(Minghui.org) I was touched by the story about monk Xuanzang who lived during the Tang Dynasty. During his journey to seek the Dharma, he arrived at the Great Bodhi Temple in India and saw two Bodhisattvas buried in the soil up to their chests. According to local legend, Buddhism would no longer be practiced when the Bodhisattvas were completely buried.
Xuanzang overcame numerous tribulations and risked his life many times on his journey to India, but he never shed a tear. However, now he wept bitterly and said, “I don’t know where I will be when the Buddha is enlightened. Why did I arrive so late when Buddhism is declining?”
From this story, I saw Xuanzang’s devotion to cultivation. Falun Dafa practitioners are fortunate to encounter the Fa – Great Law -- of the universe at such a special historical time. So, we should cherish Dafa with all our hearts because Dafa created our lives.
I remember when I read the Falun Dafa teachings with other practitioners for the first time. I felt the power of Dafa. I was surrounded by a large amount of energy, and it permeated every cell in my body. I felt as if I floated upward. I still remember that comfortable and wonderful state very clearly. Practitioners in our group cultivated solidly. I learned a lot from interacting with my fellow practitioners, and I was able to identify many of my human attachments and shortcomings. I tried to make breakthroughs and constantly improve in my cultivation.
Identifying My Jealousy
It is important for other practitioners to understand how I identified my jealousy and eliminated it.
A local practitioner wanted to meet and discuss her cultivation experiences with me. I arrived on time but she was 10 minutes late. She told me, “I was running late, so I sent out the thought to you: ‘Don’t leave; wait for me.’ It seems that my righteous thoughts are strong so you didn’t leave.” Her comments made me feel a little uncomfortable, but we exchanged experiences.
After I returned home, my heart seemed to be blocked by a substance. I felt unsettled about what she said, and I wanted to argue with her: “It was I who decided to wait for you. It had nothing to do with your righteous thought! You were late. Instead of apologizing, you talked about your supernatural powers, and your ability to make me stay. If you believe that you cultivate better than I, then why did you want to talk to me?” The more I thought about the issue, the more upset I felt.
Suddenly, it seemed as if someone knocked me on the head and broke me free from my negative thoughts. I realized that my discomfort was a result of jealousy. I should be more considerate of my fellow practitioner, and not blame her. She might have had an urgent matter that made her late. It’s possible that she has indeed cultivated better than I, and she used her righteous thoughts to make me wait there.
I should be happy for her when she cultivates well and validates the wonders of Dafa and Master’s compassion. So why can’t I be happy for her? When I was unhappy, wasn’t I failing to acknowledge all the hard work and care that Master spent on us practitioners? Do any of my thoughts not respect nor believe in the Master and the Fa? As I thought about this I broke out in a cold sweat and immediately looked at Master’s picture. I said, “Master, I was wrong. Please forgive me. I must correct myself.” All these troubles were caused by my jealousy! I calmed down after thinking through the causes.
Given the practitioner’s behavior Master arranged for me to find my jealousy so I could get rid of it. As soon as I had this understanding, the substances that disturbed my heart no longer bothered me. The obstacles we encounter result from conventional thinking, and our unwillingness to change. The so-called distress will eventually be rectified by Dafa. We are walking our cultivation journey with our righteous thinking, and the guidance of Dafa to steer us back when we are lost. I sent righteous thoughts: “All I want is Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I eliminate any thoughts that do not conform to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
In an instant, I felt that my body and my surroundings became pure and clear. Life is like a dream, like a phantom bubble – so why are we hanging onto our attachments? The honors and humiliations in this secular world are fleeting and pass through like flower petals carried away by flowing water. None of them are permanent.
Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
Category: Improving Oneself
