(Clearwisdom.net) As Dafa practitioners, arrogance and inferiority are not manifestations of righteous hearts. Instead, they are the result of human notions, and are great attachments and obstacles on our cultivation path. Feelings of inferiority and arrogance are rooted in selfishness, and their cause in the Three Realms is human sentimentality.
Here I would like to focus on the sense of inferiority. Differences in personal appearance, financial situation, education level, age, or social status may all cause feelings of inferiority. The typical manifestations are a disbelief in, suspicion of, and loss of confidence in oneself. Sometimes a practitioner may also feel inferior when he makes mistakes or commits wrongdoings because he is not diligent in cultivation, does not study the Fa enough, or fails to elevate himself through cultivation during Fa-rectification.
Some practitioners always regard themselves as having a poor base and thus think they are less suited for cultivation. The most fundamental issue is that one does not have a correct understanding of Dafa and Teacher, does not position oneself properly, does not recognize the greatness of Dafa, Teacher, and oneself as a practitioner during the Fa-rectification, or does not understand Master's words that one should quickly stand up and move forward after falling down. In other words, it is the manifestation of poor enlightenment quality, and requires the practitioner to try very hard to awaken to the Fa as soon as possible.
Because of the sense of inferiority, one can be confused by the evils' accusations, and mix up the great sacred task of assisting Teacher in rectifying the Fa and saving sentient beings with that of "getting involved in politics" or "fighting with people." For the same reason, one may be too self-critical, even give up cultivation, position oneself as being tested or persecuted by the old forces, and fail to demonstrate the dignity of a Dafa practitioner as one's godly side is seriously suppressed.
In fact practitioners who are diligently advancing will not feel inferior, nor do they have the time to. They are constantly filling their minds with Dafa. They deny any bad elements formed at various stages of their lives through cultivation in the Fa-rectification. As the Fa can rectify anything that is not upright, they understand that whether or not the things they have just done are good or not, they are over. Thinking of them too much is itself an attachment. The key is to learn a lesson and do it right from then on.
The differences in gender, age, education, wealth, and social status make each individual a distinct character on the stage of this show in the human world, but they will never influence the heart of a genuine cultivator.
Regarding a person's base, Master said,
"You shouldn't be attached to these things in cultivation. It has nothing to do with that. Don't worry about how your base is. When a being is able to enter Dafa today, his base is not bad. Look at the world's people--there are more than seven billion people in the world, and how many Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples are there? Yet you are one of them. So why should you still talk about your base?"
("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference")
We must understand that any situations that prevent us from taking steady, upright steps on our paths of Fa-rectification are things that no practitioner should acknowledge. We must identify and deny these situations. We have only one common name, that is, Dafa disciple. No individual practitioner can be substituted with anyone else. The Fa requires every one of us to meet the criteria of Dafa at various levels. We are so fortunate that we share the common great mission and responsibility to assist Teacher to rectify the Fa and save sentient beings.
During the last moments of Fa-rectification, numerous sentient beings are in great peril, longing to being saved by each compassionate Dafa practitioner who gives up his selfishness and ego. If we are overwhelmed by self-criticism and are demoralized, we will not be able to carry out well the three things that Teacher has asked us to do. In that case, how many lives that have been waiting for your salvation would become hopeless? And how many opportunities would you lose to return to the correct path?
Only the dark minions and rotten demons of the old forces are pleased to see us feeling inferior. It is an excuse they use to destroy the mighty will of a practitioner in the Fa-rectification Period.
We must guard our xinxing (heart or mind nature, moral character) against the sense of inferiority. We must firmly deny it and dissolve it as soon as it begins to emerge. Otherwise, it will be constantly strengthened and exploited by thought karma and the dark minions. When it becomes strong enough to overwhelm one's will, one will not be able to escape being stuck in the mire.
No matter how many reasons you have for your sense of inferiority, they do not belong to a great practitioner in the Fa-rectification, because Dafa practitioners are creating the future. Every day is brand new to us. Whenever you overcome your sense of inferiority, you are creating the future and you are leaving behind a reference for future beings in the same situation. If you can cast off your shackles, you are establishing your own dignity.
In His lectures, Master hinted to us, Dafa practitioners in the Fa-rectification Period, again and again, the glory and magnificence of our futures. Master's Fa was taught to every one of us. Don't feel that you are excluded or are an exception. That is actually an issue of whether you hold firm belief in Teacher and Dafa.
Don't betray Teacher's magnificent compassion and patience. From now on, bravely stand up and firmly move forward; toss away the regret of the past, and carry glory and brightness with you into the future!
Take the sense of inferiority simply as an attachment that a practitioner has to eliminate, because it does not belong to any practitioner. Let us advance diligently on the path to Godhood!
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