(Minghui.org) At the end of 2024, Min told me that 20 years ago her husband lent a friend 20,000 yuan. This friend eventually repaid him 6,000 yuan. When her husband became seriously ill and was hospitalized, they were unable to find the friend despite a lot of effort, until just before her husband died.

When Min finally obtained the phone number of the borrower’s son, he told her that he could only pay back 1,000 yuan—take it or leave it. That was absolutely outrageous to her, considering how much money and time was involved. Plus the son’s attitude made her determined to get the money back. She decided to hire a lawyer.

I said perhaps she owed that family something in a past lifetime. So many years passed, and she should just let it go. She didn’t respond.

After several days, Min told me she found a lawyer in Beijing, who claimed he could recover the money for her. But she had to pay his legal fees up front.

I reminded her of Master’s teaching: “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)

I also said that Beijing was far away and travel costs would be expensive. There might not be much money left even if she got the remainder. Most importantly, she would have to put in a lot of effort.

She said the borrower needed to repay the debt. Even though I reminded her that we should look at the matter as cultivators and let go of our attachments, she insisted on pursuing the lawsuit.

Min later contacted me and asked me to help her pay the fees and send the files to the lawyer since she didn’t have the skills. Seeing her eagerness, I couldn’t refuse because I was afraid she might hold a grudge against me. I helped her, but I also resented her for dragging me into it.

The lawsuit did not proceed even though Min communicated with the lawyer multiple times. The lawyer gave various excuses and the case wasn’t resolved.

One day in June 2025, Min called me. In a faint voice, she asked me to come over immediately. I rushed over. She looked pale and told me she felt dizzy and weak, and that her mind was not clear sometimes so she became forgetful.

We sent righteous thoughts together for half an hour and she felt much better. I told her to to have faith in Master and Dafa, and to negate the tribulation since it was all false illusions and interference from the old forces. I reminded her to let go of getting the money back and to improve herself based on the Fa.

Soon, another practitioner came over. We studied the Fa and sent forth righteous thoughts together. She reminded Min: “Everything that happens to a cultivator is for cultivation and targets one’s attachments. If you don’t look inward, but instead scrutinize and criticize others, the old forces will exploit your loopholes.”

Her words suddenly woke me up because I failed to realize this was an opportunity for me to look inward—I was only focused on Min’s shortcomings. I didn’t act in accordance with the Fa, so I was not able to help Min.

I looked inward and discovered my attachments. Even though I knew Min’s actions were not in line with the Fa, I still went along with her due to my attachment of saving face. I told myself that Min’s obsession with getting the money back had nothing to do with me, which was irresponsible to Min. I also criticized and complained about her because I resented and looked down on her.

All these attachments were deeply hidden behind my attachment of protecting myself, and felt ashamed about this. If I hadn’t helped Min organize those files, she might have given up on the lawsuit and no longer be in this tribulation. I finally understood how important it is for practitioners to act in accordance with the Fa, and the severe consequences when we don’t. I apologized to Master.

Even though I’ve cultivated for years I still subconsciously use human logic. This incident exposed my superficial understanding of the Fa principles. I had not truly cultivated myself while dealing this so I created more trouble for Min.

Recognizing my mistake, I immediately apologized to Min: “I didn’t hold myself to the standards of a cultivator and I didn’t handle this matter with righteous thoughts. I wasn’t helping you. I was harming you! I allowed the old forces to exploit the loophole, which is why you experienced this false appearance of illness. I’m am very sorry and even more so to Master! This has truly been a profound lesson.”

Min also realized that she wasted a great deal of time and energy, and identified many attachments through looking inward: competitiveness, resentment, jealousy, and attachment to self-interest—all of which are roadblocks to cultivation and her improvement. She felt that unless these were corrected and eliminated, she wasn’t truly cultivating.

Min improved her understanding of the Fa principles and no longer obsessed over demanding the repayment. With Master’s blessings and the help of fellow practitioners, her false illness finally vanished. She is continuing on her path of cultivation—assisting Master in the Fa rectification and helping him save people.

I learned through this experience that when a cultivator thinks and acts from a human perspective, evil will exploit the loopholes and set traps, plunging the cultivator into tribulations. Only by measuring every thought against the Fa, can one walk the path of cultivation steadily and firmly. Only then can we fulfill our vows and follow Master home.