(Clearwisdom.net) I am a young Dafa practitioner born in 1999. I am ten years old and a 4th grader. My grades are good. I started to practice Falun Gong when I was little. I had a very strong attachment to grades. Through continuous Fa study, I gradually eliminated the attachment to good grades. I would like to share my experience of removing the attachment to good grades with fellow young practitioners.
Recently I repeatedly recited Master's poems in Hong Yin II . When I was reciting "With attachments too heavy, bearings are lost" from "The Heart Itself Is Clear," I suddenly awakened to something: I studied so hard on my homework, but the reason was to not let my grades fall behind others. This was really a big attachment! I have to let it go. I tried to put down the attachment, but it was not easy. I had to finish my homework and get good grades as a Dafa practitioner. What should I do? My mom told me, "Study the Fa. Then you will be able to study more effectively." So I studied the Fa first thing after I got home from school and then did my homework. It was really a miracle. I spent much less time to finish the same amount of homework.
Attachments come out repeatedly, but every time I eliminate them through studying the Fa. Once before the unit test, my mom asked me to spend more time reviewing my schoolwork to get good grades on the test. I told her, "Master said no matter how busy we are, we cannot stop studying the Fa. I must listen to Master." Then I studied the Fa with my full attention. I got first place in my class in Chinese Language, Mathematics, and English. This led me to develop the attachment of zealotry.
Two weeks later, we had another test. My attachment to good grades still lingered in my mind all the time, and I thought that, as long as I studied the Fa more, I would get good grades. I considered myself more enlightened and told my mother very confidently, "My grades were outstanding because I studied the Fa. I will study the Fa more again and try to get first place in the school." My mom said that my attachment was showing itself again, that studying the Fa is important, but that I should also study my schoolwork and at least finish my homework. However, I didn't want to listen to her, and there was no homework due the next day because it was a test day, so I thought I would just skip it just this once. I began to study the Fa, and when I was reading, I imagined that the teacher announced to the entire class that my grade was the first place while distributing the test papers. The class burst into warm applause. Then.... anyway, my mind was not calm at all, and I couldn't concentrate on my Fa study. As a result, my test grade was far from satisfactory.
After I watched the video "Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners" a few days later, I finally understood that my poor grade was due to my attachment to good grades. I should study the Fa without pursuit. What I did was the opposite of the requirements of the Fa. I studied the Fa for good grades; therefore, I would not get them. A practitioner should follow a natural course. I also understood why our Master said, "So kids need to study and do well in what they study." ("Teaching the Fa at the Discussion on Creating Fine Art") We need to learn what we should learn from the textbooks. We can't get good grades by just studying the Fa without studying our school work. We should do both and put Fa study as the first priority. Our fellow young Dafa practitioners should get good grades to better validate the Fa.
"The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts." ("Drive Out Interference" from Essentials For Further Advancement II)
Now I study the Fa and practice the exercises every day and follow Master's requirements. Basically I can put down the attachment to good grades. Of course, this attachment will come out again sometimes, but it can be eliminated by studying the Fa.
Finally I want to say to my fellow young practitioners with the same attachment to good grades like me: let's study the Fa well and eliminate the attachment together.