(Minghui.org) It has been almost 15 years since the beginning of Fa-rectification Period cultivation. Even though our time of cultivation during the Fa-rectification is extended at the cost of Master's enormous endurance, human mentalities and inappropriate behaviors still exist among Falun Dafa practitioners in mainland China. Cultivation is a serious matter. Dafa's criteria are strict. Let's take a moment to look for our attachments behind certain incorrect thoughts and behaviors, and assume our responsibilities well – for Dafa, ourselves and sentient beings.
I. Incorrect Thoughts and Behaviors
Some fellow practitioners often talk about when the Fa-rectification will end. They think it has taken too long and can't wait to return to their positions in Heaven.
Some fellow practitioners often mention how many times they have attended Master's lectures series, and how many times they have remained steadfast when facing persecution. They are content with their experience and think that it is simply a matter of time to reach consummation. So they slack off and wait for the end of Fa-rectification.
On seeing that some fellow practitioners were forced to give up cultivation due to persecution, some practitioners fear that the persecution may make them lose everything they have accomplished in cultivation. But they know that doing the three things is a must for a Dafa practitioner in the Fa-rectification period. So they clarify the truth with reservations and drift along while waiting for the end of the Fa-rectification period.
Some practitioner have attended Master's lecture series many times and remained steadfast during imprisonments since 1999. They think they have already passed the tests and met the requirement for consummation. They show subtle unhappiness about how the ending time of Fa-rectification has been extended. Some fellow practitioners admire them and agree with them that it is the time to end the Fa-rectification and let them return to their deserved positions.
There are disagreements between some practitioners regarding how long to read the Fa during group study. Some practitioners were unhappy when others corrected their mistakes when reading aloud. Some failed to look inward for their own shortcomings, using others' attitude as an excuse.
Some practitioners arbitrarily put Dafa books in any convenient location. Some even put Dafa books next to their feet. Some don't wash their hands after restroom use and touch Dafa books with dirty hands.
Some practitioners do their chores and talk while listening to Master's lectures.
Some practitioners' exercise movements are incorrect due to lack of group exercise and lack of self-correction.
II. Cultivation Is a Serious Matter
Cultivation is a serious matter. It cannot be measured with a human mentality. How a practitioner treats his own cultivation is a candid reflection of his cultivation level.
Nothing happens accidentally, from the moment a practitioner starts his cultivation. Isn't the so-called “sacrifice” during the persecution part of our cultivation and the process of advancing? Our goal is to cultivate ourselves to the righteous enlightenment of unselfishness. Being responsible for Dafa is our duty. In addition to elimination of our karma, another reason for our suffering is because the old forces took advantage of our loopholes. Master protected us when we had righteous thoughts. Have we thought about how much Master had to suffer for us when we thought we “passed the tests”? Suffering is nothing to be proud of. We should find our loopholes, eliminate them, and take firm steps to save sentient beings.
Cultivation during the Fa-rectification period is beyond self-cultivation. We ought to think from the perspective of helping Master rectify the Fa and saving sentient beings.
The criteria of Falun Dafa practitioners during the Fa-rectification period are strict. Everyone of us was diligent when we started cultivation. How come we can't persist in diligence? How can so many of our attachments have come back? Thinking back carefully, our initial motivation was to leave this mortal realm and reach a better realm. That was out of selfishness. If we continue to hold on to this attachment, sentient beings' longing for salvation will fail to motivate us. We will not be motivated to act upon seeing the dangerous situation of the sentient beings, when comprehending the origin of Dafa practitioners, and recalling our holy vows to help Master with Fa-rectification. We would fail to keep in mind the safety of sentient beings and Master's requirements.
This is the critical time to eliminate selfishness and assimilate to Dafa. When we complained that Fa-rectification had taken so long and we slacked off, have we realized that the ending time was put off for this very reason? If the Fa-rectification period ends now and our selfishness still exists, what position can Master give us?
A practitioner who holds sentient beings in his heart would make best use of the precious time Master provides for us with his enormous suffering. When we completely eliminate our selfishness and think about the dangerous situation of vast numbers of sentient beings, we will certainly be able to advance diligently as we did when we first started to cultivate. The only difference is that we used to do it for ourselves, but now we are doing it for sentient beings.
III. The Habit of Finding Excuses
Some practitioners habitually find excuses when others point out their shortcomings. From the perspective of self-cultivation, they have failed to treat cultivation seriously or sincerely.
When conflicts arise and unpleasant words are heard, it is a perfect time to look inward and correct ourselves. But if we treat conflicts with a human mentality, we will find excuses for our attachments. As a consequence, incorrect behaviors hurt relationship between fellow practitioners, and our cultivation level is lowered instead of improved.
IV. Do We Truly Believe or Not?
Master taught us,“Some people’s comprehension just doesn’t improve. Some folks just go and start marking up this book of mine. Now, those of us with open Third Eyes can see that this book is full of dazzling colors, and sparkling with golden light, and every word is in my Law Body’s image. If I lied I’d be cheating you, so I’ll tell you: the marks you make are so dark, and you dare to just mark it up like that? Do you know what we’re doing here? Aren’t we guiding you upward in cultivation? You should stop and give a little thought to some things. This book can guide your cultivation—now think, isn’t it precious? You worship Buddha, but can that help you do true cultivation? You’re very pious and you handle that Buddha’s statue like fragile glass, and you burn incense for it every day, yet you dare to tamper with the Great Law that can truly guide your cultivation.” (Zhuan Falun – The Ninth Talk)
Having grown up under the influence of atheism, most Chinese practitioners couldn't believe in Dafa 100 percent at the beginning of cultivation. As we continue to cultivate ourselves, the stain of atheism continues to be cleansed. When a practitioner completely believes in what Master said in this paragraph, his view of Dafa will be drastically changed.
Today, most Dafa practitioners have the divine power that Master gave us. Shouldn't we treat Master and Dafa like gods would treat Master Buddha? How dare we not to pay full and pious attention when we are certain the book Zhuan Falun encompasses layers of universes, cosmic bodies and space? Master is rectifying all with his enormous power during his lectures; Master's power manifests through our voice when we read the Fa; our whole body, from the macroscopic to the microscopic level, is changing according Dafa's mechanism during our exercises; how dare we calculate our loss and gain with human mentality? How dare we casually misread the Fa? How dare we not strictly correct our exercise movements? Respecting Master and Dafa is an attitude acquired through cultivation, and it reflects our cultivation level.
The Chinese classic novel Journey to the West has a story describing Xuanzang's origin. He is actually a reincarnation of Golden Cicada, the second disciple of Buddha Sakyamuni. Because he nodded off when Sakyamuni was expounding the Fa, he was banished to the world of mortals for ten reincarnations. After enduring numerous tribulations and obtaining true sutras, he was allowed to return to the Heavens. The story tells us how important it is for divine beings in Heaven to have a serious attitude toward Master and the Fa.
Dafa practitioners' cultivation not only concerns our own consummation, but is also concerned with setting up a right path for future cultivation practitioners to walk. Since it is the very last stage of Fa-rectification, the criteria for Dafa practitioners are higher and higher. The old forces eye us covetously. Don't leave any loophole for the old forces to take advantage of. Let's take firm steps and not disappoint the expectations of sentient beings. It's a requirement of rectifying the Fa and it is Master's wish.
The above is a summary and analysis of certain incorrect thoughts and behaviors noted in our Fa study group. The purpose is not to blame any fellow practitioner, but to help create a cultivation climate of looking inward and forming an unbreakable entity, so that we can fulfill our prehistoric vows together.
Please kindly point out anything inappropriate in our understanding.
Category: Improving Oneself
