(Clearwisdom.net) After reading Teacher's new article, "To the European Fa Conference," I thought of a few discussion points to share with fellow practitioners. In the article, Teacher's words were intended for practitioners who don't look inward after experiencing conflicts with other practitioners, and who subsequently stopped participating in Fa-rectification projects; some even stopped their cultivation practice. Those of us currently participating in Fa-rectification projects are quite worried about these fellow practitioners, and are trying to figure out ways to communicate with and help this group of practitioners to return. However, with a deeper understanding of the Fa, I feel that Teacher did not say these words only for those practitioners who have not stepped out, but also for those of us who have already stepped forward. Looking inward, we can also see that our own problems are severe.
Although we did not stop doing Fa-rectification work and did not stop cultivating because of anger, oftentimes, while working on a project, if a practitioner said or did something disagreeable to us, we would drop out of that project and work on something else. This severely obstructed the progress of that particular project.
I understand that the overall course of Fa-rectification is closely related to the progress of everyone in our project. When the project doesn't progress smoothly because of our shortcomings, then as individuals we're unhappy; aren't we also breaking our promise?
Looking from the perspective of individual cultivation and conflicts among practitioners, it does not matter whether or not the other side is wrong; rather, the emerging resentful feeling is one's own problem, and a personal cultivation issue. I understand that this whole thing is a normal occurrence in cultivation; it is how we evaluate ourselves during conflicts. If we can't completely break through the first time, then it's still our problem, but not a big deal. However, when the conflict is connected to Fa-rectification projects, and we see our state of mind and Fa-rectification as equivalent, or that our state of mind is even more important than Fa-rectification projects, then the problem becomes severe. Why are the old forces to be eliminated? Because they feel that the attachment is more important than Teacher's need for Fa-rectification. Teacher said:
"But the old forces haven't been doing it that way. They've considered their choices the most essential, and have thought that everything I do should harmonize everything they want--they've completely reversed it." ("Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
Then at this point, don't we have the same xinxing level as the old forces? How could we harmonize with the Fa and enter the new universe?
I understood when Teacher said that Fa-rectification Dafa practitioners were great, and this is one reason for my involvement in helping Teacher with Fa-rectification. I looked inward when there were conflicts, always tried to cultivate myself, and let the progress of Fa-rectification move forward. Our own individual cultivation is completely and closely related to our effectiveness at Fa-rectification, and whether or not we can save more sentient beings. Therefore, the importance of our solid cultivation is extraordinary. On the contrary, we'll interfere with Teacher's Fa-rectification if we do not cultivate ourselves. We still have to bear the undeniable responsibilities, and won't pass divine judgment in the future.
Practitioners all have human hearts, and all encounter problems that we're unable to break through right away. However, when we see that our unhappiness affects the normal progress of Fa-rectification projects, then we have to consider the Fa-rectification project no matter what the situation. Even if one can't think it through at the moment, if one is in a very bad mood regarding a fellow practitioner and unable to break through, we can't disregard the Fa-rectification work that is in front of us, and we can't disregard the dangerous situations that the sentient beings are in. Some practitioners believe that if they don't get along with a fellow practitioner, then they can just let the other do what he or she wants to do; he has his own projects to do anyway, and no one can say that he or she is not doing Fa-rectification work. If the other practitioner's work is not very important, and his own project is relatively more important, then this kind of thought is probably not a big issue; however, if the other practitioner's work has to do with a major project, then this kind of thought of not getting involved and not caring would be a major issue.
Cultivation is very serious, and expectations on practitioners have become higher and higher. We are also cultivating more closely to the surface, so our every thought has to be righteous. Looking at myself, even though I was being cooperative in action, I oftentimes had undesirable thoughts come up in my mind, being careless about things that I didn't like and was unhappy about. I also have thoughts of not wanting to cooperate because I was unhappy with other practitioners. Even though I forced myself to do the work on the surface, I wasn't completely devoted, which resulted in an inharmonious environment. At the same time, evil forces can find our shortcomings and create obstacles. In long-term events like this, not eliminating this attachment and affecting the progress of a Fa-rectification project is also severely breaking our promise.
Every Fa-rectification activity that we're involved with is great and sacred, so we need to handle it with a holy attitude, and use our compassionate hearts to unconditionally harmonize with Teacher's requirements. Saving sentient beings is just saving sentient beings; it isn't right if I only save them the way I like to, and don't care to do it if it's not.
Currently in our area, there's an issue regarding renting a theater for the Shen Yun Performing Arts show. This activity has stopped and is not making progress; maybe it's time that we calm down and look inward, facing such a major project and ask ourselves what kind of attitude we have regarding Shen Yun, and what are we choosing. This is also an opportunity for us to elevate ourselves; once we've elevated ourselves based on the Fa, as a whole, then issues regarding the Shen Yun project will make a breakthrough.
Finally, I want to discuss one more point, regarding the interference to such a grand Fa-rectification project like Shen Yun. My first thought is still to completely negate the old forces' interference. My personal understanding is that if a Fa-rectification project cannot progress smoothly, then we haven't eliminated our shortcomings and attachments, and must look inward when encountering difficulties and elevate ourselves. Then, the Fa-rectification projects will experience breakthroughs. Conversely, when we have attachments, the Fa-rectification projects won't succeed. We would be recognizing the old forces, although we are determined not to approve of them. We must always look inward when we encounter problems, because we are cultivators.
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