(Minghui.org) On March 23, the Minghui website published an article written by a Falun Dafa practitioner in China entitled “ About Watching Television ,” and I was prompted to write some of my thoughts about this subject, because I myself have struggled with this attachment to watching favorite shows, movies, news, etc.
I wish to thank to this fellow practitioner for sharing her cultivation experience in writing.
The human attachment to excitement is leading people to want to learn as much as possible about everything and everybody, and to use it to their advantage, to listen to stories, to watch all the news, to watch movies and shows, etc.
I usually watched older movies and older shows, as I felt that the content was relatively pure and had some positive lessons to draw from.
Although I understood that a practitioner of Falun Dafa doesn’t need to learn from, or to admire heroes presented in movies, books, etc., I continued to watch old movies, shows, and the news. I knew that what I was doing was not good for me as a cultivator. I sensed that I was not feeling well because of watching television, but I wasn’t able to truly eliminate this habit, this attachment.
In Zhuan Falun , Lecture One, Master Li said:
“Accordingly, genuine cultivation practice has a higher xinxing requirement for practitioners. Everyone sits here to learn this Dafa, so you must here conduct yourselves as true practitioners, and you must give up attachments. If you come to learn the practice and this Dafa with various pursuits, you will not learn anything. To tell you the truth, the entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments.”
When practitioners are doing what everyday people are doing in terms of satisfying their curiosity by watching entertainment shows, trivial news, movies, etc. it will interfere with their cultivation practice, with their ability to assist Master in saving sentient beings, and with Fa-rectification. This is how I understand this matter at this moment.
I became clearer in my mind that, as a practitioner, I only want Master's arrangements and do not acknowledge the old forces’ arrangements. I asked Master for help and sent forth righteous thoughts, and I was able to completely eliminate this attachment to watching television every day.
By the day I stopped altogether, I felt so much better, and that heavy feeling, that tiredness in my eyes and in my head disappeared completely. It is a completely different feeling–my body feels much lighter, my mind much clearer, and the sleepy feeling disappeared. It is like some heavy covering was lifted off my body. It was so amazing! And now I am wondering: How could I have been so strongly addicted to watching television?
I will do my best to help save sentient beings, clarify the truth, and follow all requirements Master Li is asking of his disciples. In Zhuan Falun , Lecture Nine, Master says:
“I will mainly make a few requirements: I hope that all of you will treat yourselves as practitioners in future cultivation practice and truly continue your cultivation practice. I hope that both veteran and new practitioners will be able to practice cultivation in Dafa and succeed in it! I hope that after going home everyone will make the best use of his or her time for genuine cultivation practice.”