(Minghui.org) The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been interfering with Dafa practitioners' truth clarification activities in Hong Kong for nearly ten months. Many practitioners, including myself, have worked hard to think of ways to eliminate the evil specter and make their banners disappear. We've tried to cover up or hide their banners. We have reported them to the police, sent forth righteous thoughts, and clarified the truth to the people from the “Hong Kong Youth Care Association Ltd” (a group that is funded by the CCP). Even though the majority of Hong Kong practitioners were involved in the effort to eliminate the interference, the banners slandering Falun Dafa remained everywhere, and the interference became more intense.
I'd like to share some of my understandings about the situation.
Looking Inward and Cultivating Ourselves
I noticed that practitioners, including myself, were paying too much attention to the people who were interfering with us and the reactions of police, and failed to look inward. In fact, this situation was a great opportunity to raise our cultivation levels, but it took several months to realize it. Although I initially “looked inward,” I was doing so superficially and reluctantly. Therefore, I didn't elevate that much in my cultivation. After I became more mindful of the situation, I encountered two incidents that moved me, and discovered some deeply hidden attachments.
I eliminated the attachments as soon as I found their roots, and I felt that my xinxing level was quickly elevated. The first incident occurred during a conflict with people from the Hong Kong Youth Care Association. My attachment to competitiveness was exposed. At first I thought I was being righteous. In the past I didn't think I was competitive and considered myself to be a peaceful person. It took me two weeks to realize that I had a strong attachment to competitiveness.
A month later, during another incident, I inadvertently discovered that I also had the attachment to showing off. I used to think that I was unpretentious and got along well with others. So why did I have such a strong attachment to showing off? There were probably other attachments as well. I was in pain and felt wronged while handing out the truth clarification materials. My heart was crying but my knowing side knew that I had to look inward. This time, it only took me one day to rid myself of the attachment, and once it was eliminated my heart felt pure and everything was bright.
Harmonizing as One Body, and Eliminating the Gap Between Practitioners
One important aspect of looking inward is eliminating any gaps between practitioners. I have been diligent with this. I have tried to patch up any gaps, no matter how small or undetectable, even regarding practitioners with whom I have never had any conflicts. Master said,
“I’ve said again and again that you cannot see a cultivator’s good side. That side is simply terrific, and has met the standard. And what does it mean to 'meet the standard'? It is the standard of a god. Whereas the part of him that hasn’t been successfully cultivated yet, that part is going to seem worse as it works its way up and gets closer to the surface. But, maybe that person has cultivated very well.” ("What is a Dafa Disciple")
Master is compassionate to practitioners and considers them very good. There is no reason for me to say that other practitioners are not good and avoid any contact with them. I was the one who failed to reach the standard of a practitioner.
I therefore looked inward and found the root cause of the problem and eliminated it. There are now no gaps between my heart and other practitioners. I may not agree with other practitioners' opinions or actions, but I don't think they are bad, and I'm able to comprehend their current states of mind. I believe that they will elevate in the Fa, and there is no distance between us. I can put my selfishness aside and cooperate with other practitioners, because I understand that the world is intricate, life is diverse, and everyone's cultivation path is different. I cannot impose my standards on others, as they are great disciples of our Master. When I reach this understanding, the field within me is calm and peaceful, as is the environment around me.
When I look inward, I truly feel that Master is watching over me and guiding me. As long as I remember that I'm a Dafa practitioner, Master will give me the opportunities to cultivate. As long as I look inward, I will find an abundant harvest.
Do Not Look Outward, Police Officers are Everyday People Too
Whenever people from the Hong Kong Youth Care Association “attack” our truth clarification sites, no matter how big or small the issue, the first thing we do is to report them and seek help from the police. I think we rely too much on the police in this regard. We are often angry and expect the police officers to uphold justice. They consequently usually defend the other side. This clearly points out that practitioners should cultivate themselves and not depend on the police. They are everyday people who are waiting to be saved.
“Just By Staying Unaffected You Will Be Able to Handle All Situations”
(“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S.”)
I have recently noticed that practitioners have raised our cultivation levels and now cooperate better than before. At first, we were more scattered. Even though we are now working better with each other, we still aren't cohesive enough. For example, we had conflicts with people from the Youth Care Association because we were quite upset. Three weeks later they brought large banners, 7.8 meters long, to our truth clarification site. Although more than a dozen people came to our site, we remained calmer. We were not moved and continued to practice the exercises. We didn't argue with them or report them to the police, and acted as if they didn't exist. We exercised peacefully to our Dafa music. The contrast of “the good versus the evil” attracted many passersby. Many of them took our truth clarification newspaper, including fashionable women who usually ignored us. This time, by staying unaffected, our field was stronger than when we tried with much effort to send forth righteous thoughts. This was the result of our cultivation. Because we remained calm, the bad elements couldn't do anything at all. It was like Master's words, “Just by staying unaffected you will be able to handle all situations.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S”)
Interference by the CCP Will Eventually Become a Scandalous Failure
Many practitioners, including some from China, were worried that the banners could poison the minds of sentient beings. After more than ten years of persecution by the CCP, and efforts by practitioners in truth clarification, it is no coincidence that those who are poisoned may remained poisoned, and those who are not meant to be poisoned can clearly see the facts.
For example, when people from the Youth Care Association came to our truth clarification site, an angry Hong Kong resident grabbed a truth clarification newspaper. I noticed she took an old paper, so I handed her a new one. I said to her, “This is today's paper, The Epoch Times. Please take this copy.” Her anger turned into a smile. She took the paper and said, “I have never read your newspaper. But as soon as the people from the Youth Care Association came over here, I wanted to read your paper!”
I also tried to clarify the truth to a young man from China who took the paper. Although he despised the CCP, he didn't approve of Falun Dafa either. A female member of the Youth Care Association came over and said to him, “Don't listen to her,” while pointing at me, and proceeded to talk to the young man. I smiled and continued handing out papers. What she said to the young man made no sense. He told me later, “She is a 'Fifty-Cent' from the CCP!”(1) He changed his mind about Dafa and agreed to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Master said, “Bad people hear bad things, and good people hear good things!” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S.”)
As long as we cultivate ourselves well, we don't need to worry about the evil banners poisoning the minds of the people. Master said, “the appearance stems from the mind,” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting”) and our compassionate energy field can melt all the bad elements. Master told us,
“As for you, disciples of Dafa, the closer it gets to the end the better you should walk your paths, seizing the day to cultivate yourselves well.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa”)
We should seize every single minute and every single second to cultivate ourselves. The bad elements hope that practitioners will dislike each other, and place our focus on the Youth Care Association. As long as we cultivate ourselves well, the evil specters will destroy themselves.
These are my current understandings. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Note
(1) Known as the "50 Cent Party," pro-China Internet commentators are hired by the Chinese Communist Party to post comments favorable towards the regime, with the purpose of shaping or "guiding" public opinion. They are supposed to receive 50 cents for each post, hence the name. They steer online discussion away from anti-party or sensitive content on domestic websites, bulletin board systems, and chatrooms, or write things that advance the Party line.
Category: Improving Oneself
