Getting Rid of My Attachment to Selfishness

(Minghui.org) I started practicing cultivation with my mother when I was young. At that time, I had no rational understanding of cultivation. I knew in my heart that the Fa was good, so I half-heartedly followed along with the adults in studying the Fa and practicing the exercises. As I grew older, I sometimes made progress in my cultivation and sometimes slacked off. I have come to where I am today through many ups and downs.

After comparing myself to the teachings of the Fa, I discovered many attachments: jealousy, pursuit of fame and fortune, a show-off mentality, pursuit of comfort and lust, and looking down upon others. I am working on removing them layer by layer, but I have never taken my selfishness seriously, and it has been difficult to recognize. Perhaps it is because I am an only child. From childhood to adulthood, people have doted on me all my life, so I have rarely experienced what it is like to consider the needs of others.

After joining the workforce, I received extensive training, guidance, and career planning. However, my work never went according to plan. My pursuit of fame and fortune has always been a driving force in my life, leading to a heavy workload and significant mental stress. I felt that something was not right with me. Although I looked within for my attachments, I still felt that I had not yet found their root.

Then I came across this Fa teaching the other day:

“It’s easy to mix up which things are attachments and which are not. I can tell you this: what you do to achieve some personal goals of yours and satisfy your own interests and desires are attachments, whereas the things you do for the public, for the common good, for others, or in trying to do a good job at work and school, are what you should do.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Guangzhou,” Explaining the Teachings of Zhuan Falun)

I suddenly realized that my career planning was based on selfishness. What kind of work I wanted to do, how I wanted to move up step by step, what I could learn from this job, and what support it would provide for my future development, it was all about me! Me! Me! Although I realized this, how could I get rid of this selfishness? Master saw my desire to improve myself and helped me experience the realm of doing things for others through one incident.

One day, I was working on a rather urgent and important project, when my boss assigned me another urgent task that I felt that was beyond my capabilities to complete. At that moment, my brain was struggling to function, and I felt a strong sense of resistance and apprehension, with mounting pressure.

It was time to send forth righteous thoughts at that moment, so I proceeded to do so, but my mind was not calm. I kept thinking about this matter, and somehow, I thought: “The boss also has a difficult job. The economy is so bad right now, and every decision he makes affects the company’s survival. He is under the most pressure. As a Dafa disciple, I must consider others. So I will do my best within my ability.” Thinking about this, all my stress suddenly melted away, and I felt calm and at peace. For the first time, I experienced the beauty found in consideration for others.

Just then, my boss contacted me again, saying that he would handle this urgent matter and that I should focus on completing the important project I was previously working on. I was amazed. Tears streamed down my face, and my whole body shook. I was so grateful that I couldn’t describe it in words. My xinxing was in line with the Fa. Master had arranged for me to experience the wonder of cultivating in the Fa.

At midnight, I sent forth righteous thoughts, and the restlessness that had persisted for many days disappeared. My whole body was radiating peaceful energy.

Through this experience of thinking about others and being considerate of others, many other attachments were alleviated and easier to identify. Thank you, Master, for your gentle guidance and kindhearted efforts.