(Clearwisdom.net) A fellow practitioner and I had an argument about whether I should have criticized her shortcomings. I had insisted then that she was wrong and I was right. Unmoved, the practitioner pointed out in a calm manner that I had criticized her with the intention of validating myself, which had already upset many other practitioners.

The practitioner's peaceful mindset had a calming influence on me, and I started looking within. I had been free with my opinions about the mistakes made by fellow practitioners. I would look for flaws in what others said and would point fingers if they had different views. Moreover, I would freely offer my suggestions to practitioners I thought were not doing well in their cultivation. I would insist on their doing things my way, be irritated if they did not, and content if they took notes on what I had said.

I realized that I had made serious mistakes, but what should I do now in terms of sharing with fellow practitioners? The practitioner pointed out to me, "Are you trying to validate the Fa or yourself? The bottom line is that you must not ask practitioners to make note of your words, but of the Fa. Otherwise you may mislead them."

I agreed, but I had another question. Why had my problem lasted so long when many practitioners had pointed it out to me? What was the root of my trying to validate myself?

Since time was short, our conversation came to an end, but I could not stop thinking about the problem on the way home. I recalled what Master said in Teaching the Fa at the Assistants' Fa Conference in Changchun:

Question: Sometimes our work assisting others isn't good enough because we're afraid of making the mistake of interpreting the Fa.

Teacher: I've discussed many times the topic of assisting others. For example, you can speak in this way: "I understand this meaning of the Fa at the level I'm at--this is what I understand at my level. Of course, the Fa has meanings that are more profound!" It's not a problem to say, "I haven't met the requirements of the Fa in a certain area," or "I think the Fa discusses certain things at this particular realm. However, the Fa has other inner meanings"--that should be stated clearly. In other words, you shouldn't confine yourselves.

I suddenly understood how to differentiate between validating the Fa and validating myself. My understanding of the Fa is only at my level, while the Fa is boundless and has many levels. Fellow practitioners are at all different levels some higher than me, others possibly lower. Nevertheless, any practitioner's understanding of the Fa is the Fa's demonstration at that particular level, so how can I limit fellow practitioners to my level? How can we then make progress? If we were to give my problem more serious thought, one could say that I placed myself above the Fa. That was why I did not make any improvement in the past year. Instead, I felt I was regressing.

Now I realize that I am but one tiny particle in the boundless great Fa. And my fellow practitioners, known or unknown to me, are all worth respecting as they are cultivating diligently in Dafa. I am deeply grateful that Master chose me so that I have the chance to purify myself in Dafa. And I am also thankful that Master has arranged wonderful fellow practitioners around me to help me in my cultivation. Thank you, Master; thank you, fellow practitioners!