(Minghui.org) The Odyssey is one of humanity’s oldest epics, and was written out in the 7th–8th century BC. Prior to that, it was passed down through oral tradition, and its author is thought to be the blind poet Homer, who lived in the 12th–13th century BC.
The role of the Odyssey in educating many generations is undisputed; even after more than three thousand years, it continues to play a role in shaping human thought and morality. In recent times, the Odyssey has seen over 30 film and television adaptations, with the latest currently showing in theaters—sparking much debate among those familiar with Homer’s original work.
It’s not my intention to criticize the movie; instead, I would like to express my understanding and share what I understood from the Fa after watching this film.
Odysseus is the king of the Greek island of Ithaca, who sets sail across the sea with his army to conquer the city of Troy.
The siege of Troy lasted 10 years, until the resourceful Odysseus devised the trick of the Trojan Horse. He entered the city walls with a few soldiers and opened the city gates to let the main body of the army in.
Those 10 years are described in the Iliad, while the other ten years are the theme of the Odyssey. Instead of returning triumphantly to Ithaca after a long and hard-won victory, Odysseus’s fleet encounters unfavorable winds and is blown into unknown waters and unexplored seas.
That is where the adventure begins—which, in my view, is not merely an adventure, but a spiritual journey.
The ancient Greeks believed that all human hardships and rewards come from the gods, and that our actions determine whether they favor or oppose us. Without the favor of Zeus and the gods subordinate to him, nothing can be done—if we do not help ourselves, how will the gods help us?
Balancing between this (human) logic and faith in the gods, Odysseus and his subjects face difficulties—some of which they manage to overcome.
From the perspective of the Fa we know that the difficulties we encounter are related to our attachments.
For example, the attachment to gluttony leads the sorceress Circe to turn a portion of the army into pigs.
Aeolus, the god of the wind, helps Odysseus by giving him a magical bag to trap the winds inside, but his curious subjects secretly opened the bag and released the winds. The attachment to curiosity led to a shipwreck, leaving Odysseus as the sole survivor to float on a log to his next destination and next hardship, the island of Calypso.
Spending time with the beautiful nymph Calypso, Odysseus succumbs to new attachments—to comfort and lust—he became trapped in forgetfulness, laziness, and sentimentality. He thus stayed on the island.
This was also a test of his perseverance. After seven years, since his desire to return had not vanished, the nymph let him leave her island. But this time, Odysseus does not rely on his resourcefulness, cunning, or strength—instead, he surrenders to fate. Having built himself a raft, he boards it and lets the sea carry him.
And in the end, he reaches home.
Dafa practitioners are also on their return home—mentally and physically, for as Master said:
“...matter and mind are one and the same.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
Some of us previously practiced other cultivation ways, and the first thing we had to learn when we entered the path of true cultivation was that no superficial techniques or methods can help us.
Odysseus is highly capable, but all of his capability and knowledge fail to help him return home—even after he visits the underworld where he learns how to atone for his sins—only faith can help.
As a Dafa practitioner, I observe that the practitioners who cultivate well and are able to talk to many people about Falun Dafa are not the ones who are capable and knowledgeable, but those who have pure hearts.
I do not belong to that category. I often catch myself resolving things in a human way instead of following Master’s arrangement. Then, just like Odysseus, I prolong my journey home; instead of moving in a straight line, I find myself wandering the seas, and I risk getting lost. The old forces exploit this and add test after test. While I imagine that I’m making progress, I’m actually just sailing from island to island, never reaching the mainland.
Master said:
“What I like are those who are honest and simple, sincere and down-to-earth.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume XI)
Was Odysseus down-to-earth and sincere when, passing by the island of the Sirens during one of his hardships, he had his men plug their ears with wax while he himself listened to the terrifying sounds of the Sirens tied to the ship’s mast? No. He wanted to show that he was stronger than others, which is yet another attachment—zealotry and showing off.
Showing off was actually the primary cause of the ten-year Odyssey. At the very beginning of the adventure, Odysseus blinded the one-eyed giant Polyphemus, and as he was escaping on his ship, he triumphantly shouted his name to mock him. But Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and complained to him. That is why Poseidon refused to allow his fleet to return home.
Let us not be like Odysseus and unnecessarily prolong our cultivation journeys. After all, Odysseus was away from his kingdom for only 20 years, whereas we made a vow to Master and descended here from our own kingdoms far, far earlier. Our Odysseys have perhaps lasted for millions of years.
Bearing this in mind, can it really be that hard? In this final incarnation, can we fail now that we are so close to home?
Thank you, Master, for leaving signposts for us throughout history and illuminating our path. Thank you, fellow practitioners.