(Clearwisdom.net) In the TV series “Li Wei Serves as High Official,” Emperor Kangxi summoned Li Wei and asked him, “If I let you be a county mayor and govern the county, can you do it well?” Li answered, “Sure.” Kangxi said, “If I give you 500 thousand ounces of silver, can you guarantee that you will use it all on the people?” Li said, “Yes, I can.” Kangxi asked, “How can you be so sure?” Li said, “Because I don’t want to be a high official in the first place.” Li’s answer said it all. Because he did not have any desire, he did not need to compromise his integrity. Having no desire meant he would be unselfish. He would spend it on his people, instead of himself.
In an old Chinese ghost story, a ghost wanted to possess Ning Caichen and asked him, “What wishes do you have? I can grant them to you.” Ning said, “I have none.” The ghost asked, “Don’t you want to be rich?” Ning said, “No.” “Don’t you want to have fame?” “No.” “Do you like women?” “No.” The ghost could not help but give up since Ning had no desire whatsoever.
No yin (negative, dark) material can exist in a purely yang (positive, light) environment. The atmosphere around any location is a reflection of the local practitioners’ cultivation state. Recently, a few practitioners were arrested and taken to a brainwashing center. I feel that such things still occurring at this last phase of the Fa-rectification period deserves our attention. If we all act righteously and according to the Fa, will the evil dare to do such things? Didn’t Teacher tell us, “Do you really not understand that it was a demon who came knocking at your door, thanks to your human attachments?” (“Be Vigilant”)
I believe there are two reasons why such things still occur. One is that practitioners do not look inward to see if one is doing well in cooperating with each other and validating Dafa. Teacher told us that looking inward is the key to improvement. But when we were faced with tribulations, we looked outward instead. Any attachment is a substance. If one does not look inward and cannot elevate oneself, the substance cannot be removed. This provides a field for yin substances, and therefore the evil can create problems.
Some of our notions that were formed over the past thousands of years are buried deep inside us and have become a part of ourselves. Looking inward is extremely painful. It is tantamount to cutting off a part of one’s own body which contains the bad substances. Only by unconditionally looking inward can one get rid of these substances and elevate oneself.
Every attachment is a substance. Take the attachment of fear for example. If the specific substance of fear is not cast off, forcing oneself to not have fear is useless. When one elevates oneself and casts off the bad substances, one will naturally no longer have fear. All other attachments are the same way. When one reaches the level of an Arhat, one will not be affected when being hit or called names. Ordinary people might think that he is good at enduring, when in fact this is just a reflection of his realm.
The second reason is because practitioners did not completely and thoroughly reject the persecution. The old forces dare not go against our assisting to rectify the Fa and saving people. The reason that these instances of persecution still occur is because in our minds, we still have elements that acknowledge the persecution, thus providing a field for the evil. Some practitioners think that they may be persecuted as soon as they begin to do Fa-validation work. As a matter of fact, helping to rectify the Fa and saving people have no causal relationship whatsoever with persecution.
Some people say that they reject the persecution, and they do reject it when sending forth righteous thoughts. But instances of persecution still occur. I believe that the shadow of persecution is too strong in their minds. Subconsciously they still acknowledge the persecution. I think truly rejecting the persecution is to not even think about it. The notions of persecution or the old forces should not even exist in one’s head. We should do things as long as they agree with Fa-rectification, and ignore superficial manifestations.
“Just do things according to Dafa and Master's requirements. You must do everything righteously--this is extremely important, and extremely magnificent!” (“Touring North America to Teach the Fa”).
Teacher told us:
“Everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts. Even though the old forces do exist, if you don't have those thoughts they can't do anything.” (In “Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.”)
Fa-rectification is at its last stage. With large amounts of evil being eliminated, and practitioners becoming mature, the environment should become better and better. We should ask ourselves why this is not the case. “The environment is shaped by your human attachments. When the environment is bad, it is because you made it that way.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference”)
Past lessons should make us more mature. If we understand the Fa, and look inward while cooperating with each other, will the evil dare arrest our fellow practitioners?
We should search within according to Dafa in any circumstance and completely negate the persecution. When we have very strong righteous thoughts, the evil will not dare to come close to us, and persecution will not happen. Fa rectification and saving sentient beings is the biggest thing in the universe that righteous gods would assist with, and the evil would get out of the way. The persecution should never have happened.
The above is only my current understanding. Please point out my shortcomings.
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