(Minghui.org) I'm a young Dafa practitioner who learned about Falun Dafa from Dafa websites, using the Freegate anti-censorship software. I have been practicing for three years. I feel honored that the Buddha light shines on me every day.
After reading about how our local practitioners have been persecuted, I became determined to use my skills to take part in the Fa-rectification. With Master's arrangement, I quickly got in touch with another practitioner. Through working with my fellow practitioners on Dafa projects, I found and eliminated many attachments. I really appreciate all their help.
I recently noticed some common problems among Dafa practitioners, and would like to share my understanding about them.
My job is related to the Internet, one of the fastest developing fields in recent years. The rise of mobile Internet access over the past few years has been astounding. As Dafa practitioners, we know everything in the world was created to save sentient beings. Dafa practitioners can use a variety of tools to offer salvation to sentient beings, including TV shows, computers, and the Internet. However, these tools can sometimes contribute to our attachments.
I've observed that many practitioners have a particular attachment to their cell phones. Some used to spend hours chatting on their computers, and it's now more convenient to do it on cell phones. They can easily spend hours on their cell phones.
Some practitioners forward articles from WeChat. They tend to be traditional stories about reincarnation and retribution, religious cultivation stories, articles exposing the atrocities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and other human rights abuses, and true accounts from history about the CCP's persecution of the Chinese people.
Few are related to the persecution of Dafa practitioners. Some articles even use Master's words without crediting the source, or stating that it is Fa, the principles of the Falun Dafa practice. That is not in accordance with Falun Dafa teachings. Some practitioners are so addicted to these articles that they even read them while they eat, walk, or rest. They've also joined each others' contact lists and circulated these articles using WeChat.
I found that after reading these articles, many of these practitioners can't concentrate while sending forth righteous thoughts or studying the Fa. Some practitioners began to imagine their own previous lives. Some follow the articles' suggestions to help others. Others don't realize that their thoughts have been influenced by other schools of cultivation. When others pointed out these issues, they claimed that the Minghui website had published Milarepa's cultivation stories, and there was no need to be so strict.
I have been influenced, too, because my job requires me to use my cell phone more often than most practitioners. I know that it isn't right to get attached to cell phones and frequently read these kinds of articles. I had to face this issue.
So I studied the Fa with a quiet mind. Compassionate Master enlightened me to the fact that this attachment was due to failing to understand the Fa deeply. As a matter of fact, Master has already warned about this issue in his teaching:
“The three things are what Dafa disciples currently need to do well. Human rights are something that human beings pursue and value, whereas cultivators make a goal of transcending this world. Dafa disciples’ working against the persecution is what takes place on the surface, but the reality is that these are acts of saving people, saving sentient beings.” (“Clarification” from The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol. III)
Many practitioners were following a certain public WeChat account not long ago, but the account was eventually shut down. Another practitioner and I found a similar public account, and shared the new account information.
Reflecting upon what we did, I saw our strong attachment. Master warned us,
“Cultivation is about removing human thinking and attachments. Some practitioners follow human thinking as they go about validating the Fa, and in the process satisfy a wish to do what they enjoy.”
“...If the bad things you’ve done have caused sentient beings or practitioners who haven’t studied the Fa deeply to be unsavable or lose their opportunity, when the day of Dafa disciples’ Great Consummation arrives, how could you not be held accountable and suffer the consequences? Could you still achieve Consummation in that case? If you cannot achieve Consummation, then what are you cultivating for? I have always said that this cosmos has a principle: whatever a being—whoever it may be—does, he must face the consequences and make up for any losses caused. This especially holds true in the Fa-rectification period. I have long pondered, 'What am I going to do with you students who are still not rational at this point?' I can help you eliminate a great deal of karma, but you must face on your own what you are to face, and neither Master nor anyone else can do so on your behalf. You have to, yourself, get through the attachments that are to be removed and the tests that need to be passed.
“The online Qingxin Discussion Board that Dafa disciples used to run was frequently exploited by chaotic demons who are special agents, and when certain practitioners with attachments were added to the mix, the board turned into a forum for them. After the board, which wasn’t having a positive effect, was shut down, some practitioners actually went looking for some other online forum. Are you really that attached to doing that? Do you really not understand that it was a demon who came knocking at your door, thanks to your human attachments?” (“Be Vigilant” from The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol. III)
Master has worried about our being negligent. I hope we Dafa practitioners will read The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol. III a few times. The Fa rectification is getting close to the end. We have to stop any interference caused by our attachments, cultivate ourselves as true Dafa disciples, validate the Fa, and offer salvation to sentient beings.