Replacing a Scientific View with One Based on the Fa

(Minghui.org) I’d like to share an insight I had while studying the Fa recently.

We were reading Zhuan Falun in my study group when we came upon this passage regarding the issue of Transcending the Five Elements,

“Would your body still be that of an everyday person? It wouldn’t be at all. But there is one point to be made—everyday people won’t be able to tell the difference. Though his body has been transformed to this extent, it is not the end of cultivation. He still needs to continue to break through levels and cultivate upward in cultivation. Thus, he must still cultivate among everyday people; it wouldn’t do if people couldn’t see him.” (Zhuan Falun)

I thought after reading it, “How convenient that the universe is set up like that. It’s such an astounding coincidence that it works that way. People in society will still be able to see your body so that you can keep cultivating even after going beyond the five elements.”

That’s when I caught myself and realized how much the scientific education in today’s schools has shaped my view of the world. We are taught to believe that the universe is this inert, lifeless system that works according to cold, calculated principles, and that through the process of evolution things have, throughout billions of years, happened to fall into place as they are now. All coincidences and miracles are explained away using the idea of systematic evolution.

After reading the above passage, I was reminded that the universe is made up of an uncountable number of intelligent beings. The lifeless, inert universe I learned about in school doesn’t exist, as the wise and intelligent gods and beings at high levels, higher levels, and even higher levels determine how the universe functions.

My understanding when I read that piece of the Fa was that the principles at higher levels are governed and overseen by the beings who conform to that level, and their wise judgments assess whether we conform to that level.

Master said,

“All matter in the universe, including all substances that permeate the universe, are living beings with thinking minds, and all of them are forms of existence of the universe’s Fa at different levels. They do not let you ascend. Though you want to ascend, you cannot. They just do not let you move up. Why don’t they let you move up? It is because your xinxing has not improved. There are different standards for every level. If you want to reach a higher level, you must abandon your bad thoughts and clean out your filthy things in order to assimilate to the requirements of the standard at that level. Only by doing so can you ascend.” (Zhuan Falun)

This understanding, that the universe is made out of countless intelligent beings who uphold the principles, rather than a cold, lifeless system that just happens to work in a particular way, has recently helped me to control my xinxing better in situations where I am agitated or am enticed by lustful thoughts.

I used to feel that the universe’s principles would keep me in a lower realm if I did not let go of hate or lust. I viewed the principles as inert, lifeless, cold laws that were standardized across the universe. However, I now see them manifesting as wise gods that watch my thoughts and actions to determine whether or not I have improved.

This is written from my limited cultivation level, please point out anything inappropriate.