(Minghui.org) We've read many articles on the Minghui website about how to have firm belief in Master and Dafa and how to do the three things well. Many practitioners have done well in this regard and shared very touching stories. As Dafa practitioners, we all have such thoughts: I want to have firm belief in Master and Dafa, too. It's great to have such thoughts, but I wonder: Does every Dafa practitioner truly believe in Master and Dafa? We should ask ourselves this question with all due seriousness.
Actually, believing in Master and Dafa is not just empty talk. It's not grandiose casual talk, either. Believing in Master and Dafa one hundred percent is accompanied by a steadfast will and unshakable righteous thoughts.
As for myself, I haven't achieved the state of truly believing in Master and Dafa. For instance, when the Minghui website called for articles for the 15th China Fahui on Minghui.org in August 2018, I delayed again and again. I didn't want to write a sharing article when I saw other practitioners weren't. I gave myself a very glorious excuse: It will be all right as long as I do the three things well.
That attitude, however, is a manifestation of my not believing in Master and Dafa. The Minghui website is a sacred platform for all Dafa practitioners to share cultivation experiences, improve, and elevate in cultivation, so when articles are requested, this is what Master wants.
Priority for Saving People: Believing in Master and Dafa
If we want to save people, we have to believe in Master and Dafa first. Only by believing in Master and Dafa one hundred percent can we have righteous thoughts. Moreover, such righteous thoughts will have boundless mighty power.
Sometimes I didn't achieve such a state while talking to people about Falun Dafa. For instance, when I met elderly people, I shared a lot with them if they looked nice but shared less or nothing if they looked stern. Why? I was afraid that someone might refuse to listen to me or might report me to the police. These human attachments prevented me from talking to people about the truth. Actually it's because I didn't reach the state of truly believing in Master and Dafa.
Master teaches us,
“Saving people is just that, saving people, and to pick and choose would not be merciful.” (from “Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,” Teaching the Fa at the Conference IX)
I must study the Fa more diligently, send righteous thoughts more often, catch up with Fa-rectification, and not disappoint Master's expectations.
An elderly practitioner in our Fa-study group passed away because he didn't truly believe in Master and Dafa. His loopholes were taken advantage by the old forces. This practitioner was still working in a pharmacy when he was over 80 years old. He was a retired doctor and had a monthly pension of 3,000 yuan. I asked him once, “Why are you still working at your age?”
He said, “My family built a two-story house and is still in debt. I have to work. Moreover, there is much interference if I study the Fa at home.”
Not long after our conversation, this practitioner noticed two very painful lumps on his neck. We all helped him send forth righteous thoughts and asked him to look inside. We shared from the perspective of the Fa. He told us, “My wife and I made arrangements for our graves several years ago.”
What a big loophole! He regarded himself as an ordinary person. I persuaded him to negate his arrangement and helped him send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the persecution arranged by the old forces. After a period of time, the two lumps disappeared. But later he felt pain there again. When I shared with him again, he said desperately, “Isn't Master still taking care of me?”
We said to him, “That's not what you think. Master treats all sentient beings equally, not to mention a Dafa practitioner! Is it because you haven’t let go of an attachment? For instance, if you quit your job and spend more time studying the Fa, sending forth righteous thoughts and saving people, that would be great.”
However, this practitioner still couldn't give up his job. He endured the pain and continued working. Later, his son learned about his situation and asked practitioners to persuade him to see a doctor. He was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Finally, the old forces took his life away.
Master teaches us clearly,
“Those elderly people with good inborn quality will have sufficient time for practice. 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)
This practitioner earned money for younger generations and prepared a grave for himself. These are big loopholes for a practitioner. Finally he passed away, leaving regrets behind! We all felt sad and regretful for him. Also, because I was not up to the standard of firmly believing in Master and Dafa, I did not have ample righteous thoughts and couldn't move the practitioner.
Not Letting Go of Sentimentality Means Not Believing in Master and Dafa
I know that some elderly practitioners want to earn more money for their children even though their children are already financially well-off.
On the issue of money or wealth, we learn the truth from Master:
“Buddhas aren’t supposed to be impoverished; they should be wealthy. The lives there are your riches, and only with them will your paradise be able to thrive. They all count as riches—every life counts as riches.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa Conference,” Teaching the Fa at the Conference XI)
In this material world, if one is obsessed with making money, then the more money one earns, the more one might lose. If one is focused on studying the Fa and saving people, one will still have whatever one should have. Moreover, he would be doing well in practicing cultivation and saving people. That's our true wealth, and we can bring it back to heaven. So which should we choose?
Master teaches us,
“no human attachment can be taken to heaven.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. Fa Conference,” Guiding the Voyage)
“To tell you the truth, the entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments.” (Zhuan Falun)
I sincerely hope that practitioners in every Fa-study group can identify each other's merits as well loopholes and point them out. It's good for practitioners to improve as one body, catch up with Master's Fa-rectification progress, practice cultivation well, and save as many people as possible so that we can return home with Master.
Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
Category: Improving Oneself
