(Minghui.org) My husband said a few things to me recently that really woke me up. He said, “You cultivate every day, you cultivate and cultivate. Why haven't I seen you improve? When you encounter a problem, you always look for others' faults instead of looking at yourself. You do not know how to look within.”
He was right. Why was I still unable to do well after 17 years of cultivation? Why have I always looked at others' shortcomings, at home, at work, and elsewhere? When conflicts arose, I did not look for my own faults.
When I saw other practitioners not doing things my way, I was unhappy. But when other practitioners or my colleagues complimented me, I felt really good. I always thought that I was better than others and that nobody was better than me.
That's how the old forces do things. The old forces only want to change others, not themselves; they are strict with others and do not forgive their mistakes; they cover up their attachments and do not truly cultivate themselves; they think they are better than others.
When Master used my husband to tell me my real problems, I fundamentally realized that I should not let them slip by. I should expose and disintegrate them. From then on, I studied the Fa more and looked within.
Now when I see others' shortcomings, I check myself and look for my attachments of showing off, competition, seeking comfort, human emotion, etc.
I pay more attention to my words and behavior. When I do the three things well, I remind myself not to be overly joyful or to show off; when others criticize me, I remind myself not to fight back. I recite Master's poem:
"As a cultivatorOne always looks for one's own faults'Tis the Way to get rid of attachments most effectivelyThere's no way to skip ordeals, big or small[During a conflict, if you can remember:]'He's right,And I'm wrong,'What's to dispute
("Who's Right, Who's Wrong" inHong Yin III)
When we have visitors at home, we try not to buy live fish or shrimp to avoid taking lives. When I slack off, I study the Fa more and do the exercises more in order to get rid of the attachment of seeking comfort.
When my family suffers, I ask them to recite, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” and read the book Zhuan Falun. Now many of my relatives believe in Dafa, and several of them began to read Zhuan Falun and learned the exercises. My husband also acknowledges that I am looking within now.
I really have learned to look within and listen to Master. Our cultivation is not only for our own consummation but, most importantly, to save sentient beings. I no longer do whatever I want to. Now I think about what the sentient beings need. I help practitioners according to their situation instead of what I prefer.
In summary, we should think of others all the time and always look within; we should use the standard of Dafa to correct ourselves and truly get rid of the attachments of looking for others' faults and doing whatever we want. We should completely negate the old forces' arrangements and follow Master to return home.
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Category: Improving Oneself
