(Clearwisdom.net)
Master said in “Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting”:
“There is a lot of hidden meaning contained in [China’s] semi-divine culture, and that also holds true for the old expression 'the appearance stems from the mind.' Because each person covers a certain expanse of his own in the world around him, his emotional state will have a bearing on his affairs. That’s even more the case for Dafa disciples, for they shoulder the mission of saving sentient beings, and their expanse is even greater.”
“Actually, the world’s people themselves have a certain expanse of their own, only it’s a very small field and it doesn’t include other people. So for them, too, one’s emotional state can determine the outcome of certain things. Ordinary people don’t know that all of this is encompassed by the expression “the appearance stems from the mind.” So, put another way, one’s own factors can in fact change one’s surroundings. 'Cultivate yourself' and 'search within' are words that I have said in a very straightforward and clear manner. (Laughing) But, there aren’t that many people who give these words due weight. What I was describing holds true for Dafa disciples when they do things.”
When I was studying this paragraph of the Fa, I suddenly realized that I had a big misunderstanding about the concept of the dimensional field (or the expanse that each of us are responsible for).
Previously, I had always thought that the expanse covered by my dimensional field was only my work environment and family environment, that it only covered the people that I interacted with, and that it worked only when my thoughts were righteous. However, now I understand that what Master gave us covers every being and factor that has a predestined relationship with us, and even factors they represent, regardless of where they are in the world and regardless of their distance from us. Moreover, it has an impact whether our thoughts are righteous or not. Righteous thoughts play a positive role, while bad thoughts will have a negative effect.
With my previously limited understanding, I often felt helpless about my inability to change the environment. In fact, wasn't I firmly boxed in within the scope of the dimensional field defined by me? I had studied this paragraph of the Fa many times and had recited it while trying to cleanse my dimensional field with righteous thoughts. But it was only now that I discovered how small the dimensional field being cleansed had been. Understanding this, I sat down and cleansed my dimensional field with righteous thoughts again, while reciting in my mind “...thinking about eliminating the bad thoughts, karma, bad notions, and external interference in their minds.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2001 Canada Fa Conference”). I saw something red flash and then disappear, saying something like, “I'll leave it to you.” I think it was Master giving me a hint to help me see where I had fallen short.
When I was searching for the above paragraph of the Fa during the writing process, what I first came upon was Master's teaching “Watch Out for Breeding Demons in One's Own Mind”; thus, I decided that I needed to look deeper to find my shortcoming. Actually Master has talked about this issue many times already, but I did not understand it, even a little, until today.
On the surface, it appeared to be an issue of limited understanding. However, the reason for this limited understanding is what really needed to be examined. Fine analysis of my state while studying the Fa showed that I did not study it from the heart. I was attached to hearing things that are new, interesting, and high level. I was rushing and thought I had already understood the Fa that Master has repeatedly taught. The result was that I did not pay attention while reading the Fa and did not truly cultivate according to the Fa.
Aren't the areas that Master repeatedly talked about the areas where we are inadequate and need to focus on? Recognizing this, I found it necessary to chase it down further and find the reason why I was not paying attention while studying the Fa. I found that deep down in my heart, I did not want to change the status quo and wanted to maintain the existing situation and interests. It was due to the attachments of fear and seeking comfort. I did not want to bear more hardship and wanted to stay in the existing state of stagnation. I did not want to change the human notions that were deep in my bones, so I was not paying attention while studying the Fa. This is a disguised form of escape. Not only did my limited understanding narrow the dimensional field, it also allowed the old forces to take advantage of my attachments.
This is actually still an understanding on the surface. Finding the true reason is like peeling an onion, with layers and layers buried within and hidden. Without seriously looking inward, one cannot solve the real issue.
While writing this article, I also came to understand why I had come upon Master's teaching “Watch Out for Breeding Demons in One's Own Mind” when I had intended to look for “the appearance stems from the mind,” and had actually meant to use the words “stems from the heart” to search for it. I now understand that the real cause of the problem was not that my limited understanding was restricting me, but rather the attachments behind the problem. Barriers are caused by our own attachments. In my heart I did not want to let go of the attachments. Any solution that does not remove the attachments is only changing the surface or changing one point, and cannot solve the fundamental problem. Also, I always wanted to remove the attachment to comfort but was unable to. I even tried to escape from it. It seems to me that I can't really solve the fundamental problem without working hard and facing it straight on.
After writing this experience-sharing article, I found that what I had written and the writing process were not what I originally had in mind. The process of writing it out made my understanding more clear. It is only by studying the Fa well, rectifying ourselves, letting righteous thoughts constantly cover our dimensional fields and not being attached to the surface of conflicts that we can better accomplish what we are responsible for. “'Cultivate yourself' and 'search within'” is a magical tool that Master gave us. I also have a deeper understanding about what it means to “Pacify the External by Cultivating the Internal” (Essentials for Further Advancement).
The above is my personal experience to share with fellow practitioners. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.