(Minghui.org) When we speak of gods, many people consider gods to be great, omnipotent, and supernormal. To some practitioners, the purpose of cultivation and becoming a Buddha or a god is to become great and omnipotent.
In my understanding, cultivation is about letting go of attachments and looking inward. We shouldn't have the pursuit to cultivate for the sole purpose of becoming great and omnipotent. Rather, we should cultivate our hearts with the genuine wish to assimilate to the universe's characteristic of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and become pure and selfless beings. Gods are great and omnipotent. But if a cultivator harbors this impure motive as reason to cultivate, then attachments will be hard to relinquish.
Master told us: “Cultivate, my disciples, ‘til no single omission is found.” ("Cultivating Amidst the Delusion " in Hong Yin) We should also not be attached to our own consummation.
Some practitioners know that we should cultivate our hearts, but subconsciously they strive to be great and omnipotent. Gods are great and omnipotent, because they have no attachments. So we should look inward and cultivate our hearts instead of looking outward and pursuing “greatness.” In fact, pursuing “greatness” is the same as pursuing fame.
When Master praises us in Fa lectures, some practitioners think highly of themselves. Since we all represent huge groups of sentient beings and celestial bodies, and we are all trying to save great lives, some practitioners think, “I am so great. I'm far better than other beings.” This thought reflects the attachment to fame, which is actually triggered by sentimentality. This sentimentality is related to zealotry. When such sentimentality develops, this practitioner's mind is not right, and his loopholes are liable to be seized upon.
Cultivators should not be ignorant of the very essence of cultivation. Gods do not have attachments, nor have they any sentimentality or desires. The refining of one's heart is fundamental, and greatness is just a “by-product” of cultivation. Pursuing “greatness” is just like pursuing “supernormal abilities.”
