(Clearwisdom.net) I had always considered cultivation to be painful, but had not pondered deeply why that was the case. After carefully consideration, I completely changed my opinion and now feel incomparably happy. I would like to share with my fellow practitioners my true feelings at my present level.

I believe there are two kinds of hardship in cultivation. One is related to the suffering caused by our attachments in the process of cultivating and the other is the pain that we experience while practicing. Compared with the sufferings in everyday society where people jockey for position or deceive each other, the suffering caused by our attachments in the process of cultivating is much easier to bear. When we are knowingly able give up attachments, according to the Fa principles, we will feel lighthearted and cheerful. Our levels will rise and the bad and vulgar things in the world won't effect us. That state of being is simply glorious. In the course of practicing, we will suffer pain, whether it be a sore and aching body, numbness, tingling, swelling, etc. Those pains are much easier to bear than the suffering that non-practitioners experience from illness. In the course of practicing, I have realized that the hardships experienced by non-practitioners is unavoidable and is related to their karma. The pain that practitioners experience is temporary, and when we cultivate to higher realms, we are completely freed from it. Practicing cultivation resolves these fundamental issues of life.

I have felt unparalleled happiness as Master's Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple. I have been given the glorious honor of fulfilling the historic mission of saving sentient beings at the same time that I practice individual cultivation. Master has established for us an incredible opportunity to establish mighty virtue during the Fa-rectification period. When I tell people the truth about Falun Dafa and the persecution, and encourage them to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations, I feel incomparably happy and eternally grateful to Master.

I have felt quite happy since I began practicing two years ago, so I would say that cultivation isn't painful. Practitioners will gradually think less about themselves and more about other people. They will still be glad when they see that others are doing even better than they are. They will always be happy, so how can they feel troubled? They will always have a taste of sweetness and will appreciate their joy.

So how can we feel hardship when we have Master's mighty virtue to constantly bless and protect us? And how can we feel bitter when we have Master to guide our cultivation toward high levels and realms? Why do so many practitioners feel that cultivation is painful and where does that pain come from? There is a kind of profound suffering that practitioners have felt, that as time has progressed during Fa-rectification, they haven't reached the levels that they were supposed to as required by the Fa. They feel that their xinxing has improved slowly, as they haven't persevered according to Master's requirements. They felt hardship because they did not act in accordance with Dafa's requirements. They have not clarified the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution, saved sentient beings, and have perhaps slept during sending righteous thoughts at midnight, or have been lazy and not practiced the exercises. All of this suffering has come about because they have not practiced with determination.

At this point, some people might say that practitioners have suffered great hardships during the persecution. That is true, and is practitioners' great forbearance, but we don't recognize this persecution, and I don't think that practitioners should bear it. This is not the suffering of cultivators but rather the suffering brought about by everyday human attachments. I don't wish to hurt my fellow practitioners who have been illegally persecuted. Cultivation is serious, and Dafa is benevolent and dignified. Master has given us Falun Dafa, a cultivation system of mind and body. He has suffered untold hardships and born a gigantic amount of karma on behalf of practitioners and sentient beings. Whenever I read “Black hairs become gray and human body has been damaged” (“Return to the Origin” from Hong Yin III), I felt very sad. So what does the suffering of practitioners amount to? And shouldn't they accept it joyfully? We should always remember Master's Fa,

To consummate yourself, reaping Buddhahood,
Let joy be found in hardship.
(“Tempering the Will” from Hong Yin)

I wished to share with my fellow practitioners this little bit that I have enlightened to. Please point out anything incorrect on my part.