(Clearwisdom.net) I understand that doing the exercises is an important part of our cultivation. However, doing the exercises cannot replace cultivating xinxing. It is just like that doing things for Dafa cannot replace cultivating xinxing.
Master said:
"How can you increase gong simply by practicing the exercises a bit longer when the arms are sore from being raised and the legs are tired from standing? How can you increase gong with only a few more hours of exercise? That only serves to transform one's benti, but it still needs to be reinforced with energy. It does not help upgrade one's level." (Lecture Four in Zhuan Falun from the 2000 translation version)
When I communicate with fellow practitioners I notice that some elderly practitioners, especially women practitioners, are rather serious in this regard. They do well with the exercises, getting up early in the morning to do them, doing them regularly and often, setting a good example for us. At the same time I notice that they are not diligent in cultivating their xinxing. With regard to love for children, affection among family members. and dealing with family affairs, they crawl within the limited boundary of their human notions. They weigh things with human notions and cannot overcome this mindset. They experience more and more tribulations and do not realize the reasons for them. Their cultivation state not only affects their improvement, but also has a negative impact. While studying the Fa and sharing experiences they do well and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. When confronting actual issues, however, they cannot deal with them well. This happens because they have not let go of their fundamental attachments and subconsciously regard doing the exercises as cultivating their xinxing. Certainly, I do not want to blame them and say that they do not cultivate well. I admire their steadfastness in believing in Dafa. I only want to remind our fellow practitioners not to regard doing the exercises as cultivating their xinxing.
We are shouldering the responsibility for offering sentient beings salvation, something sacred and difficult to accomplish. On the one hand we have to negate the evil persecution; on the other hand we should cultivate ourselves well and genuinely improve from the basis of the Fa and let go of our fundamental attachments. We should not only realize this but actually meet the requirements. Merely doing the exercises cannot aid us in passing tests. We must place emphasis on studying the Fa and cultivating our xinxing and looking inside.
Master said:
"In cultivation practice, there may be two scenarios when dealing with specific conflicts or when others treat you badly. One is that you might have treated this person badly in your previous life. You feel in your heart that it is unfair, 'How can this person treat me like this?' Then why did you treat this person that way in the past? You might claim that you actually did not know it at that time, and this life has nothing to do with the other life. That does not work." (Lecture Four in Zhuan Falun)
I hope that fellow practitioners will study Master's above-mentioned lectures and look inside accordingly. Only when each disciple genuinely improves and the entire body meets the requirement for Fa-rectification will we cease to cause Master to worry about us!
October 31, 2007
