(Minghui.org) I developed a bad habit of sleeping in. This began in the third grade. I know I should get up at 6 a.m. to send forth righteous thoughts, and sometimes my mother, who is a fellow practitioner, would wake me. I often fell back to sleep again. I didn't think this was a big deal, since I was still able to get up and go to school on time. I did not think of this as a test that I needed to pass, so it went on for years.
When my mother noticed I was not up to send forth righteous thoughts, at first, she would call me. I had a lot of excuses: I had stayed up too late, noise kept waking me, etc. I just did not want to get up. Mother reminded me, “Laziness is a form of demon.” I did not pay attention and thought sleeping a little more was no big deal.
In middle school, there was more homework, and I was often up late getting it done. On weekends I often stayed up even later. Mother felt I should enlighten to this problem on my own, so she no longer woke me.
More problems developed as a result of my laziness. My room got messier, I did not use my time wisely, I was always tired. I slacked off in my Fa study and doing the exercises. Master mentioned in the Fa:
“When a cultivator's mind departs from the Fa, the evil will find its way in.” (“Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference II)
Looking back, aren't those problems all due to lack of Fa study? I used homework as an excuse, and during summer or winter breaks, I just wanted to play. I did not put Fa study as a priority. I only read a bit after being prompted by my mother.
Until one day, I read Master's Fa:
“One’s Buddha-nature is Shan, and it manifests itself as compassion, thinking of others before acting, and the ability to endure suffering. One’s demon-nature is viciousness, and it manifests as killing, stealing and robbing, selfishness, wicked thoughts, sowing discord, stirring up troubles by spreading rumors, jealousy, wickedness, anger, laziness, incest and so on.” (“Buddha-Nature and Demon-Nature” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
I had memorized this when I was very young. I had memorized it, but failed to measure myself against it, which I should have done long ago.
Master said laziness is demon nature, and that as a cultivator one should get rid of this. Master put laziness along with killing, stealing, robbing, wickedness, and incest. It shocked me. The reality is, laziness is not as simple a matter as I had believed. Thinking of my past behavior, I broke out in a cold sweat.
Now that I realize how serious laziness is, I will change. I will eliminate my laziness, and my bad habit of staying up late.
Please kindly point out any shortcomings.
