(Clearwisdom.net) After reading "Letting Go of Selfishness and Harmonizing with the One-body" (http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2007/12/7/91922.html) I would like to talk about selfishness from another perspective.

If one is supposed to help out with something but doesn't want to do it and, instead, feels negatively about the matter, it is a manifestation of selfishness. However, every thought of Dafa disciples has an effect, because our thoughts carry energy, and the existence of a bad thought provides an opportunity for bad elements to hide and to interfere with us. Therefore, our attitude, views, and thoughts towards fellow practitioners will have an effect on the practitioners or the matter in question.

Due to differences in living environments, opportunities, and aptitudes, practitioners are doing different things to save sentient beings. Even within a project we have different jobs. When we are not able to participate in other projects, or when we listen to the suggestions of others, we cannot have a negative view. This is a minimum requirement for each and every practitioner so we won't weaken the one body. If we all follow the requirements of the Fa, the one body is there. Taken to a higher level, we should complement each other. That would be one body in a divine state.

The things we encounter in the one body have a lot to do with our jealousy, selfishness, wishes to validate self, and attachment to doing things. We have to have compassion without 'self' to assimilate to the one body. If we find that other people are having problems, we should look at ourselves first. Once our capacities are enlarged, the issues will usually resolve.

Likewise, when fellow practitioners experience sickness karma or are arrested and sent to jail, other practitioners should pay attention to every thought of their own.

This is my personal understanding.