(Clearwisdom.net) In the past, a situation occurred where I would doze off during Fa study. When beginning to read the books, I would yawn continuously even though I maintained a kneeling position. At the time, I thought maybe I was just a little tired, and so just postponed Fa study and took a nap. However, this did not help and I continued to feel low and tired all day. I finally realized how serious this was. I realized that this idleness had already badly interfered with my Fa study. If I could not control myself, what kind of practitioner was I? After this understanding came about, I no longer experienced this kind of interference.
Other situations occurred, such as trying to get more reading done by reading at a very fast speed. However, after reading I could not remember what I had read or my mind wandered to other things while studying the Fa.
Teacher Li said,
"And when you are thinking things over, whether you use human notions or the righteous thoughts of a cultivator is going to determine the different results you get."("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference")
Teacher also mentioned,
"If your thinking is the same as ordinary people's, then you will forever be an ordinary person and never be able to leave here. So, when you meet with ordeals, it is the perfect opportunity for you to improve. If you are able to look inside, that trying situation will become instead an opportunity, something to overcome and a chance to enter a new state." ("Fa Teaching at the 2008 New York Conference")
During Fa study and cultivation, practitioners should change their ordinary people's thoughts and reference the Fa to correct every thought. If a thought is not in keeping with the Fa, just get rid of it right away. This is the process of upgrading oneself in cultivation. I found that many of the thoughts and questions in my mind were a result of human notions and attachments. Incorrect understandings of the Fa and attachments that I still had not rid myself of, interfered with my Fa study and cultivation. Maintaining righteous thoughts and a pure heart are really significant for all practitioners.
I am a person who has a "short fuse", so I examine myself when something happens. Teacher Li said,
"Humans are formed amidst both Buddha-nature and demon-nature. When people are in unstable moods, have evil thoughts, or get impetuous, they are being driven by demon-nature. When people are in a very rational state and are doing things in a very kind and genial state of mind, they are being driven by their Buddha-nature." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Houston")
Now, in the last stage of Fa-rectification, how could I be driven by demon-nature? Since practitioners are cultivating in this complicated ordinary society, a variety of attachments can interfere with our cultivation state and Fa study. If we maintain righteous thoughts, we can easily figure out these attachments. Following discovery of these attachments, we have the opportunity to get rid of them and upgrade our level.
Before studying the Fa, our Buddhist ancestors had to bathe and burn incense to show respect. They also had to adjust their own state by joining mind and body, and then they started to read. At this moment, they had a clear mind and strong master soul and any bad elements were eliminated. They could keep reading for hours while staying alert and calm. A kind of joy rises from the bottom of one's heart while studying the Fa in this way!
