Choosing the Right Work

(Clearwisdom.net) I believe the assimilation to Dafa does not depend on the "quantity of work done," "the extent of danger experienced" or "the degree of persecution endured," but rather, "how much effort you give to this matter of Fa-rectification. It's only that the environments are different." (Master Li Hongzhi's Lecture at the Great Lakes Conference in North America) No matter whether you go to Tiananmen, post flyers on the streets, break through the Internet blockade, visit government officials in other countries, or work as editors of Minghui net, there exists the question of "how much effort you put into it."

In the article "Path," Teacher said:

"Studying the Fa and doing cultivation are a person's own affair. Yet often there are quite a number of students who consistently take other people as their role models--they look at how other people do things and then follow suit. This is a kind of poor behavior that is developed among everyday people. A cultivator has no role models. The path each person is to take is different, because each person's foundation is different, the sizes of their various attachments are different, the characteristics of their beings are different, their jobs among everyday people are different, their family environments are different, and so on. These factors determine that each person's path of cultivation is different, that how they eliminate attachments is different, and that the sizes of their tests are different. Therefore, amidst the manifestations of things it's very hard to find a path that others have made, and it's even less possible for a person to get a ride down one. If there really were pre-made paths and effortless rides, that definitely would not be cultivation."

According to sources from China, several Ph.D. and graduate students from Tsinghua University were arrested for posting flyers. The courage of those practitioners was truly commendable; however, I also speculate: Not everyone in this lifetime has the chance to attend college, let alone get a Ph.D. degree. Then, are these arrangements all accidental? Since everything in the universe is arranged in preparation for today's Fa-rectification, shouldn't we consider matters from the standpoint that is best for the sake of Dafa and that best attacks the evil? If everyone can think from this angle, the evil will be eliminated sooner.

Choosing the right work from the standpoint of Dafa and overcoming every difficulty to make breakthroughs after one's direction is set demands considerable commitment. It requires a correct understanding of the cosmic climate and oneself, putting right the relationship between the Fa and oneself, and between Fa-rectification and one's individual cultivation. It is not a simple issue. I was very moved after reading on the internet that some elderly people in their 60's and 70's and some lesser-educated practitioners taught themselves the Internet technology in order to make Clearwisdom news available to local practitioners. However, there are other practitioners who, intentionally or not, measure the significance of Dafa work with "how much I lose in Dafa work." I think that is a lopsided mindset. Having no attachment to everyday people's fame and interests does not necessarily mean giving up everyday people's fame and interests. Having no attachment to personal safety does not necessarily mean putting oneself in danger. Physical freedom, fame and interests, status, money, knowledge and skills in human society may all become our resources for participating in the Fa-rectification. Comprehensively planning how to make the best use of these resources to participate in the Fa-rectification and fully utilizing all material conditions with an attitude of being responsible to Dafa and sentient beings is an even higher requirement for practitioners in the current Fa-rectification period. Further, tapping one's own abilities, and devoting everything in one's own dimensional field to clarifying the truth in depth and participating in Fa-rectification fully reflects the rationality, wisdom and benevolence of Fa-rectification-period disciples. Of course, this is totally different from being attached to material interests in human society and making excuses for not participating in Fa-rectification. We should not mix up these two different kinds of standpoints and behavior.

Specifically speaking, I observe that many practitioners prefer to do the type of Dafa work that can produce "immediate achievements," and some favor doing more dramatic work, instead of considering other approaches to eliminate the evil on a deeper level and wider scope.

Compared with performing the type of work that can produce "immediate achievements," it is more important to put the interests of Dafa first and patiently prepare for bringing one's unique expertise and resources into full play. Does the feeling of "achievement" truly reflect success in offering salvation to sentient beings, or are these simply self-discerned "achievements" obtained from participating in the Fa-rectification. It is often near-sighted to, intentionally or not, choose the direction of one's work from the perspective of personal loss or gain in cultivation. What also needs to be considered are: some people are technically savvy, some are good at coordination work, and some are more able to endure, etc. If one always follows suit, human elements may be easily brought into Dafa work. Even worse, if some people measure the significance of Dafa work with the criteria of "how much to lose," they are actually seeking for the "loss" and may end up with real loss. Then, after they have lost all their material interests (including physical freedom) that should have been used for Fa-rectification, they will realize that they had not been used for Fa-rectification at all.

Lady A, an acquaintance of mine, is a student at a prestigious university . She could drive and used to post flyers together with Lady B. After talking with me, she agreed to join us in printing Dafa materials to let the public know the truth. While we were doing that critical job, several times she also wanted to go out to post flyers, as if not doing so would indicate that she wasn't a cultivator. Any actions taken to an extreme may be exploited by the evil. We had always been successful in persuading her not to go to Tiananmen, but later she eventually went to Tiananmen again (she had gone to Tiananmen and had also been detained in detention centers before, etc.). After going through harsh beatings, a hunger strike, and resisting with her life three times, she was released unconditionally. After she returned, Lady A realized that, as far as she was concerned, there were other and better ways to attack the evil.

She is good at the type of work that is tedious, demands endurance, and does not require coordination with others. Nearly a million pages of double-sided printed materials came through her hands. In the printing project, other practitioners helped with providing supplies, electronic files, transportation and delivery. In the winter, other practitioners helped with fixing the heater and hanging the window curtain in her workshop, because she is not competent in taking care of these things. Each of us took a share of the work and we had very good coordination.

C was only a little bit over 20 when she was expelled from school. Without social or work experiences, she seemed very immature. Although she knew the principles of the Fa, she could not easily understand the words, expressions or hand signals when communicating with others. Nor was she aware of the dangerous aspects of some human hearts. Afterwards, because she chose an inappropriate work direction by widely contacting people, we lost all those who were responsible for distributing Dafa materials or coordinating the distribution. As a result, we were unable to continue our work and the machine was left with no one to operate it until it was transferred to another practitioner who could do it. C kept contacting people widely in the hope of reestablishing our contact network. I did not believe she was a good candidate for doing that, but concerned that I might have "the attachment of fear," and that my attachment might hold back others' improvement, I dared not block her actions. Gradually, C became rash and reluctant to listen to others' opinions. Very soon she got hooked up with a spy. Although she was deceived, she still believed the spy had a "high xinxing level." She irrationally exposed our residence and workshop to the spy. Consequently, we lost our money, equipment, and personnel, including one extremely capable practitioner. To some extent, the Dafa work was unable to recover after the setback. Fortunately, our key equipment had been moved to other places beforehand, but this did not make up for the loss.

Later, word came out of the jail that she underwent inhuman abuses. Her head was beaten out of shape. Her breast was injured and her fingernails were torn off during severe torture. She was not allowed to sleep for very long hours and was transferred between jails several times. However, with her faith in Dafa and a strong will bestowed by Dafa, she overcame all of this. The evil's attempt to ruin a Dafa's practitioner's will was crushed. She refused to say anything, let alone to accept brainwashing. When the police interrogated her, she took personal responsibility for everything that they knew.

Upon hearing her story, I had mixed feelings in my heart.

Teacher said: "Because the purpose of the old forces is to cause damage, when a student has a strong attachment, his conduct is, strictly speaking, fundamentally a manifestation of his demon-nature and something brought about by emotion; it is not rational. The evil is then able to appear." ("Rationality") As such attachments manifest in the form of participating in the Fa-rectification work, and in the form of "being able to give up all material interests" or "fearing no arrests, no beating or death," they are even more hidden and hazardous. Placing too much emphasis on getting rid of certain attachments is in fact an attachment at a certain level (and its root cause is still selfishness and the attachment to one's self), and reflects a blind belief that one will be in a certain state after the attachment is removed. We must bear in mind that what we cultivate is the great law of the Universe, and we cultivate "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance" simultaneously.

Regardless of our good intentions, cultivation must be solidly grounded. Our various kinds of irrational conducts have brought about unnecessary losses to Dafa and cultivation. "Past lessons should make you more mature. The only way to prevent the old, evil forces from taking advantage of the gaps in your mind is to make good use of your time to study the Fa." ("Towards Consummation")

On how to take the right path in participating in the Fa-rectification, Teacher gave us new guidance on our road of cultivation in his article "Path." In my opinion, choosing the right work and remaining undisturbed by all forms of hidden attachments is a subject matter that deserves our attention in the current cultivation period. I hope other practitioners can also share their experiences and lessons on the issue.

Finally, I'd like to conclude with some words from an article by Clearwisdom editors "Clarify the Truth to the Chinese People Comprehensively, in a Deeper and More Refined Way":

"At present, we need to more fully utilize the advantages of each person's personal and external conditions. Through various different kinds of avenues (especially the widespread exchange of information, business activities, cultural exchange, economic cooperation, tourism and interaction, media distribution, community groups and associations, and social networks that already exist); and various kinds of methods (such as radio, television, audio recording, videotaping, newspapers and journals, magazines, telephones, faxes, letters, email, information on the internet, forums, banners, flyers, advertising, etc.), we need to steadfastly, dauntlessly, rationally, and wisely find ways to bring the truth to as many people as possible (including individuals, groups, social associations, government administration departments, and the families, friends, classmates, colleagues, and neighbors of Dafa disciples). We need to help people to clearly understand the truth, see through the lies, and shake off the influence and control of the evil such that the respect for Dafa and the admiration for the lofty realm of Truth, Benevolence, Forbearance arises from the depths of their hearts."