(Clearwisdom.net) Through Fa-study and genuine practice, I recently realized several misunderstandings I had regarding cultivation.
The Relationship Between Looking Within and Negating Old Force Arrangements
I always thought that I would be taken advantage of the minute I had any loopholes. When I encountered a problem, my first thought was always that I must have a loophole. When other practitioners encountered problems, I would also immediately think that they had loopholes and should first look within to remove their attachments. Thus, I believe I have not been diligent about sending forth righteous thoughts.
Many practitioners that I know are not like me. Their first thoughts are, “It must be interference from the old forces. I don't acknowledge such interference even if I do have loopholes.” They would then send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil elements. However, their looking within wasn't adequate or deep enough. Very often, their problems were not solved.
Recently, the relationship between the two became clearer to me. When other practitioners encounter problems, our first thoughts should be to negate the old force arrangements rather than to encourage the other practitioners to look within. When conditions are ripe, we can kindly remind other practitioners to look within, but we should not acknowledge the interference even if fellow practitioners indeed have loopholes. However, if we ourselves encounter a problem, our first thought should be to look within. Looking within is not acknowledging the old forces' arrangements, but walking the path arranged by our Master. Looking within leaves no room for the evil beings. In the meantime, we could send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil beings. In doing so, we are taking the Fa as our teacher. The old forces will quit if there is no loophole. We still need to eliminate them even if they ease up. In this way, the problem may be solved.
Not Doing Well in Maximally Conforming to the Ways of Ordinary Society While Cultivating
Only recently did I understand that Master's admonishments for us to cultivate in conformance with ordinary human society are to be followed very closely. We do not avoid ordinary society, but we should not let ourselves sink in among ordinary people. My understanding is that we only need to do our work well. In other things, like chatting with everyday people, meaningless interactions, minding everyday people's affairs, and reading or watching everyday people's materials, we should not partake. For a Dafa disciple who can calm down and truly cultivate, it may be better to speak scarcely among everyday people except when clarifying the truth. I often witness practitioners joking or chatting with non-practitioners, unable to remain calm amidst the suffering of everyday people. They regard that as conforming to the ways of ordinary society.
My understanding is that we should not be engaged in the matters of everyday people. As cultivators, as long as we do not conduct ourselves based upon the mentalities of showing off, zealotry, or going to extremes, nobody will regard us as abnormal. The behavior of some practitioners cannot be understood by ordinary people because ordinary people do not have an adequate understanding of the Fa. Some speak of high level Fa principles to non-practitioners, some conduct themselves as though they have seen enough of this secular world, and some quit their jobs in ordinary society with the excuse that they are validating the Fa, among other reasons.
Mixing Non-Fa Material into the Fa
Master has never mentioned that we should cling to our families. On one level, what Master is talking about includes balancing the relationships among our family, work, and society. Some practitioners may have misunderstood this meaning and are attached to being good people among their family, work, and society. They are buried in their emotions, and it has consumed a lot of their energy when that is not really necessary. This is because they may not have a clear understanding regarding this issue and their xinxing on the matter has not raised up either.
When other practitioners point out such issues, some practitioners reply, “I don't have this problem. Don't throw that bad stuff into my field.” This makes both parties unhappy even though one practitioner only thought that he was helping. The other practitioner thought that bad stuff was being thrown into his field. Such interactions can create gaps among practitioners. There is no need to worry about another practitioner throwing bad stuff into our own field. Master talked about the issue of “stealing qi.” We have all developed gong and are looked after by Master. Nobody can take away our good things, and nobody can place any bad things into our field either. There is no need to get nervous about such things.
Some practitioners read stories about other dimensions on the Internet. They then went out to save plants and animals, telling them to recite, “Falun Dafa is good.” Some practitioners have said to their printers and computers words like, “Let's study the Fa together,” thinking that in this way their work will go more smoothly. Through Fa-study, we all know that gods created humans in their own image, and that among worldly beings, only humans are worthy of listening to the Fa. Other things are not allowed to listen to the Fa. Things other than animals and plants will naturally assimilate to the Fa when they hear of Dafa. However, we should never invite those things to come and listen to the Fa. This is an insult to Dafa. As for animals' and plants' assimilation to the Fa, Master will take care of it, not us. As cultivators, we clarify the truth to humans, not to animals and plants.
Some practitioners think that being persecuted means they have not cultivated well, while not being persecuted means they have cultivated well. I think this is also a misunderstanding. Cultivating well and being diligent are not indicated by whether or not one is arrested, but rather, if one takes the opportunity to examine xinxing and see if one's thoughts are in line with the Fa. Some practitioners think that being arrested means that they are being subjected to old force arrangements. They think that not being arrested means they are walking the path arranged by Master. This is an extreme notion. Some cultivate well overall, but were taken advantage of by some unrealized gaps and were arrested. If one is not arrested, it does not necessarily indicate that one has cultivated well. There are no formulas to apply in cultivation. We should take the Fa as teacher and study the Fa instead of other people. Only then can we do well.
My level of understanding is limited. Please point out anything that is improper.
