(Clearwisdom.net)
While studying Master's article, "Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People," the phrase that Dafa disciples "should let go of their long-standing human attachments" perplexed me. My understanding was that from day one when someone started cultivation practice, one was supposed to continuously let go of personal fame, worldly gain, human desires and sentiments. Then what could these long-standing human attachments be?
While clarifying the truth, some people would praise me after understanding the truth. "You spoke so well," someone would comment. In the beginning, this did not move my heart. Later, more people, including fellow practitioners, expressed their praise and admiration. They said that I was lively and eloquent in my ability to clarify the truth. Finally I recognized the self-satisfied pride within me. This exalted self-elation, though brief, made me vigilant, and I asked myself the question "Was what everybody is telling me really true? Did I really clarify the truth that well?" In the article "A Cultivator is Naturally Part of It," Master said,
"For a cultivator, all the frustrations he comes across among everyday people are trials, and all the compliments he receives are tests." (Essentials for Further Advancement)
Wasn't my situation indicative of a long-standing human attachment to showing off and being complacent? Since then, I strengthened my righteous thoughts and thinking. However, I still continued to come across people that persisted in praising me. I decided to listen to the praise with indifference and treat the matter lightly. This was what a true cultivator should do.
Once, I met an individual who posed a real challenge to me. He said, "I don't want to listen, you can go to the police station to clarify the truth about Falun Gong. Go clarify the truth to the government." His arbitrary and malicious attitude choked my responses. I became dumb-founded and felt insulted by this challenge. My heart ached as if I were being stabbed with a knife. Later, I asked myself why it was so difficult to endure being scolded. Wasn't all of it originating from a deep-rooted human attachment of qing? Unhappiness is also a part of qing.
Later, I met another person. When I started clarifying the truth he instantly became angry and said sternly to me, "I was watching you closely as you spoke with all those dozens of people. My impatience has already reached the point that if you continue, I will call the 610 Office and have you arrested." With a smile, I said to him, "Would you mind letting me know your identity?" He responded, "I am a Chinese Communist Party member!" Sensing that he was serious and going to make the call, I turn around and left.
Once, a practitioner's husband refused to let his wife go out with me to clarify the truth. His demeanor became menacing and threatening. With a wooden stick in his hand, he approached me and threatened to beat me to death. I looked straight into his eyes and calmly told him, "Falun
Dafa disciples are all good people. They do not fight back when beaten, they do not curse back when being cursed. Today, you will witness the power of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Brandishing the wooden stick with clenching fury and taking aim at my chest, he was unable to inflict any injury on me.
My constant truth clarification efforts became the cause of a conflict between my daughter and myself. She remarked in anger, "You concentrate on clarifying the truth daily and you don't care a bit about my work." She became increasingly more furious. Since I lived in her house at the time, I realized that I wouldn't be able to stay with her much longer with such a conflict between us. In a sad and melancholy state, I blurted out, "After all these years of labor and struggle, I end up without a place to live." She replied, "How come, despite your devotion to your cause, your friends in Falun Gong cannot provide housing for you?" I realized that I had said something that I should not have. I deeply regretted what I had said. The shocking feeling that manifested as result of my wrong words continued to torment me for many days.
Since I started practicing cultivation I have always regarded myself as a cultivator. During the process of letting go of personal gain in terms of fame and material gain, some forms of human attachments were given up. Since I thought that I had nothing left to possess - not even any shelter to house myself, there should have been nothing to be attached to in terms of the housing issue. However, in the conflict with my daughter, the engrained and stubborn notion kept surfacing. While I had known before that my stay in my daughter's house was only for a few days and that now I would have to leave in the morning, I couldn't understand why I couldn't let go in the conflict? Why did I feel pained over such a small loss? From suffering through this experience, I finally came to understand that the true meaning of letting go was embedded in the principles of the Fa. There is a difference between letting go of possessions on the surface and truly getting rid of the attachment, so when this stubborn notion surfaces amidst conflicts and contradictions, one must bravely face the attachments. We should regard even the smallest attachments with seriousness, and strengthen our righteous thoughts to finally eliminate them decisively from the very root. After my determination to eliminate these stubborn notions with righteous thoughts, my daughter's attitude began to change. The situation became relaxed and defused like nothing had happened before.
Recollecting the past year events and activities while in the process of clarifying the truth, so many Falun Dafa disciples, young and old alike, have enabled people from all walks of life within a few minutes of time to understand and willingly say with them, "Falun Dafa is Good." Falun Dafa disciples were capable of using compassion and kindness to awaken the lives that were once deceived and lost to change their attitudes into being positive towards Falun Dafa and being willing to listen. This prompted the 610 Office to make several special visits to harass, threaten, intimidate and illegally confiscate our families' property in attempts to prevent us from clarifying the truth.
Once, we were surrounded by 3 police vehicles and came very close to being arrested. All these incidents inspired me to be more diligent and firm - always keeping in mind that we are Falun Dafa disciples. We must continuously blaze our paths righteously; as to not disappoint the sentient beings who await us.
All of these inspirations and motivations originate from studying the Fa. The reason I study the Fa diligently is that I understand that obtaining the Fa is not easy. I treasure Falun Dafa according to my own understanding of Master's words,
"If a person can really obtain the Great Law he's just so fortunate." (Zhuan Falun)
Even a tiny portion of the principles of this boundless Fa is incomprehensible. Study the Fa diligently, and it will provide guidance. Study the Fa well, and the mighty power of righteousness can eliminate all evils. Study the Fa well, and transmit Master's immeasurable compassion and mercy for the benefit of all sentient beings.
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