(Clearwisdom.net) Recently a small group of practitioners in Taiwan have been lobbying their fellow practitioners to donate money to a certain education association to fund campaigns that claim to promote the "Movement of Wide-spread Chinese Characters" and the "Movement of Good Manners". Comparing these to the "Hope Tree" and other movements, it is not difficult to see that the foundation and thinking underlying these movements are all similar, and are ordinary people's affairs. Although these movements look simple, and easy to participate in and understand, essentially they are not about cultivation and are mixed with many human notions. Many practitioners were led to believe that such projects were Dafa projects, and that donating money to these organizations is equivalent to doing things for Dafa, and many practitioners did indeed send money to show their support.
Master pointed out in 1997,
"Think about it: Even people's claim that they have evolved from apes is able to be highly regarded. Yet with this great Dafa of the universe, you are embarrassed to give it a correct position--this is human beings' true shame." ("Environment," Essentials for Further Advancement)
Some practitioners argue that many people dare not listen to the facts about Falun Gong directly from practitioners and are afraid to openly support Falun Gong. If we operate in the name of ordinary people's movements, we can then get them to accept and indirectly support us. We can then more easily promote Dafa in society and on campus. However, fellow practitioners, have you ever thought about the standards by which Dafa saves people? Dafa only looks at people's hearts, and Master's standards for saving people are not something decided by human notions. Think about it: if people who are even in a peaceful environment overseas are afraid to look at the facts about Falun Gong and afraid to choose the facts of Falun Gong, what will their future position be? If people only dare to listen to an ordinary people's organization instead of Falun Gong, is this the result of truly understanding the facts? As practitioners, we should strive to untie the knots in their hearts, which is what it means to truly cherish their lives.
There are also practitioners who question why we can't be influential like some religious groups or monasteries. If we look at things with righteous thoughts, would we bring up such confusing questions in the first place? We must remember that Master is not leading us to collect money or seek power in the human world. Falun Dafa values people's hearts. Only when sentient beings' minds are rectified can they be saved. Dafa disciples' truth clarification is rectifying people's minds. No matter how much money or power a religious group has, it is not saving people, but rather misleading people. Truth will not change just because people cannot understand and accept it temporarily. Dafa disciples should not seek ordinary people's methods just because their truth clarification meets with difficulty. Some practitioners are easily swayed by human notions and they should really calm down to study the Fa. Lives who already have the predestination to learn Dafa and truly understand cultivation and Fa-rectification cultivation should not be so easily swayed.
Those who solicit and take practitioners' donations under false pretenses are in grave danger, as that is absolutely not something a Dafa disciple should do. For those who gave money to that association, it is also the manifestation of them being unclear about Dafa's principles. We hereby solemnly suggest that all Dafa disciples who have donated money to that association seek their donations back. If it's impossible to get the money back, they should report it to the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association as soon as possible.
Walking one's own path does not equate to deviating from Dafa. Any deviation is not Dafa cultivation. During the Fa-rectification period, everyone is choosing his or her own future. In everything we do, we are choosing to be either cultivators or ordinary persons. Every choice we make bears its own consequences. Only by constantly improving our understanding of the Fa can we be set free from the secular maze and walk well our cultivation path, and can we be truly responsible for ourselves and sentient beings.
