(Minghui.org) During a recent cultivation experience sharing event, a paragraph of Master's teaching came to mind:
“I went over to their booth to see what it was about. The person there picked up his calligraphy brush and proceeded to write a few words, after which he used his hand to project energy at the words. But all of the energy he sent out was dark, unlike how higher energy would be. He wouldn’t have had any higher energy, in fact, as his mind was preoccupied with money and status. So his energy was bound to be bad.” (The Sixth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
“I would say, material and mental phenomena are the same in nature.” (The First Talk, Zhuan Falun)
I suddenly realized that Master was gaving me a hint, and pointing out my problem: I was sending forth righteous thoughts filled with selfish motivations, and the energy I sent out was not pure. If I could be completely selfless, and send forth righteous thoughts out of wanting to help others, the energy I sent out would be pure, because pure energy can only be sent out by a pure body, which is in turn determined by pure thoughts.
I have sent forth righteous thoughts for more than ten years, since I started to cultivate. I feel ashamed, as I have always sent righteous thoughts with all kinds of human notions, and impure motivations. When fellow practitioners asked me for help in sending forth righteous thoughts, I felt that the practitioners thought highly of me, and my attachment to fame materialized. When practitioners who are close to me ran into tribulations, I sent forth righteous thoughts with a strong sense of qing (emotion).
When fellow practitioners who have connections to me or my family were arrested or imprisoned, I sent forth righteous thoughts with the hope that his or her case would not get me involved, and not bring harm to me or my family. When a project for saving people had troubles, I sent forth righteous thoughts because my family members (also practitioners) were in that project, and I wanted to help them pass the test sooner.
With such attachments and selfish motivations, were my thoughts pure? Were my thoughts commanding pure power? How could my thoughts have any effect? We all know that the old universe's nature is selfish, and the new universe's nature is altruistic. As Dafa disciples, we should eliminate our selfish nature and cultivate our altruistic nature. Only by doing so can we enter the new universe and become divine beings at different levels in the new universe.
Righteousness Actions Through Altruistic Motivation
Ms. Yang, a fellow practitioner in my area, had a stroke earlier this year. She has been a close friend of my family's and has helped my family a lot for a long time. I was, of course, going to send forth righteous thoughts for her. When I sat down to start, I realized that my motivation was not pure—my foundation was based on qing (emotion), and it was selfish. How should I correct this thought, and make my motivation altruistic? I tried to think this way: I will help her to send forth righteous thoughts so that she can pass the sickness test and be able to save sentient beings. This motivation seemed altruistic. However, when I thought deeper, I found I still had qing for Ms. Yang, and my thoughts were still selfish.
What should I do? I told myself to correct my motivation from the angle of Fa-rectification cultivation. If I don't eliminate the evils that are interfering with Ms. Yang, they will continue to interfere with Master's Fa-rectification and prevent sentient beings from being saved. Eliminating them is helping Master to rectify the Fa and save sentient beings.
I suddenly felt the righteousness—this motivation seemed correct. When I searched for whether I still had qing or selfishness in my mind, I found nothing there. My righteous thoughts were focused on eliminating the evil factors that were persecuting Ms. Yang, not to help my friend but to help Master rectify the Fa and save people. I felt the sacred and divine responsibility when sending forth righteous thoughts.
I recently sent forth righteous thoughts to help two imprisoned fellow practitioners, and to help a Dafa project. The effects were great. As I strive to correct my motivation and stand on an altruistic foundation to send forth righteous thoughts, I feel that my thoughts and power get stronger and stronger.
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Category: Improving Oneself
