0:00:01.793,0:00:03.436 (Bell) 0:00:09.707,0:00:15.565 (Bell) 0:00:33.457,0:00:38.452 For the past few years,[br]I've been obsessed with video games, 0:00:38.696,0:00:42.085 playing for 8 hours a day 0:00:42.379,0:00:50.638 and I need suggestions to stop[br]this obsession of playing video games. 0:00:52.221,0:00:54.815 (Sr. True Dedication):[br]Dear Thay, dear sangha, 0:00:55.098,0:00:59.644 a young friend just shared[br]that for the last few years 0:00:59.862,0:01:03.438 he has been playing[br]a lot of computer games. 0:01:03.620,0:01:08.249 About 8 hours every day[br]he plays computer games 0:01:08.422,0:01:11.320 and it has become an obsession. 0:01:11.552,0:01:13.926 He would like any help, any ideas 0:01:14.166,0:01:19.057 how he can stop this obsession[br]with playing computer games. 0:01:21.401,0:01:27.824 The young people may already have [br]a lot of suffering in themselves. 0:01:29.886,0:01:36.479 Their parents do not know[br]how to help their children to suffer less, 0:01:36.714,0:01:39.680 to transform the suffering in them. 0:01:39.862,0:01:43.215 That is why both, parents and children 0:01:43.432,0:01:51.240 try to cover up the suffering inside[br]by entertainment: 0:01:51.475,0:01:58.633 music, books, films,[br]electronic games and so on. 0:01:59.041,0:02:02.217 This is not really enjoyment, 0:02:02.462,0:02:07.013 it is just trying to run away[br]from the suffering inside. 0:02:08.533,0:02:16.003 As the time passes,[br]the suffering inside continues to grow. 0:02:16.183,0:02:22.421 Because the items that we consume 0:02:24.590,0:02:27.396 in order to forget about our suffering 0:02:27.682,0:02:31.282 can bring more toxins, poisons, 0:02:32.117,0:02:37.520 anger, distress, to us. 0:02:38.702,0:02:42.154 This is not living. 0:02:42.562,0:02:48.086 That is running away from life. 0:02:49.729,0:02:57.159 What the West calls[br]the Kingdom of God 0:02:59.566,0:03:03.828 in Buddhism is called[br]the Dharma body. 0:03:07.367,0:03:10.560 The Buddha has the Buddha body, 0:03:10.794,0:03:14.534 but he also has a Dharma body. 0:03:14.813,0:03:19.365 When the physical body of the Buddha[br]is no longer there, 0:03:19.573,0:03:24.274 his Dharma body continues[br]to give Dharma talks. 0:03:25.175,0:03:29.240 When you contemplate a flower 0:03:29.557,0:03:32.980 or when you listen[br]to the wind in the willow 0:03:33.220,0:03:35.871 with mindfulness and concentration, 0:03:36.079,0:03:41.072 you hear the Dharma talk given by[br]the Dharma body of the Buddha. 0:03:42.504,0:03:46.908 So the Buddha is always alive[br]giving Dharma talks. 0:03:47.269,0:03:53.021 If you contemplate the Moon,[br]the cloud, the blue sky, 0:03:53.262,0:03:55.983 the river, the rising tide, 0:03:56.231,0:03:59.313 then everything is teaching the Dharma. 0:03:59.522,0:04:03.586 The Dharma body is equivalent[br]to the Kingdom of God. 0:04:05.146,0:04:08.120 We know that[br]the Kingdom of God is there. 0:04:08.337,0:04:13.923 Every flower, every tree[br]belongs to the Kingdom of God. 0:04:14.354,0:04:17.681 They speak to you[br]about the Kingdom of God 0:04:17.910,0:04:20.679 that is here and now. 0:04:20.885,0:04:24.783 So if you know how to go home[br]to the here and the now, 0:04:24.946,0:04:27.642 you have the Kingdom of God with you. 0:04:27.844,0:04:30.000 It will nourish you, make you happy. 0:04:30.196,0:04:33.893 You don't have to run away[br]and take refuge in electronic games. 0:04:34.261,0:04:38.651 When you breathe in mindfully,[br]you bring your mind home to your body. 0:04:38.880,0:04:42.995 When mind and body are together,[br]you are truly alive. 0:04:43.232,0:04:46.272 If you get lost in your computer, 0:04:46.986,0:04:49.559 your body and your mind are separated. 0:04:49.840,0:04:51.800 You are not truly alive. 0:04:52.080,0:04:54.474 You are wasting your live. 0:04:54.960,0:04:58.152 You don't profit from your life. 0:04:59.025,0:05:01.564 Nature has given us a life. 0:05:01.783,0:05:05.174 Every second, every minute is a jewel. 0:05:05.383,0:05:07.960 If you can stay in the here and the now, 0:05:08.133,0:05:10.953 you can enjoy the Kingdom of God[br]in the here and the now. 0:05:11.093,0:05:15.246 That is the best kind of enjoyment. 0:05:19.312,0:05:27.597 There is an image in the Gospel. 0:05:28.559,0:05:36.025 A peasant, a farmer,[br]discovers a piece of land 0:05:36.311,0:05:38.656 with a treasure in it. 0:05:38.872,0:05:42.904 He goes home and sells everything[br]in order to buy that small piece of land. 0:05:42.994,0:05:45.321 Because it has a treasure in it. 0:05:45.552,0:05:48.182 And that treasure[br]can make him happy all his life 0:05:48.360,0:05:50.592 and in the next life also. 0:05:50.758,0:05:53.528 So if you have the treasure,[br]the Kingdom of God, 0:05:53.662,0:05:55.754 you don't need other things, 0:05:55.902,0:06:03.096 including money, fame,[br]power, sensual pleasures 0:06:03.393,0:06:05.699 and electronic games. 0:06:05.896,0:06:10.863 That is why[br]parents should practice 0:06:11.080,0:06:14.078 in order to be able[br]to enjoy the Kingdom of God 0:06:14.255,0:06:16.222 in the here and the now. 0:06:16.404,0:06:19.678 In that way, they can teach[br]their children to do the same. 0:06:20.240,0:06:22.516 And they will not run away 0:06:22.665,0:06:25.193 and take refuge in electronic games 0:06:25.304,0:06:27.678 and got addicted to them anymore. 0:06:27.848,0:06:29.676 Because if you continue, 0:06:29.893,0:06:34.924 your body will have a lot of problems[br]and your mind also. 0:06:36.394,0:06:38.787 That has proved to be exact. 0:06:39.247,0:06:42.899 If you spend too much time[br]with your computer, 0:06:43.035,0:06:45.338 your electronic games, 0:06:45.475,0:06:48.507 you are addicted to new technologies, 0:06:48.720,0:06:53.267 then you don't have any time left[br]to enjoy the wonders of life, 0:06:53.507,0:06:56.960 the Kingdom of God that is available[br]in the here and the now. 0:06:57.280,0:07:00.319 This is not only an answer [br]to a young person, 0:07:00.564,0:07:04.461 but to all of us,[br]especially parents and teachers. 0:07:06.227,0:07:08.673 Thank you for asking a question. 0:07:09.855,0:07:11.432 (Bell) 0:07:14.854,0:07:21.276 (Bell)