Thoughts Regarding a “Free Shopping Tour”

(Minghui.org) A new service called “Free Shopping Tour” has popped up in our area. An insurance company is advertising “free trips to Hong Kong.” Over ten people went, most of them fellow practitioners in our area.

When they returned, we realized that it was a scam: the tourists were required to spend a certain amount before they were allowed to leave.

When they returned home, they either had to purchase insurance from that company or recommend more people to take the “free tour.”

Why Did Practitioners Get Involved in Such a Scheme?

It was obviously a scam, so how could practitioners have fallen into it? Some used the excuse that they could save sentient beings in Hong Kong, but they never mentioned that when they returned. If they were drawn in by the word “free,” that could be problematic for cultivators.

We study the Fa teachings daily, and Master has talked about this issue many times:

“In this cosmos, there is a principle derived from the principle of Zhen-Shan-Ren. It is, ‘no loss, no gain.’ To gain, one must lose, and what’s owed must be paid back. If you don’t want to lose, you will be forced to lose. That’s the principle behind it, so the hardships and tribulations will be there.” (“Teaching the Fa in Beijing at the Zhuan Falun Publication Ceremony” in Zhuan Falun Fajie)

And:

“People with little virtue may not even be able to get anything when they go begging for food. That is because when others give you food, you still have to exchange virtue for it. So when you don’t have any virtue to give them, you won’t get any food.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Guangzhou” in Zhuan Falun Fajie)

When we measure our deeds against the Fa, we will realize what we have done. When we enjoy “free” services, we are actually exchanging our precious virtue for it. Is it worth it?

If we knew all the requirements ahead of time, if we knew that it was not really free after all, what would we do then? What kinds of attachments and human hearts are being tested here?

Cherishing the Time That Has Been Extended for Our Cultivation

As Dafa practitioners, we need to realize that our time is precious, that it is reserved for us to cultivate and save people. When we go sightseeing instead of fulfilling our mission and carrying out our duty, we are letting down sentient beings, as well as Master.

Master told us:

“So many years have passed over the course of history, the Three Realms have existed for so long, and so many sentient beings have come here over time, but all hopes are being placed in this one moment out of all the ages. This instant is precious beyond measure. Completing the last leg of this journey well is what's most magnificent.” (“Teaching the Fa in the City of Chicago” in Teaching the Fa at the Conference VII)

Master reminded us:

“Many, many things appear ordinary, but infinitely wonderful and magnificent special honors are contained in them. If you can do the three things well then everything is covered, everything is encompassed. There isn't much time left to validate the Fa.” (“Teaching and Explaining the Faat the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference” in Teaching the Fa at the Conference III)

Our time is precious beyond measure, and Master has emphasized again and again that we must do the three things well.

Master said:

“Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are what you need to accomplish. There is nothing else for you to accomplish. There is nothing else in this world that you need to accomplish. Those are the things that you need to work toward, and yet some people no longer pay much attention to even their own cultivation, and have instead made a priority of ordinary things. Haven’t you strayed from the path of Dafa disciples’ cultivation, then?” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference”)

For something like this to happen in our area, we realized that there must have been things for us to cultivate and pay attention to. By discussing and sharing, we found that we had many problems: the mentality of fighting, resentment, jealousy, attachment to self, selfishness, being self-centered, doing things in extreme ways, refusing to change oneself, always wanting to be accommodated, and so on.

Those are the things that were interfering us, that were the loopholes seized upon by the old forces to prevent us from diligently cultivating and saving sentient beings.

We all agreed that we really need to calm our hearts to study the Fa teachings, measure up to them, cultivate away our human attachments, and fulfill our vows. That is the only way that we can save those countless sentient beings allotted to us and walk the last leg of our cultivation path well.

Please kindly point out any shortcomings in our sharing.