Let Go of the Mentality of "Looking Down on Others"

(Clearwisdom.net) Each time while studying the "Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference," when I read the sentence,

"The majority of the time it's that [you are upset about] your suggestion not being adopted or that you looked down on someone. The manifestation of these two attachments tends to be the most intense,"

I felt that my heart was touched by something. I asked myself, "Do I have the mentality of looking down upon others?" I have not been willing to admit it. Yesterday I went to visit a fellow practitioner and we shared our experiences. I had to admit that I do have such a mentality.

Although what the fellow practitioner had analyzed was very reasonable, I still could not accept all of it. In addition, a voice echoed from a place deep down in my heart where it hides: "You only distribute about 10 flyers each week; you were not that diligent before at all; do you even know how much work I have done to validate Dafa all these years? I have been very busy; I have been very righteous, etc. It is all about how good I am and what kind of shortcomings other people have. Where have I put other people in my heart?" I asked my husband , also a practitioner, "Do I have the mentality of looking down on others? Do I look down on you?" My husband calmly said, "You look down on everybody and anybody. You always think you do things very well. You also look down on me." Had he said that before, I would have become angry. As I already realized that I have the mentality of self-importance and looking down on others, I was able to calmly accept his opinion.

Digging deeper, I found that looking down on others originates from the mentality of self validation. Because I did a little bit more than others in validating Dafa, unconsciously I considered that as a qualification to validate myself. Although I have not proclaimed it and I have not thought about it when I am clear-minded, this mentality shows up when I am facing practitioners who do not do as well as me on the surface. I am very embarrassed about this.

The mentality of looking down on others subconsciously is manifested in different ways. For example, I like to point out this and that about the way people do things instead of looking at it from the perspective of the Fa. I am not considerate of others, nor do I put myself in other people's shoes. I do not have enough compassion. Master said in Zhuan Falun

"the entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments."

We are all cultivators. We are all Master's Dafa disciples. What kind of exalted standing do we have to look down upon others?!

In the future, I need to pay attention all the time to give up this attachment so that I can better coordinate with fellow practitioners around me and accomplish the sacred mission of assisting Master in Fa rectification.

The above is only my own understanding. Please point out if there is anything not in the Fa.

Written September 5, 2009