(Minghui.org) Loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and righteousness are some of the most prized traditional Chinese values. China's divinely-bestowed culture has given birth to and nurtured numerous noble sages in almost every dynasty throughout its over 5,000 years of history.
Take Yue Fei (1103-1142) as an example. A military general during the era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), he led the defense of Southern Song against invaders from the Jurchen-ruled Jin Dynasty in Northern China. Unfortunately, he was framed by corrupt officials who persuaded the Song emperor to order his execution. Despite the betrayal, he remained loyal to the emperor to the end of his life. Today, Yue Fei is a well-known symbol of loyalty in China.
Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), a prime minister in the final years of the Southern Song Dynasty, is another national hero. While resisting Kublai Khan’s invasion of the Song, he was captured by Khan’s Yuan Dynasty. Despite being tortured after he was captured, he never yielded and remained loyal to the Song Dynasty. The “Song of Integrity” he wrote behind bars is widely popular today. In another poem, he wrote that “All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever.”
On the other hand, the figures in history that were disloyal, unrighteous, corrupt, or cunning will be forever remembered as villains.
Under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), today’s China has seen the rapid decline of morality and the sad loss of traditional values. Without moral restraint, people dare to do anything and corruption is rampant. The CCP has created a culture that has twisted people’s minds, and the traditional values governing interpersonal relations have all but disappeared. There is no loyalty or righteousness to speak of whatsoever.
Dafa cultivators know that the purpose of China's divinely-inspired culture is to enable today’s sentient beings to obtain salvation and cultivate. Loyalty has now taken on a new meaning at a time when Dafa is being widely embraced throughout the world.
The unprecedented persecution of Dafa by the CCP has been going on for more than 13 years, but Dafa disciples have endured thanks to their loyalty to Master and Dafa.
During the Fa-rectification period cultivation, Dafa practitioners should be clear that it is Master who is rectifying the cosmos. Master has given His all to save the universe and sentient beings.
“The abundant debts formed huge ordeals
His hair turned grey and His body was harmed” (“To the Original State,” Hong Yin III)
The suffering and sacrifice Master has endured are beyond our wildest imagination. Dafa disciples are lives that Master has personally saved. Our mere existence is a manifestation of Master’s immense compassion, and He is the Lord of the Universe and the hope for all sentient beings.
How should we view our relationship with Master and Dafa? As I see it, the answer is to give Him our unconditional and never-ending loyalty.
Believing in Master and Dafa is a prerequisite for our cultivation during the Fa-rectification process. However, it is not enough to just have faith in Dafa. What exactly is our mission during the Fa-rectification process amidst the massive tribulations created by the evil? It is to safeguard the Fa!
Then, what does it mean to safeguard the Fa? I think it is for us to let go of every human attachment (including our fear of death) with diamond-like determination. We must strive to become Fa-guardian gods that protect the Fa in today’s human world and the future cosmos. Whether or not we can come to this realization in our cultivation may become a serious xinxing test. All the gods in the universe are watching us closely.
If all Dafa disciples can show unconditional loyalty to Master, the evil that is still persecuting the Fa will be disintegrated in an instant, and we will enter into a future universe that is rock-solid and indestructible.
Pledging loyalty to Master and safeguarding Dafa is Dafa disciples’ responsibility. We are unbelievably lucky and fortunate to have become Dafa disciples and should all cherish this precious opportunity.
Above are just some of my understandings. Please point out anything inappropriate.
