(Minghui.org) As cultivators, we know that when our minds and righteous thoughts are not strong, other consciousnesses, including attachments, evil entities, the old forces, and so on, can control us. Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, has made us aware of this more than once:
“...to tell you the truth, no one intends for your cultivation to be a success and no one is giving thought to how your cultivation goes. The old forces want only to complete what they want to see completed, and that’s it.” (Fa Teaching at the 2015 West Coast Fa Conference)
“The old forces have arranged for all Dafa disciples a set of their things, so if a Dafa disciple doesn’t follow Master’s requirements, he must be following the old forces’ arrangements. The old forces are in essence gigantic trials and tribulations that accompany you at all times, focused on whether in Fa-rectification Dafa disciples are able to step forward.” (“Be Clearheaded,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol. III)
“In fact, other than a person’s innate purity and innocence, all notions are acquired postnatally and are not a person’s actual self.” (“For Whom do You Exist?” Essentials for Further Advancement)
“The truth is, anything that is not consistent with Dafa or the righteous thoughts of Dafa disciples results from the old forces’ involvement, and that includes all of the unrighteous elements that you have.” (“On the Responses to the Piece About Assistant Souls,” Team Yellow Translation)
We must remember that the old forces do not want us to be successful in our cultivation. Because we have attachments, they can instill many thoughts into our minds. They just want to destroy us. Only when we can discern those thoughts can we negate them.
There was a mass arrest of practitioners in our area in 2017. I knew those practitioners and frequently worked with them. Most significantly, we used the same method to communicate.
One day, a thought came to me: “Everyone who uses that device to communicate will be arrested.” Suddenly I sensed danger and felt that my arrest was imminent. Another thought popped up, “Go and look. There is a police car downstairs.” I thought the police were going to knock on the door any minute.
The atmosphere was very tense. I knew that Master does not acknowledge the old forces' arrangements and that these thoughts were not mine. I refused to follow these thoughts and resisted them with all my strength. I sent forth righteous thoughts to dissolve the old forces' arrangements and whatever thoughts they had put into my head. After sending righteous thoughts for three days, I no longer felt the pressure in my mind.
Then a practitioner told me, “You're in danger. Your home is under surveillance.” Another practitioner told me that someone who had been arrested had confessed and so on. I knew the old forces were putting on a display. If my mind wavered even a little and accepted those thoughts as my own, the old forces would seize on that gap and act on it.
Master said:
“But all the same, Master doesn't acknowledge them. And you shouldn't acknowledge them either. Do things well in an upright and dignified way, negate them, and strengthen your righteous thoughts some. 'I'm Li Hongzhi's disciple, I don't want other arrangements or acknowledge them'-- then they won't dare to do that. So it can all be resolved. When you can really do that, not just saying it but putting it into action, Master will definitely stand up for you.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Lantern Festival)
I knew a boy when I was younger. I had a very good impression of him. His mother really liked me and tried to play matchmaker for us. But we never got together. I had not thought about him for years. Last winter I suddenly remembered him. For a couple of weeks, I felt some regret and a sense of loss. I wondered if I would ever see him again. This thought kept coming up no matter how hard I tried to repress it.
I then became alarmed. Would a cultivator think like this? I told myself that Master had arranged the best for me, my family, my husband, and my children. I sincerely asked for Master's help: “I don't want to be like this, I don't want this attachment.” The next day, I found that I didn't think about him much, as if the memory had faded. When the thought came up again occasionally, I could eliminate it easily.
Master said:
“Some people are not very in control of their minds and so they go along with it and do bad things, which is ruinous for them and causes them to fall. Most people can, however, repel it and deny it by having strong, self-aware thoughts. This indicates that they are savable and can discern right and wrong; it means that their faith is strong. My spiritual bodies will then help them by eliminating a large proportion of their thought karma.” (The Sixth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
I know of a female practitioner who developed some feelings toward another practitioner, but nothing happened between them. However, she felt that those feelings might have given the old force an excuse to persecute her. In fact, she was doing her best to suppress her feelings. But she accepted the idea of being persecuted due to these feelings.
People then started to tell her that she was on the list to be arrested and so on. Even her husband told her, “I sense something bad is going to happen. You don't look right.” She felt the same way. She took care of things at home. Two days later, she was arrested.
As one can see, it is crucial for a practitioner to differentiate where his/her thoughts come from.
Recently, I keep thinking about how well my cultivation was going. In my mind, I praised myself, thinking that I was good at this and good at that.
Master said:
“For a cultivator, all the frustrations he comes across among everyday people are trials, and all the compliments he receives are tests.” (“A Cultivator is Naturally Part of It,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
“Those who are attached to their reputations practice an evil way, full of intention. Once they gain renown in this world, they are bound to say good but mean evil, thereby misleading the public and undermining the Fa.” (“Cultivators' Avoidances,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
I also heard other practitioners praising me. But when I examined myself against the standard of the Fa, I realized that I don't do well in many areas. Why did I have such thoughts?
When I looked deeper, I noticed that the mentality of showing off, pursuing fame and reputation, and the desire to validate myself were all mingled together.
“Evil entities might also resort to flattering you, telling you what great heights you have reached, or what a special or hallowed figure you are. But all of it will be false.” (The Sixth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
Although I didn't use the same words, the meaning is the same. To a cultivator, this is just as dangerous as being arrested. There are many examples. As one becomes more and more infatuated with oneself, he/she starts to undermine the Fa and loses the opportunity to cultivate. We all know that every attachment can be used by the old forces.
Master said:
“...any desire you have can become an attachment and can be used by the evil. As soon as that kind of thought emerges, the evil might conjure a false image for you, and this will then cause interference.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Fa Conference,” Guiding the Voyage)
My understanding is that attachments are just like the old forces. When we can clearly identify them, they will have nowhere to hide and can be eliminated. Of course, all of this is based on the standard of the Fa and our studying the Fa well.