(Minghui.org) How can we as practitioners maintain a righteous mind as we cultivate? We all know it is achieved through searching within. Yet sometimes we cannot find our human notions and attachments. I would like to share what I did in this regard recently.
As searching within must be based on the Fa, I did my searching according to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
I examined my every thought and deed to see if they were truthful or colored by lies, secrecy, or deception. I also checked to see if I had an earnest heart when I studied the Fa, sent righteous thoughts, made truth-clarifying materials, and did my regular job.
I examined myself to make certain that I was clarifying the truth out of a pure mind to save sentient beings, that I firmly believed in Master and Dafa, that I was respectful while handling Dafa books and Master's photos, and that I held myself to the high standards of a practitioner when I encountered difficulties or conflicts. Truthfulness is the foundation of cultivation. If we are not earnest and serious, how can we cultivate well?
We are being compassionate when we are considerate of others and selfish when we seek only to protect our own personal interests. We frequently run into the issue of personal gain when interacting with people. It is a test of our xinxing regarding whose interests we keep in mind.
Human beings are selfish while gods are selfless. If we want to transform ourselves from a selfish human being into a selfless god, we must cultivate compassion in our daily lives. It is one of the goals of our cultivation, and we aim at improving ourselves to become a being that exists completely for others.
Everyday people can endure, but they do it with a disturbed heart, which is superficial forbearance. A practitioner's forbearance is complete and without reservation, and one’s heart should not be disturbed when facing the loss of personal interests, including fame, personal gain, and various emotions. In order to remain calm and unaffected, a practitioner must rid him/herself of the attachment to personal interests. Why is it so hard to let go of the attachment to self-interest? Because self-interest is usually regarded as of paramount importance.
A newborn's mind is pure, with no established notions. As the child grows up in an environment where people impart all kinds of selfish notions, such as the idea that one should live only for oneself, the child learns to be selfish and becomes attached to his/her own self-interest. As an adult, this person will naturally act selfishly.
People today often think that if they are kind and honest, they will be at a disadvantage, and that if they watch out for their own interests all the time, they will benefit. They only see the gains and losses in this human world and don't believe in the existence of other dimensions. Their notions are very limited.
As a being who is assimilated to Dafa, a practitioner does not need to consider his/her own interests because the Fa balances and arranges everything. The Fa is just and will compensate us in other dimensions if someone hurts us in this human world. When we sacrifice in the interest of others, the Fa will ensure that we do not sacrifice in vain. The more we sacrifice, the more we obtain in return. In light of this, what excuses do we have to be selfish and to cling to our attachments to ourselves? It is in our best interest to completely let go of ourselves and follow the arrangements of the Fa.
On the contrary, if we are selfish and put our own interests first, we are likely to hurt others. When we obtain something that does not belong to us, we might seemingly benefit while actually losing virtue in other dimensions. We get nothing for free—everything comes at a cost. At the same time, we would be creating karma, causing pain and retribution in the future. Those who are selfish end up losing, not gaining.
We should not resort to human notions when we run into conflicts and difficulties and cannot initially find any attachments. What we should do is to calm down and read Zhuan Falun, which will open our hearts and give us a broader, purer, and more profound view of the world and of our lives.
After measuring our thoughts and deeds against Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, anything that doesn't measure up is due to human notions and must be rectified or eliminated immediately by sending righteous thoughts. Then we should continue moving forward in our cultivation.
Above is my personal understanding. Please point out anything inappropriate.