Cutting Computer in Evening

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When using a computer you get a lot of input or information to process. This leads to more vitakka and vicara hence dispersion of the mind. It is best to limit this and try to be more mindful when using computer and phones.

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well since the problem is that you cannot get sati or samadhi in your evening spare time, you destroy the evening spare time. To remove the spare time in the evening, you wake up earlier, so that you will be tired in the evening and directly go to bed. Plus you wake earlier and striving for sati and samadhi in the morning is easier, since you have more energy and less papanca after you wake up. You can do that in bed too. Plus since you will wake up earlier, you do not need an alarm clock to wake up.

Even if your activities are not related to the dhamma, People who wake up early have more energy for their spare time (which is in the morning), instead of doing their hobbies in the evening after a full at work.

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In the evening, I'm unable to find activities interesting enough, I always revert to using the computer.

I have found two solutions:

  1. When using the computer, I use it mindfully to educate myself on current events and trends (e.g., global warming, technology trends, national conflicts, etc.) that deepen my study of the suttas with current considerations. Or I work on projects that help myself and/or others.

  2. I walk meditation listening to the suttas. This is difficult and interesting for my restless mind. At the very least my mind is occupied by wholesome thoughts.

MN20 has a good exposition of how to stop thinking. Restraining thoughts is important and it is difficult because we tend to identify with those thoughts such as "I am bored. Let's see what's on the computer tonight.":

Now, suppose that mendicant is ignoring and forgetting about those thoughts, but bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion keep coming up. They should focus on stopping the formation of thoughts.

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First ask yourself, what do you want to see in Computer? Computer is for you, not you for computer. If you want to watch movies, or chat with friends, you can do that in morning as well. You cant think of mindfulness and meditation unless you are saturated with the sensual gratification. Buddha himself was born as a King with all kinds of luxuries, but eventually realized that earth will never be enough for an uncontrolled mind and hence renounced his kingdom. Any addiction is created because of repetition and leads to misery eventually, for example an obese man is addicted to eating, a gambler is addicted to greed, all are desires born from untamed mind for non-self. If you can think and understand the cause of your bondage than you can also free yourself from it, as no one can free you except you. You are the writer of your own destiny in very first place. Follow the madhyakama or the middle path and maintain balance in everything food, sleep, life etc., Any crest of sense imbalance in life will be followed by a trough of miseries.

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