(Clearwisdom.net) Some practitioners have recently shared their understanding that "the old forces are in fact yourself." I disagree with this sentiment and would like to discuss my own understanding on this issue.
1. Clearly understand the concept of "self"The old forces insist on testing Dafa practitioners based on the practitioner's attachments. When the practitioners regard the Fa as Teacher and continue looking inward to break through their own postnatally acquired notions, this indeed can break through the arrangements of the old forces. But we cannot simply make a substitution based on that and deduce the conclusion that "the old forces are in fact yourself." It's clear from Master's lectures that there is a clear distinction between one's postnatally acquired notions and oneself. This is an important distinction to make.
2. During the Fa-rectification, the "self" is the Fa-rectification period Dafa discipleWhether you regard your "self" as the old forces or a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple is the foundation of your position. This position determines whether you are a life of the new universe or one of the old universe, and whether you regard yourself as "a particle of Dafa."
When we made our wish to save sentient beings and came down the celestial body of the universe step by step, it was the layers of beings of the old forces who arranged everything for us according to their own standards. Consequently, we took on the degeneration at each level because of their arrangements. Without the Fa-rectification, we will never be able to go back. Master rectifies us from our origin out of his benevolence. Therefore, we are now beings whose essence is dissolving more and more thoroughly into the Fa.
The old forces are the beings in the old universe involved in damaging the Fa. They are the true evils and are destined to be eliminated in the Fa-rectification. Though their arrangements are not in accordance with the true principles of the universe, they keep using their arrangements to shake the righteous thoughts of the practitioners. They make us feel that we are insignificant, low and tiny. They make us feel guilty by thinking that going to Beijing [to validate Dafa] is getting involved in politics and we might be arrested if we clarify the truth. Some practitioners who are on the wanted list would feel afraid whenever they read anything in the newspaper about capturing people who are on the wanted list. Isn't it that the old forces are influencing these practitioners? I would like to ask them, "What are you afraid of? Are you criminals? Remember you are Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples, the most indestructible beings in the whole universe. It's the rotten demons who sought to ruin the Fa that are destined to be eliminated."
Master said, "As a Dafa disciple, your steadfast, righteous thoughts are absolutely unshakable, because your renewed being is formed precisely amidst the Fa-rectification"("Dafa is Indestructible").
3. Let our original nature play a role; purge our own problems with supernormal abilities
The old forces are very rampant since they know they are doomed. They desperately try to control the surface karma and postnatal notions of Dafa practitioners and magnify our attachments that haven't been eliminated. Therefore, some individual practitioners have become indifferent and have a passive attitude of having no way out when the tribulations come. They cannot clearly hold on to their own selves and therefore let the evils take advantage of the loopholes. What should we do then?
We already know that our cultivated side has been separated from our surface. After studying Touring North America to Teach the Fa repeatedly, I understand it is the old forces that have separated our surface from our nature; they use the human dimension to seal our much more powerful abilities. In fact, Master has pushed his disciples to each one's highest level. To those beings under our levels, we have boundless power; therefore we can purge all degenerated matter within the celestial bodies that we represent.
When our human side understands this principle, we will be able to break the separation and allow our original nature to play a role and to purge our own self with supernormal abilities. Therefore, during this critical historic period, we can completely break through the evil arrangements that take advantage of our own loopholes. There was no such principle for cultivation in the past. The attachments of a cultivator had to be gradually and slowly worn away during a long, harsh period of time. Instead of just using water to clean a glass stained with a thick layer of accumulated dirt, which would be very difficult, we should use a powerful cleaner to clean it.
Master has taught us clearly, "Our students can quiet their minds for five minutes, sitting with their hands in Jieyin and thinking about eliminating the bad thoughts, karma, bad notions, and external interference in their minds. As you're like this, think that they die, and then they will be eliminated. Five minutes will do." (Teaching the Fa at the 2001 Canada Fa Conference)
Let's study again Master's latest article "Righteous Thoughts," "So, in order to do Fa-rectification more effectively, while you clarify the facts you have to take sending righteous thoughts very seriously, and in a timely manner purge the evil and your own problems so that you won't be taken advantage of by the evil."
The above is my personal understanding. Please point out anything improper so that we can improve together.
November 20, 2002
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