(Minghui.org) In the “Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference,” Master mentioned that some practitioners were feeling down, lethargic, and lazy.
Master said:
“Let me tell you that a lot of those bad, microscopic beings cover you and your thinking like dust, but they’re actually nothing, and when you send righteous thoughts you can eliminate those rotten things.”
I was in a poor cultivation state for quite some time, slacking off and feeling lazy. Even though I was anxious about the situation, I could not pick myself up and break through it. When I talked with other practitioners, I learned that some of them were having similar problems and also feeling frustrated.
After reading Master's lecture, I discovered what my problems were.
For one, I realized I had not placed great importance on sending forth righteous thoughts and had done it in a perfunctory manner. I wanted to do better after I read the lecture, so I sent forth righteous thoughts for an extended period of time whenever I could in order to clean up the field around me.
I used to have pain in my right knee. I tried sending forth righteous thoughts to lessen the pain, but it did not work. Sometimes I could not even put weight on my right leg when I walked. After I read Masters lecture I sent forth righteous thoughts for almost two hours to eliminate “those bad, microscopic beings ... rotten things” that Master mentioned.
I focused on getting rid of the bad elements. My knee felt much better afterward and the pain was gone.
One time while sending forth righteous thoughts, I sensed chaos within the cosmic colossal firmament in my body, and that a layer of “lazy elements” was causing me to feel tired. I knew it was because I had not been cultivating and sending forth righteous thoughts earnestly, so the bad elements formed a barrier that prevented me from being diligent. Consequently, I felt helpless, passive, and could not pick myself up.
I felt what Master described:
“So they can make you feel powerless, down, or make you lethargic and lazy; this thing tries to keep you from being energetic.”
“But those things can be eliminated with one thought. When your righteous thoughts are not strong enough, when your righteous thoughts can’t come forth, they won’t work.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)
I noticed some practitioners are also in poor cultivation states. Some sent forth righteous thoughts with their palms down, while others suffered from sickness karma or experienced tribulations for a long time. Perhaps their circumstances were a result of not paying attention to sending forth righteous thoughts to get rid of the interference. The longer they remained in this poor cultivation state, the less confidence they had, and the more passive they became.
Some practitioners, on the other hand, have realized that by sending forth righteous thoughts they actively eliminated the bad elements. I suggest those who are in a poor cultivation state or undergoing tribulations to read the passages about sending forth righteous thoughts in Master's latest lecture. If practitioners understand the importance and the power of our righteous thoughts, they can persevere diligently in doing so until the bad elements are destroyed!
I used to think that studying the Fa more often could replace sending forth righteous thoughts. But after my experience, I discovered that we should do well in all aspects, from studying the Fa and doing the exercises, sending forth righteous thoughts, and clarifying the truth.
We cannot replace one thing for another. Therefore, we should pay attention to diligently sending forth righteous thoughts.
Some practitioners have undergone tribulations with their family members, experienced sickness karma, or suffered from financial difficulties. Although they try to be diligent, they feel trapped and exhausted, and some of them become numb.
I too was in a similar situation. When I calmed down and looked inward, however, I knew it was because I was not truly cultivating.
When I was faced with all sorts of hardships and conflicts, I found that my human attachments to sentimentality and profit were the real obstacles. I looked inward and understood that letting go of the “self” was the hardest thing to do.
Master said:
“If you can examine yourselves with every thing you come across, then I’d say you are really remarkable, and nothing can block you on your path to Consummation. Yet when we run into problems, we often look outwards—'Why are you treating me like that?'—and feel that we’ve been treated unfairly, instead of examining ourselves. That’s the greatest and most fatal obstacle for all living beings.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Singapore”)
The only way to overcome hardships is to cultivate genuinely. If we can do as Master teaches, then we will be able to see where the problem is. If we cultivate ourselves according to the Fa principles, guard our xinxing with no complaints, and treat everyone with kindness, not only will the tribulations be dissolved, we will also be able to save people.
One reason why we are unable to resolve the conflicts and overcome tribulations is because we do not look inward to cultivate ourselves. We hold on to our attachments and do not pay attention to sending forth righteous thoughts.
In the past, I would point out practitioners' problems as soon as I saw them, and I thought I was being responsible to them. I now realize that this kind of thinking is not completely correct. As a cultivator, we should first look inward and not “guide” others, or look for others' shortcomings.
Cultivation is a serious matter. We should look inward unconditionally, be mindful of everything we do, and not neglect even the smallest detail. We will not be able to reach the standard if we miss it by even a tiny percent.
Master said:
“Sometimes in your cultivation you are unable to pass a test or identify your attachments, and that’s because you have not taken some little problem(s) seriously. But actually, no matter how small a problem is, it’s unacceptable if you can’t meet the standard.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)
Fellow practitioners, let us seize the moment and make up for lost time. Master said, “...always cultivating as if you were just starting will surely result in achieving your ultimate rank.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference”)
These are my experiences and current understandings. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.