in such pain I was forced to take a break. Immediately the pain subsided. After a brief rest, I got up to play again. However as soon as I switched on the computer, I felt as if someone punched me hard in the stomach and the pain returned. I slept for a while. When I woke up, I felt better and I looked at the computer. As soon as I had the thought of playing computer games, the discomfort came back.
This went on for several weeks. Finally, I went to the hospital for a checkup but there was nothing wrong with me. But still I felt terrible. Meanwhile I stopped playing computer games. I did not feel a strong urge to play anymore. Instead of playing games, I watched Master's lectures. I wept as I watched them. Master's compassion made me realize how serious cultivation practice is. I finally realized that Master was trying to help me get rid of my addiction to computer games.
Master taught in Zhuan Falun:
“You will be made to abandon all those attachments that cannot be given up among everyday people. As long as you have them, all of those attachments must be removed in different environments. You will be made to stumble, whereby you will become enlightened to the Tao. This is how one goes through cultivation practice.”
I realized that I foolishly and stubbornly held on to my attachment!
That day, I resolved to get rid of my addiction. However, this was easier said than done. From time to time, I would feel the urge to play computer games. A voice would tell me: “Don't you want to come in first? You have not installed any new games. Let me tell you where to get them....” I said to it: “Leave me alone! I don't need you!” I decided to delete all the games on my computer. As soon as I did this, my mind calmed down.
I knew I had won the battle. I used the time I previously spent on playing computer games to study the Fa. As I enlightened to the teachings, gradually the urge to play computer games disappeared. Every day I gained new insights from reading the Fa. As I made progress in cultivation, my attachments lessened. I lost the desire to play computer games and no longer had to strongly resist the urge to do so. It was an amazing feeling!
My friends would invite me to play with them or ask me to give them tips on how to play a certain game. I answered their questions politely but in my heart I told myself: “I am now a Falun Dafa practitioner. I cannot waste my time on this.” After a while, they left me alone.
As I look back, I feel extremely fortunate to have gotten rid of such a big addiction. Master said :
“Your path is, and I think you've all seen this now, actually very narrow. If you deviate just a little bit you won't measure up to the standard of a Dafa disciple.” (“Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference III)
I wonder if our path is narrow because we have many attachments that we try to hide and refuse to get rid of? If we let go of them, won't our path be wider? Master wrote :
“When one is attached to nothingThe path underfoot is naturally smooth”(“Unimpeded” from Hong Yin Volume II)
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Category: Improving Oneself
