(Minghui.org) I know that the cultivation of speech is very important for practitioners. I used to pay a lot of attention to this and often recited Master’s teachings on cultivating speech. However, I didn’t apply Master’s teachings to my own actions, which means I hadn’t really assimilated to the Fa.
I’ve recently reflected on my twenty years of cultivation and asked myself: “Have you always behaved like a practitioner? Have you cultivated your speech?” The answer is no.
Measuring myself with the Fa teachings, I realized I didn’t meet the standard of cultivation of speech required by Master. Sometimes I engage in senseless gossip or spread rumors to other practitioners. Driven by my attachments I like to show off.
I am a teacher. Since I can speak well, people listen to me and I’m very popular. But in cultivation it’s the opposite. This ability to speak well has caused some problems for my own practice and has hurt some fellow practitioners.
Gossip Is CCP Culture
I always like to comment on other practitioners. Although on the surface it seems to be relevant to things in cultivation, it’s not really helping others improve, but more of an emotional venting and showing off. I was seriously influenced by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) culture.
I talked about others behind their backs, and I thought that I could clearly see others’ problems since I cultivated to a higher level which was not true. Practitioners’ true situation cannot be seen or understood by anyone but Master Li. Sometimes Master arranges for us to see the attachments of fellow practitioners, since we also need to improve. If we can point out practitioners’ attachments sincerely, this is really helping them; while talking behind their backs is not good but demonic, which creates karma for ourselves.
Sometimes when we see a practitioner’s attachment, it is actually reflecting our own. If we can recognize it, look inward and cultivate, we will improve ourselves. Since I didn’t know how to truly cultivate myself, I missed many opportunities to improve.
A few days ago I casually said a few words at a practitioner’s home. I noticed that she suddenly looked irritated, as if I said something offensive. What I said had nothing to do with her; I was just expressing my opinion. Looking back now, I think I had a tough attitude and I imposed my opinion on others. I was not kind or thinking from the standpoint of others. I didn’t consider whether my words hurt others or not, or if I was offending the other person.
Gossiping about people behind their backs is a manifestation of the CCP culture. If it is serious, it’s a personal attack. If you speak indignantly, there is no benefit to yourself or others, it can only lead to your own loss of virtue. One can only cultivate oneself and work on xinxing improvement, which is the only way one can really elevate in cultivation. Not cultivating speech harms oneself as well as others. We can’t use harsh language to hurt others, because that is bad behavior even among everyday people.
If your attitude is always sincere and humble, others will not be easily offended when you point out their attachments.
Master said,
“Let us talk about something that is common, such as “I want to do this or that,” or “this matter should now be done this way or that way.” Perhaps it will unintentionally hurt someone. Because interpersonal conflicts are all very complicated, one may unintentionally produce karma.” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)
The cultivation of speech is really important, and if one does not pay attention, one will create a lot of karmic debts. In fact, not cultivating your speech is digging a hole for yourself, and sooner or later you will be trapped by the hole you dig. As a practitioner if you don’t look inward but look outward, it is a big cultivation loophole.
Cultivation is serious. Cultivation means cultivating oneself, and the cultivation of speech is part of it. If everyone cultivates themselves and looks inward when encountering problems, the surrounding environment will change for the better.
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Category: Improving Oneself
