(Clearwisdom.net) I am a young Falun Gong practitioner, employed by a college in China. Two days ago, a friend approached me and offered to help me pass the graduate school entrance examination by cheating. In China, corruption seems to have become the norm. Professors at each graduate school develop their own entrance examination questions. Therefore, many people bribe those professors and thus pass the examinations with considerable ease. I accepted my friend's offer immediately, without another thought.

Later I realized that I had done something wrong. After I discussed it with a fellow practitioner from the perspective of the Fa, I realized that I had reverted to the human level and had not behaved as a cultivator. Falun Gong practitioners should follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. How could I bribe and cheat my way into graduate school?

I suddenly remembered what it was like for me to take examinations back in high school. There were many so-called pre-tests in high school. There was much to memorize, and it was very difficult. Despite the academic performance of some students, they and all my other peers' would cheat unreservedly. Some checked the seating arrangements to find out who sat next to them. Some prepared cheat sheets for the tests. Some practiced concealing the cheat sheets. As these tests only affected high school grades, the school teachers turned a blind eye to the cheating problem.

Students who do exceptionally well on those tests can ask for the college entrance examination to be waived. This is why high school students are so interested in cheating. At the time, about six fellow practitioners and I had a small Fa conference to discuss the issue of cheating from the perspective of the Fa. All of us found that memorizing textbooks was taxing. We knew that some of us did not do very well academically and might have difficulty passing the college entrance examination. Nevertheless, all of us agreed that we are cultivators and must not cheat on any examination.

Now that I remembered how solemn and earnest I was about my cultivation practice, I felt ashamed for having to discuss this basic issue with a fellow practitioner. I knew the root cause must be some attachment that I had not let go of, so I searched within.

The root cause was that instead of a teaching position, I was assigned administrative work. I felt that the position of a college professor is much more glamorous than that of a lowly staff member. Especially in government organizations in China, a common staff member must be very humble, maintain a low profile, and endure the haughtiness of superiors and the more senior staff members. Moreover, it was known that I practiced Falun Gong, which caused them to treat me very unfairly. Many of my colleagues bullied me, which made me feel very bitter. I had always thought that given my credentials, I should have been given a job that carried more weight and gave me a higher status. I felt that I should not have stayed in such a corrupt environment. In other words, the root cause was my attachment to fame and gain.

Given my attachment to fame and wealth, and because of my excellent credentials, I wanted to open a franchise store, have my own business and be my own boss. I even felt that choosing a career of my liking is my business and had nothing to do with cultivation. Fortunately, I had a discussion with a fellow practitioner in time to prevent me from straying further from the Fa.

I decided that I should use my abilities for truth-clarification activities and shouldn't waste the precious Fa-rectification time on my human attachment to fame and gain. At that time I came across the following Fa truth. Teacher said,

"She mistakenly thought that she was given the energy to become a qigong master and make a big fortune, while in fact it was for her to practice cultivation. Once the attachments to fame and profit were developed, this person's xinxing level had actually dropped." (Lecture Three of Zhuan Falun)

I immediately realized that I had a light work load, and thus spare time to study and validate the Fa. I shouldn't use my free time towards career development or establishing a career.

But, when I discussed bribing my college professors to pass the entrance examination to graduate school with another fellow practitioner, she argued eloquently in justification of cheating. She said that given my young age, I must attain at least a master's degree or higher, even for a teaching job at a high school. Without such credentials, I would have a difficult time finding a job. Also, if I didn't study hard to pass the examination, people would think that I lacked ambition. As for my parents, they have achieved a certain status and thus expect greater achievements from me. Alas, because of the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong, I have repeatedly suffered from injustice and persecution. My parents have done lot for me and worried about me. If I didn't succeed in my studies, I would disappoint my parents. On the other hand, I have been doing a lot of Falun Gong truth-clarification work. If I spend a lot of time studying for the entrance examination for graduate school, I would have less time for truth-clarification work. If I were to cheat on the examination, I would have time for the truth-clarification work and meet the expectation of the everyday society.

I caught myself in time and again took the correct path. We should ignore the corruption and depravity in society, which has nothing to do with our truth-clarification work. Teacher has taught us to cultivate while conforming to ordinary people's society to the greatest extent possible, but that does not imply that we should think and behave like ordinary people. Not interfering with ordinary people's business does not mean that we should lower ourselves to their level. How can I call myself a cultivator if I behave like an ordinary person? Teacher has said that mankind's morality has been declining at an accelerating rate, and that if it declines any further, mankind would no longer be worth saving. As a cultivator, how can I play a role in the decline of society's morality?

Then I thought of Teacher's words. Teacher said,

"One may wonder: "We can't kill a life, but I'm the cook at home. What will my family eat if I can't take a life?" This specific issue does not concern me, as I am teaching the Fa to practitioners instead of casually telling everyday people how to live. With regard to how one should deal with specific issues, you should make a judgment according to Dafa. You should do things however you see fit." (Lecture Seven of Zhuan Falun)

The arrival of the Fa-rectification in the human realm is just around the corner, and I am still thinking about cheating on a master's degree examination, which is an achievement in the human realm. Perhaps I will have to forego the opportunity of getting a master's degree, so as to have more time for truth-clarification work. Compared to what I have obtained from the Fa and the Fruit Status I will attain after I reach Consummation, how can I not let go of a trivial master's degree? How can I leave a stain on my cultivation path for the sake of it?

While I was writing this paper, I suddenly realized that I had been trying to get into a graduate school since I graduated from college a few years ago. Every year I would talk about this issue when the examination date came closer. Sometimes I would take a long vacation and prepare for the exam at home. Every time the "back door" to pass the exam was suggested, and every time I gave my examination assignment number to someone else, with the excuse that "I was still too young and could not face my parents having to suffer the empty nest syndrome." I managed to walk away from the thought "reaping without sowing."

This is why I haven't gotten into any graduate school. This issue has bothered me for several years. It is high time that I thoroughly searched within.

This reminded me of something that was similar to my dilemma. Not long ago a fellow practitioner wanted to borrow money to bribe the prison staff to rescue a family member who was illegally detained in prison. Several fellow practitioners and I discussed the matter and decided that it would not comply with the Fa. We insisted that all Falun Gong practitioners should be released unconditionally. We even had a conflict with the practitioner who wanted to give a bribe so his family member would be released. I feel so ashamed. I am so selfish! When a fellow practitioner's life was at risk, I claimed that we must strictly follow the Fa and prevent the old forces from exploiting our loopholes. But when it comes to my master's degree, I immediately compromised and wanted to violate the Fa. I had even found so many excuses to justify my decision.

When I first started practicing Falun Gong, I craved milk, which I could get at my high school. I drank three cartons of milk each day. After a while I decided to let go of my attachment to milk, so I canceled my daily order. It might be a radical solution to combat my attachment, but at least it reflected my determination and my high standard. At the time I was studying the Fa and practicing Falun Gong exercises in sub-zero temperatures. Even a snowstorm, hurricane, or the lack of exercise music would not discourage us. But now I have developed an attachment to comfort. Even in my warm home, I often neglect to practice the exercises. Back then, when my schoolteachers had one of their serious discussions with me after my peers reported me for things I didn't do, I wouldn't say anything to defend myself. But now I would easily become vexed and argue with my family. Teacher said,

"Yes, you are clarifying the facts, are busy doing a lot of things, and there are many things to do; that has demonstrated the extraordinary side of Dafa disciples. But don't forget to cultivate away the most basic things!" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference")

I have found so many attachments because of this issue. Thank you, Teacher! I hope my experience will be of some help to my fellow practitioners.

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Category: Improving Oneself