(Clearwisdom.net)
How should we understand Fa-rectification cultivation? How should we understand and handle the relationship between self-cultivation and Fa-rectification? Several of our practitioners have shared experiences, and the following is what we have enlightened to. Please point out anything that may be inappropriate.
Recently, many tribulations were encountered whenever we worked on a Fa-rectification project. We clearly knew that the old forces contributed to the interference, but our opinions differed with regards to how we viewed and handled the situation as Fa-rectification disciples.
Some practitioners believed that we should strive forward and cultivate ourselves solidly to improve our xinxing, because in those tribulations, the evil would not have interfered if we had kept up with the requirements of the Fa. The other practitioners quoted Teacher's words, "I can tell you that all the suffering and tribulations endured by our Dafa disciples is not only aimed at their own cultivation--it's also due to high-level beings testing Dafa using students' karma, using 'improving them' as an excuse, and using the persecution that's being carried out by degenerate beings at low levels. In fact, all of these have harmed the Fa-rectification" (from "Speech by Master Li Hongzhi at the Western US Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference of Falun Dafa"). These practitioners believed that it would be just like giving the evil an excuse for interfering with and undermining the Fa, and we wouldn't be able to completely deny the evil's arrangement, if we took improving our xinxing as a prerequisite for safeguarding the Fa.
Through sharing our thoughts, we came to realize that as Falun Dafa disciples, there shouldn't be any prerequisite for us to rectify the Fa and to clarify the truth when we eliminate the old forces' arrangement. Though we are still in the process of cultivation and though we still have all kinds of human thoughts and attachments, we need to eliminate the human notions during the process of assisting Teacher to rectify the Fa. As Teacher said,
"Over the course of prehistory, everything of yours was being created, all along, according to how magnificent the disciples would be in the Fa-rectification period. So, it was arranged that when you reach the standard for ordinary Consummation, you still have, in the human world, all kinds of ordinary human thoughts and karma. The purpose is so that while doing Fa-rectification things, you clarify the truth, whereby you all bring in, for the consummation of your paradises, beings that can be saved. As you consummate your own paradises you are, at the same time, eliminating your last karma, gradually getting rid of your human thoughts, and truly stepping forward from humanness"("Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples").
Teacher also said, "Consummation is the conclusion of a Dafa disciple's cultivation, while Fa-rectification is a Dafa disciple's mission. For a Dafa disciple, Consummation is only a matter of the time of his return, whereas Fa-rectification is to be left for the future" ("What Are Supernormal Abilities"). Thus, it is important to realize that we are the beings created for rectifying the Fa, and as such are different from any other forms of lives. We will consummate everything of ours during the Fa-rectification process.
Some time ago, I had a "karma-elimination" experience. I knew that it was the evil's interference because I was unable to truly practice the exercises. I would get a little better after sending forth righteous thoughts; however, I did not feel sure whether Teacher arranged any part of it. It seemed to me that Teacher wouldn't eliminate a Fa-rectification disciple's karma in such a way. Wouldn't the evil would take advantage of me and interfere with me endlessly if I accepted this as "karma-elimination." How could I allow it? However, another thought came to me. If it really were arranged by Teacher to eliminate my karma, how would the karma be eliminated if I didn't allow it? Because I didn't have a clear understanding, my righteous thoughts were not so powerful. So I still suffered the pain in my legs. After studying the Fa, I gradually came to realize that my understanding of this matter was still based on self-cultivation. I was still attached to my own loss and gain. It was the selfish heart that made me confused. Teacher said, "As Dafa disciples, under the current circumstances, you should clarify the truth to the world's people and expose the evil, and thus safeguard the Fa. Your own improvement and consummation will be along this process" ("Suggestion," draft translation, subject to further improvement). I soon learned that Teacher used this matter to make me further understand what Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples really are and how we should totally deny the old evil forces' arrangement. When I finally enlightened to this, I felt that my righteous thoughts became so powerful that nothing could stand in their way. Of course, the "karma-elimination" was gone by the next morning.
During our study, we discussed Teacher's words, "I completely don't acknowledge this evil test arranged by the old forces" ("Suggestion", draft translation subject to further improvement), and "That's why I said before that I turned the tables and made use of the old forces' arrangement" ("Lecture on the Fa at the Washington, DC International Conference"). Are these two statements contradictory? Our understanding is, No. Teacher said, "Most fundamentally, you all still need to establish your great mighty virtue in the process of eliminating the old forces' persecution, and return to your highest positions" ("Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples"). "Clarifying the truth isn't a simple matter--it's not only a matter of exposing the evil. When we clarify the truth, we are saving sentient beings, and at the same time it involves the matter of your own improvement and your elimination of attachments during your cultivation, and the matter of Dafa disciples being responsible to the Fa in their cultivation, as well as issues like how you fill and enrich that paradise of yours in your final Consummation" (from Teacher's "Lecture on the Fa at the Washington, DC International Conference").
We think that as Fa-rectification disciples, all the things that happen in our cultivation and our future Consummation are actually based on eliminating the old evil forces' arrangements. The only reason that the old evil forces' arrangements are allowed to exist is so that during the process of eliminating them we can be established as Dafa disciples.
Then does it mean that by not acknowledging the evil's arrangement, we can slack off and there is no need to look within? It is not the case. Teacher said, "Because in Fa-rectification every stage is a trial, a test, being left for different situations in different future periods of history, this is a magnificent Fa being left for the history of the cosmos" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2001 Canada Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference"). As Falun Dafa disciples, we must be the most righteous. We must assimilate to "Truth, Compassion and Tolerance." We must be pure so that we can send forth the most powerful righteous thoughts. So we need to be strict with ourselves and not relax the requirements for Fa-rectification disciples. We must take the Fa as Teacher to purify ourselves, for only by doing so can we fulfill our responsibilities as Fa-rectification disciples.
A few days ago, the attachment of fear surfaced in some trivial matters. I thought that I should not have acknowledged it; however, I felt that the evil still existed there. Later, I realized that I am composed of Truth, Compassion and Tolerance. The fear was not mine. Then when I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the fear, everything changed. Without cultivating ourselves solidly, the evil will not be completely eliminated and will continue to exist in other dimensions.
For Fa-rectification disciples, everything must be based on Fa-rectification.
