(Clearwisdom.net) "Practitioners are all a big family, and we are family members." I heard this from other practitioners. For me, I think that it is only a concept that describes how practitioners should help, encourage and remind each other to be diligent during the course of cultivation or even in our daily lives. However, it doesn't mean that practitioners can talk about everything, nor should they tell each other's name or such information. Especially in mainland China, since practitioners think of each other as "family members," we should be more responsible for the safety of other practitioners.

One time, due to solving some technical problems, I had a chance to meet a non-local practitioner. He mentioned "we were all one family," and asked me about my job, how many practitioners are in my area, how many years I had been practicing, and the name of the other practitioner who was with me, etc. He also told me where he went and what he did without any hesitation. When we went to a restaurant before leaving, he didn't care about the other people around us, and talked about topics concerning cultivation, such as we should let go of the attachment to food, or what happened to some practitioners in other areas. I think we should only talk about topics that everyday people can understand when in public, and as to those related to cultivation, we need a more secure place. That practitioner could not restrain himself, and wanted to share more in the restaurant. Was it because we finally got together, and he was too excited to keep his composure?

My fellow practitioners! I can offer help even if you have difficulties in your personal life, but should we consider knowing all the information about each other the same as being a family? Do you know who the other person is exactly?

Among our previous experiences that were shared online, there is a special and pitiful one. A practitioner asked for details about other sites that produce informational materials, and the practitioners in charge of the sites did not think that practitioners would betray their conscience, so they told that practitioner everything without hesitation. One day, this practitioner was arrested and because he was not able to endure the brutal tortures, he told the police everything he knew. Meanwhile, there was also a practitioner who paid close attention to cultivation of speech, thinking that "keeping one's mouth shut" is not the same as treating practitioners indifferently. Since he refused to disclose any information about his area to that practitioner, the police could not get any information about his operation.

We must avoid disclosing unnecessary information to each other, think twice before talking about something that relates to private information of practitioners, and talk or share as little as possible on what we know. To be responsible to ourselves, for each other and for practitioners in other areas is also like being "a member of practitioners' family." As a matter of fact, from ancient times until now, even in ordinary people's families, people are not required to talk about everything without boundaries; moreover, they each have their own responsibilities to fulfill.

We are all practitioners. In my view, "Practitioners are all family members" should not be mentioned very often, since this is an attachment to sentimentality. However, my sharing is mostly about paying attention to safety. Please point out anything improper.

August 26, 2008