My Cultivation Breakthrough When I Memorized the Fa with My Daughter

(Minghui.org) My daughter lost sight in her right eye. It happened so suddenly that she was frightened. She said her right eye seemed to be covered by a dark shadow, similar to the symptoms of retinal detachment described on the Internet.

I was calm. I reminded myself that she listened to the recordings of Master’s teachings since she was a little girl and knew that Dafa was good. Her health has always been excellent, but as she grew older, her attachment to her cell phone slowly caused her to stop focusing on her cultivation.

I told her, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t acknowledge it. Don’t look at what is online. It is a distraction. You are a cultivator. Nothing happens by chance. First, find out where you fall short. Only by studying the Fa and looking inward can you solve the problem.” She hadn’t studied the Fa systematically for a long time, so we began to read Zhuan Falun.

We spent several days reading Zhuan Falun. As we studied the Fa my daughter’s eyesight gradually improved. We also sent forth righteous thoughts. She excitedly said that the black shadow was fading and she could see again.

As we talked she realized that she shouldn’t watch videos online and that she shouldn’t be so attached to her phone. We both constantly strengthened our righteous thoughts and eliminated the negative factors in other dimensions. Her righteous thoughts became stronger, and she felt more confident.

We later decided to memorize the Fa, knowing it would help us focus and be less distracted by interference. Memorizing the Fa was quite challenging for me. I always felt my mind wasn’t sharp enough, and I was afraid of holding her back. There was some pride mixed in there. However, to my surprise, once I started memorizing, I felt as though I was in a completely different state of cultivation.

At first I missed words, added words, or memorized them incorrectly. My daughter pointed this out. At first, I didn’t think it was a big deal and I didn’t pay much attention to my mistakes.

As I kept memorizing and my understanding of the Fa principles deepened, I realized that memorizing the wrong characters meant that I didn’t take the Fa seriously. It meant that I was being disrespectful to Master and the Fa! This is no small matter, since it is the Fa that Master taught us. It is the great Buddha law that guides us in cultivation. How could I memorize it incorrectly?

I realized that the parts I found difficult to remember are precisely the obstacles that were preventing me from assimilating the Fa. As a result, I discovered many of my human attachments—such as pride and a desire to deceive others, which made me feel ashamed.

My daughter has practiced Falun Dafa since she was a little girl. After the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting practitioners, it had a certain impact on her. Combined with the negative influence of society, she gradually stopped practicing and studying the Fa.

I was very anxious at first. No matter what I did to encourage her, nothing worked. During middle school she became rebellious. She liked to play on her phone, seek comfort, and talked back to me and my husband. When these issues arose, I didn’t see myself as a cultivator, nor did I look inward to find the cause. Instead, I focused on her shortcomings. The more I looked, the angrier I became. I looked outward and did not cultivate myself.

Now, as I memorized the Fa and looked within, I realized that the problem lies within me. Children are like mirrors. The issues my daughter exhibited were reflections of myself, showing me where I needed to improve. I missed one opportunity after another, and I deeply regret it!

When I compared my daughter’s behavior to mine I realized that I often speak to my parents in a hurried and impatient manner and that I have a sense of greed, seeking comfort and the easy way out. When I truly looked within, I was shocked. It turned out that all the flaws I saw in my child were also present in me and I hadn’t noticed them.

No wonder she always felt unjustly criticized and refused to listen—she was acting things out for me. It was I who hid so many negative emotions: competitiveness, jealousy, a sense of superiority, a desire to save face, vanity, arrogance, and an inability to accept criticism, among other things.

I now know how to cultivate. Cultivation means cultivating every thought and every action. Whenever a problem arises, I look inward to see if any human attachments are not in accordance with the Fa. I don’t acknowledge them; I eliminate them, and my mindset changes. As a result, my surroundings also change, and everything develops in the right direction.

Thank you, Master, for your compassionate guidance and protection!