(Minghui.org) In everyday society, many people are affected deeply, in a good or bad way, because they subscribe to certain principles. Such beliefs can lead to conflicts.
It so happens that even during practitioners' sharing, something someone said could at times be viewed as an attack because of human thoughts. But, it needs to be understood that being criticized is not a bad thing from a cultivation perspective. On the other hand, when a cultivator thinks that he is being attacked, that person needs to realize that there are gaps in his cultivation state.
A true practitioner's righteous thoughts get stronger as he progresses in his cultivation practice. What we see on the surface is the most superficial and could be viewed as being in the middle of large and small particles, but still being at the lowest level. In other words, the physical body also restrains the practitioner. A person forms all kinds of notions and attachments and is restrained by these notions and attachments.
A person's true self, which is his knowing side, fits the standard of his level when he has cultivated well. If a practitioner's knowing side can be one with his physical body, then he can validate the Fa in this world with his true self. This can be understood from what Teacher said:
“If every one of you can understand the Fa from the depths of your mind, that will truly be the manifestation of the Fa whose power knows no boundary—the reappearance of the mighty Buddha Fa in the human world!” (“Essential for Further Advancement, Cautionary Advice”)
If a practitioner's true self can assume the lead, he will be a divine being in the human world. He will see the nature of matter and he will be calm and rational under any circumstances. This is because the power at his level is powerful enough and so can rectify everything that is not righteous. It is just as Teacher said: “The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities.” (Zhuan Falun) Only when one has reached this state can one leave behind the maze of the human world, be invincible when faced with emotions, let go of attachments, return to the true self, help Teacher rectify the Fa, and help Teacher accomplish what he wants.
No Storm Is Strong Enough to Stop Practitioners
A practitioner encounters all sorts of resistance when validating the Fa—it is just like walking in a storm. No storm is strong enough to stop practitioners and they will progress without any hindrance. If a practitioner is in a storm, but his mind is not, then the storm has no effect on him. Even the idea of a storm does not exist and he will be in immersed in righteous thoughts and reasons and has assimilated to the Fa.
Next, he will have to let go of the idea of wanting to be safe. On the path of cultivation, I believe that it does not matter if a practitioner is in a storm or not. It matters whether he can reach the end of the path, assist Teacher in rectifying the Fa, enlighten to Fa principles, and do what he needs to do well. It all depends on how well he understands the Fa and how much he cherishes the Fa. In fact, when a practitioner assists Teacher to rectify the Fa in this world, evil and the ordinary people he has to face are like storms. When a practitioner thinks of them as interference, then they are, because he has already acknowledged the outside interference and is influenced by it. If he does not think of them as interference, then they are not, and his mind is already above that level. It's all about how his mind is on the Fa and his understanding of the Fa.
Everything for a Practitioner Is a Test
Everything a practitioner comes across is a test, a test to ascertain whether the Fa is rooted in his heart, how deeply it is rooted, and what kind of tribulation would make him waver in his committment to the practice. If a practitioner can see clearly that everything is a test and places his mind above it, then he will not be restrained by these things. In other words, these tribulations cannot bother him because he is outside of them. At that moment, he can resolve his problems, like in Teacher's poem “Stirred by Reflection,” “True thoughts dissolve all, The whole sky is clear.”
A practitioner is able to practice because he has a physical body, which is made of different kinds of particles that are at different levels and follow different Fa principles. These factors all affect the practitioner even without him knowing. This is probably why a practitioner becomes humbler as he progresses.
Keep Your Mind on Your Personal Cultivation
A practitioner should not judge who has reached a higher level and who has not. The important thing is whether a practitioner can assimilate to the Fa. A life is made of the Fa and there is no high or low if we are all part of the same Fa. A thought like that is disrespectful to the Fa. If a being can be part of Fa rectification, he should learn the Fa and study the Fa with a calm mind. He should let go of everything from the past, including gaps he still has not eliminated. He should practice in the Fa openly and nobly and be truly “without omission” in the Fa. His life has then achieved the purity required by the Fa.
The Truth Is About to be Heard
The mysteries in this world are gradually dissipating and the truth is about to be heard. History has empowered practitioners with such great responsibility. There are countless beings in the universe, yet how many practitioners are there in the world? A practitioner has to save so many beings, so why are practitioners looking at the differences between one another? Why do they have ill feelings toward one another? Practitioners must let go of all such feelings because there is no time to be attached to them. Every second a practitioner has is a result of Teacher's enormous dedication. Just think about Teacher's dedication toward us, think about our historical mission, think about the beings who put all of their hopes in us. Aren't we ashamed to be hanging on to all our attachments and grudges? Aren't we ashamed that we discriminate against and blame each another?
Being Thankful for What We Encounter
Everything a practitioner comes across in this world is meant to refine him and help him attain consummation, so we should be thankful for everything we encounter on the path of practice. When a being gradually assimilates to the Fa, its way of thinking becomes more pure and righteous. Its mind will be that of a being that belongs to the new universe. A life that assimilates to the Fa will look at things from different angles because it continues to enlighten to different Fa principles and have more wisdom.
“This person has not obtained the Fa and does not know to value virtue. Then he thinks that he can develop energy simply by doing the exercises and that he can get whatever he wants through pursuit. That is what this person thinks ... It is precisely because of one’s ill intentions that one brings to oneself bad things.” (“Zhuan Falun”)
Rising above Ordinary People
A lot of times many practitioners do not follow the Fa principles strictly and still keep one foot in the ordinary world. People live for fame, personal gain, and emotions, but a practitioner needs to let go and rise above ordinary people. Ordinary people fight for various reasons, but a practitioner values virtues and eventually wants to leave the human world. Why do practitioners still fight with one another? It is because they focus on things in this human world and thus decide that there are reasons and things worth fighting for.
Life in the human world is like a dream. The sex of your main spirit may even be different from that of your physical body. What is there in this superficial world that is worth fighting for and being attached to? Only human beings are confused by the superficial images because human beings live in the maze.
“Opportunity knocks but once. Once the illusion that you cannot let go of disappears, you will realize what you have lost.” (“Essential for Further Advancement Practicing Cultivation, After Retirement”).
If a Dafa practitioner can see with his celestial eye and has achieved wisdom based on the Fa, he can see everything clearly and is not bound by anything, including the old universe's principles. He will not even be attached to anything he has enlightened to. This kind of being will be flawless and without self.
In my deepest heart I hope all beings can cherish Falun Dafa.
