(Minghui.org) I recently heard that more than 40 Falun Dafa practitioners in Liaoning Province were illegally arrested by the police, and that 17 practitioners in Changchun were abducted in one day. I felt very sad.
I know that everyone’s situation is different, but to the best of my knowledge, the practitioners in question did share some common problems, such as not setting aside time to study the Fa well, not cooperating with other practitioners, neglecting safety issues, and so on.
We all know that it's very important to study the Fa, and that we need to do this consistently. But we should ask ourselves if we really put the Fa into our hearts when we study. Do we really believe in Teacher and the Fa principles? Do we apply what we've read to ourselves when we validate the Fa and save people? Studying the Fa is not just about gaining knowledge.
Some practitioners say they read Zhuan Falun every day, but because they are so familiar with the content they no longer gain at any new understandings.
I also experienced this. I felt that my understanding of the Fa stayed at the same level for a long time, and studying the Fa became just a process of going through the motions.
I then experienced a big tribulation. One that brought me to letting go of life and death. Before this tribulation, I had slacked off for a long time. Soon, I encountered one tribulation after another.
My consistently studying and reciting the Fa helped me to look inward. My firm belief in Teacher and the Fa helped pass these difficulties. My third eye is not open but I could feel that Teacher was always by my side, caring for me and encouraging me to move on. After I passed the tribulation, my cultivation improved in leaps and bounds.
When the tribulation came, I calmed down and pushed all distracting thoughts out of my head. I read Teacher's various lectures, and recited the Fa. Soon, I felt immersed in the Fa and truly understood who I was, and what my responsibilities were. Nothing could stop me. I could feel my wisdom, understanding and capabilities expand. When I did the three things that practitioners are supposed to do, everything went smoothly and effectively.
Every day when I recited the Fa, I felt that my understanding was renewed. I knew how to deal with things, and could clearly see my attachments. I had studied the same Fa for years, but somehow I hadn’t come to any of these realizations before. I knew the difference was down to my attitude.
I hadn’t really focused before when I studied. But after I calmed my mind, I was able to understand what Teacher taught and the attachments he was giving me hints to remove. I could sense Teacher’s immense compassion.
Many practitioners busily work all day on various projects to validate the Fa and save people. They get very little sleep and their days are long and difficult. Only when we truly focus when we study the Fa are we able to solidly cultivate ourselves and achieve better results.
If we can’t study the Fa with a calm mind, we should be concerned because the old forces may interfere with us, and we may stray off the path arranged by Teacher. We may let our attachments control us, interfere with us, and we may even be persecuted.
When a practitioner is persecuted it not only involves other practitioners' time and effort in trying to get them released, but it may also negatively impact their family. It's dangerous to just work on Dafa projects while neglecting to study the Fa!
Some practitioners say that they have no time to study the Fa, and some even said they haven't studied the Fa for several days. We all know how urgent it is to save people, but can we do this if we don't study the Fa well?
When our Fa study is solid, we will have the wisdom and compassion we need so that we can do the three things effectively.
Teacher said,
“You only need to do your part practicing, and your teacher will handle the rest.” (Zhuan Falun)
When Teacher and the upright gods see that we are striving to improve, they take away the tribulations and give us the wisdom and abilities we need to push us forward.
Working with other practitioners offers us opportunities to cultivate ourselves, let go of our egos, and eliminate our gaps.
Sometimes when we work together, conflicts arise. When we can openly and sincerely talk with each other, we can eliminate our attachments, and our efforts in saving people will be stronger.
When we think that we are superior, complain about others, are unwilling to cooperate, feel misunderstood, or distrust other practitioners, we create gaps. We should sincerely open our hearts and accept each other. We need to be understanding, encouraging, positive and trusting.
Regardless of how practitioners behave on the surface, in other dimensions we are all great enlightened beings. Gaps among us make the old forces happy because it gives them an excuse to persecute us. Whenever we see an issue with another practitioner, we need to first examine ourselves, then compassionately point it out, share our understandings and improve.
Nothing in cultivation is accidental. Everything I encounter is an opportunity for me to improve. Whatever happens, no matter how uncomfortable I feel, I must unconditionally examine myself and see what I need to work on.
Teacher has arranged for other practitioners to help me, and in this way, we are able to improve together.
Each time I pass a tribulation I feel myself becoming more mature, and my cultivation moves forward. Teacher repeatedly told us that looking within is a magical tool. The difference between being a human or a divine being is just one thought away, as “Matter and mind are one and the same” (Zhuan Falun).
We are faced with choices each time we do something. The more human thoughts we have, the farther away we are from godhood. If we can set aside our human thoughts and notions and genuinely regard ourselves as Dafa practitioners, we will make it.
I've heard practitioners say, “With Teacher here we fear nothing. Who dares to stop us?”
I didn't feel comfortable talking about safety with practitioners because I was afraid that they would say I was attached to fear and lacked righteous thoughts.
I thought, “Am I truly attached to fear?” I felt that I could let go of life and death, as well as personal gain. Sometimes I charged forward to do things even though I was worried.
Teacher has talked about safety many times, and I felt that paying attention to it is a Fa principle that we ought to be mindful of. Watching our speech and being careful with our phones and computers are necessary.
We know that some practitioners have been monitored by spies, so we cannot neglect safety. Although some things can't be seen on the surface, in other dimensions, a battle between righteousness and evil is being waged. We have to actively eliminate the persecution and interference brought by this hidden danger, and we can't make excuses for ourselves.
I also came to understand that we need to be in the Fa instead of looking at the Fa.
As particles of Dafa, whatever we do is for the Fa, and so we ought to try our very best. We don't need to be recognized by anyone, and must remember not to go to extremes. When we do things, we need to be rational and considerate, and we can't do whatever we want. If what we say and do is misunderstood, it may have a negative impact on others and we will create obstacles and block people from being saved.
Teacher said,
“Don't go to extremes with anything; do things rationally and with a clear head. That is the mighty virtue of a Dafa disciple. Whoever manages to remain steady while following this ordinary-society cultivation format, that person is truly doing what's best in this format of cultivation.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Fa Conference at the U.S. Capital”)
Because I have emphasized studying the Fa and cooperating with others these past two years, I feel that I have made a breakthrough in my cultivation. I also feel that I've been able to do the three things better. I know Teacher has protected me and arranged every step of my cultivation path.
These are my limited understandings. Please point out anything inappropriate.