(Minghui.org) I would like to share an incident that happened to me that attests to the power of something Master said: “looking within is a magical tool.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference IX)
My family moved to the first floor of a new building in 2013. Because water kept accumulating in our low-set front yard whenever it rained, I planned to raise the level of the ground and brought home a truck full of dirt. Since I couldn't get the truck all the way to our yard, I had to unload it in our neighbor's yard, and then move it over to ours.
In the middle of doing that, a fellow practitioner called, asking me to go to her place to finalize a few things regarding the Dafa books I'd given her. Without thinking, I said quickly, “I'm too busy right now. Let's do it tomorrow.” Then I returned to my yard work.
Within minutes I couldn't see anything through my right eye. The first thought that came to mind was “I need my eyesight to read Dafa books and I cannot be the target of this persecution. I won't acknowledge it.” But then a black dot appeared as I looked out of my left eye, and it was growing.
I recalled that Master told us in the Guangzhou Fa Lecture that we ought to call out to Master for help, so I shouted, “Master, please help me!” Right afterward, the black dot disappeared and the sight in my left eye was restored completely. I knew Master was next to me caring for me and I thanked Master in my heart.
Because I was still blind in my right eye, I thought of going home and having my wife send righteous thoughts for me. But I knew I should not leave the mound of dirt in my neighbor's yard for too long. Also, I thought that I had nothing to fear with Master and Dafa by my side. So I continued to work on moving the dirt.
Over an hour passed and I was almost finished when the fellow practitioner who'd called me earlier came over. I was overjoyed, thinking that she could help send righteous thoughts for me.
This practitioner was a close friend who I deemed truly advanced in her cultivation and very willing to help others. So I said to her, “You came at exactly the right moment. I just became blind in my right eye. Can you send righteous thoughts for me?”
To my surprise she said, “I'm too busy right now. Maybe some other time, in a couple days.” It triggered my attachments and human emotions such as anger, impatience, and resentment. I retorted, “Why don't you just leave then? I don't need your help anyway.”
My wife, who was standing nearby, was shocked at my reaction and reminded me, “Are you even a practitioner? You'd better look within.”
Her words awakened me, and I thought of Master's teaching: “looking within is a magical tool.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference IX)
I also recalled Master's poem “ Who's Right, Who's Wrong” from Hong Yin III:“He's right, And I'm wrong,”
I immediately joined my hands in the Heshi gesture, smiled at the other practitioner, and said, “I apologize. I am wrong. I have not looked within but have sought outside help for a solution. When I saw you, I developed the sentiment of zealotry and dependence. I did not realize, as it was almost noon, that you had to get your child from school and cook for your family. I was only thinking of myself and was not considerate of you. Please forgive me.”
As soon as I said that, the sight in my right eye returned completely.
I was so blessed and excited to discover once again that looking within is indeed a magical tool. I witnessed once again the power and beauty of Dafa.
After sorting out the things that she had come for, I sat down and continued to look inside myself. I realized that nothing that had happened that day had been by accident. There were plenty of issues in my cultivation. First, what I said on the phone about being busy was the same as what she said to me later. She was a mirror that Master put in place for me. But I did not enlighten to it and even let loose the evil side of my nature. Seeing my lack of enlightenment, Master arranged for my wife's words to wake me up. Fortunately, they did. How dangerous that could have been!
When the old forces saw my selfishness, they brought on a major ordeal. Because I pleaded to Master for help, my left eye recovered right away but not the right one. If I had recalled Master's teaching about “good and bad comes from a person's initial thought,” (Zhuan Falun) and been able to look within, all that came later would have not been necessary.
As the old forces saw me falling in with their arrangement, they led me on to look outside for a solution, such as asking my wife and later the fellow practitioner to send righteous thoughts for me. Of course, sending righteous thoughts could be helpful if I had no attachments. I should have remembered Master's teaching,
“One must maintain a righteous mind; no one can cultivate for another. Only when you truly cultivate on your own can you upgrade your level.” (Zhuan Falun)
My asking others to send righteous thought for me seemed to be from a right mind, while in fact it disguised a deeply hidden fear, i.e. the fear of losing my eyesight permanently. Seizing upon my fear, the old forces led me to deviate onto their arranged path and resort to the evil side of my nature. Thankfully, Master and Dafa rectified my mind and situation, and saved me from the old forces.
Now I have truly enlightened to the importance and power of looking within. Master bestowed us with this magical tool, so we must cherish it and actually apply it in our cultivation. If we completely believe in Master and Dafa, do our best in the three things, and apply the magical tool of looking within, there won't be any tribulation or test that we cannot conquer.
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Category: Improving Oneself
