(Clearwisdom.net) When I listened to discussions about practitioners refusing to renounce Falun Gong despite extreme persecution, I had the thought that their suffering was less severe than that of others. I thought of someone that had been locked up in a dark cell for a month, tied up, had their mouth covered with a cloth soaked in urine, had fallen unconscious nine times, and yet still truly believed in and affirmed Falun Dafa. In my mind this was really extraordinary.
Pondering carefully on that thought, I found it was influenced by remembering cultivation methods where “only suffering would allow one to cultivate to a high level,” and being under the influence of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) deviant culture. I realize now that this thought acknowledged the evil persecution. Master said:
“you are to walk your own path well while not acknowledging them, not even acknowledging the elimination of their ordeals' manifestations.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference”)
Cultivating in Dafa is truly extraordinary when one can fully follow Master’s requirements, cultivate diligently, do the three things well and save sentient beings. Holding still a smidgen of the thought that accepts the persecution, and that one must shoulder more suffering so one can cultivate to higher level, are actually still a kind of acknowledgment of the old forces arrangement that called for persecuting Dafa. The old forces continue to use this excuse to persecute practitioners, and these arrangements must be strictly negated.
It is marvelous that many practitioners can pass through the brutal persecution. This validates that Falun Dafa can never be damaged. We must understand from the Fa, however, that it is Falun Dafa's extraordinariness that allows practitioners to disconnect from the persecution; the brutal persecution is not responsible for practitioners' greatness. Without diamond like belief in Dafa it would be impossible for practitioners to walk through the brutal persecution. If there is no righteous belief cultivated in Dafa, the persecution would only destroy practitioners. Master said,
“If you don't cultivate yourself based on the Fa, you can't cultivate higher by just enduring persecution, much less reach the standards for a Dafa disciple.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western US Fa Conference”)
When looking within, I found that I held onto many such deep rooted and deviated concepts. For example, when I heard someone was fined a tens of thousands of yuan in the persecution, I would say, “That’s nothing. They extorted almost 200,000 yuan from one practitioner, and they confiscated her refrigerator, television and homeowner certificate. The persecution you suffered is far less severe than hers.” Practitioners should earnestly look at how they have cultivated so they can have true righteous thoughts, and thus be able to save more sentient beings. How can we compare ourselves with others as to how much more persecution we have suffered? It could be that deep in our minds we still acknowledge the persecution. If we don't eliminate these deviated concepts, we provide a place for the evil persecution in a formless way.
Assimilating to Dafa is the only cultivation path we should take. The way ordinary people evaluate their behavior, hang onto what's left behind by ancestors, or accept what traditional religions teach them is not necessarily the right way. It will not be the right way if it does not align with Dafa, and we should eliminate it while cultivating. Master said,
“Let me tell everyone that there was dross even in ancient times. Though some things may have been inherited for years, they might be incorrect.” (Zhuan Falun)
The CCP propaganda says, “If you want others to do well, you have to do well yourself first.” On first thought, it makes sense. Actually, this is a distorted notion. Sometimes, when a practitioner points out our problems, we would think, “You didn't do well yet.” This kind of thinking is due to the influence of deviated concepts. Master said:
“'If you want to do well, you have to do well ourself first.' Think about it everybody, is that saying right? Many people hold on to that saying and use it to hide their own mistakes that they don't want to correct. And that's especially so for those who have problems--they take it as the truth and won't let go. I can tell you, though, that this is absolutely wrong. Can't a person who isn't perfect tell you to do well? Can't a person who's made mistakes tell others to do well? What kind of logic is that? How many people have thought this over carefully?” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference”)
Let us all eliminate all concepts that don't align with the Fa, truly do the three things well, and finish our historical mission.
The above is my understanding. I welcome all comments.
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