(Clearwisdom.net) Milarepa was a Tibetan Buddhist cultivator who is believed to have lived from 1052 – 1135. During Milarepa’s early cultivation days, he continuously endured physical and mental suffering to learn the Buddha Fa. He did extremely heavy labor and was slapped with a leather belt and also endured verbal abuse and humiliation. During periods of despair, Milrepa thought of committing suicide to end his suffering. I was in tears many times while reading about the painful experiences that Milarepa endured while he pursued the Buddha Fa.
Milarepa’s story makes me ponder: During our numerous reincarnations over thousands of years, how many times had we suffered in our past cultivations? Have we succeeded in our past cultivations? Even if we had succeeded in our past cultivations, it was still our assistant consciousnesses cultivating, as Master has taught us. Now we are done with that period of history and have finally experienced what we have hoped for – Master has come to save us!
While staring at Master’s photo, showing Master quietly watching the world from the mountains after leaving New York following July 20, 1999, I could not stop my tears from falling. While the tears blurred my vision, I felt as if I were hearing Master’s words resounding in the universe:
“If everything in history were not borne for you, it would be fundamentally impossible for you to do cultivation practice; if everything were not borne for sentient beings in the cosmos, they would disintegrate with the passing of history; if everything were not borne for the people of the world, they would not have the opportunity to still live in this world today.” (“Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples” in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Dear Master, you have exhausted yourself for the beings in the cosmos. You have endured so much for us. Milarepa’s teacher could not eliminate Milarepa’s karma; what he could do was to set hurdles or barriers for Milarepa. Ulcers appeared on Milarepa’s back from carrying rocks and logs. When the ulcers opened, Milarepa’s flesh was infected, and several abscesses formed in his back, which pained him tremendously. By contrast, in our cultivation, Master Li has endured for us almost everything that we owed throughout history. Master has also given us the Fa of the cosmos. With Master's infinite blessings, how could we slow down and be slack in our cultivation?
Looking back at those tests that I could not pass, I realize they were all because I did not let go of my attachments. Recalling Master’s teachings and boundless compassion, I feel that separation among practitioners and family conflicts resulting from these attachments have instantly disappeared.
When Milarepa initially went to his teacher, after his endurance had reached the limit, he wanted to leave his teacher many times. His teacher often also quietly shed tears, but had no alternatives. To make Milarepa become enlightened, his teacher still had to show Milarepa that he was in great anger while enduring mental pain; he beat and scolded Milarepa. But now, we most fortunate Dafa disciples in the universe are under Master’s compassionate protection. Master has pulled us out of the abyss of filth and then cleansed us. In this tumultuous society, Master is always there, guiding us. When we stumble amid the vicious persecution, Master helps us to get up and walk righteously again.
Master also comforts us with compassion, “Dafa disciples, away with your tears.” (“Be Clearheaded” in Hong Yin II) When we stumble, Master wants us to do well again as He does not want to leave even one disciple behind. At this very moment I can feel the boundless compassion of Master.
I remember Master’s words,
“Whenever I see you suffering, Master feels even more troubled than you; whenever you do not take a step well, it really pains my heart. Everything that the evil has done has actually targeted the attachments and fears that you have not let go of.” (“Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s)” in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
When it is very urgent to offer sentient beings redemption, we do not have excuses to continue to look around and hesitate. Cultivators in the past needed to give everything they owned to their teachers, to show their respect. Cultivators who were very poor begged for food. Master does not want even a penny from us, and furthermore,
“…I have not only borne an incredibly great deal for you, but also, along with this, constantly given you hints for your improvement, looked after you for your safety, and settled the debts that you owed at different levels so that you can reach Consummation.” (“Drive Out Interference” in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Master, how can we pay you back for what you have done for us? We want to give you our hearts and minds, of genuine cultivation and our pursuit for truth. We will use our righteous minds and actions to pay back what you have given us, so that Master can worry less about us and be pleased!
