No PMO War XLIII

004 A Celestial Gathering The fifth day of the fifth Lunar month, known as the Day of Earth Curing, is also the day the Five Celestial Emperors assemble gatherings to discuss and determine the conferring of government titles in the human world. On that day, many gods and deities convene in the heavens. At the last assembly, I also attended the gathering. Now some may wonder, how did Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu manage to attend this event? My reply is this: I sleep among the immortal isles of Feng-lai; In a flash, my soul soars into the spiritual realm; Where I sit, brilliant lights blaze; Where I walk, thunderbolts roar; Transcending time and space, A School that validates the authentic Buddhadharma, Dawn or dusk, east or west, ascending or descending, Interpenetrates all ten Dharma Realms. The gathering could be described as "a meeting of ten-thousand gods." Among those present were the Jade Emperor, the Three Celestial Gods of Heaven, Earth, and Water, the Four Deva Kings, the Five Lords of Five Peaks, Yama-king of Ten Halls, Great Lord Wen Chang (Lord of Literature), Lord Guan Sheng (God of War), Lord Xuan Tian, Lord Zi Wei (of the Northern Constellation), Mother of Constellations, the Five Lords of the Lunar Palace, and the Dragon Kings of the Four Oceans. Many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas also attended this gathering, including Shakyamuni Buddha, Samantabadhra Bodhisattva, Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, Cundi Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Golden Maize Buddha, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Medicine Buddha, Amitabha, Avatamsaka Bodhisattva and many others. At the assembly, many topics and motions were discussed. I was astonished, however, when one individual's name came up. Since it is inappropriate to disclose his name here, I will refer to him using the alias Cai Wang. Cai Wang was the chief of a political party and also outstandingly wealthy. The Five Celestial Emperors first mentioned Cai Wang stating, "Cai Wang should be elected chief." The subordinates agreed, seconding the motion. But the Great Lord of East Peak then stood up and spoke, "I object." "What is your reason?" asked the Five Celestial Emperors. The Great Lord of East Peak replied, "Cai Wang has the wealth and ranking to merit votes, but he has just recently raped a young girl. This girl became pregnant and, with broken body and mind, jumped off a building committing suicide. Now full of resentment and grief, she has come under my domain." "Wow!" When I heard this, I was greatly shocked. "Who then should be elected?" the Five Celestial Emperors asked. "XXX will take his place," answered the subordinates. (The last name of this person contains the pictogram "wood.") "What is going to happen to Cai Wang then?" The Yama-king of Ten Halls answered, "Cai Wang has accumulated extraordinary credits from previous lives to merit the chief position. However, during this life, he has squandered many of these credits. Now, after committing this severe transgression, not only will the position of chief be removed and his wealth reduced, he will also be stricken with a vicious illness. It will not be long before he begins his transmigration through the six realms." The gods then conceded, "That is it then." In fact, during the great election, all the candidates personally visited, wrote, or telephoned me. To each, my reply was, "I will give you blessing!" Cai Wang even asked, "Will I win the election?" My answer had been, "Put your utmost effort into doing good deeds and do not slack. Print more virtuous books and distribute them." "But the election date is approaching quickly. What should I do between now and then?" "Repent for your sins and make a vow to the spiritual realm to be virtuous for the rest of your life." "But I haven't committed any sins," he replied. "What is there to repent for?" I was silent and did not dare retort. After the election, indeed the person with the pictogram "wood" in his last name won the chief position and Cai Wang lost. Everyone had regarded Cai Wang as the frontrunner in the election, and all were surprised by the outcome. In this world, too many things turn out contrary to one's expectations! Cai Wang lost his bid for the chief office and his wealth also took a dive. I had inquired of the people around him about his health, but the initial reply I received was, "We don't know." So I asked a second time, this time inquiring someone from the inner circle who replied, "Don't tell anyone, but he has come down with an incurable disease!" "Oh! How transient are things of this world!" I sighed. I was worried for Cai Wang, because I know well that anyone who has committed transgressions of sexual misconduct will suffer the following retributions: deserved wealth will diminish, veneration and ranking will be taken away to be replaced by encounters with litigations and imprisonment, accidents, disasters, violent deaths, and other misfortunes. I sought the Great Lord of East Peak and asked, "How can Cai Wang resolve his karmic retribution?" The Great Lord replied, "It will be very difficult." "How difficult?" "Amid the endless seas of karmic transgressions, hindrances of sexual desire are among the hardest to remove. The karmic bondage between Cai Wang and the young girl shall continue intertwining endlessly through the six realms of transmigration." "So they will be trapped with each other in vicious cycles of enmity?" The Great Lord replied, "That is right." And he continued, "The knot of karmic enmity has now been fastened between Cai Wang and this young girl. In her next life, she will definitely be born as his wife or daughter. And in the future, there will definitely be the scenario of husband killing wife, wife killing husband, father killing offspring, or offspring killing father. The karmic retribution is quite tragic!" A deep sorrow pervaded my heart as I heard this. The Great Lord said, "The scenarios may begin as loving relationships between husband and wife or father and daughter. But, in the end, their initial feelings will mean nothing to them." I asked the Great Lord, "I know it is difficult to untie such knots of karmic enmity and liberate oneself from the six realms of transmigration. But, since it is possible, in what way can such a goal be accomplished?" The Great Lord replied, "The only way is through spiritual cultivation." "How does one begin cultivation?" "Repent, observe precepts, and enact the ten wholesome and virtuous deeds." "How then can one be liberated from the sufferings of transmigration?" The Great Lord replied, "The mind is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the mind. This is the state where all concepts of self and other are obliterated, where the four ideas pertaining to the existence of a separate ego are absent, where the ten evils and eight improper practices are eradicated, where attachment to egotistic and possessive love is dissolved, and where lust, anger, and delusion do not arise. This also occurs when one diligently sits down to meditate four times a day and there is no slacking of discipline twenty-four hours a day. To escape the halls of the Yama-king, one must be in the constant company of Amitabha and Kuan Yin. This way, in a flash, one transcends the three realms of Form, Desire, and Formlessness and, in a thunderclap, emerges from the traps of transmigration." "What if one is entangled in the snares of a karmic enemy?" "Develop through the Dharma the patience to bear all external hardships and abide in the condition of the absolute." "How is this achieved?" "Practice until one attains the reward at the stage of fruition where no lust, anger, and delusion arise!" The Lord of East Peak also said to me, "Cai Wang is not the only person suffering this kind of karmic retribution. Cases such as his can be found anywhere, among all people. In the eyes of gods and Buddhas, people of the world are merely rolling and tossing about amid oceans of dust. In the future, you, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu, will also be subjected to the same kinds of temptations where beautiful women will attempt to seduce and offer themselves to you. You must be very cautious." A pang of fear shot through my heart. "How should I handle such situations?" "The Buddha teaches one to silently dismiss them." "They will make impertinent remarks about their treatment." "What is important is that you have a clear conscience!" "What if people in the community misunderstand me?" "Regard their reactions as a way to neutralize your karmic hindrance." "What if people of the world censure me?" "Just don't let it affect you." "What kind of mind is this?" "This is a mind developed through Dharma to patiently bear all external hardships. It is a mind that abides in the condition of the absolute." After listening to the advice of the Lord of East Peak, I knew that my own ordeals would not be avoidable. I too, in the future, will encounter many such tests and challenges, enduring and suffering each interminable test, one by one. When I face misunderstanding and reprimands from the whole world, I must understand that such happenings occur to help me neutralize my karmic retributions and also to help me develop an endurance to attain rewards in the fruition stage. Undergoing such ordeals, I will have no need to rebuke or reproach. I only need to silently bear them. Not even the slightest trace of anger or hatred will arise in me as I pulverize, in a flash, the myriad worlds of form into the state of Great Emptiness. In the state of non-duality, there will be no self, no other, and no sentient beings. I truly am the Lotus Light Self-Mastery Buddha!

Imagine. I’m 30 years old. I learned to masturbate from a friend at the age of 11. I just rounded that to 20 years for number sake. 365days in a year x 20 years=7,300 Now 7,300 x 2 hours of Porn/PMO = 14,600HOURS!!! 14,600+ HOURS! To be honest this is pretty accurate, or underestimate for my point of view. How about you guys? I challenge you to calculate How long you been going for and the amount of time spent. How much of your life have you wasted? 14,600 HOURS IS 608 DAYS AND 8 HOURS. ALMOST 2 YEARS! 2 YEARS! On my game Guild wars 2, I have over 7,500 hours spent on it 312 days, and 12 hours. COMBINE BOTH OVER 3 YEARS +! That’s a scary image huh? I’m not saying everyone give up their leisure time but 3 years of leisure time is too much. And we have people in our Barrack that are Karma level one that can’t take 10 minutes to press LIKE on 3 post to get there karma up. You can get karma up in 3 very simple ways, LIKE A POST, START A POST, COMMENT ON A POST. Quite easy. But, for me imaging the benefits of what 14,600+7,500= 22,100 hours you could’ve done/improved your life with. If I worked out 22,100 hours, I could’ve been in the Expendables movie. Bigger than Arnold, 2 or 3 PhD Degrees. I would’ve had a girlfriend, wife and kids already. I would’ve have made enough money for a 2 story house and a good car and more! I’m not complaining but, 22,100 working at a $8.50 rate will get you $187,000 without taxes. That’s the reality of porn addiction PMO. You spent $187,000 for a virtual stripper that doesn’t even touch you or care about you!!! 22,100 taken away from adequate sleep, workout time and study preparation. If I trained for 22,100 hours, to be honest, I would be an Olympian by now. I would’ve open my own company. I want to use this as a wake up call for everyone. You may think that 30 minutes a day, quick fap means nothing. But, it adds up a lot over time. And it’s very costly. According to the math I just did it cost me over $100,000 a chance to be Valedictorian in high school, my livelihood and more. You guys reading this are better than me, and I expect better. In college, I had tons of girls flock to me and my room, did I ever close the interaction, ie. get laid? NOT ONCE. I’m not saying nofap is to help you get laid. It’s here to change your life, but the consequences of PMO will lower your sex drive, self-esteem, time management skills, relationship with friends. WAKE UP. If the consequences of PMO aren’t that strong of you to stop relapsing and clicking KIA. Then read my story or share it with other people. I don’t want to see any more people KIA from Water anymore, and I hope everyone will be at karma level 10 by next week. PMO is BAD! Plain and Simple. I reflect on what I could’ve done, would’ve been. I was a graduate student and college and it went down hill. Might or might not be due to porn, but I was PMOing every day in college enough said. I did it every day, until Maybe 24 years old, even if it was for a quicky. I had a small break where I had long streaks. But, the damage was done physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationship wise. I mean, my habits, mannerism, behavior and social interaction reflected me. I even heard people talking behind me back saying. “Is he Jacking off again in the shower?” They would say you know it. If I was ever confined too long in my room, they would joke if I was playing with myself. Of course I said no. Who would admit to that? I was/am embarrassed and ashamed of my actions and hiding it. I lost a lot, but that war. In this war, we lose people, friends, respect, dignity, money, status, fame. That’s why I’m going so hard on myself and others to not binge or nofap. It’s so easy these days with UNLIMITED MOBILE DATA, on your phone. I mean perverts have easy access now. To go to an extreme, I will call you a pervert, if you do look at porn. I was even taunted as a pedophile once–that’s not a good thing, even if they were just teasing. Even if my friend’s were joking, that’s not a good label to have on your head, especially in public. It hurts you on the inside. I’m making a commitment now, to commit the next 14,600 hours to better myself and others. This is my 4th nofap war. It won’t be my last. I have tons of material I want to write about now, imagine how many books I can write over 14,600 times. I could’ve been a master novelist, amongst other things. For those reading this, I want you guys to tell me: What would you guys do with 14,600 hours? Be detailed, Imagine, Immerse yourself in it. Feel it come to life. Because, it’s here. This is Hour 1, 14,599 more hours to go. “A MOMENT OF PLEASURE, LEADS TO A LIFE TIME OF SUFFERING” ~Sheng-yen Lu"

Part 2: The Contemporary Scientific View (Psychology and Neurobiology) Freud’s classic concept of sublimation (redirecting the sexual drive into cultural, artistic, or intellectual activity) has found partial support in newer research. Sublimation is treated as a mature defense mechanism — energy from desire or aggression is transformed into socially valued actions. There are experiments showing that people in whom “forbidden” erotic thoughts were induced subsequently produced more creative work (especially in certain cultural contexts). Neurobiologically: sexual arousal activates the same reward circuits (dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex) and executive networks that underpin goal-directed motivation, focus, and persistence. Imaging studies indicate that regulated arousal engages the circuits linked to goal pursuit. Thoughts of love (long-term) favor holistic thinking and creativity, while thoughts of sex itself more strongly support analytic, concrete thinking. Research on sexual abstinence yields mixed results. Some small studies in men show short-term reductions in mental and physical fatigue and increases in activity and self-control. Others indicate that effects depend heavily on individual libido levels — for people with high drive, abstinence can lower concentration. There is no solid evidence for a lasting, universal rise in testosterone or “superpowers” after long retention. The most credible mechanism is rather: less time and attention consumed by stimulus-seeking + conscious redirection of arousal into other activities.

Hello everyone, I decided to quit this vulgar habit, I need your help, tell me how to do it. Thanks

Sexual energy is not a mystical force but a concrete package of nervous-system, hormonal, and motivational activation. When strong arousal arises (libido, desire, erotic tension), the brain releases dopamine, sympathetic nervous-system activity rises, and the body enters a state of readiness for action. Transmutation means consciously redirecting that state into other productive activities instead of automatic discharge or suppression. This article is divided into three parts: what the issue is and why it is worth addressing, what contemporary science says, and concrete techniques (what works and what does not) together with the benefits. Part 1: What Sexual Energy Is and the Costs of Uncontrolled Discharge Sexual energy is simply a high level of physiological and psychological arousal linked to desire. In practice it shows up as bodily tension, intrusive thoughts, strong motivation to seek erotic stimuli, and readiness to act. When it is regularly and automatically discharged (pornography, masturbation, casual sex), typical side-effects appear: A short-term drop in motivation and a “flattening” of mood after orgasm (the refractory period and dopamine dip). Habituation to fast, intense rewards, which makes it harder to focus on tasks that require sustained effort. In some people — a sense of diffusion, lower energy for creative work or sport, and greater impulsivity. On the other hand, pure suppression (repression, guilt, fighting the thoughts) often leads to frustration, tension, and rebound — a stronger return of desire. Transmutation is the third path: notice the energy, do not fight it, and channel it into concrete action.

I’ll be honest, I’ve really struggled these last couple of years. I used to be on the top of my game, did plenty of these wars (under an old account) where I’d not even think about PMO. But in the last couple of years, I’ve backslid to the point where I’ve not been able to get past 3 weeks. I’m reaching the 3 week point, but this time it’s different. I’ve managed to convince myself that PMO holds zero benefits. I noticed the other day that my mind idly thought “I’ll PMO later to relieve this stressful day” before catching myself and genuinely believing my challenge of “that won’t relieve anything, you’re just feeling a craving.” This is the most free I’ve ever felt since I first realised I was addicted, back in like, 2012. I’ve never truly believed that PMO is the cause of any misery, even when I’ve had multi-year streaks going. I’m not currently using willpower to resist anything because there’s nothing to resist. PMO isn’t an option on the table and I believe that now. I don’t want to speak too soon but I do believe my subconscious believes it too. I guess my point is, try and figure out how you can truly convince yourself that PMO holds no benefit, and that it is the cause of a lot of problems you may be facing. And not the objective sort of “yeah of course it’s bad for me, why would I be here?” But that lower level “how can it be that bad, it’s only once, I’ll quit next time” thought process. Remember, why would you quit and then spend the rest of your life wishing you hadn’t.

People who successfully cut back report higher life satisfaction, greater mindfulness, stronger feelings of autonomy and competence, reduced loneliness and stress, and improved self-esteem. Mental-health symptoms often improve noticeably—sometimes within days to weeks. Sustained attention recovers. Sleep lengthens and quality rises. Many find more time for exercise, in-person connection, hobbies, and simply being present. The improvements are not merely the absence of harm; they reflect the return of cognitive bandwidth, emotional regulation, and the ability to choose how attention is spent. Quitting scrolling is not about rejecting technology. It is about ending the default of passive, algorithm-driven consumption so that the phone becomes a tool rather than a master. The newest research is clear: the costs of unchecked scrolling are real and measurable, the mechanisms are increasingly understood, and practical, evidence-based steps produce meaningful recovery. Start small, design friction into the environment, replace the habit rather than merely suppress it, and the gains in focus, mood, and free time arrive faster than most people expect.

Day 4, and so far it's been pretty uneventful. No epic battles against my urges, no spiritual enlightenment, and no superpowers yet either. But at least my morning routine is running like clockwork. To be fair, this challenge couldn't have come at a worse time. I originally had completely different plans, but sometimes you've just got to set your priorities straight. One thing I've noticed pretty quickly, though: When I stop giving myself that familiar dopamine rush in the evening, my entire daily routine starts to shift. I wake up earlier, have more energy for my morning routine, and can really go all out at work afterward. I've basically traded PMO for my morning routine. And so far, that's been a pretty good deal. The only thing that still needs some work is my time after work. As soon as I've finished my biggest meal of the day, it feels like my evening is already over. Sometimes I'm literally too lazy to even play video games. So I'm making a few adjustments: a small snack after work, then getting out and doing something, and finally having a proper meal afterward. Dinner is basically the exit ramp off the highway. And if I still want to keep driving, I probably shouldn't take that exit too early. What I particularly appreciate about NoPMO is this feeling of experiencing life more intensely. For me, NoPMO isn't an end in itself. It's more like a performance-enhancing supplement. I feel more driven, more aware of my everyday life, and more eager to get things done. And honestly, it's not necessarily about reaching 30, 60, or 90 days. It's about asking myself one simple question every morning: Am I ready to experience life a little more intensely today? And if things eventually stop going so smoothly, there's one thing I want to remind myself of: It's not about never failing. It's about staying in the game. A setback isn't the same as surrendering. This time, I started with worse conditions, but more experience and a stronger mindset. Let's see how far this journey takes me. And if my motivation happens to disappear by Day 30, at least one thing will remain certain: Even when the motivation fades, the big balls remain.

Create resistance, not just willpower. Tools that insert a pause or require extra steps (e.g., apps that force a short wait before opening social media, physical “brick” devices that block apps until the phone is tapped against them) cut opens substantially. Grayscale mode removes the colorful visual rewards that drive compulsive checking and can reduce daily use by a large margin in experiments. Block or restrict mobile internet for a defined period. A two-week block of mobile internet access produces broad, lasting gains in mood, mental health, and attention for many people. Calls and texts remain available; computers can still be used. Reduce rather than fully abstain. Cutting daily use by roughly one hour often yields more durable benefits than total detoxes. Self-chosen reduction targets (10–30 %) outperform assigned targets. Change the environment and cues. Charge the phone in a fixed place away from the bedroom and sofa. Use a physical alarm clock. Hide or delete the most addictive apps from the home screen. Turn off non-essential notifications (or batch them). Keep the phone out of reach during focused work or the first/last hour of the day. Replace the habit with a specific alternative. Vague intentions fail. Write if-then plans: “When I feel the urge to scroll after finishing a task, I will set a two-minute timer and step outside / stretch / read three pages of a book.” Pair the urge with a short, rewarding offline action. Track and set clear goals. Built-in screen-time reports create awareness. Combine them with concrete, self-selected limits and review progress weekly. What tends not to work (or works poorly alone) Relying solely on willpower or vague resolutions (“I’ll just use it less”). Aggressive total bans without replacement activities or environmental redesign—relapse is common once the ban ends. Leaving notifications on and hoping to ignore them. Focusing only on total screen time while ignoring the quality of use (passive scrolling vs. purposeful communication or learning). Expecting a single weekend detox to permanently rewire a deeply practiced habit without ongoing supports.

Part 2: Newest Scientific Research on Scrolling and Smartphone Use Research published in 2024–2026 has moved beyond simple correlations to larger reviews, neuroimaging syntheses, and experimental interventions. A major umbrella review published in eClinicalMedicine (a Lancet journal) in 2026 pooled 121 earlier reviews covering more than 9 million people under 25. Compulsive use of phones, social media, and games was associated with roughly twice the likelihood of depression or anxiety, self-harm or suicidal thoughts, poor sleep, and loneliness. Conduct problems and persistent negative emotions were even more elevated. A systematic review of short-form video platforms (“Taming the Endless Scroll,” European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2026) examined 42 studies with nearly 47,000 participants (mean age ~17). Intensive, unstructured use (≥4 hours/day of continuous scrolling without purpose) showed small-to-moderate increases in inattention and impulsivity, moderate reductions in working memory and self-regulation, and moderate elevations in anxiety, depression, and stress. Imaging data pointed to gray-matter differences and altered neural synchrony. Neuroimaging syntheses (covering studies up to 2025) consistently find structural and functional changes in reward, control, and emotion networks among people with problematic smartphone use. One review of 35 studies highlighted reduced gray matter in key frontal and insular regions. Experimental work has begun establishing causality. A randomized trial that blocked mobile internet on smartphones for two weeks (while allowing calls, texts, and computer use) produced significant improvements in subjective well-being, mental-health symptoms (reductions in depressive symptoms comparable to or larger than typical antidepressant effects), and objectively measured sustained attention (roughly equivalent to reversing a decade of age-related decline). Ninety-one percent of participants improved on at least one outcome. Benefits were partly mediated by more time spent socializing in person, exercising, and being outdoors. Other controlled studies show that reducing daily smartphone use by about an hour (rather than total abstinence) can produce more stable long-term gains in life satisfaction, reduced anxiety and depression symptoms, and increased physical activity. Self-selected reduction goals outperform assigned goals. Grayscale mode, friction tools that insert a short delay before opening apps, and app deletion have also demonstrated measurable reductions in use. Collectively, the newest evidence indicates that the problem is less about total hours and more about how the phone is used—especially passive, unstructured, attention-fragmenting scrolling—and that meaningful change is possible with relatively short interventions.