(Clearwisdom.net) A person's understanding of the world is largely dependent on his way of thinking. For example, when a physician examines a person, he considers what illnesses that person has and what medicines may work. When a practitioner looks at people however, he may think of offering salvation so that they will have a good future.
In my understanding, our cultivation as Dafa disciples is a process of helping to save sentient beings, and through this we are also rectified along with the dimensions we represent. The attachments we have however, can negatively affect our efforts of truth-clarification. For example, the irritability of a practitioner could suppress his wisdom or lead to arguments with others, which would make it difficult to save people and cause negative consequences. Holding human notions also impedes a practitioner's own progress in cultivation.
Why does a practitioner have hardship? It's because he wants to enjoy happiness in the human world. However, due to the mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition principle in human society, enjoyment always comes with suffering. Without suffering, one would not know enjoyment. Here is one example of mine.
One day, after making several deals for my business in the morning, I was relieved and began to watch a movie on the computer in the afternoon. I then received a phone call about one deal that had problems which required me to work on it immediately. Before I finished this, another problem came up, which made me very frustrated. Then, a third problem arose about a deal that was closed several days prior. In the end, a light day became extraordinarily busy, and I didn't finish everything until that evening. I knew this was not accidental and that it happened due to my attachment to comfort. It is just like a person who thinks about money all the time. Receiving money makes him happy, and at the same time losing money makes him upset. Similarly, a person fond of fame is happy to hear good words and angry upon receiving criticism. If a practitioner has these attachments, with such a mentality, how can he assimilate to the Fa and save sentient beings?
We have great responsibilities as Dafa disciples, and when we do well the three things, many people will be saved. Our cultivation, especially Fa-rectification period cultivation, is different from other periods in history. Master has taken on much of our karma, and the bit left for us is for our own improvement. As long as our xinxing levels meet the requirement of the Fa, things will be smooth, and otherwise there could be tremendous hardship due to a large number of interfering factors.
When we are suffering from hardship and don't know what to do, we should consider it our thoughts and actions meet the requirements of the Fa. Master has made arrangements for our cultivation, but we have to fulfill our assignments every day. It is similar to the situation at the workplace. Imagine a slacking employee who fails to do his job well day after day—as more and more tasks pile up, how can he clean them up all at once? It is the same situation with our cultivation. Every day we study the Fa, do the exercises, clarify the truth, rectify ourselves, and eliminate the evil. If we fail to do this steadily for a long time, when evil beings accumulate and persecute us, how can we withstand it? The only solution is to make solid progress every day and always follow the guidance of the Fa. It is likely that the evil attacks us at our weakest moments, so we need to remain diligent at all times.
When encountering undesirable situations, we should not complain about others. After all, cultivation is a process where we let go of attachments and rectify ourselves. The circumstances around us often reflect our own status and thus remind us about areas where we need to improve. For example, when we are attached to money, our business may have problems. When we have the mentality of struggling, people around us may give us a hard time. If we are attached to fame, someone may say a bad word against us. When we have fear, someone may come to harass us. When we hold human notions while thinking of cultivation, the old forces may take advantage of that and try to drag us down. Therefore, the only option for us is to let go of attachments and assimilate to the Fa.
In Hong Yin Vol. III, Master wrote,
“Alcohol is a drug that goes through the gut
Once addicted, it's hard to quit
One mug might ease the worries
But ten mugs lead demons to grin”
(“Through the Gut”)
As practitioners, any attachment of ours is like an addictive drug. We have to do well and not let demons take advantage of that.
Above are my personal understandings. Please point out anything inappropriate.
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