Counter-Strike and Personal Development: A Buddhist Monk's Perspective

Counter-Strike 2 has been a staple in my gaming routine for most nights. However, I can't claim I've discovered any Zen in trying to clutch a 1v4 after my teammate on A-site dies to their own Molotov and then shouts expletives in Russian while I attempt to listen for enemy footsteps. But who am I to judge? Not a Buddhist, certainly—not a Buddhist monk, at least. If I were, I might handle such situations more calmly, like this chill monk (via Ohnepixel).

According to the Dasheng Studio mini-documentary shared by X user nealCS, the monk, who identifies himself only as "Master," has continued playing Counter-Strike even after joining the order. "Why would I cut off a good thing?" he asks. That sentiment is shared by many players.

The monk has been playing Counter-Strike since elementary school, long before the Chinese-local version, Perfect World, launched. His peak rank was Legendary Eagle Master (LEM)—a rank I once reached, though I like to pretend it was Supreme since I was so close.

"Then," he says, "I got older, couldn't remember the positioning anymore, and my aim got soft too. So I stopped playing ranked after that."

He emphasizes the positive aspects of playing CS2: "The communication, exchange, cooperation with teammates... that feeling is really great. It also helps with your own personal growth. You're not a lone wolf. You have to consider the thoughts and feelings of the other four people, and their gaming experience too. Then in real life, you develop empathy."

He also shares his take on dealing with cheaters: "You have to hold on to your own principles. Their cheating—whatever they do—that's their problem."

He adds a Zen twist to the issue: "If someone wrongs you, insults you, what do you do? And the answer is: endure them. Wait a few years, and just watch. After a while, they'll get banned." This philosophical approach to in-game cheating is both refreshing and insightful.

The monk also addresses the old "video game violence is bad" argument with a few philosophical points:

  • "Using that theory [that killing enemies sends you to hell... if I] pick the Medic class, revive people non-stop in-game, does that mean I go to heaven?"
  • "If I don't have to do any real good deeds, don't have to cultivate, don't have to go through life's trials, and just play Medic in a game, revive people endlessly, and that gets me into heaven, then I'll accept that theory."
  • "I also don't feel bad when I get killed in a match, right? And winning or losing a game doesn't cause any irreversible harm to someone's life either."

When asked about the impact of in-game items on his Zen, he mentions that having a Karambit Emerald— a rare version of the Karambit Gamma Doppler skin worth thousands of dollars—was a "gift from a friend" who is also a monk.

His PC setup is also impressive, featuring an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 and an Intel Core i9 13900KS. "And it's not a pre-built either," he says. "A good friend of mine bought all the parts and assembled it himself."

I'm not sure whether I'll adopt full Buddhism just to handle my in-game woes, but this Master has certainly convinced me to try things differently. Perhaps some meditation and 4-7-8 breathing between rounds is a good idea. Or maybe dropping out of ranked entirely is the Zen way. After all, what does it matter how you stack up against enemies when everything is impermanent anyway?