(Clearwisdom.net) I began to practice Falun Gong in September 1998. During that time our home has been one of the millions of homes in China used to produce fliers and other Falun Gong materials for clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings. I'd like to share my cultivation experience on continually cultivating myself while working to produce these materials.
Breaking through attachments and interference
Our family material production site began by making DVD's to help clarify the truth, and later started to print the DVD covers. As we gained more experience, we wanted them to look better, so we had to add and upgrade a lot of equipment. Every time, when we were in a predicament of not knowing what to do and what to buy, Xinxing tests would abound, and the attachment of fear would arise. All kinds of scenarios would come to mind: What if this happened? What if that happened? It all came down to our attachments and human notions. When I began to think about the responsibilities of being a Dafa practitioner, and remembering Teacher's words, my righteous thoughts would become stronger and stronger, and I would finally know the right decision to make.
The most difficult period we experienced producing truth clarification materials was back in 2005, when we began producing the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. At that time, we faced a series of problems, including purchasing new ink cartridges, how to cut thick paper, binding books, the cover design, etc. Due to the interference in other dimensions, it always took us quite a long time and a great deal of effort before we could figure out how to overcome our problems and look inside to find our attachments; even when it came to buying a box of staples. We made full use of every opportunity to send forth righteous thoughts, and to put things in the proper perspective. We are practitioners after all, not ordinary people. When I did very well in my cultivation and had strong righteous thoughts, miracles would happen. For instance, I was able to find a paper cutter for cutting thick paper that was suitable for family use, which really helped to solve a big problem.
Looking back, with the progression of our family's material production site, and it being perfected, we were able to gradually step away from humanness. This was only possible because of our firm belief in Teacher and the Fa. Only by following Teacher's requirements and by doing the three things well, can we make it through the trials and tribulations presented before us.
Improving ourselves based on the Fa, not getting attached to our skills
While producing truth clarification materials, we need to make use of the skills already used in ordinary human society. It's definitely a good thing for practitioners to be able to possess certain skills, but, during the process of using them, we need to conduct ourselves in a manner that is fitting for a practitioner. I learned this lesson a while ago, when I did quite a lot of work that seemed to go very well. As a result, my zealotry began to grow. Gradually, I forgot about placing the Fa as priority, or improving myself based on the Fa's principles. Then the situation began to change, and problems began to pop up; I was getting into a dangerous situation. After many hints from Teacher, I began to pay attention to Fa-study. At this critical time, I was able to improve myself based on the Fa, and stay on the path of cultivation. There were two lessons that I learned from this:
The first is that, as a practitioner, one should not form zealotry or become attachment to oneself for possessing some form of skill. As a practitioner, we can't be like that. At this critical historical moment, the only reason for us to make use of ordinary people's skills is for clarifying the truth and saving the sentient beings who are poisoned by the lies and deceit propagated by the Chinese Communist Party. We take on this work for others, and our wisdom and ability came from the Fa. We should not think that we are better than others or think highly of ourselves because of what we do. The consequences of having that mentality is to have us go down a deviant way, which can truly be disastrous.
The second lesson learned is that we should not be attached to a skill, rather, only our improvement within the Fa is important. Acquired skills are only for aiding practitioners to help clarify the truth to people more effectively. A practitioner's compassion and righteous thoughts that are brought out in cultivation are most important, because practitioners' strong righteous thoughts can eliminate evil beings in other dimensions that manipulate people in the world, and have a great effect in helping people understand the truth. Only by practicing cultivation in accordance with the Fa, can one continuously clarify the truth to people and help to save them.
From the perspective of cultivation, being too attached to having a certain skill would cause one to be confined by that knowledge, so one's other abilities cannot be fully displayed, nor can one continually improve oneself.
Looking inward is fundamental for cultivation and cooperation
Sometimes my wife and I had conflicts when we worked together to produce truth clarification materials. For instance, when it came to choosing a cover for some materials, we had a big argument, and neither of us could agree on whose idea was best to adopt. The next time around, the same problem occurred.
Eventually, my wife stopped arguing with me, but our conflict was still there. Until one day, when a similar thing happened and I felt hurt inside. I thought about Teacher's words, "look inward." So, I was not in a hurry to express my own opinion, rather, I took a step back. Instead of trying to figure out whose approach made more sense, I began to think about the reason why I felt hurt. I suddenly realized that the "ego" I was holding onto was not rational to begin with; it was not my true self. Then the more I thought about it, the more rational I became, and I stopped feeling hurt inside. I began to talk to my wife in a kind and quiet way, and she no longer opposed me. The reason she argued with me was solely to target my heart and help expose my attachments.
When I think back, it did not matter which approach we decided to take, the difference was minimal. When I let go of my attachment, and looked at the same thing in a rational way, I found that my understanding was on a much deeper level.
The above-mentioned article is a reflection of my experiences while producing truth clarification materials, during which I have truly come to feel the seriousness of cultivation.