(Clearwisom.net)
1. Purity Leads to Consummation: Thoughts on Some Practitioners Spreading Articles Not Belonging to Dafa
A few days ago when I was talking to some practitioners, I saw an article introducing a certain "scripture." Later I learned that a booklet of those "scriptures" was spreading among some practitioners. I would like to give my opinion on this issue.
The only thing that ensures Dafa practitioners' moving towards Consummation is Dafa. Only when one has eliminated all the old notions and the not-so-righteous things in Fa-rectification can one reach Consummation. "Taking the Fa as Teacher" is very important, especially when we are suffering, when we are enduring unendurable pain or are unwilling to endure pain, and when we feel at a loss and could not find an answer in the Fa. Actually, all our problems and questions have a solution in the Fa. Of course, the process of solving them is exactly cultivation practice. Hence there are difficulties and enlightening. But there's no other way.
When we hear some things or see some things, especially when they are things that endorse the historical point of view on the Dafa practitioners' behavior in the tribulation (that endorse the point of view of the old arrangement), if we cannot calm down, if we're willing to read them and get excited, or if we feel we have gotten rid of some "attachments" through reading them, because "everything is arranged, and things will get better," then we have already strayed from the Fa. Superficially, those things might seem helpful for Dafa practitioners' remaining steadfast in cultivation practice. In fact, the evil has already taken advantage of the fact that you have accepted what was said in the prophecies, for it has weakened your righteous thoughts of "Taking the Fa as Teacher."
At the same time, your willingness to read or hear it has helped it get into your mind. Why does it leap out now? It wants to continue its life. So it tries to get into Dafa practitioners' dimension, where it thinks it's safest. Once it gets into a practitioner's mind, it will try any means to strengthen and multiply itself. Its manifesting in this world is to make you get into contact with more similar stuff. You will fall into the trap and go awry without being aware of it. Stay alert. The closer we come to the critical phase of reaching Consummation, the stricter we need to be with ourselves. We cannot feel that we have a relatively high-level understanding of the Fa and hence become complacent. We should eliminate any impurity. If we don't, tests and tribulations will follow, resulting from our own pursuits. There is indeed a danger of dropping down in our levels.
To learn about the prophecies in history is helpful for us to understand the evil tribulation from the historic point of view. Learning about these prophecies might be helpful if we can take the point of view of Dafa and Dafa practitioners, looking at it as cultivation practice taking place in the old cosmos, which will make use of everything, breaking up and rectifying all of the old and creating the new, and accordingly do what we should do. It might also be helpful when we are clarifying the truth to people to awaken them and lay a good foundation for future human beings. But we can never let them interfere with the cultivation practice in Fa-rectification. We should take special care to deter interference from the things that are not purely prophecy. This is not only in terms of judging them by their superficial meaning, but a requirement that comes from the principle "no second cultivation way."
2. Whatever the Form, Fundamentally it is Cultivation in Fa-Rectification: Thoughts on Dafa Practitioners Doing Dafa Work
Some Dafa practitioners are doing a lot of work assisting Teacher in Fa-rectification. How should we think about this? In my opinion, it is the way these practitioners in Fa-rectification do their cultivation practice. Ultimately, there is nothing particular about it. Therefore, there are many elements in the work that are actually helping them raise their xinxing level in cultivation practice. When encountering difficulties, they should search within instead of thinking that there is something wrong with other practitioners. In addition, they should really try to calm down and tackle the problems objectively with an attitude of being responsible to Dafa, Dafa practitioners, all the sentient beings in the cosmos, and today's human beings. These Dafa practitioners are in a special position in this world. Hence they should pay more attention to overcoming the human mentality they are likely to have in their position and should not consider themselves as above other practitioners. I think they are just arranged to practice in that way. They have to practice in that position. To put it simply, if a practitioner in that position does not want to practice like that and chooses to be like other practitioners, then he might not be cultivating anymore. A practitioner should follow the path arranged by the Teacher. The way of each practitioner's cultivation practice is closely related to his own situation. It won't do if he wants to arrange it for himself. Let's try to have an in-depth understanding of "it is not a job, but cultivation practice" (from Essentials for Further Advancement). Only when one understands this matter can one do the work well. Only then can we avoid unwittingly incurring hard-to-recover losses for Dafa.
3. "Step Forward," "Cultivate in Fa-rectification," "Eliminate the Evil," "Offer People Salvation," "Reach Higher Levels Till Consummation" Are All Integrated
The process of Dafa practitioners' stepping forward to validate the Fa is a process of them reaching Consummation in Fa-rectification cultivation, during which Dafa practitioners' moving toward higher levels, the evil forces' being gradually eliminated, and people in this world being saved are well integrated. Take for example the distribution of flyers that clarify the truth about Falun Gong. Why do we have to do it persistently until the evil has been completely eliminated? Because it is a process in which Dafa practitioners continuously move to higher levels. One might encounter all sorts of interference when distributing flyers, such as the evil's persecution of the Fa, one's own fear, fatigue, and impatience developed over time in a difficult environment, and doubts about the effectiveness of what one has been doing. All these are attachments Dafa practitioners should get rid of. If we stop doing it, we will lose environments and opportunities to move to higher levels in cultivation practice.
Besides, as to each flyer we give out, apart from the effect of the words on the surface and the inner meanings, the state of the Dafa practitioner when he gives out the flyers also plays an important role in the result the flyer might produce. Each flyer actually carries the practitioner's energy field (I believe that it also carries the energy and stuff of the practitioners who are involved in the preparation of the flyers. I am concerned about their methods of giving orders when practitioners in charge distribute the flyers to other practitioners. It might have already unwittingly caused damage to Dafa. I've made mistakes on this before.) The energy field on the flyer might have a critical influence on the result the flyer produces. If the energy field on the flyer is a pure energy field from Dafa practitioners that orient towards Fa-rectification and saving people, then the flyer might have a very strong power in cleaning up the surrounding environment before people take it. Hence it will attract people to take it. And those who take it will be strongly influenced before they actually start reading it. Their first thought might be to read it thoroughly. If a practitioner's fear is on the flyer, a coat of impurity will be formed over it. People might throw such a flyer away. We won't discuss the responsibility of those everyday people. We will focus on us Dafa practitioners. So we say that if a practitioner does not raise his xinxing, he can never reach Consummation no matter how much work he has done. In the process of continuously distributing materials clarifying the truth, our hearts are turned to be more and more pure. Aren't we constantly improving? Meanwhile, what we have been doing becomes increasingly effective, hence saving more people. In addition, we actively send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil. Thus we are making vigorous advancement towards Consummation in Fa-rectification.
All of us Dafa practitioners have to know that stepping forward to expose the evil and clarify the truth is what we should do. It is the only way to do cultivation practice in Fa-rectification. However, Dafa practitioners' cultivation and moving toward higher levels is the first priority and is what's fundamental.
The above ideas are meant to share my understanding with my fellow practitioners. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.