(Minghui.org) Master told us:
“I suggest that everyone set his mind to reading ten times the book I wrote, Essentials for Further Advancement, which you call scripture. When your mind isn’t at peace, studying the Fa is not effective. You should study it with a peaceful mind.” (“A Heavy Blow” in Essentials for Further Advancement)
When I was reciting the section “Transformation of Karma” in Zhuan Falun, I suddenly realized the importance of reading Essentials for Further Advancement ten times. Here I'd like to share some realizations.
The scripture “A Heavy Blow” was published on June 18, 1997. It was not until 18 years later that I came to know the importance of this Fa.
The practitioners at our local Assistance Center thought we should read Essentials for Further Advancement ten times in a row. The practitioners in our Fa study group understood that we should read it ten times regardless of when we read it. So the practitioners argued over this issue.
After the onset of the persecution on July 20, 1999, Duan from the Assistance Center regarded himself as having cultivated to a very high realm and enlightened on an evil path. Lu and Wang passed away because of sickness karma. Liang and Zhou were unstable in their cultivation and at times enlightened on an evil path.
I, myself, understood it incorrectly. Actually, we should read it ten times, but also we should know its importance, understand it, and put it into practice. We should remember the teachings in Essentials for Further Advancement and use it to guide our every thought and every action when we come across problems and tribulations.
Master foresaw what would happen to practitioners and other messy things that happen among practitioners. For example, some people would damage the Fa, make trouble, and counteract the efforts of others, though they themselves might not realize it. Practitioners can find solutions in Essentials for Further Advancement on how to avoid problems occurring, how to nip the problems in the bud, and how to deal with various chaotic issues. In this book, there are effective prescriptions for various fatal diseases and strange illnesses as well as tips on how to break through traps and mazes. It is up to practitioners to enlighten and to have strong righteous thoughts. Only when practitioners put them into practice are they true believers of Dafa.
“Study the Fa and gain the Fa,Focus on how you study and cultivate,Let each and every thingbe measured against the Fa.Only then, with that,is it actually cultivation.(“Solid Cultivation” in Hong Yin)
Putting Essentials to Practice
I never announced that I have unwavering belief in Dafa. It is a matter of how much a practitioner believes in Dafa. Constantly, I found factors where I did not believe in Master or the Fa.
Some practitioners did a lot of things to disrupt the Fa. They were manipulated by demons and did silly things in a muddle-headed way, yet they claimed that they believed in Master and the Fa 100 percent.
I memorized the scriptures “Further Understanding” and “Cautionary Advice” once they were published. I often recited them. I thought I had learned how to look within, but I actually didn't look within or know how to look within until I had undergone many heart-wrenching tribulations for extended periods of time.
In reality, many practitioners have not put into practice or have done poorly on what they learned from Essentials for Further Advancement. They've only studied the Fa superficially. When coming across problems, they still adhere to their personal interests and their human notions. In this way, one's self is more important than the Fa. They still do things in their old ways. Studying the Fa and putting Fa principles into practice are non-related to them. It is extremely difficult for them to get rid of their human shells, to become selfless beings in cultivation during the Fa-rectification period.
Problem of the Old Forces
I had certain realizations through my Celestial Eye. Practitioners who had previously signed contracts with the old forces incurred a lot of interference from the old forces. Their main consciousnesses were unclear and irrational. Huge karma and degenerate things thus wrapped around their heads. There were huge quantities of dark minions, meddling deities, demons, and beasts arranged by the old forces. Tubes connected to factories in other dimensions, which produced depression, boredom, distress, and the attachment of seeking comfort were sent to those practitioners. Those degenerate things never stopped, like waves in the sea that never stop.
Some practitioners had Assistant Consciousnesses arranged by the old forces to play a negative role. The Assistant Consciousnesses fanned the Main Consciousnesses with a fan and fed the Main Consciousnesses with medications. Though they watched over their every thought and action every day, they were suppressed or severely interfered with when tribulations and hardships appeared. They would forget the Fa or the lessons they previously learned. Only the crooked theories and evil teachings by the old forces filled their heads. When they thought these theories and teachings were righteous, some practitioners had weak righteous thoughts and were unable to overcome the strong interference. They were defeated many times.
I struggled for a long time. After I filed a lawsuit against Jiang, Master helped me eliminate two types of beings that the old forces had put into me. Then my situation gradually improved.
One female practitioner who was a teacher was always muddle-headed. Her true self could not control her mind and body. Her husband struck her on the head many times, and her school colleagues called her “silly girl.”
Practitioners who had little karma and less interference were able to avoid tribulations and to reduce the losses if they studied, remembered, and guided themselves with the Fa, and maintained strong righteous thoughts when facing difficulties or tribulations.
Practitioners who signed contracts with the old forces were in complicated situations. For them, this huge tribulation was doomed to come. All the more they should study the Fa well, make breakthroughs, learn the lessons, seriously deal with small issues they've disregarded for a long time, pay attention not to nurture the tribulations, and walk well their future path.
Essential for a Reason
I'd like to share the following, which I recently learned from studying Essentials for Further Advancement.
After studying the scripture “Don't Make Wild Statements,” (Essentials for Further Advancement) I realized that practitioners have not cultivated their speech when they said they saved people after asking them to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. Only Master saves people, not practitioners.
Master said:
“If a cultivator does not get rid of his demon-nature through cultivation, his gong will be badly disordered and he will attain nothing or follow a demonic path.” (Buddha-Nature and Demon-Nature, Essentials for Further Advancement)
The Minghui website published a story about an elderly practitioner who was very good at clarifying the truth to ordinary people. He was able to clarify the truth to a large group of people with ease. After he passed away, a young practitioner saw that he followed a Bodhisattva who was actually transformed from a demon of lust.
Master said:
“Dafa disciples: I said long ago that sexual attraction and desire are a fatal roadblock that a cultivator absolutely must overcome.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference”)
Minghui Weekly published two examples of practitioners who died of sickness karma. One practitioner saw in another dimension that the immense old forces took away that practitioner. The other practitioner cultivated a black Buddha body in his dantian, which meant that his whole body was full of dark minions and rotten demons. Other practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts to call his main consciousness back, but his main consciousness did not dare come back. They did not leave with Master's Fashen and both ended up miserably.
Minghui Weekly also published an article about a practitioner who thought she cultivated to a high realm and dared to kill fish. Just before she died, the fish jumped onto her body to demand the debt be repaid. Her main consciousness left empty handed.
Master told us:
“Only when you are studying the Fa and cultivating your heart and mind in addition to the means of reaching Consummation—the exercises, and truly changing yourself fundamentally while improving your xinxing and elevating your level—can it be called true cultivation practice.” (“What is Cultivation Practice?” in Essentials for Further Advancement)
I hope that we will not have regret and remorse when the Fa-rectification ends. We should walk the future path rationally and with a clear mind. We should cultivate ourselves genuinely so that we will not be left on earth still to be human beings—or, worse, not even human beings—when Fa-rectification ends.
Please kindly point out anything inappropriate in my understanding.
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Category: Improving Oneself
