(Minghui.org) My mother, a Falun Dafa practitioner in her 70s, decided to set up a family-based Dafa material printing site, so I helped her get a computer and printer.
I taught her the fundamentals of operating a computer, browsing the Minghui website, and downloading and printing Dafa truth-clarification materials.
Instead of Looking Within
When my mom first ran into problems, I gave her a hand, although it was about an hour commute to her home. She had all kinds of problems with her printer, and I had to make a long trip every time to help her.
My mom mastered techniques things slowly. If the printer made even a little noise, she got scared. At the beginning, I could maintain my xinxing. Before I would leave for her home, I would send forth righteous thoughts. I would think, “Eliminate my impatience; also eliminate any loopholes created by the old forces.”
After some time, however, I could no longer maintain my xinxing, and there was a time when I did not want to go help her. I realized, however, that I might delay her truth-clarification work, so I went anyway.
Then I would be in a bad mood, ignore her when I got there, and just fix the printer with few words. At times, I even complained: “You're not afraid of handing out truth-clarification materials in person. Why are you afraid of a little noise from this printer? If you won't let go of this fear, how can this machine work well?”
Alas, I did not look inward to see what I needed to improve on at my end.
Since we were at odds, the printer worked only on and off. When it could not be fixed, we replaced it, and within three years we replaced four printers.
I had reached my limit of endurance, and I no longer wanted to go fix her printer. So she asked me to show her how to fix the problem. However, she only wanted me to hear her story and did not listen to my explanations. I lost my temper, gave reign to my demon nature, and yelled and screamed at her.
We no longer communicated for a while after that. I knew that I was in the wrong, but I just could not elevate my xinxing. I held on to my resentment.
After a while, she called and said that she had another problem with the printer and wanted to get a new one. I was buying a computer with another practitioner, so I got yet another printer for my mother.
We went to her house and installed and tested the printer, but I did not smile the whole time; I sounded angry whenever I spoke, and we left as soon as I was done.
Changing My Attitude
On our way home, the other practitioner told me that I should not treat my mom like that, that I should change my attitude. Although I did not respond, the solid ice in my heart began to melt.
After that, my mom asked a non-practitioner relative to deliver some currency bills and a note to me. The note said that the printer had a paper jam and could I print truth-clarification messages on some of the bills and have the relative return them to her.
When I saw the note, I became agitated. “How could she ask a non-practitioner to do this? What if an evil person saw it? I should just return everything to her.” All kinds of thoughts popped up.
Because I had been fairly diligent in studying the Fa, all such thoughts suddenly froze. My true nature gained the upper hand. I calmly looked at my notions and then let go of them. I printed the message on the bills and made plans to go to my mom's and check her printer.
The next weekend, I went to her home and removed the paper jam. When I tested the printer, it did not print correctly.
My mom also seemed to have changed. Because she did not say much, I was able to be very calm and sent forth righteous thoughts. However, by midnight, the problem still hadn't been resolved.
I changed my tactic at that point because I realized that the problem could not be resolved by merely using one's technical knowledge.
“The printer is your Fa weapon," I said. "It is helping you assist Teacher to rectify the Fa. Have you thought to use your righteous thoughts to protect it so the evil forces don't attack it?
“You have replaced four printers in three years, and you are now on the fifth one. That is not right. All of those printers were disposed of before they reached their life span. Does it have anything to do with you and me? Should we look inward to find the problems with our xinxing?”
We both remained calm and I did not blame her. She must have accepted what I said. It was not like in the past, because she did not come up with some excuses to defend herself.
In the end, I had changed my attitude. “We can only do this much today,” I said. “Please look inward and ask for Teacher's help so this printer works. If it doesn't work, we will take it to a repair shop.” My mom said that she would ask Teacher for help.
When I called her the next day, she said that the printer was fixed and that she needed to truly believe in Teacher and Dafa. She said that two times.
I thanked Teacher from the bottom of my heart. I also reminded her not to develop any attachment of zealotry. At that time, I enlightened that both my mom and I elevated in our cultivation.
Let Go of Attachments
Looking over the entire course of events, my mother and I could let go of many attachments. My mother let go of relying on me and fear, while I let go of resentment and the pursuit of results. I also had to let go my attachment to repairing technical products by using my skills only, instead of asking for Teacher's help.
As a matter of fact, I read many articles on the Minghui website that addressed our problem. In order for one's computer or printer to operate well, one needs to cultivate the mind.
When my mom and I paid more attention to cultivating our xinxing and looking inward, Teacher helped us, and the old forces and evil factors had no excuse to take advantage of our loopholes. This understanding was proven correct when the printer finally worked after we found and let go of our attachments.
Forgetting Lesson Learned
One day after I had written this article, my mom called about another problem with the printer.
I thought that she had done what she should do in terms of checking and maintenance, so I began to share with her. I asked her to let go of what she was doing, not to worry about the printer, but rather focus on her Fa study, send forth righteous thoughts, and adjust her mindset. She agreed.
In the evening, she told me that everything was back to normal. Since then, the printer has worked just fine. I enlightened that it was because both my mom and I truly elevated ourselves through solid cultivation, so that Teacher could dismantle the evil elements that were interfering with us from other dimensions.
Thank you, Teacher!
Category: Improving Oneself