Should Practitioners Not Mention Anything Negative about Themselves?

(Minghui.org) A fellow practitioner (Practitioner A) experienced serious sickness karma recently. Other Falun Dafa practitioners in our area heard about it and discussed the situation. Practitioner B said that we shouldn't say anything negative about Practitioner A, spread the news further, or discuss her attachments. Practitioner B said we should always think of the positive side of A, and that was the only way our righteous thoughts could help her. Practitioner A also believed that saying anything negative about herself would leave an excuse for the old forces to continue persecuting her. Other practitioners had differing opinions, and we couldn't agree.

After this incident, I often heard fellow practitioners say “We shouldn't mention anything negative about ourselves.” I thought about whether this idea was right, whether this was what Dafa had taught us, and whether my fellow practitioners had mixed their own understandings into Dafa cultivation.

I agree that fellow practitioners need to be encouraging when we speak with each other during sickness karma tribulations. But if a practitioner feels uncomfortable hearing anything negative, isn't that a test he should pass?

We can't force anyone to look within for their own faults, because cultivation is voluntary. There is also nothing wrong with stressing the positive aspects of our fellow practitioners. We should compassionately help them think from the Fa's perspective during their tribulations.

But it's probably not in accordance with the Fa to say, “We shouldn't mention anything negative about ourselves.” Speaking about our problems isn't the cause of interference by the old forces. The old forces take advantage of our attachments and loopholes to persecute us, whether or not we mention those attachments.

The process of cultivation involves eliminating attachments and the human mentality. It's correct to remind each other to look within. If we see where our fellow practitioners fall short and stumble, we should point it out, and help them eliminate their attachments. Master taught us “looking within is a magical tool.” ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference")

We cultivators should always remember our magical tool. When facing interference from the old forces, we should look within and eliminate our attachments as a whole body, including the practitioners experiencing sickness karma. It is a good opportunity for us to deny the old forces' persecution and improve together.

We Dafa practitioners have experienced repeated tempering, and gone through the difficult journey of cultivation. No one should lose confidence in cultivation just because one test wasn't passed well. When fellow practitioners who are dealing with tribulations are in low spirits, we should encourage them, praise their past righteous actions, and help them recollect their righteous thoughts.

On the other hand, it's also necessary to remain calm and look within after the encouraging words. Eliminating bad thoughts and attachments is essential to changing ourselves and improving. It is also what makes cultivators extraordinary.

After hearing fellow practitioners' experience sharing on how they looked within and let go of their attachments, Practitioner A admitted that she had held a grudge against Practitioner C. Practitioner A said she felt hatred when she saw C , but she has now gradually managed to get rid the hate. Practitioner A found one of the reasons for her sickness karma. Modern medicine also has theories about how hatred can cause sickness. For cultivators, hatred indicates a strong attachment. When we find the attachment, and let it go, our minds can become calm, and the sickness karma symptoms should dissipate.

The above is my limited understanding. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.