(Minghui.org) While spending time with practitioners in another area, I experienced blessings and solemnness as we elevated in the Fa together and realized how difficult it is for Master to save us.
Section 1. Looking Within and Cultivating Myself
1) Looking Within While in Conflicts
I visited a practitioner in another city. After sharing with her, I found that the practitioners there had done well in clarifying the truth, yet there were tensions causing separations among them. Many didn’t harmonize or cooperate with one another, and many looked down on others. They could not let go of their attachments and made situations very complicated. They didn’t know how to resolve these problems. When they shared with me, they talked about other practitioners’ shortcomings. I asked myself: "Why did they behave like that in front of me? What attachments do I have and need to cultivate away? If I was in their situation, would I face it with righteous thoughts like a genuine practitioner?"
Two female practitioners couldn’t cooperate well and pointed fingers at each other. Many practitioners talked about one practitioner couple behind their back, alleging they had embezzled money that practitioners had contributed to produce materials and had profited from selling electronic and self-made Falun Dafa books. I started to look within. Why was I witnessing their conflicts? Did I have an attachment to money? The allegations were made by a coordinator who had a low opinion of the couple. Their conflicts became fiercer. When she complained to me about the other practitioner, I saw her attachments of jealousy, competitiveness, pursuit of self-interests, and not taking criticism.
I looked within to see if I had the same attachments, and I found that I did. I sent forth righteous thoughts to dissolve those bad substances. I shared with that practitioner from the perspective of the Fa. She realized her shortcomings and invited the practitioner couple to her home to talk about her own problems and her understandings of cultivation. We were in harmony and felt that we were surrounded by the light of Dafa. We felt so calm and serene.
I realized that Falun Dafa practitioners are one body. When conflicts arise, even if only one practitioner is willing to look within, Dafa will show us its power and correct us.
Master said:
“For a cultivator, looking within is a magical tool.” (Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference)
When we look within, the compassionate power demonstrated can dismantle any factors of the old forces. Only then can we provide real help to other practitioners.
2) Looking Within When Seeing Practitioners Unable to Pass the Test
One of the local practitioners was the eldest daughter-in-law in her husband’s family. She contributed a lot to the family but never got any recognition. When she confided in me, I saw her jealousy, competitiveness, pursuit of personal interests, and the need for acknowledgement. I again looked within and found that I had the same attachments.
Master said:
“It believes that the exterior of the universe is as big as its interior, and that its exterior looks the same as its interior.” (Zhuan Falun)
I tried to eliminate those attachments with righteous thoughts. At the same time, I shared my understanding of the problems with the family and tried to help them pass the test.
One local practitioner was sending truth-clarifying text messages. I noticed that her messages were sloppily written, and some of the content was out of date. I wanted to point it out to her, but I hesitated. Eventually I kindly said to her, “Our truth-clarifying materials are for saving sentient beings and should be perfect. We must treat every aspect with care and only then will our efforts have the power of Dafa.” I found another of my shortcomings in the process. I was not really displaying compassion when I had hesitated to point out her problem. I was really afraid of being hurt if she did not take the criticism well. I had the attachment of protecting myself.
She admitted that she hadn’t done well with the messages, yet she still tried to justify her shortcomings. Instantly I saw my attachment: I was not able to look within and accept criticism when other people pointed out my shortcomings. I usually superficially accepted the corrections, but defended myself in my heart. So I sent forth righteous thoughts to dissolve the attachment. At that moment, practitioners around me started to look within. I again witnessed the power of looking within.
3) Judging Other Practitioners
One day a local coordinator invited me to go with her to the countryside to attend an experience sharing meeting with the practitioners there. I felt uncomfortable in my heart. This coordinator was not diligent in studying the Fa and seldom looked within during conflicts. She handled problems in very ordinary ways. Whenever I went to her place, the practitioners there were always eating and chatting. I thought that they were just wasting time. In this instance, I was looking down on other practitioners and judging them with my personal criteria.
So I asked myself: "Why did I feel uncomfortable?" The answer was that I was selfish. Why was I not willing to go with her when other practitioners wished to share their understandings of Dafa? Why was I indifferent to their needs? Was I meeting Teacher's requirements? No, I was not. I was attached to myself. So, I sent forth righteous thoughts to dissolve the attachment and agreed to go with her. She was very happy. The next day she shared with me from the perspective of Dafa, looked within, and exposed her shortcomings. This was another demonstration of the Fa's power.
4) Looking Within When Practitioners Criticize Me
The next day we went to the countryside to the experience sharing conference. About a dozen local practitioners attended. The coordinator said, “Last night I asked her [meaning me] to come, but she didn't want to. On the way here she tried to clarify the truth to the driver, but he didn’t listen.” They all turned to me. I was moved and felt so ashamed. My attachments to fame and protecting myself were fully exposed. Then she said that she had helped three people to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party yesterday after she had told them the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong. She added that only with a pure heart could we save people.
I knew it was an opportunity Master had arranged for me to let go of my attachments. And yet a little voice continued to try to defend myself: “I helped you to clarify the truth on the way here because the person was not willing to quit the CCP although you had talked to him for a long time, and I was sending forth righteous thoughts for you. I had already discovered my attachments and had come to the sharing meeting with a calm heart.” I then reminded myself that there was no need for me to explain.
Master said:
“There is no precondition for practicing cultivation...” (Zhuan Falun)
“[During a conflict, if you can remember:] “He’s right, And I’m wrong,” What’s to dispute?” (“Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong” Hong Yin III)
I kept sending forth righteous thoughts around the clock. When all the bad substances were dissolved, I felt like
“The heavens clear, the cosmic body transparent” (“After the Catastrophe” from Hong Yin) .
When I then looked at the coordinator, I felt a closeness in my heart. When we look down on others, it shows that we ourselves have attachments. Now I could see her shining good qualities: she had been contributing enormously in getting everyone to improve in cultivation. When practitioners from other cities were not able to return to their homes because of the persecution and asked for her help, she always took them in and looked after them. When the practitioners were arrested or detained, she stepped forward and coordinated rescue efforts. When the practitioners from other cities came to our city for experience sharing meetings, she readily let them stay at her home and never complained. All her family members support Dafa and treat practitioners nicely. She has created a good family environment for herself. I was ashamed of myself for my selfishness.
5) Rectify My Every Thought When Sharing with Fellow Practitioners
Many of the practitioners in a neighboring city didn’t step forward to tell people the facts about Falun Gong. A lot of practitioners were arrested or detained. Before I went there to share with local practitioners, I said to myself: “Master, please reinforce my righteous thoughts. I will share with the practitioners there with a pure heart and look within at all times. Master, please give me wisdom. We will improve ourselves.” I felt under pressure when I was about to leave for the city. I wondered if I would be in danger. The situation there was very complicated, but I realized that the fearful thoughts arising in me was interference. The more the evil interfered, the more I had to go.
When I arrived, I shared my experiences with a local coordinator and several other practitioners during the night. I kept looking within to rectify my every thought. When they said that I had done well in my cultivation, I found my attachment to showing off. When the practitioners expressed their kindness to me, I saw my attachment of complacency and sentimentality. When the practitioners insisted on giving me locally-made products, I found my attachment to goods. When the practitioners showed their admiration for me, I saw my attachment of being aloof.
I realized that the process of telling people the facts about Falun Gong and saving them was only a part of being a practitioner and it could not replace cultivating oneself. Only when we look within and truly improve our xinxing can we assimilate to the Fa and save the sentient beings within the systems of our body and who we come into contact with. Bathed in the light of the Fa, I have experienced the solemnness and happiness that results from the improvement of my xinxing and realm.
Opportunities for improving ourselves are everywhere around us. It depends on whether we can see the opportunities. When we cultivate in Dafa, we should have the intention and determination to constantly improve ourselves within the Fa. Master has imparted Dafa to us. It is a priceless opportunity. We should not understand the Fa only on a superficial level. Every practitioner will be the lord or king of boundless sentient beings. We must have our own real understanding and enlightenment. Only when we genuinely cultivate ourselves in the Fa and let go of ourselves, can we truly become particles of the Fa.
Section 2. Looking Within and Cultivating Every Thought While Telling the Facts to People
Here I wish to give two examples.
A. One day a Cantonese client came to my company. He could hardly speak Mandarin, and I was unable to communicate with him. How could I tell him the facts about Falun Gong? I decided to give him some materials to read. At that moment, a negative thought came into my mind: “Would he accept it? Cantonese people are not very reasonable.” I instantly noticed this bad thought and sent forth righteous thought to dissolve it. I said to myself that he must have a predestined relationship with me, that he was one of the sentient beings that Master has asked me to save. I would not allow the evil to harm him if he was within my energy field. I must let him know the truth. So I gave him a copy of our materials. He accepted it and left. He came to my company again several days later. He talked to me openly, and I felt as if we had become close friends. I could feel that he had changed and knew the truth.
B. One day a young man came to my company. I looked for a natural opportunity to tell him about the persecution of Falun Gong, but couldn’t find one. I was about to give up. As he was leaving, I suddenly realized that this might be his only chance to know the truth. So I ran and stopped him. I told him about quitting the Party and gave him a DVD about how to break through the Internet blockade. I asked him to watch the DVD at home. I said, “When you know the truth, you will be saved.” He accepted the DVD and thanked me.
We will come across interference in the process of truth clarification.
Master said:
“If that attachment is relinquished, that material itself does not have any effect. What really interferes with a person is the attachment.” (Zhuan Falun)
Only when we rectify ourselves can we do better in saving sentient beings.
Section 3. My Understanding of Looking Within
I have realized that there are different layers of meanings of looking within: finding my own attachments, sentiments and deviated notions; and finding my true self, separating myself from all the bad thoughts, and actively eliminating them. There are boundless sentient beings within ourselves. Their unrighteousness will be reflected in our thoughts. When we look within, we are rectifying the countless layers of sentient beings and saving them. One thought of an enlightened being can create a universe. We also have to look within for all our factors that are not up to the standard of Dafa and rectify them. Eventually, we are required to have a pure mind.
Our lives in different levels and different dimensions had deviated during our long histories. If we don’t cultivate ourselves well, those lives will come to interfere with our minds. Before we return to the level where we originally came from, they are deviated lives and exist like this. If we don’t cultivate ourselves well, we are not able to rectify them. Every test Master has arranged for us is crucial. If we fail to pass tests, those sentient beings will not be rectified and will interfere with us.
Looking within means that we should look for where we haven't done well according to Dafa. We must rectify those parts of ourselves and assimilate to the Fa. I find that I still have a lot of shortcomings, and at times my every thought is selfish. Yet I know that’s the manifestation of aspects of myself I haven’t cultivated well. I believe in the power of Dafa. All of us will be purified by the Fa. The more I cultivate, the more I feel its magnificence. Some of my feelings I am not able to express in words.
