(Clearwisdom.net) I recently read Master's new article, titled "Be More Diligent", and I was very touched. I truly felt the greatness of Dafa and Master's enormous compassion. Master always teaches us to be selfless. We are very fortunate to be on our cultivation journeys.
As a practitioner in Mainland China, I have had the experience of letting go of ego at my workplace. I work at a private school where officials hope to fully use every teacher's skills. Because of my deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture (which actually came from my cultivation in Dafa), the school officials assigned me to teach traditional culture. We often meet discuss the curriculum, and I have observed that I am often attached to my own opinions. For a while, I had negative feelings towards the principal, thinking that many of his ideas were wrong. The principal did not know how to handle the conflicts because, as he told me, "You are the only one in this school who can understand what I mean [about teaching traditional culture]." Therefore, he had no choice but to continue having me do it.
With continual Fa-study and letting go of myself, I realized the importance of cooperation and following instructions. As long as something has positive effects in educating the students, I began to follow other's arrangements and simply do my job well. Surprisingly, I noticed that other teachers seemed to take my lead and also became more responsible. Moreover, by working together, we achieved an outcome beyond what we expected. I was touched by this: cooperation amongst coworkers is indeed very important. I then thought about our truth-clarification and saving sentient beings. The cooperation between practitioners is indeed vital for us to become one-body.
A music teacher watched the 2008 and 2009 Shen Yun performance DVDs and told me that she loved them, saying both the dancing and singing were superb. Another music teacher said, "The backdrop of the Shen Yun performance is very beautiful. Every program tells a story, very vivid and touching." I told her the performers were instructed by Master and she was impressed. I then explained that, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is very good and that is why the performances are so wonderful. She agreed.
Another coworker is an official in the daycare division, and she likes Chinese dance very much. We did not interact much in the past, so I first asked her opinions on Chinese dance, and then I invited her to watch a world-class performance DVD. She happily accepted. After watching the Shen Yun performance on DVD, she told me, "My 8-month-old also liked the performance very much. He watched from the beginning to the end. His grandmother wanted to play with him somewhere else, but he would not leave. I guess the music is so beautiful that it calmed him down."
One day when the headmaster was on duty, he watched the 2010 Shen Yun performance DVD on his computer after work. The cleaning lady came in and also enjoyed watching, so they watched it together until the DVD finished.
As I paid less and less attention to myself at work, I gradually was able to maintain a humble mindset. I know that all my wisdom is from the Fa and there is no need to validate something of my self. Although I also am considered an official in the school, I did not feel superior. Instead, I helped the class advisor who worked on students' moral values and psychological development, or I helped the music and art teachers design campus events. With such a harmonious relationship, they were happy to listen to me talk to them about Falun Gong and the persecution. A young coworker agree to read Zhuan Falun. She later came to me to borrow Zhuan Falun frequently, and she was even trying to change her bad temper with the Fa principles. Another coworker downloaded the Dafa books after learning the truth, and she was anxious to tell more people about the persecution and ask them to quit the CCP. All of my coworkers know I am a Falun Dafa practitioner, and whenever they encounter difficulty, they like to share it with me and ask my opinion. Deep in their hearts, they know they can rely on me, or at least get help from the Buddha Fa--after all, everyone has an enlightened side that knows what is most important in life.
Prior to cultivation, I was irritable and ill-tempered with a strong ego that did not obey the rules. Now I have realized that I have to fully follow Master's arrangement and think with righteous thoughts. In front of the creator of the cosmos, we have to let go of all selfish thoughts and comply with what is expected of us--only then are we doing the most righteous thing.