(Clearwisdom.net) On November 27, 2004, Minghui Net reprinted a commentary entitled "Jiang Zemin and the Chinese Communist Party are Using Each Other in the Persecution of Falun Gong." The commentary discussed how Jiang and the Chinese Communist Party are using each other in persecuting Falun Gong. It explained the evil roots shared by both Jiang Zemin and the Communist Party, the specific measures taken in the persecution of Falun Dafa, the grave consequences of such a persecution, as well as its inevitable fate.
As the commentary touched upon not only Jiang, but also the Communist Party created by the old forces specifically for the persecution of Dafa, some practitioners shared some understandings. We have summarised their thoughts as follows, and we would like to share this discussion this with more practitioners.
It is a fact that Jiang Zemin and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are using each other in the persecution of Falun Gong
Practitioner A: Exactly as is said in the commentary, Jiang would not have been able to mobilize all of China to persecute Falun Gong without being backed by the CCP, even though he is venomously evil and holds intense hatred for the principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance.
Practitioner B: The fact that the Chinese Communist Party is at Jiang Zemin's beck and call indeed has something to do with their nature. Outside of China, people find it very hard to believe that Falun Gong, which advocates Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, is being persecuted. This is because people have intentionally or unintentionally overlooked the fact that both Jiang and the CCP share the same nature - "lies, malice and violence."
Our aim in clarifying the facts, exposing the evil and saving sentient beings remain unchanged
Practitioner D: I have noticed, now that we have directly mentioned the Chinese Communist Party by name in their persecution of Dafa, some people feel very happy about it, thinking that now we are going to do something about the Chinese Communist Party and so on and so forth. In fact, everyday people's perspectives and the views of Dafa practitioners are totally different. Not only do they differ in their way of thinking, but also fundamentally, their ways of doing things and their objectives are different too. The standard we go by in doing things is whether it is beneficial for the salvation of sentient beings.
Practitioner A: The CCP has done so many bad things in the last few decades, and many everyday people are hoping that Falun Gong will oppose it along with them. Their wish is understandable, but it is impossible to be realized, because cultivating in Dafa requires us to be unattached to everyday people's society. Politics is a part of everyday people's issues and no matter how important they think it is, it is something that we cultivators must go beyond and let go of.
Practitioner E: Cultivators do not involve themselves in politics; otherwise they are not genuine cultivators. This is decided by the cultivation principles of Dafa. However, we are clearheaded about everything that happens in the human world. We are very clear why the CCP and Jiang are using each other in their persecution of us. To speak up is to save sentient beings so that they can see through the evilness of the CCP and see clearly how wonderful Dafa is. Therefore, our exposing how the Chinese Communist Party has persecuted Dafa is based on something totally different from the political purposes of everyday people in their battle against the Communist Party.
Practitioner D: That's right. What we do is based on saving sentient beings. Cultivators have no concern about which individual is in power or which Party is in office. However, no matter who it is (whether an individual, an organization or a political party), as long as he or she persecutes Dafa and Dafa practitioners, we will expose their crimes and help people see through their nature so as to clear away the remaining fear in people's mind created by the CCP. Master gave an example during lectures on the Fa: when an individual was listening to the Fa lectures, he saw many wonderful things that were truly happening in other dimensions. He was very happy and told many others about what he saw. But at the end of the talk he said, "I'm a Communist Party member, I don't believe any of these things." This shows his blind loyalty to the Party and his illusions and fear of the Party. This attachment to the Communist Party has blocked a great number of people from understanding the truth and accepting the facts.
As an individual, Jiang slanders Dafa and directs the persecution of Dafa. Our exposing his crimes and suing him around the world is cleaning up his vicious influence and saving sentient beings poisoned by him; it is the same with regards to the Chinese Communist Party. It is a fact that the CCP has persecuted Dafa. If it hadn't done so and hadn't spread vicious lies to instigate hatred towards Dafa amongst sentient beings, we would not have mentioned it at all. But it has persecuted Dafa and poisoned sentient beings, and we therefore have an obligation to expose its evil crimes. We should not avoid this simply because it is a political party.
Of course, as Dafa practitioners, when we clarify the facts, we still focus on the persecution and the issues that relate to the persecution. This remains unchanged. In fact, with our foundation in cultivation, when we talk about the Communist Party as a part of society, we still do not have any political pursuits. This is unlike everyday people who have a political intention of pushing someone in or out of office. Dafa practitioners are cultivators and have the responsibility of letting people know the facts of the persecution so that they will have a good future. Only when we ourselves have no attachment to politics can we clarify the truth without sentiment and political orientation and can we see clearly the nature of the issues with rationality. As for the ending of the Communist Party, its own choices will decide its fate in the process of Fa-rectification. Good will be rewarded and evil will be met with evil. This is decided by the universal law.
Fear, non-involvement in politics and fundamental attachments
Practitioner A: Some practitioners could not understand this article, and a few practitioners have some fear. They are afraid of the CCP because they know how brutally it persecutes Falun Gong. They are worried about their own safety because they fear retaliation. They think that it is better to not touch this sensitive topic. They are worried that their non-practitioner family members will not understand them, and they are also afraid of getting involved in politics.
Practitioner C: Those scenarios do exist. I know a practitioner who has been very active in opposing the persecution and clarifying the truth. He thought that it is wonderful that Dafa teaches its practitioners not to get involved in politics. However, he had his own definition of "political involvement." For example, he often told people, "We don't get involved in politics as Falun Gong practitioners. We only target certain individuals, such as our global lawsuits against Jiang Zemin." His standard for non-politics is "protest against individual persons [who persecute Dafa] but not against the CCP." But this is a very superficial way of thinking. In fact, some people would call us "getting involved in politics" for suing Jiang Zemin.
This shows that we need to better rid ourselves of human notions, strengthen righteous thoughts and clarify the truth in a positive way and in a more active manner.
Distinguish between our personal ideals and the CCP's deceptive lies
Practitioner D: I know a fellow practitioner who is a veteran CCP member. He knows that Dafa is good and that the CCP is persecuting Dafa, but if you mentioned the crimes that the Party has committed against Dafa, he would feel bad and almost instinctively defend the Party. He thought that the CCP was good to begin with and that it had attractive theories such as Communism, which advocates the building of a heaven on earth. He thought that only some Party members and government officials are responsible for the corruption of the CCP and the persecution of Falun Gong; he thought that these CCP members themselves became corrupt and they ruined the Party. It was very difficult for him to accept the article.
Practitioner B: I think that has to do with the CCP's brainwashing propaganda that has lasted for the past half century, and it also has to do with people's personal experiences. Every Dafa practitioner is in the world today for a major purpose. Their true nature probably guides them in seeking to return to their true original selves. Therefore, they have probably searched for the truth everywhere in ordinary society. Some of them were attracted by the CCP's propaganda and mistook the CCP's slogans as their life goals without realizing that the Party's true nature is "lies, malice and violence." They also falsely believed that the CCP's constantly doing bad things is the act of a few CCP leaders who twist CCP principles. After a while, they consider themselves part of the CCP.
Practitioner E: I think talking about the CCP persecuting Dafa is touching upon some fellow practitioners' fundamental attachment. Back in the early stages of my personal cultivation, I especially agreed with the principle that practicing Falun Dafa is not political. I felt I had found a pure land and could rid myself of filthy politics. However, this thought was still based on human things. Through constant improvement, I realized my desire to stay away from politics was not wrong, but if I limited myself with this desire, it would become an attachment that would hinder my improvement.
Some practitioners who are veteran CCP members may have notions similar to the one I just mentioned. At first, they wanted a pure ideal and they joined the CCP because they believed the CCP's promise and self-portrayal as a "selfless savior of the people." After several decades, these CCP members are still unwilling to let go of their illusions. Although they have seen that the CCP has always committed evildoing, they still cannot rationally accept the fact that the CCP's true nature dictates that it is only capable of committing evil. They cling to the "orthodox" Marx-Leninism and Communist theories, thinking that they are noble and selfless doctrines. If you think about it, this is just like a person. If a person does nothing in his whole life but commit bad deeds and hurt others, aren't his actions enough proof in themselves that he is a thug?
These practitioners may have entered the practice of Dafa with a pursuit of purity. However, after a period of cultivation, and especially as Fa rectification has reached the final stage, Dafa practitioners, as cultivators, should give up all human thoughts and sentiments. Hatred and fondness of Communism or Marx-Leninism are all human feelings and human thoughts. The purpose of Dafa practice isn't to become attached to something in the ordinary society. If we don't get rid of these things, they will form barriers for our cultivation and we will be unable to step out of humanness. The atheism advocated by the CCP is against the universe and is poisoning the minds of the people. We have taken the critical step of negating atheism, so why can't we keep moving forward and completely transform into gods? As great and righteous enlightened beings of the new universe, we must be completely pure in order to return!
Practitioner D: Master said that for today's people, even the foundation of our beings has degenerated. My understanding is that it's hard for Dafa practitioners to cleanse themselves of the poison instilled by the CCP if they are affected by sentiment, because they are surrounded by a polluted environment created by the CCP. Some degenerate notions are hard for a person to recognize himself even after a long time. If a person talks about the shortcomings of the CCP in terms of its own theories, he is still being controlled by the CCP and cannot see the true reality.
Practitioner E: In fact, 5,000 years of profound Chinese civilization has created many noble people. Before the CCP took power, many Chinese people had high moral standards; even before the Cultural Revolution, many Chinese people held high standards for themselves. However, the CCP claims that the decent people with high ideals who joined the CCP are products of the CCP's teaching, as it claims these people have "lofty Communist morals." In fact, the CCP decorates itself with these people, while its materialism, atheism and nature of "lies, malice and violence" corrupt people's morality and conscience. The CCP is the direct cause of the all-around moral collapse and social crisis that is rampant in China today. Well-wishers who are unable to see through the CCP's mask continue to be deceived and they hope it will "correct its mistakes" and even "save China." The CCP's techniques are very deceptive and it has fully used the same methods in persecuting Falun Gong and deceived a lot people.
Dafa is compassionate and saves all sentient beings
Practitioner B: Some people have asked, "Why has the issue about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, which is so clear, been raised only recently? Is this the strategy of Falun Gong practitioners?" I think our principle of being against the persecution has never changed. This is a natural thing in clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings, as except for those people who do not acknowledge reality in order to keep themselves loyal to the CCP, as mentioned by fellow practitioners, there are also those people who:
- Listened to Dafa practitioners' truth clarification and have been aware of the existence and viciousness of the persecution, but claim that, "I know that the persecution is wrong, but I'm also not against the CCP."
- In order to maintain the little material benefits that the CCP allows them to have, while fearing being persecuted by the CCP as being "anti-party," would rather not uphold or even turn against the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."
- There are police officers, knowing that the victims of the persecution are innocent good people, but claim that Jiang Zemin and the CCP have ordered them to do so, and have taken the CCP and its power as the absolute truth.
- There are some people who knew the truth of the persecution but did not stand up against the persecution, and instead they even showed gratitude towards the CCP. A Dafa practitioner once wrote in his article, "One day, my father saw me transcribing Master's articles. He kept silent for a long time, trying to hold his temper and peacefully persuaded me not to contact fellow practitioners any more. He also said, 'You can maintain your job, you should appreciate the CCP. They have been compassionate to you, and did not treat you as they did during the Cultural Revolution.' I was very upset upon hearing this and could not express my feeling with words. "
There are also other examples like the above, and it is time to eliminate all of these.
Practitioner E: My understanding is that it is the compassion of Dafa and Dafa practitioners to clearly point out that the CCP and Jiang Zemin are making use of each other on the issue of persecuting Falun Gong.
Had we clarified the truth in this way at the very beginning of the persecution when it was so rampant, and made clear to all the fact that the CCP and Jiang are making use of each other on the issue of persecuting Falun Gong, perhaps it would have been difficult for many people to accept it at the time. Due to the fear of the CCP or their attachment to it, people may have positioned themselves incorrectly, and the objective of saving sentient beings may not have been achieved. For some practitioners who had not let go of their fundamental attachments, it would result in more serious tribulations during their cultivation and truth clarification. However, the situation is different now. Many people already know the truth, and the evil elements have become very few. It is compassionate to tell this fact to the sentient beings at this stage, and it is imperative to do so. This will help people realize the role that the CCP has been playing in this persecution, and allow more sentient beings to be saved in the last stage of the Fa rectification.