Question: Video Games & The Eight Precepts

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ccook70
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:50 am

Question: Video Games & The Eight Precepts

Post by ccook70 »

Hello Friends,

I am a disabled person, which means I don't get out much.
I practice mediation, but cannot do all day non-stop.
Am wondering about video games: may serve as healthy short-term
diversion, or not (?)
Wondering if they are against the
8 Precepts.

With Metta,

Corey
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Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Question: Video Games & The Eight Precepts

Post by Mkoll »

They are against the 7th precept: "I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics."

Keep in mind that the precepts aren't commandments. As a layperson, if you uphold 8 precepts all the time, that is great. If you hold 8 precepts most of the time but occasionally play video games, that is still really good. I wouldn't sweat it. I've found in my own experience that the desire to play video games has subsided greatly with time, practice, and study. And I used to be obsessed with them.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
dharmacorps
Posts: 2298
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 7:33 pm

Re: Question: Video Games & The Eight Precepts

Post by dharmacorps »

Same here with the video game interest waning over time. Also, I am disabled as well I get where you are coming from. A lay person doesn't need to hold the 8 precepts of course (although the 5 are important), and like Mkoll said, you don't need to have it as a binary on/off thing.
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