(Clearwisdom.net) Strictly speaking, a personal preference is actually an attachment. As a practitioner, we must let our own preferences go when it is time to. I have two preferred activities: writing and touring. How do these activities relate to validating the Fa and saving sentient beings? In what follows I shall discuss my understandings and experiences doing these thing.
First, let me discuss writing. Before the days of computers, I wrote poems, prose, journal entries, and contributions to the press. After computers became available I wrote blogs, letters to friends, and novels. Blogs, in particular, have music, pictures, prose, and messages and commentaries. Furthermore, one can talk to friends through the blogs, making it an effective time-waster. A lot of time can be wasted on blogs that would be better used for Fa study and saving sentient beings. We are in the last phase of Fa-ratification. For a practitioner, wasting time on hobbies cannot be justified when there are sentient beings yet to be saved.
With this understanding, I redirected my writing efforts to composing articles for the Minghui website (the Chinese version of Clearwisdom). Whenever I acquire a new understanding I write about it, with the hope that it will help someone. I also write when I get a story that can potentially save a sentient being. Along with clarifying the truth and Fa study, I have written quite a number of articles. Here, I would like to thank my fellow practitioners, the editors working on Minghui website, who have edited my articles to make them more effective for saving sentient beings. Moreover, I would like to especially thank Master for giving me ideas to write about so that the articles are useful for saving sentient beings.
Next, I want to talk about touring. I like to take tours, especially to scenic places and temples. After I became a practitioner, even in my dreams I wanted to go to places Master mentioned in his lectures. However, at this time saving sentient beings is the most urgent matter. It is clearly a mistake to hold on to this attachment. Hence, I go to the farms to clarify the truth, to the downtown area of cities to give out fliers, to schools to put up posters, and speak to people on the street, face-to-face.
The happiness expressed by a saved sentient being constitutes the most beautiful scene I have ever experienced. When I hear the words, Thank you, I have the most gratifying feeling. There is no better scenery than this. Several times after my own character had improved and I succeeded in saving several sentient beings, Master showed me a beautiful blue sky with colorful clouds or the singing of birds or beautiful flowers. In one instance, I saw a grove with many birds flying in the trees. I knew all these were encouragements sent by Master. I need to improve constantly to deserve the confidence of Master and all sentient beings.
In short, I have given up my desires to take tours and write for the press. By focusing on cultivation and saving sentient beings, I feel really good. I think my character has improved and Master has shown me many beautiful scenes: there is a picture in the sky with a sunset, sea gulls, streams, and boats.
Finally, I'd like to share a paragraph from Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference:
"But while being in this delusion you can't see the end, and you can't see your goal. And you can't even see the true effects of those magnificent things you do. Exactly in such an environment, if you're able to emerge from it and succeed in cultivation, divine beings will all be won over. They'll think that after going through such hardship, being in such delusion and in an environment where there's all kinds of disruption, and resisting all kinds of worldly temptations like fame, self-interest, and emotion, you were able to break away and step out of humanness. Only then will the divine beings be won over. Only then will they think that you're remarkable and worthy of being a divine being. That is mighty virtue.
At this point in my writing, a poem appeared in my mind that I'd like to share it with you all: When you want to save sentient beings, you are in line with the Fa. When you think of a nice scene, there is a picture in your mind. One can validate the Fa with writing and the world is filled with scenery. Please point out anything that is improper.
