(Minghui.org) Concern for the whole-body of fellow practitioners and caring about them is a righteous action. Yet I somehow am unable to follow that concept, given the limits of my cultivation level and human notions. I have a tendency of over-analyzing things. Even good things can be too much and become an attachment. Cultivation itself is to eliminate attachments, and I have instead developed new attachments, including the attachment to the “whole-body” concept and fellow practitioners. I noticed this several years ago, but haven’t completely eliminated it. To put it another way, I still am going overboard.
For example, my attachment to a fellow practitioner resulted in her depending on me, and interfered with the path that Master had arranged for her, as well as my cultivation.
One day about three years ago, I happened to meet up with a practitioner from a rural area. Upon meeting her, I felt that we had known each other for a long time. She told me that she had been interfered with and persecuted because she wasn’t able to understand the Fa from the perspective of the Fa. She explained that her family was very unreasonable and conflicts were growing worse. To escape her tribulations, instead of believing in Master and the Fa, she thought of becoming a nun in a Buddhist temple. After hearing her story, I felt indescribably sad. I thought, “Master has been teaching the Fa for over ten years, yet there are still many practitioners who don’t understand the Fa and have such irrational thoughts. It’s obvious that this is interference from another dimension.”
She didn’t understand what I was telling her, so I thought, why did I come today? Why did I meet with her? Nothing we encounter in cultivation is by chance. So I wanted to discuss our understandings based on the Fa.
From talking with her, I realized that many people in her hometown had stopped practicing Falun Dafa. It’s amazing that she persisted in practicing. So I told her my understanding on the subject matter based on my cultivation level. I started with the basics based on what I thought she could understand and accept. I gave many examples. She listened carefully and seemed to understand. At the same time, I told her that she needed to study the Fa more, take the Fa as teacher, believe in Master and the Fa, and eliminate the evil. I also told her how to balance everything and do the three things well.
She was eventually able to recognize her issues and do the three things well. Her cultivation state improved, and even her health and appearance changed for better. As she improved her understanding based on the Fa, she was able to clarify the truth more.
It was just as Master said:
“Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Zhuan Falun)
I told her, “Because practitioners are aligned with the Fa, the power of the Fa manifests itself. However, there are still tribulations to pass in order to improve. You still need to study the Fa calmly, send forth righteous thoughts, enlighten on the Fa, and continue cultivating.”
But she then developed another notion. She thought it would help to discuss issues with fellow practitioners. So when she couldn’t pass tribulations, she wanted to find fellow practitioners. Instead of treating tribulations as good things, searching inward, eliminating the evil’s interference, and being clearheaded and resolute to pass the tests, she felt powerless and helpless. She became dependent on others and I also bear some responsibility concerning this matter. At first, I felt that I should help her. Later I was moved by her spirit of enduring, and I developed a good impression of her, and my sentiments kicked in. Moreover, she traveled over 100 miles, put aside her work on the farm, and came to discuss her problem, so I didn’t have the heart to refuse her.
I told her that cultivation is a serious matter, and we must walk our own paths. One needs to cultivate, enlighten, put in the effort, bear responsibility, search inward-not outward, and that no one else could do that for her. I also told her more than once that only the Fa could dissolve the evil, and only Master could strengthen her. We have to be determined in order to break through the barrier. Whatever we cannot do, Master can. As long as we are within the Fa, there is no tribulation we cannot pass.
Although I tried to instill these thoughts in her, when her tribulations increased, her main consciousness was not strong, and her righteous thoughts were weak. So she came looking for me again. I already felt that it wasn't quite right, but I could not blame her. I needed to search within myself.
I carefully searched within myself and found that her attachment of depending on others had a lot to do with me. For one thing I tend to hold strong feelings toward fellow practitioners. Secondly, I thought that helping others was being selfless and part of my cultivation. In fact, deep down I felt that I was better than others. I wanted to teach others, and I liked to talk rhetoric and not cultivate speech. To put it more clearly, I didn’t totally believe in Master and the Fa, as I was thinking that no matter where the problem lies, it was for this fellow practitioner to cultivate.
I thought that “believing in myself” reflected the limitation of my own enlightenment quality and cultivation level. Moreover, when I saw that the same problem couldn’t be resolved for a long time, I felt anxious and dissatisfied, and even began to dislike her. Sometimes, even though I understood that it we are humans who are cultivating, problems and conflicts appear so that we can cultivate. But due to the desire to be perfect, I developed attachments that I shouldn’t have. Cultivation is difficult, and enlightenment is even more difficult. Only when one can do it does it count as cultivation. I am determined to eliminate this attachment.
I will end this sharing by saying that if this practitioner has a chance to read this article, I hope she will understand. I also hope that we all can eliminate the attachment of depending on others. With Master and the Fa, what is there to be afraid of! Master’s grace is immense, the Buddha Fa is boundless, and with our righteous thoughts and actions there is nothing we cannot do. Master is next to us, and we should look inward, believe in Master and the Fa, and there will then be more and more miracles in our cultivation.
If I shared anything that is not based on the Fa, please kindly point it out.
