(Minghui.org) A Falun Dafa practitioner once told me that because another practitioner had not suffered from persecution, she felt that practitioner cultivated better than herself, as she had been persecuted. I didn’t agree with her, as Master never said we should evaluate how well we’ve cultivated based on whether we were persecuted or not.
I shared my understanding that as Dafa practitioners, our thoughts should originate from the Fa, not from personal preferences, feelings, or human reasoning. We should base our thinking on the Fa. Only then can our words carry the power of Dafa. That practitioner agreed with me.
Years ago, another practitioner asserted that since her son had acted correctly in some regard, that he was then blessed with a good job and decent income. I thought this understanding seemed to be clearly against the principles of the Fa. I reminded her that she should not measure her son’s actions by his financial success, but by the standards of the Fa.
Similar to the above two incidents, I’ve observed that many practitioners express opinions influenced by jealousy, resentment, or the views of others, rather than aligning them with the Fa.
Recently, I experienced a situation that triggered fear in me, and my mind was filled with unsettling thoughts. It became unbearable, so I asked myself: What did Master say about this in the Fa?
Master said,
“Why should you, a Dafa disciple, fear the evil ones when enduring persecution?” (“Dafa Disciples’ Righteous Thoughts Are Powerful,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress II)
That reminded me: As a Dafa disciple, why should I be afraid? Empowered by this thought from the Fa, I suppressed my fear, which then vanished immediately. Later, another practitioner encouraged me and strengthened my righteous thoughts. I felt lighter, grateful for Master’s guidance and the support of my fellow practitioners.
A few years ago, a practitioner treated me poorly. Although I remained silent at the time, I was furious. Every day, I tried to rid myself of these negative feelings about her but couldn’t. It left me distressed. I decided to recite Zhuan Falun, seeking answers from Master’s teachings.
When I came across the phrase, “We practice Zhen-Shan-Ren, and you would have even less compassion to speak of.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun) Then, it struck me. Even when distressed, what would I be without compassion? In that moment, Master removed all my negative thoughts about her. The power of the Fa cleansed my mind instantly.
As I was writing this article, I recalled a tribulation that I faced after starting Dafa practice in 1997. I attended group Fa study every evening and relied on my husband to care for our two-year-old child. My husband often caused trouble and didn’t want me to leave the house to attend Fa study. At the time, I thought that perhaps he didn’t want to take care of our child alone or that he felt it was unfair to do so after working all day. Lacking strong righteous thoughts, I could only view the situation from an ordinary perspective. If I hadn’t harbored human notions, my righteous thoughts would have quickly resolved the conflict between us.
Our local practitioners are working to rescue other practitioners who were recently arrested, but many of our actions have been influenced by human notions. Some practitioners believed that the amount of confiscated Dafa materials was directly linked to the severity of their prison sentences, which is an impure thought. Because we heard that a practitioner who had been arrested revealed information about another, we began to lose hope in our rescue efforts for that practitioner.
Master said,
“I don’t acknowledge any of the old forces’ arrangements or this current persecution.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)
At times like these, if we recall Master’s words above, we can overcome this human logic. We must ask ourselves where did these thoughts come from: Were they human notions? Were they imposed by the old forces? Is our thinking in keeping with the Fa?
Similarly, when helping fellow practitioners overcome sickness karma, human notions often arise. We must always seek out Master’s teachings on this matter and enlighten from the Fa.
When conflicts arise, instead of focusing on the faults of others, we should sit down together and reflect on what the Fa teaches, which would help us improve together. If two practitioners share negative views about a third person and continue discussing it, that’s a warning sign. In every situation—whether rescuing fellow practitioners or dealing with practitioners with sickness karma—we must measure our thoughts and actions against the Fa and seek out Master’s teachings. By doing so, our cultivation environment will become more righteous, and our human attachments, thoughts and feelings will have no impact on us.
Master told us,
“Disciples! You should not casually take up a term used or mentioned by everyone. Isn’t this adding something human to Dafa?”
“In cultivation you should say things however I say them.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature,” Essentials For Further Advancement)
We can truly assimilate to the Fa when we remove our human notions and allow our thoughts to originate from the Fa.
These are my personal understandings. Please point out anything not in accord with the Fa.