(Minghui.org) Several Falun Dafa practitioners were recently arrested while studying the Fa at a practitioner's home. When I heard about this, I was not as moved as I had been in the past. I did not focus on the practitioners being persecuted or harbor hatred toward the police.
I calmly sent forth righteous thoughts to strengthen the righteousness of the arrested practitioners, hoping they would rectify themselves, break through any interference, and clarify the truth to the policemen.
Despite our shortcomings, we should not allow the old forces to take advantage of our loopholes and destroy sentient beings. In my mind, the practitioners were not persecuted. Instead, these practitioners were supposed to help the officers understand Falun Dafa and the persecution.
The real victims are those who are involved in the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. Their lives are the ones in danger. Master said,
“… a Dafa disciple, or a cultivator, has no enemies. The only thing you have a role in is saving people, and you have nothing to do with using human means and human principles to punish or pronounce judgment on people.” (“Teaching the Fa in the City of Chicago” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference VII)
I shared my thoughts with other practitioners so we could elevate our understanding, transform our thoughts, and not allow the old forces to use us to ruin sentient beings.
All lives came for Dafa, and we should do what Master asks of us. Master said,
“Whatever you experience during your cultivation—whether good or bad—is good, for it comes about only because you are cultivating.” (“To the Chicago Fa Conference” from The Essentials of Diligent Progress, Vol. III)
Once we were clear on the Fa principles, we sent forth strong righteous thoughts to negate the interference, and things changed very quickly when we tried to rescue practitioners.
Two days later, Ying (alias), a relative of an arrested practitioner, came to see me. She talked about the practitioners who were arrested and said she held some resentment.
I listened to her and was calm. Although I did not reproach her and was not moved by her attachments, I was still eager to share my thoughts on the arrest. That is when I realized that I had the attachment of showing off my understanding.
I mentioned Mei (alias) and said that she and I had different understandings of the situation. At the time, I thought we were merely sharing our thoughts. I reminded Ying to look inward, let go of resentment and sentimentality, send forth righteous thoughts for practitioners who were arrested, and negate the persecution. I did not see my shortcomings, nor did I look inward.
Mei came back a day later and complained. She said, “I don't know who talked to Ying. She turned 180 degrees and now disagrees with me.”
She insinuated that I was the instigator.
I was not upset and did not explain anything, but Mei kept complaining. I grew impatient and told her to say what was on her mind. Then, I noticed my behavior was not based on the Fa, so I changed my attitude and explained things to her kindly.
Mei was relieved and started to talk about her view of those practitioners who were arrested. As we conversed, I realized something.
I said: “Let's not talk about it anymore. I think we are both wrong. We should not be talking about practitioners' problems.”
She understood what I said and left.
After she left, I enlightened to a Fa principle. Until now, I thought I had no attachments to practitioners' problems and that I was tolerant toward them. I had thought I was no longer looking outward, did not complain, and knew how to cultivate.
But that day I realized there was still a layer of attachment I had not eliminated. I still held “notions and thoughts” about practitioners. They were formed when I previously looked outward at other practitioners' behavior that did not fit my understanding of the Fa. These thoughts remained in my mind. They were deeply hidden and hard to detect. I had to correct myself nevertheless. Practitioners have elevated in cultivation and do not behave or think like they used to.
I also realized that the “notions and thoughts” we have about practitioners can seriously interfere with our mission of saving sentient beings.
For example, as soon as those notions emerge, they immediately create a gap between practitioners. Or when practitioners need us to send forth righteous thoughts for them, these notions can act as a hindrance and make us think of the practitioners' shortcomings and problems first, instead of looking inward and using our pure thoughts to help practitioners. In essence, we are acting more like the old forces.
And when we send forth righteous thoughts with those notions, we are also sending black sticky substance toward practitioners in need. That is why our sending righteous thoughts is often ineffective in rescuing practitioners.
I recall something a practitioner shared with me a few days ago. Another practitioner in our city had severe sickness karma. More than 30 practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts and shared our understandings continuously. The practitioner passed away despite everyone's effort.
Practitioners had doubts, and I did not have the answer either. We could not figure out what was not based on the Fa principles. Now, I understand that it was this substance that prevented us from reaching the standard of that level of the Fa. Therefore, we were unable to elevate to that level and negate the old forces arrangements.
I understand that “notions” are part of the old forces arrangements and are controlled by the old forces. Therefore, I must break through all levels of notions that do not conform to the Fa! I must break through notions about practitioners, let go of the attachment to self, and treat practitioners' things as mine. Master said,
“The next person's things are your things, and your things are his things.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference II)
As my level of understanding elevates, I feel that all things are good things. When you look at things based on the Fa principles, even the “bad things” are “good things.” They are steps to help you move up, and it is up to you whether you want to or not.
Without these “conflicts,” how are we going to discover our shortcomings and rectify ourselves?
I see the beauty of forbearance. If we cannot forbear and we look outward, and if we do not cultivate our speech, complain, and argue, then we would create gaps between practitioners and allow the old forces to take advantage of the loophole. This allows the old forces to interfere with our efforts to rescue practitioners.