(Clearwisdom.net)
As the Fa-rectification process has been speeding up, each and every Fa-rectification disciple is faced with tests of whether he can catch up with the Fa-rectification progress. There seems to be more and more Dafa work to do. The evil forces have become even more rampant during their last struggle. Some practitioners were fired and lost their jobs. Some practitioners feel a lot of pressure from their schoolwork. Some practitioners are having trouble harmonizing their home environments. All these tribulations interfere with the practitioners' cultivation during the Fa-rectification cultivation period. I think that only by solidifying our righteous thoughts, beliefs and actions according to the requirements of Dafa ("Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance") can we break through the interference. This is because limits only exist when we use everyday people's notions, skills and wisdom to do Dafa work.
I would like to share my recent personal experiences and understandings from the coordination work that I have been doing. Please correct me if I say anything inappropriate.
I know that in order to do a good job in coordinating Dafa work, it is extremely important to keep up with the Fa-rectification, to study the Fa well and to improve in the Fa. However, recently I have been very busy with various items. I couldn't concentrate while studying the Fa. When I read Zhuan Falun one time, my mind wandered wildly. Teacher said in the Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.,
"You all know what state of mind a person must be in to see the Fa's principles." [...] "If we look at it from another angle, when you study the Fa and your mind isn't on the Fa, it's not only a problem of just going through the motions, but also that the person studying the Fa is actually not being very respectful of the Fa. How could the Fa reveal itself, then? So from this angle, I think that you have to calm your mind when you study the Fa, and remember to keep your mind steady during Fa-study when you're busy."
When I held the book in my hands while thinking about the things that I needed to do, I was actually taking Fa-study as a thing that I had to do. But shouldn't I be more reverent and more respectful towards such a great teaching? After I came to realize this, I had a very good Fa-study that day. I finished reading several lectures of Zhuan Falun, and I felt an unprecedented peace in my heart.
Teacher said in the article "Righteous Thoughts",
"... while you clarify the facts you have to take sending righteous thoughts very seriously, and in a timely manner purge the evil and your own problems so that you won't be taken advantage of by the evil."
My understanding is that in coordinating Dafa work, when different practitioners argue over differing opinions, we need to look inside and to eliminate the problems within ourselves. Only by doing this, can we successfully complete our work in the Fa Rectification period.
Once, a fellow practitioner pointed out to me that I would very often tend to say no to other practitioners' suggestions even when I didn't truly understand what they were saying. After reviewing my actions, I had to admit that what he said was true. I came to realize that we might have also formed various kinds of notions during our cultivation. For example, it would be an attachment if we always resorted to the approaches that used to help us successfully complete something before. When looking inside, I realized that I tended to say no to those things that I hadn't been enlightened to or to those ideas or suggestions that didn't accord with my notions. We might end up creating separations among fellow practitioners if we can't correctly view opinions that differ from our own.
One practitioner had been suggesting that we read one lecture of Zhuan Falun every day. We tried that a couple of times. We eventually dropped her suggestion because most of us couldn't keep up with the speed of the reading. Besides, I felt that it was sort of an everyday person's approach to urge all of the practitioners to study the using one person's plan. However, I remember that Teacher told us,
"A Dafa disciple should put the Fa first in everything he does--whenever you evaluate something you have to consider the Fa first." (From Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston)
So when she raised her suggestion again, I felt that we should ignore the superficial manifestations of attitude, lack of kindness and attachments. I felt that we should measure whether the ideas are good for the Fa and good for the practitioners. If they are, we should follow the idea. By doing so, we will not be confused or sidetracked by the superficial manifestations. Instead, we will be truly able to "understand the Fa from within the Fa." Now we are trying the plan for the third time. We all recognize the plan because it serves to help us study the Fa.
Actually, all the Fa particles together form one body. So each of us should complement and support each other. When we see a problem, we should not stop at simply sharing our suggestions. We should go further to help other practitioners by finishing or supplementing the parts that they missed. If we can do this, we will improve as a whole. Even when each of us is unable to do things well by ourselves. As one body, our complementing each other's work will help us finish all the Dafa work well. Meanwhile, fellow practitioners' tolerating each other and understanding each other will truly make our environment a 'land of purity'.
Teacher said,
"The Fa-rectification moves through the world, the grand manifestation of Gods and Buddhas unfolds, and all of the chaotic world's wrongs and karmic relationships are settled with benevolent solutions." (From Foretelling the Fa's Rectification of the Human World)
So, the conflicts among practitioners should also be settled with benevolent solutions. When we have different opinions or conflicts, it is necessary for us to compassionately communicate with each other. In many cases, after looking within, everything can be settled by our exchanging a few sincere words with each other.
A fellow practitioner had a tough time with her job. Later, she was fired. When she hadn't been able to understand her problems from the Fa, another practitioner directly and openly pointed out her problems. She couldn't bear the criticism and became very upset with her progress in cultivation. Later, we came to realize that fellow practitioners' understanding and encouraging each other is a manifestation of our being one body. So we called her and invited her to the group study. During the experience sharing, our caring about her helped her to solidify her resolution in cultivation.
When working with fellow practitioners, I've been deeply touched by the greatness of the Fa and the magnificence of other practitioners. Many practitioners have been quietly doing various kinds of Fa-rectification work. They have done very well in their cultivation. And I was often moved to tears by their stories.
A practitioner has been quietly clarifying the truth to the Chinese people. Her financial situation is poor. However, she was always very willing to financially support Dafa work. Once, when we had many truth-clarification materials to mail, she volunteered to do the job. When she went to her bank to withdraw some money for the postage, she found that she had no savings left.
In order to better explain the facts to the Chinese people via the Internet, an elderly female practitioner has been trying very hard to learn English and computer skills. When I went to visit her, she took out a notepad with her questions on it. There were tons of questions there. Most of them were warning messages from the software. She wrote down those messages by copying the letters one by one. And she would ask other practitioners to explain those messages to her when there was a chance to do so. I know English and computer software very well. However, I didn't put as huge of an effort as she did in clarifying the truth. I felt embarrassed over my gaps.
Teacher will see our hearts instead of superficial formats when we do things. The shining hearts of our fellow practitioners have made me gasp with admiration. Only such a great Teacher and such a great Fa of the cosmos can forge such magnificent practitioners.
Before Fa-rectification, because we were from the old cosmos, the old forces made a series of arrangements for us to come down to the human world, including planting many degenerated notions and substances in our minds and bodies. Thus, our thoughts, words, and actions could very possibly contain some degenerated elements that will interfere with us. Only by gradually and constantly assimilating to the requirements of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance can we truly break through the old forces' arrangements and be reborn.
Currently, the evil is still quite rampant. The cruel persecution is still going on. Sometimes, the situation even appears to be worsening. However, these are simply fake manifestations by the evil in order to shake the practitioners' righteous belief and righteous thoughts. Teacher said,
"To a genuine practitioner, I would say that it is very easy and not something too high to reach." "Cultivation practice itself is not difficult, and neither is upgrading one's level itself difficult. It is because they cannot give up the human mind that they call it difficult." (From Zhuan Falun, Lecture Nine)
When we can actively assimilate to Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance (the characteristic of the Universe) and have done our best to get rid of all human notions and attachments will we find it easier and easier to go down our cultivation paths. Let's try harder to strive forward together and welcome the time when the Fa rectifies the human world!