(Minghui.org) Incidents of erotic interference occurred in our city in the past, but the problem has recently worsened. Although the concerned practitioners admitted their mistakes, some of the incidents have had a wide impact in the area, affecting practitioners in many Fa-study groups and revealing their various human attachments. A practitioner who was severely affected by erotic interference suddenly passed away.
I hope that by exchanging understandings of the problem, we can all cultivate more diligently and truly improve in Dafa cultivation to turn this wave of erotic interference into opportunities for our overall improvement.
Enlightening from Master's Teachings
Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, has talked about the issues of lust in several lectures.
Master told us:
“I’m talking about the true situation of humankind here. You all know that Westerners don’t understand why Chinese people are still so reserved when it comes to relationships between men and women. Let me tell you that this is how humans should be. Sexual freedom, which has mixed the human races and muddled human ethics, is absolutely forbidden by gods. So as cultivators, you absolutely should not do that sort of thing. You may have a wife or a husband. This is the normal way of life for human beings. But you are committing a sin if you have sexual activity with someone who isn’t your husband or your wife. The gods in every upright religion of the East and West have emphasized this point strongly.” (Teachings at the Conference in Europe)
Master also said:
“For a cultivator, a Dafa disciple, that is something truly dishonorable. In Buddhism they require people to adhere to precepts, and when someone breaks the precept on chastity it is really a very grave matter! Did you know that Dafa disciples have metamorphosed from the old cosmos and have emerged beyond the old Fa principles, but the old cosmos, the old Fa principles, the old beings... all of that is trying to hold you back!” (Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles)
“But you must not make mistakes! You must not let the old forces’ factors and the wicked beings take advantage of your gaps and persecute you to a point where eventually you can no longer cultivate. Then you will have lost your chance.” (Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles)
From these teachings, I have enlightened that keeping a proper distance between men and women outside of marriage is the appropriate behavior according to the high-level standards of the universe. Both Eastern and Western orthodox religions take this requirement very seriously. The old forces and the old cosmos take advantage of our gaps, and place a high priority on sexual indiscretions as well, but their goal is to weed out Dafa disciples.
Master told us:
“They prophesied that all of the Dafa disciples who would be left in the end would be those who had maintained their purity along these lines.” (Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles)
In terms of divorce, Master pointed out:
“As for divorce, I’ve told you to conform to ordinary society as much as possible; today, whether it’s getting divorced or getting married, I won’t say anything. I discuss things in terms of the Fa’s principles. But I will tell you, things [such as divorce] won’t be allowed in the future. They result from the current state of modern society. I can’t force you to do things a certain way, but the lives of the future won’t be allowed to do this, nor would they [if they could].” (Fa Teaching Given at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Practitioners)
My understanding is that divorce only happens in modern human society, and it reflects the moral degeneration of the people of our age. Then, as Dafa practitioners, we must not make mistakes as a result of erotic interference. We should follow Master’s requirements on divorce, and discipline ourselves in accordance with Master’s teachings and expectations for Dafa practitioners.
Actively Rejecting the Thoughts of Lust is the Key
Practitioners who have solid faith in Dafa, diligent cultivation, and sufficient righteous thoughts can successfully pass tests and tribulations. They can clearly realize that the bad thoughts reflected in their minds as not their true selves, but various corrupted substances of lust, and then actively reject those thoughts and substances.
On the contrary, practitioners who fail to do well in rejecting interference by erotic demons are often unable to tell if those bad thoughts are external factors or themselves. Unable to reject the degenerated substances, they are under the spell of the attachments, particularly the demonic interference such as lust. Being the most vulnerable, these practitioners easily fall for the evil arrangements, hallucinating that human notions for sexual desires are not in conflict with the principles for Dafa practitioners, and thus readily commit wrongdoings.
It is sacred and extremely fortunate for us to be chosen to descend to the Three Realms to cultivate in Dafa and assist Master in Fa-rectification. After countless reincarnations and thousands of years of waiting, we finally are able to reconnect with Dafa in this life. However, through reincarnations, we have played various roles in the human society including the role of being flirtatious with people of the opposite sex. Whoever played such negative roles, nonetheless accumulated this kind of karma. Such karma may cause various tribulations in our cultivation and then be used by the old forces to deter Dafa practitioners.
Understanding the Causal Effects When Helping Those Who Make Mistakes
When erotic interference affects some practitioners, what should other practitioners do? In “Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners” video (01:53:46), Master answered a practitioner’s question about mistakes practitioners made as a result of the erotic interference.
From this teaching, I understand that to help those practitioners, we should be compassionate when communicating with them, help them distinguish between right and wrong on an ordinary human level first, and then gradually lead them to realize the serious consequences of improper behavior in smearing the images of Dafa and Dafa practitioners.
From the perspective that transcends the ordinary level, Master has repeatedly taught us that many tribulations we encounter have historical causes. Then, the improper erotic activities that some practitioners undertake could possibly trace back to their karmic relationships in their previous lives.
On the issue of erotic interference, if we can look beyond things from an ordinary human level, and view things from the historical karmic relationships and the involvement of the old forces, we can better help our fellow practitioners to improve and fulfill their mission in saving sentient beings.
Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s understanding in their current cultivation state meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare in studying, compare in cultivating.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)
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: Perspectives
