(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, I gained a deeper understanding of "gaining without pursuit," realizing that I should not be attached to anyone or anything. In the past, I often did well on the surface but, deep in my heart, there was still that little notion of pursuit hidden away.
Teacher said:
"In teaching the Fa, I have talked about the principle whereby a school student who does his schoolwork well will naturally be admitted to college, whereas a school student who is attached to being admitted to college but who doesn't do his schoolwork well won't be admitted. It isn't wrong for a cultivator to wish to reach Consummation, but your mind should be on the Fa. While continually cultivating you will unwittingly meet the standard for Consummation." ("Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s)", Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Given Teacher's words, I thought I'd like to share with fellow practitioners something I experienced.
There was a basketball tournament coming up, and three girls were to be chosen for the team. Before the game, I thought that I could face it without complaint should the coach not choose me. But, when the coach didn't chose me, I couldn't face the rejection as I had imagined. I wasn't happy, and I really complained.
At the end of each year, the school evaluates its employees. I didn't care much about the evaluation. I just did what I was supposed to do at work and never thought about the evaluation. To my surprise, I was put on the list of outstanding employees of the year. I still couldn't believe it when I had to turn in my photo. I knew that this happened because I wasn't attached to receiving the award and Teacher was encouraging me. I gained a deeper understanding of the Fa principle "gaining without pursuit" because of this incident.
We should not be attached to any personal gain. The more we wish for a perfect ending, the less will it happen. As long as we do anything without any desire and let go of self, we will gain everything that belongs to us. When we encounter any trouble or tribulation, it has to relate to our human notions.
When faced with a notion, we need to recognize and eliminate it. We need to do what we practitioners should do and not be attached to anything else. As long as we eliminate our attachments, we will gain everything naturally.
