(Minghui.org) Quite a few elderly practitioners in our area have passed away in recent years, which has given a negative impression of Dafa among their families. From these cases, I have noticed a fundamental attachment that they had towards family life.
Many elderly practitioners gained good health from cultivation but did not understand the meaning of true cultivation, as if cultivation was meant to improve their family life. They spent too much time and energy on housework. They unconditionally served their children or grandchildren, so that their families could live better.
These elderly practitioners would rather sacrifice their own cultivation than let their families endure a little inconvenience.
One elderly practitioner was very fond of her two grandsons. She was unhappy that her non-practitioner daughter-in-law did not allow her to spend much time with them.
Her daughter-in-law even said, “I don't want her to spend too much time with the children, so that she can better cultivate herself.”
The elderly practitioner insisted that she care for the children and eventually gave up cultivation.
Master said,
“There is a criterion, however, that the life prolonged beyond your predestined time to live is completely reserved for your practice. If your mind goes wrong a little bit, your life will be in danger because your lifetime should have long been over.” (Zhuan Falun)
The successful cultivation of a practitioner will affect whether his/her family can be saved. Those elderly practitioners who gave up or slacked off in their cultivation are actually destroying the future of their family members. Once these practitioners' prolonged life is over, their families will also lose the opportunity to be saved.
I suggest that elderly practitioners devote more of their time to cultivation and let go of human attachments, which can lead to interference.
One is being truly responsible to one's family only by doing the three things that Master requires. The salvation of one's family, not good fortune in this lifetime, is what lasts for eternity.