Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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SarathW
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Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

Post by SarathW »

Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?
I think keeping attention on the ball (in case of a ball games) is a form of one pointedness.
How this differ from Buddhist Samatha practice?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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No_Mind
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Re: Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

Post by No_Mind »

Many games need lot of concentration .. such as chess

If concentration was meditation then this man would have reached enlightenment long back (video cued to start at 11:45)



:namaste:
Last edited by No_Mind on Fri Mar 16, 2018 7:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

Post by Sam Vara »

SarathW wrote: Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:13 am Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?
I think keeping attention on the ball (in case of a ball games) is a form of one pointedness.
How this differ from Buddhist Samatha practice?
My guess would be as follows. Watching a competitive game (where people strive to beat others or a defined criterion, as opposed to the mere movement of a ball) would be likely to stir up mild greed, hated, and delusion. Even watching the movements of a ball would probably be too stimulating. And finally, there would appear to be no way to move the focus of attention into the sense of the body as a whole.
SarathW
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Re: Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

Post by SarathW »

If concentration was meditation then this man would have reached enlightenment long back
Then what else is required for concentration?
Why this guy can't practice Vipassana after the show?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Samana Johann 1
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Re: Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

Post by Samana Johann 1 »

SarathW wrote: Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:39 am
If concentration was meditation then this man would have reached enlightenment long back
Then what else is required for concentration?
Why this guy can't practice Vipassana after the show?
An uninvited jump into and giving touch here:

Where ever there is life (becoming, being), there is concentration. Sammāsamādhi, Nyom Sarath, right/proper concentration, is required. That includes the proper object and proper intention (and all other factors of the path, to reach it).
It's not said that one could not gain right concentration after the show. It was always after leaving a "show", leaving that recognized as not being worthy of attention, that no other show was seeked right after leaving one. Like jumping from one forum, from one topic to the next.

If not having gained of what gives rise to release, one starts another game, birth, aging...death. So the path requires a good birth, show, dukkha and saddha may then arise to gain sammāsamādhi and release.

May it have given rise to stop playing around and seek after becoming and release.

If a certain object of concentration is in the sphere of one of the 40 hobbies, then certain good conncentration can arise.

If watching a war movie, seeing suffering, having proper attention, getting absorbed in reflecting Dhukka, path and fruits can be gained. In leaving the show outwardly and facing actually part of it right here and now. Of course having heard and understood the good Dhamma is very conductive to now the way out of the show: saddhā

But on the other side, even if having the best object but rejoicing in playing around, not seeing the dangers, not aware of suffering all around, there is no release to be expectable. Knowing this is the reason why shows and trade with Dhamma work fine as means for low gains in the world as well.

Not impressed, he returned to the gamblers... remember?

Calling for Buddhist Game Developers or hidding eggs.
It's not clear if the possibility to take on form here is given, so also this post might be made on merely uncomfortable trust. Please don't be shy to make remark as well as to do what ever with the post you might be inspired to. Key is found here. May it be, how ever, understood as Dhamma-Dana toward the Sangha of Buddhas Savakas and those following them and not thought for any kind of trade or exchange for low purpose for the world. Feel also always welcome here.
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TamHanhHi
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Re: Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?

Post by TamHanhHi »

SarathW wrote: Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:13 am Are playing games and watching them a form of meditation?
It might be a form of meditation, but is it a form of right concentration or right mindfulness? That is, does it lead to letting go, release?
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers."AN 5.38
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