(Clearwisdom.net) There has been a saying in the cultivation world for a long time -- "a practitioner follows a natural course." It seems some practitioners have a somewhat vague understanding about this saying. As a matter of fact, my understanding about this saying is that it is mainly addressing the issue of pursuit.

One is about how to deal with issues of personal vested interests. After studying the Fa, we all know that one needs to use one's De (virtue, a white substance) in exchange for prosperity, glory and wealth. A cultivator has to take fame and self-interest lightly.

"If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it." ("Jealousy" Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)

"Only in terms of personal, vested interests, would he be like this. He believed in following the course of nature." ("Enlightenment" Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

Another is how a practitioner should view cultivating his Gong.

"A practitioner believes he should only focus on practicing, without paying attention to obtaining gong. In cultivation and practice one should be in a state free of intention. As long as you focus on cultivating your xinxing, you will make breakthroughs in your level and certainly get things you deserve." (Zhuan Falun)

We follow a natural course in dealing with our personal interests and Gong. But I think we should not follow the course of nature in the following cases:

One is that we should not follow the course of nature regarding various attachments that we have found in our cultivation. We cannot give in to any attachments and follow the course of various attachments. If one yields to attachments, would one still be considered as practicing cultivation? We should not put together not advancing diligently and following the course of nature nor should we indulge our own attachments to seeking comfort and lazy behavior.

"You must be strict with yourself. In cultivation of the Buddha Fa, you should strive forward vigorously."

("People with Great Inborn Quality" Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

Secondly, in validating the Fa, we should not follow a natural course in dealing with the phenomena of false hearing and illusion. The phenomena of false hearing and illusion that some practitioners have experienced are created by the evil old forces and their real behind-the-scenes helpers to interfere and destroy practitioners' validating the Fa. We must take the Fa as the teacher and search inwardly, remove interference promptly, and steadfastly do what Teacher has asked us to do.

Thirdly, regarding the arrangements of the evil old forces, we should not follow the course of nature. For the sake of their selfish purposes, the evil old forces have arranged and planned everything for today's events a very long time ago. Not only had they made specific arrangements for the entire progression of Fa-rectification, they also had made very detailed and organized arrangements for each practitioner's cultivation. Teacher does not acknowledge their arrangements and has asked us to deny their arrangements completely. We have to listen to Teacher's words. That is, we have to study the Fa well to cultivate ourselves and to always maintain strong righteous thoughts, so that we can completely deny the arrangements of the evil old forces, and follow the cultivation path arranged for us by Teacher.

This is my personal understanding; please correct if anything is inappropriate.