(Clearwisdom.net)
December 12, 2003
Studying the Fa
Is it true that by reaching the standards set by the old forces, we will meet the criteria of practitioners? The fact is, reaching the old forces' criteria can only be effective for individuals to avoid the old forces' persecution temporarily, but it cannot fundamentally eliminate their arrangements. Nevertheless, we have all vaguely had this thought, and therefore have been accepting the arrangements of the old forces. The reason that the old forces do not give us trouble at certain times or on certain issues is because they think that we have reached their standards.
However, these so-called standards might be far away from the principles of the new universe, which has the standards of Dafa at different levels. No matter how well we meet the standards of the old universe, we still won't be able to assimilate to the new universe and be saved. Instead of trying to reach the standards of the new universe at different levels, the standards of Dafa, we are actually setting the standards of the old forces as our criteria for consummation. In Zhuan Falun, Master talked about demons,
"However, they are not that bad as they simply acted upon the cosmic qualities of the previous cycle. They are what people refer to as the Heavenly Demons."
If we do things according to the standards of the old universe instead of assimilating to the standards of Dafa at different levels, will that really be considered as being saved? How can that be the magnificent consummation of a Falun Dafa practitioner?
The old forces arranged our cultivation very carefully, down to every single thought we have under the influence of various notions. Many of our thoughts come from the dimensions that have not been assimilated to the Fa, which is where the old universe matter and beings exist and where the laws of the old universe still apply. Moreover, those laws are the laws of the old universe at the time of its degeneration and destruction, and can be traced back to the same origin as the old forces. If we do not use the Fa to examine, to filter and to rectify these thoughts, and instead indulge and reinforce them, we are actually implementing the arrangements of the old forces and are unwilling to assimilate portions of our celestial body into the new universe. We will be leaving them behind in the soon-to-be-disassembled old universe. Many notions might well be some sorts of interference arranged by the old forces. If we do not get rid of these thoughts and notions completely, they will confuse us and severely impede our assimilating to the Fa on our path in Fa-rectification.
In the past, we often failed to compare and to filter our thoughts using Dafa principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. We held on to our old notions and therefore were unconsciously accepting the old forces' standards, causing us to look at things the same way they did. For example, we may have been uncaring to fellow practitioners who were persecuted. We might have thought that they should have bigger tribulations if they have more karma or are to reach high levels. When we saw some practitioners having problems with their xinxing, being unreasonable, or refusing to listen to others' advice, we may have believed they needed to encounter some kind of tribulation to learn their lesson. We looked down on fellow practitioners who have taken detours, and also at those who thought that Master would not take care of them any more. We may have immediately said, "This person cannot be saved" when we encountered somebody who would not accept the truth right away. We held onto our own attachments while complaining that others are impure. We thought that what we understood was correct and tried to force it on others. We did not emphasize studying the Fa, even not believing in the Fa completely. Aren't these the characteristics of the old forces? How can we let our xinxing be the same as theirs? We must get rid of these incorrect notions completely.
We have unconsciously acknowledged the arrangements of the old forces on many occasions in the past, and therefore enforced those arrangements and impeded Master's Fa-rectification process. For example, there is a practitioner who did not have a clear understanding about the arrangements of the old forces, and when he experienced serious cleansing, instead of checking to see if he had loopholes in xinxing that were taken advantage of by the evil, he mistakenly thought this was Master's arrangement and said, "Master, I know that you are testing me. As long as it will not harm Dafa's reputation, as long as I will not die, just bring it on!" Because of his acceptance and welcome of the arrangements of the old forces, he was persecuted even more by the old forces. In the end, when his situation became life threatening, he enlightened to it and said, "Master, I cannot handle this any longer. Please help me solve this problem." He recovered several hours later. One practitioner, who witnessed his recovery from the tribulation, admired and envied him deeply, and thought that he had established mighty virtue. This witness then became very ill and could not get out of the bed a couple of days later. After sharing with other practitioners, she realized according to the Fa that this was interference from the old forces. She then sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate it, asked Master for help and she recovered in no time.
Some practitioners have in fact gone through lots of tribulations and have come out steadfastly. Consequently they felt that they have accomplished a lot, have established mighty virtue, and enjoyed talking about their tribulations. By doing so, they were actually appreciating the old forces' arrangements. When some practitioners saw others being caught, beaten and cruelly tortured in the evil den, and yet they emerged firmly from the tribulations in the end, they would think very highly of these practitioners and would think, " It would be glorious if I can go through the same things." Some practitioners did not do well during the persecution arranged by the old forces in the past, and as they made up their minds to cultivate better they think, "If I encounter it again next time I will improve by doing this and that." This actually implies that they looked forward to the arrangements of the old forces, and wished that the old forces would arrange for them more tribulations and more persecution.
All these thoughts were generated by the attachment of putting more emphasis on gaining mighty virtue in cultivation rather than saving sentient beings, and are therefore selfish. If we can consider how the persecution will lead to countless lives being eliminated, because of their misunderstanding and disrespect for the Fa, and remember how much effort Master has made in saving sentient beings, we may not have such thoughts any more. In fact Dafa practitioners' mighty virtue is not achieved through the old forces' arrangements or tribulations, but through doing the three things that Master has taught us, and through eradicating the arrangements of the old forces. This is the most glorious honor of the enlightened beings of the future universe.
Is it true that we will immobilize the old forces arrangements if we clearheadedly realize from the Fa what they have arranged? My understanding is that we can only resolve this issue if we affirm what Master arranges in the course of our cultivation. Some practitioners might think, "Hasn't Master already set the course for our cultivation? Why should we bother Master again for more arrangements? Aren't we too attached?" Some practitioners said, "Master has done so much for us already, how can we bother Master so easily?" They think we do not need to ask Master to arrange for us again. My understanding is different. Although the old forces have been eradicated, the evil helpers of the old forces will not stop there. They will finish up the so-called "thorough arrangements" of the old forces. Moreover, some practitioners had signed pacts with the old forces in the past. These will not be easily overcome, and the old forces will do their best to persecute us. We can only resolve this issue by asking Master to rearrange our paths for us.
Master said in Zhuan Falun,
"What he himself seeks after, or what he wants, other people usually do not interfere in."
If we could not get rid of the old forces' arrangements clearly and firmly, we were actually accepting the past pacts and arrangements and Master would not be able to make new arrangements for us. But if we reject their arrangements and ask Master to rearrange our path for us, then
"Even if sometime in history you did sign some kind of pact, if today your righteous thoughts are very strong, you don't recognize it, and you insist on not taking part in it, then you can in fact reject it." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, USA")
So, it is my understanding that it is very important that we clearly ask for Master's arrangement.
Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts
Master said,
"An everyday person is feeble before a cultivator. Today's humans have in fact had tribulations arranged for them by this system of old forces at different levels, and humans have been controlled by the old forces at different levels. This is why they've become so forceful, why they dare to do things to cultivators, and why they dare to be disrespectful to Dafa." ("Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C International Fa Conference")
Therefore, it is very important to fundamentally eliminate, and cleanse out the evil in other dimensions. As for the old forces' behind-the-scenes helpers, Master said,
"whatever the old forces arranged for them to do back then, they do that to the end." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Midwest-U.S Fa Conference")
With regard to the demon rotten ghouls,
"It is bad, it is venomous, and it is evil. And just like poison, if you want it not to poison people it can't do that--that's just how it is. So in the process of eliminating it don't be lenient at all--just clean it out!" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2001 Canada Fa Conference")
Only when we fundamentally eliminate the old forces and those rotten demon ghouls, can the arrangements of the old forces be completely destroyed.
Master said,
"However strong the righteous thoughts are, that's how great the power is." ("In a Few Words: Good People" and Master' Comments "Also in a Few Words")
In order to do well in sending forth righteous thoughts, we must study the Fa more and raise our moral characters to increase the intensity of our righteous thoughts. To truly have the effect of eliminating the evil, we should always keep a calm mind while sending forth righteous thoughts. Fellow practitioners have mentioned on Clearwisdom Net the relationship between practitioners' moral characters and the outcomes of their righteous thoughts. In their dreams, they saw that when diligent practitioners with calm minds began to send forth righteous thoughts, light flashed out in all directions in other dimensions and the evil was completely eliminated. The light produced by practitioners who were less diligent only injured the evil and made them run away. Finally, those who did not have a calm and clean mind sent out weak light that could not even touch the evil, making them laugh at us instead. I was really inspired after reading these articles. Studying the Fa, upgrading our moral characters, and strengthening our righteous thoughts are truly important.
I realized that fellow practitioners whose minds are clear and who constantly maintain strong righteous thoughts are able to treat everything righteously. Therefore, the gong they emanate is always pure and constantly eliminates the evil. Conversely, fellow practitioners who didn't have a clear understanding of the Fa and even sought to establish mighty virtue during tribulations set by the evil were actually attracting the evil. They were harboring the evil by providing them with places to hide and survive. Practitioners who have strong attachments and go along with these attachments are actually nourishing and replenishing the evil in their own cosmic bodies, and are increasing the intensity of the evil forces. Therefore, it is of great importance that we study the Fa more diligently and keep strong righteous thoughts.
Clarifying the Truth
Master said,
"As for the beings of the old cosmos, and this includes all the elements of beings, when it comes to the Fa-rectification and what I choose, all beings' harmonizing and completing things according to my choices and contributing their best ideas and approaches--not to change what I want, but to harmonize and complete things according to what I've said--is the best thought a being in the cosmos could have." ("Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S West Fa Conference")
I realized that harmonizing Master's grand wish and meeting the requirements set by Master are the sole reasons and significance for the creation and existence of beings in the universe. As a Dafa practitioner, the greatest reason for our existence is to validate the Fa in ordinary society, which is to save more sentient beings. Clarifying the truth is directly saving sentient beings
Clarifying the truth is not something done in an everyday person's state of mind. The effectiveness of truth clarification is closely related to our cultivation states and our mentalities. Master said,
"Dafa disciples tell people the facts, it's like sharp swords shooting out together from their mouths." ("Hurry Up And Tell Them")
"While you're clarifying here, layers upon layers of your bodies that have completed cultivation are also clarifying at cosmic bodies of different levels." ("Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference")
I realized that when we clarify the truth with strong righteous thoughts and correct mindsets to people, we are able to immediately eliminate large amounts of evil from their corresponding cosmic bodies to save sentient beings. On the other hand, if our hearts are not pure, what we say will also be impure and will not be able to achieve the full effect. Master said,
"... a person with genuine gong and energy, you do not need to give it off intentionally; you will leave energy on whatever you touch, and it will all be shining brightly." (from Zhuan Falun)
Therefore, when we make truth-clarifying materials, our cultivation states and mentalities are also blended in. The stronger our righteous thoughts are, the more powerful our materials become and the sturdier the light of truth shines. Thus the effect of eliminating the evil and correcting people's hearts and minds will also be much better.
My main point is that in order to do everything well during the Fa-rectification period, it is crucial for us to study the Fa well. The Fa is the most efficient means to break through all obstacles, and it protects us on our path of Fa-rectification. When we study the Fa, our Revered Master selflessly implants mighty powers into our cosmic bodies to enhance our capabilities during the Fa-rectification. However, our purpose for studying the Fa is not to earn these things, but to better assist Master to fulfill the meaning of our existence, to fulfill our great prehistoric vows, and to save more sentient beings.
This is my personal understanding. If there is anything inappropriate please kindly point it out.
