July 16, 2001
[Clearwisdom.net]
In the course of the recent truth clarifying process, I have found that many Chinese everyday people have the following thought: I also think the government should not treat Falun Gong in this way, but the government and higher authorities say so, so I have to follow it. As such, these people commit wrongdoings without thinking. This is actually an indication of modern people's warped notions of irresponsibility for their lives, as they do not know that they should take responsibility for their behavior. As a result, they drift with the tide of evil. They are not willing to control their own thoughts and behavior, and they relax their main consciousness, of which the evil can then take advantage. However, Teacher addressed this in Zhuan Falun: "We have said that no matter how much human moral values have changed, this characteristic of the universe, Zhen-Shan-Ren (truth-compassion-forbearance), will forever remain unchanged. If someone says that you are good, you may not really be good. If someone says that you are bad, you may not really be bad. This is because the criteria that evaluate good and bad are distorted. Only one who complies with this characteristic of the universe is a good person. It is the sole criterion which determines a good or bad person, and it is recognized by the universe." Although Teacher said these words to practitioners, Dafa encompasses everything and Zhen-Shan-Ren is the sole criterion that evaluates everything in the Universe. Teacher also mentioned another principle: "No matter what people have done in the world, they have to pay for it" (These are not the original words, but the rough idea).
All of those lives who are not in line with the criteria of the universal characteristics "Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance" required for that level are the targets of rectification in the Fa-rectification process. During the period of Fa-rectification, no matter for what reason a life does something to persecute Dafa, the consequences will be very dangerous. The Gods do not have distorted human notions and only evaluate everything according to the Universe's true standard. So the Gods will not forgive those people who have committed wrongdoing because they were misled or did not know the truth of the situation. The heavenly principles are fair to everyone, and the Gods are most equitable. Humans also have a side to them that is aware that one must pay back for one's wrongdoings, and that this principle applies to everyone. One should not fail to differentiate between good and bad just because others tell you to do something. The principles at this human level should also be rectified.
This reminds me of the story of my granduncle. He used to work for the Education Bureau during the Cultural Revolution. One day, he was ordered to lead the Red Guard (activists during the Cultural Revolution, who were usually students) to destroy the Buddha statues in a temple. After he finished his assignment, he caught a strange illness: his two hands kept trembling, and sometimes it was so serious that his whole body kept shivering, and the most serious symptom was that he could not lift his head. His head could only face downwards and look at the ground. My granduncle suffered in this way for more than 20 years until he passed away. No one could keep count of how many doctors he had seen and how much medicine he had taken; none of them cured his disease. He suffered tremendously both physically and mentally.
Then his family members went to ask a fortune-teller who claimed that the cause of my granduncle's disease was that he had disrespected the Gods. There was something causing pressure above his head, not allowing him to lift his head. In the end, it was even difficult for my granduncle to speak. Occasionally when he turned his head, the sad expression on his face revealed the grief and sorrow in his heart. His case allowed the people around him to recognize a principle: one will endure and be responsible for what one has done; the retribution from the heavens is fair. No one can escape punishment from Heaven with the excuse that "I just followed what the higher authorities asked me to do."
I think that clarifyingand explaining this principle to people is also a way of saving them because it is precisely by using these warped and distorted incorrect thoughts that the evil old forces harm people. The purpose of misleading and deceiving people is so that people will commit wrongdoings and damage Dafa unknowingly and then the old forces can achieve their vicious goal of destroying all beings. If people understood that their attitudes and behavior towards Falun Dafa and their righteous thoughts regarding good and evil, will significantly affect their future lives, the result will be that they will truly be responsible for their behavior and responsible for their lives so that they may exist within the standard of the Universal principle "Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance." The evil would have no instruments that they could use in the human world. As far as we are concerned, clarifying the truth thoroughly will not only rectify the Fa, but also save all beings, and at the same time suppress the evil.
Teacher stated, "when the evil uses people, these people themselves usually aren't aware of it (although those people who are used are usually either people whose thoughts are just bad or people who have bad thoughts arising)" (Teacher's article: "Fa-Rectification and Cultivation"). Precisely because of this, it is this last remaining bit of conscience and righteous thoughts, covered up by the evil's lies, that makes it possible for them to be saved. The purpose of clarifying the truth is to stimulate their kindhearted nature and make them stand on the side of justice, recognize the characteristics of the Universe and Dafa, and consequently be saved. Let us break through the damage caused by the people's warped thoughts, allow people to see through the nature of evil, and recognize the truth and the fairness of the heavenly principles. Let the power and brilliance of Dafa be displayed in this human realm!
