(Clearwisdom.net) I had been thinking that letting a fellow practitioner know his shortcomings was a way to help him improve and to show the greatest compassion. But, I took it to an extreme which created a barrier between me and other practitioners. In the process of memorizing the Fa, looking inward, and reading other practitioners' cultivation experiences on the Clearwisdom website, I realized that my understanding needs to improve.
1. Always Seeing Others' Shortcomings Is Not Compassion
Examples of ordinary people's feelings are if I am happy when others are good to me, and I am not happy when others are not good to me; or, I am happy when others do something good to me, and I am not happy when others do something bad to me. In the past, because I acted like an ordinary person, I was attached to other practitioners' cultivation status or shortcomings. I was happy when practitioners changed but when practitioners did not listen to my suggestions or did not make a change, I would not be happy. I would feel uneasy when I met them and even deliberately used stern language to irritate them. I thought that this was good for them and that they would not understand without a "heavy hammer." Actually, I took advantage of practitioners' feelings to make them change. In other words, I did not have enough compassion.
Master said:
"In fact, the entire Fa-rectification has been done in this most lenient, most merciful manner. The mistakes that beings made in history are not counted against them." ("Teaching the Fa in Canada, 2006")
We, as Dafa practitioners, should learn from Master. We should forgive sentient beings' past deeds, and forget all past gratitude and resentment. We should get out of the cycle of transmigration and retribution, and not be controlled by emotions. We should also treat sentient beings and fellow practitioners with great compassion. If we are unable to put aside past gratitude, grudges and attachments to practitioners' shortcomings, we will not cultivate ourselves according to the Fa's requirements.
I realize that I am not being benevolent when I think of separation, care about others' shortcomings, have attachments to others' mistakes, care about others' attitudes, or care about various gains or losses. This non-benevolence is not just shown in behavior. When we have bad thoughts our xinxing shows, and bad factors will be generated in our field. Those bad factors are barriers. Sometimes, I did well on the surface. Yet, I felt wronged in my heart. The result was that others did not care what I had done. In fact, what happened? If I was not benevolent in my heart, others could feel that. Although I did well, a barrier has already been generated. Of course, others did not care. Master said:
"Dafa disciples should handle everything positively. Don't look at the negative side of other people. You should always look at their positive side. Actually, did you know that back when I was teaching you Dafa, during the classes a lot of human thoughts were sent out from the audience down there? The thoughts sent out by some people were really bad, but I didn't look at any of that. I just look at your positive side, and thus I can save you." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
In accordance with the Fa, I thought that I helped fellow practitioners; actually, I looked at others' bad sides. I even judged others according to their actions and language. Using that as an excuse, I attempted to change others. Almost all conflicts were related to this bad habit. Now, when I fuss about, suspect, guard, blame, resent, fight, or have other bad thoughts I try to eliminate them from my field. So, kindness, tolerance, honesty, and understanding can penetrate my heart for the first time. And also, for the first time, I seem to have the wonderful feeling of possessing them. I no longer feel wronged because of others' misunderstanding or indifference. I also am not preoccupied with gain or loss or people's feelings. I can experience the realm of "Forbearance," which is not the same as that of an ordinary person who is attached to his misgivings, but is the greatest compassion of truly putting aside oneself. The hard ice in my heart has started to melt. When the cold dissipates after the ice has melted, I feel that my heart will be so soft, warm, spacious, and full of light. Master said:
"Compassion is an enormous energy, the energy of righteous gods. The more compassion that is present, the greater this energy becomes, and it can disintegrate anything that is bad." ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference")
I had first hand experience with these words.
2. One Cannot Use Ordinary Feelings and Reasoning in Cultivation
Master said:
"As far as attachments go, if today Master told you to get rid of this or that one, it would be something forced, and any desire to get rid of it wouldn't have come from your heart. And as time went by, when you couldn't take it anymore after Master had said a lot of those things, you would become resentful and think, "Why should I do that?" But when you've realized things from the Fa's principles and have understood the effect that doing that might have on your existence, only then have you truly improved, and only then are you truly able to do it. No external restriction comes out of your own will or out of true improvement on your part. Restrictions and coercion can never change someone or make him improve. And once the restrictions are gone, the person will go back to being how he was before, so that doesn't work." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York")
From this, it was a departure from the Fa because I forced my "good intention" onto fellow practitioners, and I was attached to it or was unwilling to give it up if fellow practitioners did not listen. Recognizing other practitioners' shortcomings and kindly pointing them out is correct. But, one cannot form the attachment of being unsure by not pointing them out. One should also not force one's own understanding onto others, and cannot force others to cultivate. Improvement in cultivation comes when a cultivator looks inward. If I always look for others' shortcomings, which can only make my own heart impure, it is of no use to fellow practitioners' cultivation.
Sometimes, when I pointed out a practitioner's problem face-to-face and the practitioner did not accept it, I would talk to another practitioner. I would detail the event, and ask the practitioner to judge who is right and who is wrong. I thought I used the Fa to guide us and to improve together. Now, I understand that this is just an attachment of a practitioner's attachments. It was indicative of the fact that I did not have compassion towards a practitioner. And, no matter what the purpose is, it is not good to discuss problems behind a practitioner's back. It can only strengthen negative factors, and cannot give the fellow practitioner a positive field. Kind understanding and compassionate inclusiveness are in line with Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. Thus, it is truly helping fellow practitioners, and can form an unbreakable and strong whole-body.
In summary, looking inward is cultivation. Arguing superficially who's right or who's wrong is not cultivation. Putting aside feelings and letting go of people's right or wrong thoughts can then cultivate a compassionate heart. Previously, I had thought that the conflict I had with other practitioners was to eliminate their attachment to "talking about others." I did not actually use the Fa to improve myself. I cultivated very slowly on this problem.
The above is my experience at my level. I welcome comments.
Original article date: 12/30/2009