For Practitioners Who Have Not Stepped Forward During the Fa-rectification

(Minghui.org) The Fa-rectification is nearing the end. It has been 25 years since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to persecute Falun Dafa on July 20, 1999. Many Dafa disciples were arrested, their homes were ransacked, and they were sent to forced labor camps. Some were persecuted to death.

Although the situation continues to be serious, the vast majority of practitioners in China have stepped forward to validate Dafa and save sentient beings. They risk their lives to save people who’ve been misled by the CCP’s defamatory propaganda.

However, there is also a group of practitioners who, for various reasons, have trapped themselves in their homes, watching and waiting, unable to go out during this critical time.

This is the group that worries Master the most, so I hope that those who have already stepped forward will help them. We are all here for the Fa. When all this began, we gave up our positions in the divine realm to follow Master down to Earth to assist him in rectifying the Fa. After enduring enormous tribulations, we finally reconnected with Master and obtained the Fa in order to provide salvation to all since we are all Master’s family.

There are such practitioners in my area who have been unable to step forward. I would like to summarize some of the typical behaviors of those who are still trapped at home in the hope that this will get their attention so that they can rectify themselves and catch up with the pace of Fa-rectification.

Those Who Do Not Fulfill Their Fa-rectification Responsibilities

Master mentioned that, before the persecution, 100 million people in China practiced and studied Dafa. After the persecution started, some stopped. Some stayed at home, still studying the Fa and doing the exercises, but they do not do what Master requires of a Dafa disciple.

Over the last 20 years, they cut all connections with fellow practitioners and simply study and do the exercises at home. They cultivate this way because they are afraid. Some were persecuted and sent to labor camps. After they were released, they went into hiding at home. Some have never been persecuted but are still scared by the potential danger. They benefit from Dafa and do not want to give it up, so they only do what benefits them and disregard their responsibility to awaken others in these last days of the Fa-rectification.

Some of them have contact with just one other practitioner. If Master releases a new article, they go to that other practitioner, pick it up, and leave, and you won’t hear anything from them again.

I hope we can reach out to such practitioners and help them! Fa-rectification is nearing its end, so don’t miss this opportunity! The people for whom each Dafa disciple is responsible for are still waiting for us to save them.

Those Who Do Not Let Go of Human Notions

Practitioners over the age of 65 account for about 75% of all the practitioners in our area. They were already over 50 when they began practicing. Most of them are now in their 70s or 80s, some nearly 90. Even though they have cultivated for decades, they are still full of energy and walk just as fast as the younger ones. They go out every day to help make people aware of the persecution, do the three things Master asked us to do, and cultivate diligently.

Other senior practitioners view themselves as “elderly” and limit themselves. They study the Fa and do the exercises daily, but they are not able to catch up with others on the path of Fa-rectification.

I discussed with fellow practitioner Xiao how we should not just distribute a few truth-clarification materials. We should go out to bring awareness of persecution to people face to face. Xiao said, “I want to go out to talk to people in person, but I am too old to do that. I don’t know how to talk to strangers.” I encouraged another senior that if she learned how to use a computer, she could read Minghui herself. She replied, “I am too old to learn that stuff.”

The problem of “aging” is sometimes reflected in people’s physical health. Even though some practitioners have cultivated for over 20 years, due to their stubborn notions, they are still interfered with by sickness karma. Some have even passed away.

When I was working in a grocery store, I encountered an elderly man who was there to buy grains. He seemed very knowledgeable about them and told me what kind of grain helped to lower blood sugar, which was good for hypertension, etc. I told him about Dafa, and he was delighted. He said, “I also practice Falun Dafa. I came to take care of my grandson and am looking for fellow practitioners!”

I was stunned. “You are a practitioner,” I said. “Why do you still use supplements to treat blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol?” He said, “I read the Fa and do the exercises daily, but my levels won’t go down.”

Not only those senior practitioners, but many of us, including me, still study the Fa with “immutable” and “irrevocable” human notions. They only want to obtain something from the Fa. They might study it, but they are not assimilated to it. No wonder there is not much change in their physical health or other situations in their lives.

Those Who Feel Complacent about Their Accomplishments

Some practitioners might feel that they have made some contributions in the past, so they have a “seniority.” They become complacent, resting on their past accomplishments.

For example, when the persecution began in 1999, many of us went out to distribute information to validate Dafa. No matter how overwhelming the persecution was, it could not stop us from saving people!

In the early 2000s, when the evil was still rampant, fellow practitioners and I would go out to distant suburbs every night to distribute truth-clarification materials. Sometimes, we wouldn’t return until early the next morning. Instead of feeling tired, we felt inspired and energized.

In recent years, things have been less intense, but some practitioners appear to have slacked off in their cultivation. Their thinking is: “The tense atmosphere in the past has passed, and now that the evil is much less severe, I should relax a bit. I did a lot in the past.”

When I reminded practitioner Aunt Wei that Master said in the Fa that we should go out and save people face to face and that just distributing materials every day cannot succeed in saving people, she replied, “When the persecution was severe in those years, I did many things.” She implied that whatever she did then would be enough. Many practitioners think that way. Those who think like that seem to be bargaining with Dafa and Master.

Those who think that way are still unclear about the Fa. They seem to think that they have done something for Master or Dafa. They think, “I have done so much. Maybe Master will not leave me behind.” This type of practitioner is most likely to regard doing things as cultivation rather than paying attention to cultivating their human hearts.

Master told us:

“Dafa has always existed, and its manifestation in the human world is to save people during the end times. Are “humans” needed to do anything for Dafa? It’s Dafa that’s saving “humans”! It’s not “humans” doing something for Dafa! In cultivation, the injustice that “humans” suffer and “humans” being persecuted by the evil—that’s Master protecting you while at the same time enduring the sinful karma for you. Master is not indebted to you!” (“Stay Far Away From Peril”)

Caged in

Restricted by Family Members

There are still a lot of fellow practitioners whose freedom is restricted by their family members. It might be because they are still deceived by the CCP’s lies and/or because practitioners have not clarified the truth well enough to them. Clarifying the truth while one still has a strong attachment to sentimentality might not lead to the desired result.

Family members are a group that we should save even more. It was our destiny to be a part of our family! If we don't clarify the truth properly at home, or if we don't present a positive image of Dafa disciples to our family members, it will directly affect the three things we are trying to do and have a negative impact on our cultivation and our ability to save them.

In fact, our family members also have their own missions and responsibilities. Perhaps they became our family members in the first place because they also made a vow with the divine to help us succeed in our cultivation. If we don't do well, will it also cause our family members to fail to complete their missions?

Restricted by Themselves

The other situation is complete different. Their family members do not interfere with their cultivation or even support it, but they restrict themselves. Why is that? They are too busy taking care of the needs of the family, the elderly, the young, and their business, and have no time left to carry out their duties as Dafa practitioners.

We are not here to tell you to forsake your responsibilities at home. We still have to work and live normally. However, even when we are busy, we should not forget that our main role is that of a Dafa disciple who assists Master in rectifying the Fa. If we only play the role of an ordinary person and ignore our role as messengers who came to the world with a sacred mission to save people, aren’t we putting the cart before the horse?

The best way to solve this problem is to manage our time well. We all know that time passes faster now. We need to manage and schedule our time well and not delay whatever we set out to do, whether it is time to do the exercises, study the Fa, take care of household chores, or work. It takes a strong mind and firm willpower to carry out our tasks. We must hold ourselves to high standards. Another great benefit of this method is that it effectively removes our attachments to comfort and laziness.

For example, I set my alarm clock to 3:55 a.m. to get up and do the exercises, and I don't let myself off the hook by saying, “If I can’t get up, I still have a chance to make up for it.” There are other things I have to do during the day, so it is very effective and necessary to set a high standard for myself.

Arranging our time reasonably and doing what we need to do in an orderly manner every day means we will often get twice the result with half the effort. That way, we can conform to ordinary society to the maximum extent. We fulfill our family responsibilities and also not fall behind on Dafa practitioners’ duties.

Cultivate with Righteous Thoughts

I overheard two practitioners talking the other day. One said, “Cultivation is not easy. There are countless tests to pass daily and endless attachments to eliminate.” The other replied, “Let nature take its course. You cultivate to wherever you can.”

In the Fa, Master talks about letting nature take its course. But the Fa requires us to let go of our attachments to the greatest extent possible. What should be ours will naturally become ours. The first practitioner, however, was talking about the tribulations we encounter on our path of cultivation, which was a totally different subject.

If one lets nature take its course, how does one eliminate attachments? How does one overcome tribulations? If one cultivates passively and loses the will to cultivate diligently, how can one succeed in cultivation? We must keep up our righteous thoughts while cultivating and not let negative thoughts take charge.

No Substitute for Cultivation

A few practitioners actively participate in Fa study and the exercises, hardly ever clarify the truth face to face, yet are very active in supporting the material center financially. Some of them have their own business, some are retired. Their contributions have played a significant role in the regular operation of the material production center and thereby contributed to the salvation of many sentient beings, which is of immeasurable merit.

However, we are obligated to remind fellow practitioners who misunderstand the Fa in this area. Donating money is good, but it is not a substitute for cultivation, eliminating attachments, or doing the three things to save people. Some practitioners feel they have done enough after donating money to a material distribution center. Still, they never go out to distribute materials to save people, let alone save people face to face.

This reveals their hearts: “If I do not go out to save people, I might be left behind when the Fa-rectifies the human world. If I do go out, I might put myself in danger. Let me donate some money to count as my merit.”

Do they think righteous fruition can be purchased? Even though there are only a few such practitioners, I want to remind them that this mentality is wrong.

Be Aware of the Pursuit of Comfort

Since ancient times, in the world of cultivation, comfort has been believed to be the greatest enemy of cultivators. There is a saying that comfort is more dangerous than poisonous wine. As cultivators, we must remember this because we must endure hardships in cultivation. If we don’t endure hardships, our karma cannot be eliminated. If our karma is not eliminated, how can we reach Consummation?

On the other hand, we who are cultivating in Dafa now have countless times better conditions than the ancients in terms of natural and material conditions. It can be said that, compared with the ancients, we practice in a comfortable environment and do not suffer much at all. The hardships we endure are just the pain of studying the Fa, doing the exercises, and eliminating attachments every day.

Even in my own cultivation, I have not yet completely eliminated the pursuit of comfort, and that affects my cultivation state. I feel complacent when I accomplish something. I am aware that it is the attachment to comfort that plays a role. Those of us who still indulge in the attachment to comfort must wake up to the fact that it can destroy a practitioner's will to advance.

Closing Remarks

The situations above in which practitioners are trapped at home and unable to step forward are ultimately a side effect of fear. It is the old universe’s nature of selfishness manifesting itself. We must give it up. Master’s Fa-rectification is coming to an end. If we don’t eliminate this fear and selfishness as soon as possible, we will miss this eternal opportunity.

Master said:

“Or, to put it plainly, [think about] what kind of a being is worthy of salvation by the Great Law of the cosmos? For a being who is saved, could it just be about personal Consummation? So what kind of being deserves to be a Disciple of Dafa? Would you say those people who hide in their homes and “study the Fa” do? Or those who only want to gain from Dafa but don’t want to give for Dafa?” (“My Version of a “Stick Wake-Up,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)

“Fear can cause one to make mistakes, and fear can cause one to lose a predestined opportunity. Fear is a death trap on a human being’s journey toward divinity.” (“Pass the Deadly Test,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)

Since the persecution started, I have never intentionally hid my identity as a Dafa disciple. Why should I? It is an honor to be a Dafa disciple. Even the gods in the heavens are envious of us.

We should not conceal fear. Covering it up is nourishing it. We did not do anything wrong. We cultivate Dafa in a dignified way, as we should. What do we obtain? The boundless cosmic Dafa! We’re the envy of the entire cosmos.

We should not become negative and hide at home when we encounter setbacks. Do we still remember how much we benefited from Dafa, mentally and physically? How can we be ungrateful now that we have benefited? Dafa granted us a healthy body, a happy family, and a convenient cultivation environment. For what purpose? Isn’t it so we can assist Master in rectifying the Fa and consummate our fruition status?

Seeing that evil is still persecuting sentient beings unscrupulously, how can we not be anxious? How can we still hide at home and only read the Fa and do the exercises? How can we be so merciless and not rescue others when they can be saved?

The time Master leaves us is limited. Let us measure ourselves against the Fa teachings and search within for human attachments that have not been eliminated. Let’s walk well the remaining path of Fa-rectification!

This is my understanding at my level. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.

Thank you, Master!Thank you, fellow practitioners!