(Clearwisdom.net) One day fellow practitioners and I visited an elderly practitioner to share experiences on how to do the three things well. Contrary to our plan, the elderly practitioner focused on conflicts with me and did not leave any time for us to share experiences. I talked to the other practitioners and decided to share experiences with her again. We decided to leave instructions for sending forth righteous with her; this way we could better eliminate the evil. Yet the elderly practitioner took away my pen and paper. I kept on smiling, "Fine, we do not need to write them down as long as you remember them." The elderly practitioner said, "How come you are always talking about others and never look at yourself?"
I realized she was helping me to find my attachment; it was a good thing. I sincerely thanked her and accepted this fellow practitioner's criticism. I asked the elderly practitioner to continue pointing out my problems. She raised many, but most were based not on anything I said. She mistakenly remembered others' comments as mine. I kept telling myself to maintain my xinxing and remembered what Master said,
"Some people have become like matches--one stroke and they ignite. They're like land mines--one step and they detonate." ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles")
I kept myself calm and sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil that separates fellow practitioners.
Later I looked inward and found I had the attachment of wanting to change others rather than cultivating myself and felt wronged when I was criticized. My Fa study was not very effective either. After that when studying the Fa, Master’s teaching was imprinted into my mind,
"if a bottle filled with dirty things is sealed tightly and thrown into water, it will sink all the way to the bottom. You pour out some of its dirty contents. The more you empty the bottle, the higher it will float in the water." (Zhuan Falun, 2000 translation version)
Master is waiting for me to improve and will help to eliminate my attachments in cultivation. A human being is filled with karma, human notions and attachments, just like the bottle filled with dirty things; not letting go of attachments is just like sealing the bottle tightly. How could that person not sink to the bottom? When we look inward and eliminate the attachments, we pour out some of the dirty contents, our minds improve and we elevate.
Since then I heard the elderly fellow practitioner continued to criticize me, but I was not bothered. I understood that if she was still paying attention to my problems, it meant my attachments were not eliminated completely yet. I must continue to look inwards unconditionally. I truly understood,
"Cultivation is about looking inside yourself. Whether you are right or wrong, you should examine yourself. Cultivation is about getting rid of human attachments." ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles") (verified)
I realized I did not truly let go of the attachment to my own self-importance. I must improve myself in the Fa. As a practitioner I should let go of all attachments, including those of the self. I kept telling myself if I truly let go of my selfishness, my heart would not be moved when criticized. Anything that happens to me has been arranged for me to cultivate and improve. I lost many similar opportunities in the past, yet Master encouraged me to continue cultivating. I deeply believe that Master protects us as long as we truly cultivate. Master will also enlighten us as long as we want to improve.