(Clearwisdom.net) A female practitioner was just released after being imprisoned for several months. With the help of other practitioners, she declared her intention to resume practicing Falun Gong. Soon after she joined a local Fa-study group, she came across many conflicts at home and was feeling quite confused.
Some practitioners expressed their opinions about her, and after hearing all of this, I went to share cultivation experiences with her based on the Fa. We didn't know each other previously, so after we met, I asked her about her current understanding of the Fa and her feelings after reading Master's latest teachings. During her sharing, she mostly spoke about the tribulations she had suffered in prison, the conflicts she had at home, other hardships, and her feelings of being wronged. She didn't mention anything about what Dafa disciples should do during Fa-rectification or how to do the three things well.
I felt quite uneasy afterward, because Fa-rectification is approaching the end, but some fellow practitioners are still in this kind of a state. Then I remembered the practitioners in my local area who stopped practicing cultivation or only secretly read Zhuan Falun at home. They didn't know they were on a dangerous edge. Some even spread fake teachings by the Communist regime spies, affecting other practitioners. In recalling this, I felt deep pity. They had obtained the Fa, but they didn't realize why revered Master came to teach the Fa and didn't understand what the persecution was really about during the Fa-rectification period. They wrongly thought that under the control of the evil regime, they were just struggling to survive while wanting to enjoy happiness in the human world without being persecuted.
I would like to share my understanding of the persecution. We should understand it from the Fa principles.
What Is the Persecution About? Who is Really Persecuted?
When fellow practitioners discussed the persecution, we often talked about who was arrested, beaten, subjected to a heavy sentence, or persecuted severely in forced labor camps or brainwashing centers. This was just a manifestation of the evil persecuting Dafa disciples in the human world. This is an appearance on the surface. As cultivators, our basic point of view is very important. We need to think about it and understand it from the Fa.
The persecution by the evil brought about harsh tribulations to practitioners, both physically and mentally, placing practitioners in tests of life and death. However, there are many causes and factors behind the persecution, such as the human attachments that practitioners haven't eliminated, which are used by the old forces as an excuse, the arrangements by the old forces, karmic retribution, and so forth.
Practitioner A in my area was arrested while working on a Dafa project and was then sentenced. That was only an appearance, however. The true reason for it was because his lust had not been eliminated, which created a gap for the old forces to take advantage of. He had lived with a woman without being married to her, and after they parted, he again developed an inappropriate relationship with a female practitioner. Both of them were arrested and given heavy sentences, although they had done a lot to validate Dafa. Other practitioners only thought about the things the two practitioners had done for Dafa, and therefore felt confused about their suffering. They didn't know how many attachments those two practitioners had not yet eliminated.
Master said,
"Do you know that one of the biggest excuses the old evil forces use at present to persecute Dafa is that your fundamental attachments remain concealed? So in order to identify those people, the tribulations have been made more severe." ("Towards Consummation" in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
My understanding is that the old forces use the persecution to identify those who don't fully practice or who fall behind in cultivation, and to remove them from the group of cultivators. The old forces use the persecution as an excuse to test us. The goal of the persecution is to stop people from obtaining the Fa and from practicing Dafa.
In order to practice cultivation to the end, one must follow Master's requirements. Therefore, whatever tribulations we come across, we must firmly practice Dafa and do the three things well.
Dafa Disciples Must Pay Attention to Studying the Fa Well
I would like to remind everyone here that Dafa disciples must pay attention to studying the Fa well! Studying the Fa is extremely important. We are living in delusion; only Dafa can help us break through it. Studying the Fa well means that during the process of studying the Fa, we keep on enlightening to Master's Fa principles. In this way, we can distinguish good from evil and strive forward, rather than get lost in delusion in this complex environment. We shouldn't use human notions to measure anything that occurrs on our cultivation path, because it will create a block in our cultivation.
Some practitioners consider studying the Fa as only a task; some don't calm down while studying; some just read it without understanding it. If we study the Fa like this, how can we help Master with Fa-rectification?
I saw that some practitioners were confused by the appearance of the evil's interference. They would bring up their problems, but couldn't solve them. They didn't understand their problems from the viewpoint of the Fa. Gradually they lost their confidence, which caused them to become less diligent in their practice or even quit cultivating. The old forces may then use this as an excuse to persecute them.
All problems and confusion can be solved by studying the Fa. Master had told us everything in the Fa. As long as we truly study the Fa, we will increase our understanding and break through delusion.
If we get rid of our human attachments and follow Master's requirements, the persecution could not occur - it will no longer exist. In this way, we would end the persecution, while validating the Fa and taking responsibility for ourselves as well as sentient beings.
We should firmly remember Master's teachings. The mission of Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period is not just to endure tribulations and repay karma; it is to save sentient beings and fulfill our historic vows. The evil forces aim to stop Dafa disciples from practicing cultivation. We should be aware of that.
This is my personal understanding. Please kindly point out anything improper.
