(Minghui.org) Master said,
“Gong comes from cultivating one’s own xinxing. If you are not truly cultivating, gong does not grow; this is because there is a xinxing standard. While your gong grows, one at high levels can see that when your attachment, a substance, is removed, a yardstick grows above your head. In addition, this yardstick exists in the form of a gong column. The yardstick is as high as your gong column. It represents the gong that you have cultivated. It also represents the height of your xinxing level.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)
“In a very special dimension, there exists a measuring stick for your xinxing level, with scale markings on it.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Guangzhou” in Zhuan Falun Fajie)
For several years, I've been able to see the yardstick which measures the height of our cultivation. It exists in another dimension. I have seen the level of my own and others' xinxing. It has markings on it, just as Master described.
One time, a practitioner who was experiencing sickness karma kept complaining about her family and many other things. As I listened, I felt that her xinxing level was the same as an ordinary person's. At that moment, I saw a half-full cup of water with a ruler next to it. I think what I saw was the yardstick which showed her xinxing and capacity.
Another time, a fellow practitioner came to my home. She yelled at me, “Are you a cultivator? How have you cultivated yourself? Have you followed Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance?” I was stunned! As she got more and more angry, her face turned blue, her eye glared, and her lips quivered. As I looked at her in surprise, I saw the measurement on her yardstick dropping down. I spoke gently to her and invited her to come inside and talk it over.
Years ago, I lived with my parents-in-law. My husband is the oldest child in his family. His younger brother was unemployed. My husband and I used our income to support his family.
At a Moon Festival family dinner one year, my husband gave his younger brother some good advice about finding a job. To our surprise, his brother got mad. He stood up, smashed his wine cup on the floor, and cursed. He yelled, “Who are you to give me advice? Your wife doesn't do anything all day long. She lives an easy life.”
Everyone in the family was stunned, because my brother-in-law cursed and accused me of being lazy. My husband's cousin looked at me nervously. My husband got up and left the room to avoid further conflict. My mother-in-law started crying. My father-in-law didn't know what to do. My daughter was so frightened that she couldn't utter a word.
I sat there and calmly continued eating, as if his words had nothing to do with me. A warm flow of energy suddenly filled my whole body from the top of my head. I knew it was because Master blessed me. I was filled with gratitude. In another dimension, I saw the measurement on my yardstick rising. Even though my brother-in-law cursed at me, I didn't argue with him because a cultivator knows why conflicts take place. I continued to act as if nothing had happened.
Master said,
“When he bullied you, he gave you De, and you also eliminated karma. You did not behave in the same way as he did, keeping a calm mind. Your Xinxing standard became higher. Xinxing has a yardstick above one's head. The yardstick above one's head is as high as the Gong level. Your Xinxing level is higher. Your Gong level is higher too. Your karma is transformed into De as well. He also gave you De. You have gained four for one. Shouldn't you thank him?” (Lecture in Sydney)
However, I don't always do so well in maintaining my xinxing.
One day, my colleagues were chatting and complaining about their low salaries. I joined them and also began to complain. As I was expressing my dissatisfaction, one of them suddenly turned to me and said seriously, “How can you join our discussion? Don't you practice Falun Dafa? Aren't you supposed to be raising your standards and be above these trivial matters? How can you complain like we do?”
Before she finished speaking, I realized I was wrong. I immediately became quiet and reflected upon my behavior. I suddenly saw the yardstick. There were two marks on the ruler: one was higher, and one was lower. I knew my xinxing became lower as soon as I began complaining with my colleagues. I immediately regretted it very much!
I realized I hadn't done well in eliminating my attachments to personal gain. Master must have enlightened me through my colleague's remarks. I'm still embarrassed when I remember this incident.
I have seen that yardstick several times while reciting the Fa. Master said,
“There is also a yardstick that measures xinxing level. The yardstick and one’s gong column do not exist in the same dimension, but they exist simultaneously. Your xinxing cultivation has already made progress if, for instance, when someone swears at you among everyday people, you do not say a word and feel very calm; or when someone throws a fist at you, you do not say a word and let it go with a smile. Your xinxing level is already very high.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
My personal experience reminded me to look inward, continue to improve my xinxing, and to truly cultivate myself.