(Minghui.org) I was very disappointed to hear that a fellow practitioner was planning a vacation. I said to him, “Time is pressing, and everyone is seizing the time to validate the Fa and save people. How can you still be in the mood to go out and have fun?” He replied that we still had plenty of time.
He also mentioned that he was going to buy another house and needed to renovate it. I asked him why, since he already had a good house. He said that it was useless for him to keep the money in the bank, since the communist regime could seize it at any time.
What he said worried me, so I remarked, “The time for us to cultivate is limited. It’s something money can’t buy. How can you eliminate all your attachments in time?”
Since he had no intention of changing his vacation plans, I left.
My Emotional Reaction Revealed My Shortcomings
I was very upset after I left. I thought about not even talking to him in the future, as he was so “not diligent” in his cultivation. I also thought about all the painstaking efforts Master has made in order to save us. The more I thought about it, the more upset I was about him. I firmly believed that he was too attached to enjoying material things and I wondered how could he be worthy of Master’s salvation.
When another practitioner called me for something else, I couldn’t help myself and let out all my resentment.
“Do you think there is anything wrong with you?” she quietly asked.
“What is wrong with me? Should I say something to please him?” Although I realized that I shouldn’t get upset, I still couldn’t see what could be wrong with me.
She reminded me that we should have compassion for everyone and be considerate of others. As she spoke, I suddenly realized my problem.
I remembered a sharing article about how practitioners surrounded Master after a lecture to take group photos with him. Sometimes it took over an hour or two for Master to take photos with everyone. Most practitioners only thought about how they could shake hands with Master, how to get Master’s signature, or how to be in the front row in the photo. Some practitioners who realized this were very upset about those who kept asking Master to do more. In sharp contrast to those concerns, Master gave everyone a warm smile and satisfied all of their wishes.
I realized that I was like those practitioners who resented others who kept asking Master to do this or that. I was not compassionate and not forgiving. I could not stand those who still have attachments. My mind was dominated by negative thoughts, which generated black substances and caused a rift between me and the practitioner who wanted to go on vacation. It was a reflection of the mentality of looking down upon others and showed that I was full of myself. Weren’t those exactly what I needed to cultivate away?
One Should Measure Oneself, Not Others, Against the Fa Teachings
From reflecting on this issue, I realized that it was not wrong for me to remind fellow practitioners to be more diligent, but it was wrong for me to get upset when others did not listen. Fundamentally, I am here to cultivate myself, not others. When others do not accept my opinion, I should not get resentful. The practitioner I became upset with might have cultivated very well in other regards. Master is taking care of every cultivator. Perhaps it was Master who used that incident to remind me to look inward.
After I realized this, a problem with my husband, who is a fellow practitioner, was also resolved. I used to be upset with him when I thought he was not diligent or not doing things on the basis of the Fa. Now I can handle things rationally instead of emotionally.
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Category: Improving Oneself
