(Minghui.org) Some experiences I had recently made me realize that I should change my notions and cooperate with other practitioners.
I planned to visit practitioners in the countryside so we could exchange and discuss our cultivation experiences. Another practitioner suggested that I invite Tom. I said, “It would be better to invite John. He’s familiar with Dafa’s principles, and it’s easier to understand him.”
Why did I refuse to invite Tom? Many practitioners shared the same view about him: he was stubborn and opinionated, and he had poor hygiene. Even though he read the Fa a lot and had a good understanding, he couldn’t communicate clearly or concisely. He talked too much and was hard to understand.
A few days later, another practitioner asked me if I could drive Tom because he wanted to talk to Alec. I immediately said, “He can take a bus.” When he asked, “Aren’t we working together as a group?” I replied, “Does working together mean I have to go with him?” He didn’t say anything. We started our Fa-study session.
When it was Tom’s turn to read, he made several mistakes while reading,
“You want to increase your gong, but you don’t take cultivating your character seriously, so your gong won’t increase at all.” (The First Talk, Zhuan Falun)
He used to read pretty well. Why did he make so many mistakes reading this sentence? I thought that Master might be trying to point something out. The other practitioners also felt that we probably should stress improving our character seriously.
When I reflected on my recent behavior, I realized that Master gave me a hint! I changed my mind and made an appointment with Tom to go see Alec the next day.
After I returned home, I began to examine my thoughts. I found a lot of negativity. I disliked Tom for many reasons, but was I any better? Wasn’t the way I acted a reflection of my jealousy? I realized that Tom was a mirror for me to see my own shortcomings.
Master told us clearly,
“But this problem also shows up among true cultivators who don’t admit that other people are good and don’t get rid of their competitiveness. They’re likely to get jealous.
Here’s a story for you. In Canonization of the Gods, Shen Gongbao thinks that Jiang Ziya is old and inept. Yet Honorable Divine of the Origin asks Jiang Ziya to grant titles to the Gods. Then Shen Gongbao thinks it’s unfair, and he can’t come to terms with it. “Why was he asked to grant titles to the Gods? See how powerful I, Shen Gongbao, am—I can put my head back on my shoulders after it’s cut off. Why wasn’t I asked to grant titles to the Gods?” He gets incredibly jealous, and makes trouble for Jiang Ziya all the time.” (The Seventh Talk, Zhuan Falun)
When I realized how serious my problem was, I sent righteous thoughts to eliminate it. I thanked Master for his hint. Master helped me see my problems and eliminate them.
Ever since then, Tom has looked much more pleasant. I see his many strong suits. His understanding of the Fa helped me a lot when we discussed Master’s teachings on group coordination. I realized that the reason why many practitioners compete in group projects is their unwillingness to serve in a supporting role.
All practitioners know what Master has taught us on group coordination. However, have we followed Master’s teachings in our actions?
I decided to be ready to play any supporting role, let go of my attachments to myself, and unconditionally cooperate with other practitioners.
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Category: Improving Oneself
