(Clearwisdom.net) Teacher said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference":

"... sexual attraction and desire are a fatal roadblock that a cultivator absolutely must overcome."

My personal understanding is that as a cultivator we must eventually let go of all our attachments to lust, sexual attraction, and desires. It is a state a cultivator must reach, a requirement of Dafa. I would like to share my understanding on this issue so that we can cultivate rationally and without going to extremes.

When an article about eliminating the attachment to sexual desire was published by the Minghui website (the Chinese version of Clearwisdom), I noticed that some practitioners went to extremes. In turn, these extremes created unnecessary interference to practitioners' efforts to save sentient beings and caused damage to Dafa. Especially when those practitioners who had spouses that weren't practitioners divorced them. These irrational behaviors led to disharmony within their families. Family members began blaming Dafa for their grievances and some even viciously slandered Dafa. If these practitioners had indeed tried to raise their xinxing level as required of practitioners, these sorts of superficial and extreme behaviors could had been avoided.

How should we handle such situations when they arise? I had read a sharing article from the Minghui website submitted by a female practitioner. One evening her husband asked her to have sexual relations with him. While she was getting ready for bed, she took her time in the bathroom. She also examined her own feelings and discovered that she did have thoughts of sexual desire that day. She then negated that thought, and, by the time she returned to the bedroom, her husband was fast asleep.

I truly believe that it is very important to look within and examine ourselves, and to"pacify the external by cultivating the internal." Teacher very clearly explained this point in Zhuan Falun:

"The other day I said that the Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities. In other words, the energy scattered from our bodies can rectify all abnormal conditions. Therefore, under the effects of this field, if you do not think about these things, you will unintentionally restrain your spouse as well. If you do not and will not think of them, your spouse will not think of them, either. But it is not absolute, for in the present environment there are all kinds of things on television that, if it is turned on, can easily stimulate one's desires. But under normal conditions, you have this restraining effect. In the future when you reach high-level cultivation practice, without my telling you, you will know what to do. By then there will be another state to ensure a harmonious life. You, therefore, should not concern yourself with this too much, as being overly concerned is also an attachment. There is not an issue of eroticism between husband and wife, but there is lust. As long as you can take it lightly and feel right in your mind, it will be fine."

However, if our cultivation levels haven't reached the point of truly giving up these attachments without pursuit and then we proceeded to end any sexual interactions in a marriage, then we would be going to extremes. This kind of behavior would no doubt have a negative impact on Dafa.

Finally, my wish is for all practitioners to not go to extremes in what they think or do so as not to cause unnecessary interference in our mission to save sentient beings. We all know that if any beings think negatively or condemn Dafa, they will be weeded out in the future. With the extinction of each being, a corresponding huge celestial body, with all its sentient beings, will be destroyed as well.

This is my personal understanding. Please compassionately point out anything inappropriate.

September 26, 2008