(Clearwisdom.net) I have been a Dafa practitioner for more than five years. During the first three years, I paid more attention to doing the Dafa exercises and less to Fa study. I was not very diligent. Later on, I participated in Dafa activities and learned that there were truth-clarifying Internet groups, truth-clarifying tools and CDs and I then joined a computer training group. From then on, I have been doing maintenance work for fellow practitioners' computers as well as my own. I am also coordinating some Dafa projects. As I had done some computer work before, I quickly became good at it. All this might seem ordinary, but Master arranged everything.
Though I became more diligent since becoming a technician, due to the heavy workload, I failed to balance the relationship between work and cultivation well. My Fa study and exercises were not up to the required standard. This situation lasted for quite a while, and raising my xinxing was slow. However, I attended each experience sharing conference and they assisted me tremendously; I realized the distance between fellow practitioners and me. Having seen the vigorous and constant advancements of fellow practitioners and seeing my own weaknesses, I asked myself to be more diligent. But after a while, I would often forget about it.
Actually, whenever I go to fix a computer problem for a fellow practitioner, it is an opportunity for cultivation and sharing. I often think that going to fix a computer problem is not the purpose; the purpose is to share with practitioners in order to upgrade our xinxing. Once I was fixing a computer problem for a practitioner when it was time to send forth righteous thoughts. The practitioner, however, could not find the music (which signals the starting and ending time of sending righteous thoughts). I think this would be a good reminder for those who fail to pay enough attention to sending righteous thoughts.
Fixing computer problems is often time-consuming, and it sometimes even involves some financial input. At the beginning, I had a human mentality of seeking comfort and was not actively involved; I even had the thought of quitting this work and only wanted to focus on my own cultivation. Later, I realized that my fixing computer problems was all arranged and nothing was accidental. Suffering hardship is good for cultivation. Master says in Zhuan Falun:
" Furthermore, how will you practice cultivation if you do not have any worries or troubles? How can you do the exercises comfortably and restfully? How can there be such a thing? That is what you think, from the perspective of everyday people."
" If a person were allowed to have no illness and live comfortably, he would not even be interested in becoming an immortal--even if he were asked."
I understand that each computer is a Fa-implement, and keeping it fit would play a big role in Dafa work.
Fellow practitioners are usually grateful when their computers are fixed as they can do more things that validate Dafa. But sometimes it might take many hours and even take well into midnight to fix a difficult problem. On the way home, I don't feel tired at all, but often feel apologetic when I realize that it might create some problems for their family life. Master has told us to "be selfless" and "consider others first;" I must pay attention to this in the future and not cause trouble.
As I have been doing many different things, I have not done a good job in everything I do. Sometimes, a practitioner has to wait for a long time before his or her computer can be fixed. I feel really sorry about it. It is not an easy thing to balance well the relationship between cultivation and work, but Master says in "Teaching the Fa at the 2001 Canada Fa Conference":
"It's hard, so your mighty virtue is displayed; it's hard, and so it's a good opportunity to establish your mighty virtue. Remarkable! Since you are cultivators, even though it's hard you should do even better."
As Dafa disciples, we should brave the difficulties and do well the things we are supposed to do. I will strive to do a better job.
Lastly, let us recall Teacher's poem:
One with the Fa
Broadly shines a Buddha's light,
Justly setting all things right.
Advance together, ever diligent,
To a glorious future.("Hongyin," Version A)
December 27, 1992
