Failure Teaches a Valuable Lesson

(Minghui.org) After returning home after more than a year of being held in a forced labor camp, I spent a lot of time studying the Fa.

After extensive Fa study, I found many attachments, such as lust, laziness, and looking for comfort. Besides, I am working on letting go of other issues related to selfishness. For those reasons, I am doing better in spreading the facts about Falun Dafa.

Failing a Human Test

My home is quite far from where I work, so I had to get a driver's license. I took a driving course and the instructor told me to take the driving test once he felt that I was ready. However, when testing my parking skill on a marked spot, the examiner told me that I had failed. I felt dejected and was ashamed. When I finally calmed down, I looked for reasons why I had failed.

The part of the test I failed uses six poles to mark the space available in a garage with lines on the ground. The poles are reference points for driving into and out of a garage. The car may not touch a pole or the lines on the ground. Actually, the instructor had told me how to use the poles as reference for maneuvering the car. Had I followed what he told me, everything would have worked.

After I failed the test I began to analyze what actually happened. The place where I practiced driving was surrounded by other things, not just the poles. When practicing I had used other things, not just the poles, for reference! This was the true cause of my failure.

Using the Fa as the Guide

What I have learned from my failing a real life test is that, as practitioners, if we follow not only the Fa but also other concepts, it becomes an impediment to our cultivation. I think this explains why some disciples are being persecuted.

Teacher told us how the old forces were formed, and that should be a lesson for us. For years I did not realize that the top priority is to improve my moral character. As a result, when I drifted away from the Fa, I did not realize it. In fact, I thought I was doing great, because I did all the three things. The truth is that I had followed some human notions instead of the Fa.

Teacher has emphasized raising our moral character time and again. However, I was focusing on how to do the three things well without raising my moral character. I believed that if I did the three things well based on human standards, I had met the goal of a practitioner. Actually, doing well means continuously raising one's moral character.

Teacher said,

“They will only feel okay with it when you meet the standards that they acknowledge; only then will they let you progress upwards free of interference; and only then will they think that you are qualified to save them.” (“20th Anniversary Fa Teaching”)

It does not matter whether you are a disciple during the Fa rectification period or at a later phase. Whenever we talk about cultivation, we are talking about improving our moral character.

Teacher said,

“One's gong level is as high as one's xinxing level, and this is an absolute truth.” (Zhuan Falun)

Thus, how can we accomplish our historical mission and reach consummation if we don't focus on improving our moral character? Cultivation is a serious matter. In society you can always take the test again if you fail the first time. But there is only one Fa-rectification period. If you miss it, you don't have another chance.

A few days ago a veteran practitioner who did an outstanding job in spreading the facts about Falun Gong to everyday people got mad about something quite unimportant and cried. I think this incident told him that it was time to improve his moral character.

Many fellow practitioners had worked hard in spreading the facts about Falun Gong for over ten years and had created a supportive family environment. Teacher will not give up on these practitioners, but they must improve their moral character in addition to working hard on doing the three things.

This is a personal understanding about the Fa. Please point out anything that is not appropriate. Heshi!