(Clearwisdom.net) This is in reference to a previous article published on the Clearwisdom website about the fire alarm and other disturbances that interfered with the Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference in Washington, DC in July 2004. I am a practitioner in China, and my heart ached when I read the article. I'd like to share my personal understanding of this matter.
It's been five years since the persecution started. Fellow practitioners living abroad have spent a huge amount of effort in clarifying the truth and helping reduce the pressure on practitioners in China. However, just as the overall situation of Fa-rectification is getting better, we experience this type of interference at one of our sacred experience sharing conferences. I think it is time for the fellow practitioners living abroad to look inwards.
Have they become overly zealous or relaxed? Do they not pay enough attention to evil influences? Have they become numb as time has passed? Or are they trapped in everyday people's notions?
Whatever the case may be, they didn't treat the Fa-rectification solemnly and seriously as they should have. In China, the majority of the evils have been eradiated. However, the brutal persecution is still going on. It is still difficult and sometimes dangerous for us, let alone fellow practitioners detained in prisons and forced labor camps, to distribute Teacher's articles or share experiences. It is our dream to personally listen to Teacher's lectures, to meet with Teacher, and to talk with fellow practitioners freely. From our perspective, the practitioners living outside China are very fortunate.
Could it be that certain practitioners no longer cherish this opportunity enough? Could it be that they confuse an experience sharing conference with some regular meeting instead of taking it as a solemn gathering? Even if it were just an ordinary meeting, we would be expected to behave in a disciplined manner. Yet, at a sacred Fa conference, some practitioners came and left at will. What was their real purpose when they decided to attend the Fa conference? Did they come simply to meet with Teacher? Did they attend out of curiosity, to learn some news or gain knowledge? We should take Fa conferences as chances to share with each other and improve ourselves.
Why couldn't some practitioners keep quiet to listen to others' speeches? Aren't we cultivating ourselves to be better people? Shouldn't we pay attention to learn how other practitioners have cultivated themselves? Some practitioners may think that they are doing well even without listening to other practitioners' experiences during the Fa-rectification period. On the other hand, it could be a sign that they don't take their cultivation seriously. Have they truly done a great job during the persecution? Why did they not listen to the experiences of fellow practitioners' righteous thoughts and actions? Doesn't the attitude "I'm already doing well" form a barrier to self-improvement?
The site of the Fa conference is associated with a sacred Fa-rectification field. It can suppress evils and eliminate chaos in the cosmos. Therefore, as Dafa particles, why can't they actively safeguard this field? Other practitioners did little to stop the interference. In fact, when interference occurs, it will degenerate immediately if all the practitioners send forth righteous thoughts together. The interference came on suddenly, but sudden incidents can test cultivators' xinxing levels. They are, in fact, opportunities to test whether we can constantly maintain righteous thoughts and actions.
Some of the people at the conference may not have been veteran practitioners and therefore unable to recognize the problems. They may have looked to veteran practitioners to set an example. If so, did the veteran practitioners send forth righteous thoughts and act as good role models? We should cherish all the chances to improve and not miss any opportunities to eliminate the evil. Interference came to our Fa conference in Washington, DC. Other damage has also occurred recently. We should look inside as a whole body to check whether we have any attachments. As Falun Dafa practitioners, we should not find excuses to justify our shortcomings.
The above are my personal understandings. Please correct me if I said anything inappropriate.
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