(Clearwisdom.net) Several days ago, practitioners from another Fa study group visited our group. They told us many stories about the righteous thoughts, righteous actions, and righteous enlightenment of practitioners from their study group (I've visited their group before). Hearing about their righteous thoughts and righteous actions felt like such an encouragement to me. Somehow I developed the attachments of zealotry and admiration. I decided that the Fa study group I belonged to was too weak, and we didn't advance well in our cultivation. Therefore, I mentioned that I wanted to join the other Fa study group or have a practitioner from their group come over and give us advice. Fortunately, their response was to say they would think about it.
When I mentioned my feeling to practitioners from my group, they reminded me that we should take the Fa as Teacher. We have the Clearwisdom.net website, where we can share experiences with practitioners around the world, and we have Dafa guiding us. We should not try to imitate other practitioners, for this could easily cause us to veer from an upright path. The other practitioners' words caused me to perspire all over my body. I had not even realized that I had such a big attachment. Merrily I had thought before: "Now, finally, our group has an opportunity to advance." If the fellow practitioner hadn't reminded me of this issue, as time went on, the consequences would have been rather severe.
Teacher has said many times in his lectures that in the course of cultivation, we must take the Fa as the Teacher. Articles on Clearwisdom.net have also talked about this issue many times. Even though I was in a state of looking inward and carefully considering things in cultivation, why did I not recognize this attachment right away? It showed that my Fa study was not solid.
Although it looked like a small matter on the surface, the attachment of mine that had been exposed was not small. Also, if I were not cautious, it might have had a very bad influence on our environment in the future.
First, I should have known that labels such as "good" and "bad" were the result of human notions. How can we tell if a fellow practitioner is cultivating well or not? It shouldn't be determined based on certain results. It is not that a practitioner cultivates well just because he does a lot of work in promoting the Fa and saving sentient beings. Or if his Celestial Eye is open and he sees something, and is able to point out others' attachments, or if the practitioner was able to extricate himself from potentially dangerous situations-the practitioner cannot be said to be good or bad based on this! Actually, "good or bad" can not be seen by others; the true measurement is in the heart and mind of the individual. If a practitioner is able to keep his righteous thoughts at all times, that would be considered solid cultivation. What is seen on the surface, is, in a way, only a matter of formality. The status of another practitioner's cultivation practice is impossible to determine. Everyone's understandings are different; and the actions we take according to our xinxings are different as well. It is quite possible that what others excel in, is the part that we lack, and conversely the part we have already cultivated solidly can serve as a reference to others. If it were possible for everybody to identify where others have cultivated solidly, it would be easier to recognize our own shortcomings and improve. But the differences in cultivation levels cause us to have different understandings of things. How could we possibly define what is good and what is not good? When we relinquish this attachment, what is there to be admired? What is there to be arrogant about? I think the main thing we should pay attention to in cultivation is whether we can put our hearts into it or not.
I thought about the other aspect of my attachment. Was it right to think that our Fa study group was simple? Actually, in this final period, steadfastly moving forward is a requirement. Why would I need to pursue advancement? Isn't this an attachment? Can we advance by pursuing it? At this time, an urgent matter is to ensure that each Fa study group takes the Fa as Teacher, and does not get distracted by changes in the environment. We should be unmoved and do the three things well with a calm and clean mind. Didn't Teacher say that no matter how the environment changes, we must remain unaffected? Teacher also indicated in a very early scripture,
"Present, but the heart elsewhere--
Perfectly reconciled with the world.
Looking, but caring not to see--
Free of delusion and doubt.
Listening, but caring not to hear--
A mind so hard to disturb.
Eating, but caring not to taste--
The palate's attachments severed.
Doing, but without pursuit--
So constant, abiding in the Dao.
Calm, but without strain of thought--
The truly wondrous can be seen."(Hongyin, "Abiding in the Dao")
In this final period of Fa-Rectification, we already know our responsibilities, why are we still affected by the environment? In fact, if we are able to live without interference, cultivate in the Fa, maintain righteous thoughts, and steadfastly do the three things, we are already negating the old forces and already making contributions to the righteous force of the Cosmos. Why should we pursue formalities? Are we trying to do something in order to show off? Those who are truly cultivating are practitioners who move forward steadfastly. I think that I should not pursue to be motivated by others in order to improve myself. Instead, I should come back to the Fa and do the three things steadfastly. Then everything will be discovered in the Fa. If there is anything that I missed and need to be reminded about, I believe Teacher will use various ways to enlighten me. This is not the result of pursuit. Let everything happen naturally, everything is in the hands of Teacher.
The path of cultivation is narrow. We cannot go sideways. Only the path in the middle will do. I hope my experience will remind fellow practitioners that in this final period, we must keep our Fa study groups pure, take the Fa as Teacher, and walk down the righteous path to validate the Fa.
These are my personal understandings. My level is limited. I hope these can be of reference to fellow practitioners.
