(Minghui.org) Practitioners all know that, before July 20th, 1999, it was the stage of individual cultivation, while after the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa began, we entered the period of Fa-rectification cultivation.
After reading fellow practitioners’ articles on individual cultivation versus Fa-rectification cultivation, I was profoundly enlightened and came to understand that there is a distinction between the two.
I would also like to share some insights on this layer of Fa principles. If I have written anything not in line with the Fa teachings, I humbly request my fellow practitioners’ compassionate guidance.
In the early stages of the persecution, I was arrested and sent to Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. Tormented by the guards, I was initially overwhelmed and thought it was unbearable, and I resorted to extreme words and actions, answering evil with evil. I thought I was resisting the persecution and validating the Fa, but this only made things worse.
This profound lesson brought me to a sudden realization. I understood that I was mistaken, having viewed the persecution as perpetrated by the guards themselves. I came to grasp that this persecution was not human-to-human persecution, but rather, evil beings in another dimension, manipulating the wicked to commit atrocities. From then on, I focused daily on sending forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil entities and factors behind the guards.
Three months later, the guards had become more peaceful. Guided by Master’s compassionate enlightenment, I wrote a sincere letter to a guard, urging her to treat Falun Dafa practitioners kindly and choose a bright future for herself, so that she would not be eliminated by history. After reading it, she became my friend. She did many good deeds for the practitioners and helped me as well, leading to my release six months early.
At that time, I didn’t understand what the Fa-rectification period cultivation was; I only knew that I needed to eliminate the evil forces behind the guards and let the deluded guards, who were being manipulated by evil, understand what Falun Dafa is and who those practitioners are. Now I understand that doing this was a part of Fa-rectification cultivation.
A practitioner wrote in his article: “In individual cultivation, there is no such thing as reaching the limit of endurance. In the Fa-rectification period cultivation, if one focuses solely on individual cultivation, they cannot fulfill their mission nor become a great enlightened being of the new universe.”
I think this makes sense. It’s absolutely unacceptable for us to remain focused solely on individual cultivation now that we’ve entered the Fa-rectification cultivation period. For example, farmers sow seeds in the spring, weed in the summer, and harvest in the autumn. If a farmer sows seeds in the summer, will the crops mature?
Master is leading us from individual cultivation to Fa-rectification cultivation, so we must unconditionally follow Master’s instructions. That is the only way for us to mature on the path of Fa-rectification cultivation.
Regrettably, some practitioners have not grasped this principle, and I was no exception. It was only by studying Master’s new articles and fellow practitioners’ experience-sharing articles and discussing things with practitioners in our group that I came to understand this truth of the Fa, recognizing that the standards for individual cultivation and Fa-rectification cultivation are fundamentally different.
Individual cultivation requires forbearance, enduring hardship without complaint or regret. There is no question of reaching a breaking point. Fa-rectification cultivation, however, requires revealing the truth to save sentient beings. When faced with those deceived by the CCP who mistreat us out of ignorance, we must clarify the truth to them. Especially our family members. They, too, are sentient beings, and we must explain things to them clearly, using righteous thoughts to awaken their kindness, so that we can save them.
Sometimes the home environment isn’t supportive, and family members constantly create difficulties, take advantage of the practitioner, leaving no time for him or her to do the three things we are to do as cultivators, even expecting us to handle all the chores and assume all the responsibilities. Isn’t this a form of persecution? If we passively accept this as normal and endure everything without resistance, won’t we be limited to individual cultivation?
Two practitioners I knew who passed away prematurely were indeed overwhelmed by household responsibilities and discriminated against by family members. They ultimately lost their physical bodies and were not able to accompany Master to the very end. Although cultivation is never in vain and they may still reach a good place, this is entirely different from walking the path to its ultimate conclusion. Following Master to the end is true perfection; otherwise, we will commit an irreparable and great regret.
After one of our fellow practitioners was released from unjust imprisonment, she discovered that not only had her pension been withheld by the CCP authorities, but her monthly salary had also been stopped. She did not accept this passively, knowing that practicing Falun Dafa was not wrong and certainly not a crime. The illegal imprisonment of Dafa practitioners is a grave injustice, and cutting off their pensions is a form of persecution.
She resolved to clarify the truth to the Social Security Bureau employees. Whether or not her pension was restored was of no concern to her. What mattered was helping people understand the truth about Falun Dafa so they could break free from the CCP’s control and be saved.
So she wrote persuasive letters and went to the Social Security Office to explain the truth about Dafa. She went again and again, focusing on the process, not the outcome, solely to save people, until they understood the truth.
Then she went to different agencies that were involved to tell them about Dafa. For four years, she did this, tirelessly visiting different offices countless times, and through her persistent efforts, they finally understood that withholding her pension was wrong. Ultimately, she recovered her pension, and the Social Security Office even reimbursed her for all the deducted wages.
This practitioner has a clear understanding of the Fa principles and did exceptionally well. In the end, she not only recovered her rightful source of income but, more importantly, she used her compassion to save many predestined people within the CCP system.
Master told us:
“Dafa disciples as a whole have passed the stage of personal cultivation. At present, because the enormous current of Fa-rectification is charging forward, the stage of Dafa disciples’ validating the Fa is approaching completion and history is about to enter a new phase. … For a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, personal liberation is not the goal of cultivation: when you came, saving sentient beings was your great aspiration, and that is the responsibility and mission history has bestowed upon you in Fa-rectification. Thus great numbers of beings are to be saved by you. Dafa disciples, don’t forsake the magnificent responsibility that has been bestowed upon you in Fa-rectification, and even less should you disappoint those beings, as you are now their only hope for entering the future. For this reason, all Dafa disciples, students both new and veteran, should get to work and begin comprehensively clarifying the truth.” (“Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World’s People,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
Master has laid out the goal of righteous cultivation: During the Fa-rectification period, Dafa disciples must validate the Fa, save sentient beings, and fulfill their prehistoric vows. Although we live and cultivate while this persecution continues, we cannot simply endure it. When it is necessary to clarify the truth, we must do so with dignity and righteousness, because the inhumane treatment we Dafa disciples have suffered is unacceptable.
In this world, only Falun Dafa is a pure land, and we are good people in this pure land. We should enjoy everything we deserve, and even if we don’t receive it, we must still clarify the truth to the CCP personnel who participate in persecuting us so that they can be freed from the shackles of communism, make wise choices, and receive the compassionate salvation of Dafa.
Of course, in reality, our gains and losses are irrelevant; the main thing is that we validate the Fa and save sentient beings during the Fa-rectification, fulfilling the great mission that history has entrusted to us.
We must distinguish between Fa-rectification cultivation and individual cultivation in order to keep up with Master’s great process of rectifying the Fa and to return home with Master at consummation.