Taking Gain and Loss Lightly
(Minghui.org) Shortly before the New Year, my son’s wife mailed me a gift. When I opened the box I saw two bottles of health supplements. The label said the supplements were for people who couldn’t eat normally, and they required a doctor’s supervision while being used.
Both my husband and I are very healthy, so we wondered why our daughter-in-law sent us this. As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I reminded myself that I shouldn’t develop any negative thoughts about her or the gift.
When my son and his wife later visited us, they told us her company sold the products, and many employees bought them for their parents.
This incident is just one example of something that could have triggered negative emotions or human attachments in me. As Falun Dafa cultivators, we can only achieve a state of tranquility by continually enlightening to the principles of Dafa’s teachings and eliminate our attachments. I’d share a few other instances of being unmoved in the face of personal gains and losses.
Taken Advantage of
I met a relative and her young child when I was grocery shopping. After we greeted each other, I told the child, “If you want a treat, I’ll buy it for you!” I said this out politeness, but my relative began putting various food items in my shopping basket. She walked away with the groceries after I paid for everything.
At first, seeing her walk away like that made me feel uncomfortable. However, I soon realized that, as a cultivator, nothing happens by coincidence. I must have owed her in a previous lifetime and this was an opportunity to pay her back. After I realized this I felt much better and even happy that I cleared a debt.
Unmoved When Yelled at
My husband’s parents moved in with his oldest brother. We went to the brother’s home for a family gathering, and I went to my mother-in-law’s room to greet her first. Before I even sat down, my brother-in-law yelled loudly from the living room, “How can you just leave your sister-in-law in the kitchen to do all the cooking.” He continued saying unpleasant things, as I hurried to the kitchen to help his wife prepare food. The others began playing cards after we ate, but I washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. These events did not move my heart.
Undisturbed by Personal Gains and Losses
I was initially at the top of the seniority list at work. However, after our department was restructured, I was sent to another company where I was given a low position and my salary was reduced. Over time, my salary was significantly affected. Many coworkers in a similar situation returned to the company by using their connections, but I didn’t do that. I’m close to retirement now, but I’m still not moved by my situation. I remember what Master said,
“If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (Lecture Seven Zhuan Falun).
If I wasn’t meant to have something, then getting it through human means generates karma. So, I completely entrusted myself to Master and accepted the situation. I’m close to retirement, and my name is still at the bottom of the list. However, I regard personal gains and losses lightly. Focusing on aligning myself with the Fa and assimilating to the Fa every day are my priorities.
When I attended a class reunion, everyone bragged about their position and rank at work. When I was asked, I said I had the lowest ranking but then I quickly explained what happened.
I later wondered why I felt the need to explain and realized it was because the situation touched my ego and aroused my attachment to vanity—I was afraid of losing face. I wanted to let everyone know that my low rank was not because I was incompetent. I have since eliminated this attachment, and it no longer bothers me.
As practitioners, any difficulties we experience that are related to fame, profit, or sentiment help us repay a debt we owe; Master arranges all gains and losses. We only need to walk solidly on our path of cultivation. No matter how the situation in the human world unfolds, we should not be swayed by these illusions. We should look at the essence of all matter from the perspective of a cultivator, not get caught up in personal gains and losses, and happily repay our debts.
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