(Clearwisdom.net) For a long period of time, practitioners have held hunger-strikes as a means to protest the persecution. It has generated definite results, but as the Fa-rectification progresses and practitioners greatly improve in their cultivation, the requirements for practitioners change, becoming more stringent.
The hunger-strike is a form of resisting the persecution, but it is rather passive. Master has taught us the method and importance of actively clearing away the evil forces. In "Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. International Fa Conference, (2005)" he said,
"So as a cultivator, what is truly remarkable is when you can be steadfast and have righteous thoughts so firm that nothing can sway you. Be solid and firm like diamond, or granite, and then nothing can affect you--evil will be afraid at the mere sight of you. If upon encountering trying circumstances your thinking can be truly righteous, then, when faced with the evil's persecution and when faced with interference, just one sentence of yours fortified with steadfast righteous thoughts can instantly make the evil disintegrate."
By comparison, one form of resistance is passive where the other is active. One is the result of self-enlightenment and the other is Master's unique teaching. The difference in effectiveness is enormous.
A fellow practitioner held a hunger-strike and escaped the persecution. A while later, the practitioner was arrested again, and again she staged a hunger-strike to protest, but this time she died from the persecution. It is possible she had formed an attachment to the successful result of the first hunger-strike. When the practitioner was arrested again, perhaps she should have held strong righteous thoughts to negate the old forces and sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the old forces' interference, create a protective shield around her environment and immediately disintegrate all the old forces' minions and helpers. Those sent by the old forces would receive immediate karmic retribution. But with the intention of clarifying the truth inside the prison, she accepted the old forces' arrangements and fell into their trap. If she had held strong righteous thoughts, the persecution by the old forces would have vanished like a waft of smoke, but that was not the case. Master wants us to use our wisdom, but we instead use ordinary people's courage to escape persecution. It seems that some rely hunger-strikes as the "secret weapon," rather than righteous thoughts.
The situation is now better, but we must be on our guard. She was a very good cultivator and there were so many sentient beings still waiting to be saved by her! Master's teaching tells us to take the initiative and use our righteous thoughts to clear away the old forces and build our mighty virtue. The act of sending forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil is validating the Fa and clarifying the truth.
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