Eliminating My Attachment to Watching Television

(Minghui.org) I had been attached to watching television, especially television dramas, where I had to watch every episode until the very end, ever since I was young. I could recall every detail very vividly in my mind, from the plot to the actors' words and their detailed expressions. If it happened to be one of my favorite television dramas, I would watch it several times.

I knew this was an attachment that interfered with my cultivation. I also knew I had to relinquish this attachment, but I was never really able to do so. Master had enlightened me many times that I should not watch television, but I would always relapse after doing well for a period of time. I became very frustrated because I was never really able to truly eliminate this attachment.

My husband started to watch a historical drama this summer. After taking a few glances at it, I was addicted and started to watch it every day as well. I watched it until the very end and during the process I would discuss the plot and the characters with my husband. After watching this drama, I told myself that I should stop watching dramas. However, I followed in my husband's footsteps when he started to watch another historical drama. While watching the second drama, I told myself that I would only watch for a little bit, but in reality I watched it for many hours.

I gradually started to feel pain all over my body. My face looked black when I saw myself in the mirror. I was very shocked and realized the harm of watching television. When I first started to cultivate, I was able to quit drinking alcohol and eating onions, ginger, and garlic and to abide by the principles of the Fa. I was able to completely relinquish those attachments, but it was very difficult for me to relinquish the attachment to watching television dramas. This was because I have always been very fond of literature and attracted to the plot lines and characters in stories. I thought that if ordinary people were fine after they watched television, then why would cultivators be in great discomfort after watching television? I had many doubts.

While watching television dramas, I also studied the Fa. Master’s Fa enlightened me and helped me get rid of my attachments to watching television.

Master said,

“Many books were written under the control of possessing spirits or animals which manipulate human attachments for fame and fortune.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

After reading this sentence, I was startled. At my level of understanding, I enlightened that ordinary people write scripts for fame and fortune. People are addicted to these dramas because these scripts were written under the control of possessing spirits or animals. These shows would not do people any good at all! I also enlightened to the fact that television is full of evil and communism, and that as a practitioner I had been willfully acknowledging these negative forces. That was why my body was in pain and discomfort. This was very terrible! After enlightening to the above, I had no desire to watch any television or movies or dramas.

My husband started to watch a drama the next day while I was in my room, and I did not want to listen to the noise from the television. I thought to myself, “I am not giving you any more energy, as I am not that ignorant anymore!”

It has been six months and I have completely relinquished the attachment that I had for more than a dozen years to watching television. Thank you Master!