(Clearwisdom.net) Responding to the call for articles for "The Fifth Mainland China Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference on the Internet," I started to write my own experience sharing paper. After finishing the paper, I felt that it was not bad. I asked fellow practitioners to review it and suggest any improvements before I sent it out. Five practitioners who read my paper said that my paper was ordinary. It was plain, even though it described intensive, great Fa-rectification deeds. It was too general in describing these heavenly things, and people who do not know the background would not be able to understand it. They said that not much was written regarding my understandings from within the Fa. In short, they told me I needed to improve it. I was quite upset after hearing those comments. How could I fix it? The paper was my true reflection of my thoughts at that moment. If I changed it, it wouldn't be true. I was confused. I thought that maybe I should just keep it for myself as a record, instead of sending it to Minghui (the Chinese version of Clearwisdom), so that it wouldn't waste other practitioners' time. So I decided to just keep it.
After reflecting more calmly, I wondered why other experience sharing papers can touch people's hearts, and why my paper was "plain." What was the difference? I downloaded the experience sharing papers from "The Fourth Mainland China Falun Dafa Practitioners Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference on the Internet" to my mp3 player. I was very moved after hearing them and found the difference.
First, in the experience papers everything was written in detail, especially the process of xinxing cultivation. It was very clearly presented and easy to understand. I could feel how fellow practitioners cultivated and how they improved. My paper only described the process, using less words. I was afraid that people would complain that my paper had too much detail. Little was written regarding my thought processes, which is the most important part of cultivation.
Second, I felt that my fellow practitioners studied the Fa well, and that every step was in line with following Master's Fa. Their xinxing was improved and their levels had risen. That is why their actions were so great and sacred. I did not study Fa well, and did not understand the Fa well. Because I have less of an attachment to fear, and also have a strong sense of purpose to establish mighty virtue for myself, I did some deeds which appeared to be great. But I did not cultivate well, and I am not able to meet the requirements of the Fa at different levels.
After finding those shortcomings, I rewrote my paper, and detailed the process, along with my thought processes and understanding of the Fa. The paper is much different than before, but I had no desire to publish it. Fellow practitioners told me: "Having no desire to publish it is also an attachment to fame." I agreed. I always wanted my paper to be published, to gain praise from others and to help others to improve. If it could not reach the goal, I did not want to publish it. In fact, I still hid the attachment of showing off and validating myself. I corrected myself after recognizing those attachments. No matter how good or bad my paper was, it reflected my level of cultivation. In finding my shortcomings, I will continue to improve. I will continue to eliminate the notion of self, to better cooperate with the whole body. So I sent out my experience sharing paper. Two days later I had a dream. I was in a class, and everyone received a score of 100 points, including me. I know Master was encouraging me.
I learned a lot during the process of writing my experience sharing paper. I found my shortcomings and corrected myself. I feel I am now more diligent. Let's review Master's article "To the Chicago Fa Conference":
To the Chicago Fa Conference
Greetings to all the Dafa disciples attending the Chicago Fa Conference!
First, let me wish the Fa Conference complete success in achieving its goals.
Dafa disciples' Fa conferences are Law assemblies where they improve by learning from each other, that allow them to find where they fall short, and that enable them to strengthen their righteous thoughts on their paths to Consummation. Your accomplishments reflect mighty virtue gained through sound Fa study and the solidifying of righteous thoughts, and your shortcomings tell of the things that you need to work on along your cultivation path. Whatever you experience during your cultivation--whether good or bad--is good, for it comes about only because you are cultivating. A cultivator cannot achieve Consummation when laden with human thoughts, laden with karmic debts, or laden with attachments. Gold's luster increases as it is refined over time. Through righteous thoughts and righteous acts, Dafa disciples are establishing every aspect of their divinity, and are, at the same time, building the cosmos's future.
Dafa disciples, be diligent!
Li Hongzhi
June 25, 2006
