(Minghui.org) A practitioner knows that it is important to have a calm mind when studying the Fa. One should not have the attachment of pursuit to understand the Fa. We must keep an open mind, be alert, and suppress distractive thoughts. The Dafa principles will then manifest automatically.
Although the cultivation principles do exist, they are not yours unless you cultivate. Once on the cultivation path, you will understand the meaning of the principles. To me, eliminating distractions and studying the Fa sincerely and diligently is genuine cultivation.
Recently, I have come to understand the meaning of the cultivation principle: “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Zhuan Falun) It has shown itself in all aspects of my cultivation.
When cultivating, I felt that I had not learned anything after I read one lecture in Zhuan Falun. I felt very bad and unknowingly used this “feeling” to measure the quality of my Fa study. But I felt better once I realized why.
This feeling also arose when I clarified the truth about Dafa to Chinese people and asked them to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organizations.
I was very pushy when I tried to persuade people to quit the CCP. The more I pushed, the worse the outcome. Despite the poor results, I still felt good and comforted myself, thinking, “I did it for them. Anyway, there are always people who cannot be saved!”
Then, when I was in a little better mood, I looked within for my shortcomings and thought, “Perhaps I was too anxious and talked at too deep a level and thus could not be understood. I might have an attachment to pursuit or an attachment of fighting.”
As I kept looking inward, I realized that I had completely forgotten the principle of “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” I considered myself to be the one, not Master [Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa], that was saving people. I was not doing true cultivation.
It is critical that we assimilate to this cultivation principle with our hearts, not just with our mouths. Then our cultivation level will improve. Honestly speaking, we just believe in Dafa and leave the rest to Master.
The following further illustrates this principle.
Enlightened from the Fa, an elderly Taiwanese practitioner refused to have a heart bypass the day before the scheduled operation. He said, “At my age, it is alright if I die. I will validate the Fa if I survive.” He believed that Master would save him. He is still alive today.
I struggled for four weeks before I passed a sickness karma test. I was attached to getting well quickly. I also had a human notion to resist the tribulation and tried to find support in Master's Fa for my thinking. I was taken advantage of by the old forces because of my loopholes in cultivation. I did not realize that karma provides an opportunity for xinxing improvement.
I finally had a thought: “I have cultivated for more than 20 years. Let me not think of the illness and leave it to Master. If I really die, it would be a consummation.”
When I told my experience during an experience-sharing gathering, one practitioner quoted what Master said to remind me of my thought about “death.”
Master said,
“....during the Fa-rectification period, disciples must not depart until the Fa-rectification is over.” (“Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I understood: “It is hard for anyone not to find excuses for 'not letting go of thinking about life and death.' Just steadfastly cultivate well, look within for improvement, and leave the rest to Master.”
Having a cultivation goal is not an attachment. Nor is having a wish to improve life. But it is an attachment of pursuit if one thinks too much about it. Looking within frequently and cultivating oneself well are the keys to one's improvement.
One should always remind oneself of this cultivation principle and only focus on cultivating, without thinking of any mission to be fulfilled or its outcome. Master will help you achieve the missions.