Studying the Fa with a Pure Mind

(Minghui.org) After sharing with a few practitioners, I realized that many practitioners read Falun Dafa teachings every day, however, their mind is not focused on the reading. As I also experienced such a state, I wish to share how I overcame this state.

Reading Dafa Teachings with No Pursuit

We must maintain a pure heart when reading Dafa teachings. When we have no pursuit and focus on what we are reading, Buddhas, Taos, and Gods behind the words will reveal the relevant Dafa principles to us.

Master said,

“Many people who go to Tibet to study qigong have this agenda: They want to find a master and study Tibetan Tantrism in order to become qigong masters in the future and to become rich and famous. Think about it, everyone: A true, living Buddhist lama who has received genuine teaching has very powerful supernormal abilities and can read such a person’s mind. Why does the person come here? He will know it right away by reading the person’s mind: 'You come here wanting to study the practice and to become a qigong master for money and fame, undermining this school of Buddha cultivation.' For such a serious practice in Buddhahood cultivation, how can it be casually ruined by your pursuit of becoming a qigong master for fame and money? What’s your motivation? Therefore, he will not teach this person anything at all, and neither will this person get any real teachings.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

We know that behind the words in Zhuan Falun are Buddhas, Taos and Gods. However, if one's mind does not focus on reading, we read the book to accomplish a task, or we are in pursuit of something, those Buddhas, Taos and Gods can see what is really on this person's mind, and will not allow that person to gain enlightenment to a specific principle.

After gaining that insight, I started to empty all disturbing thoughts in my mind before studying the Fa. I read every single word with a pure mind, and I make sure that I know clearly what I am reading. Sometimes, I feel as if I'm reading the book for the first time, although I have read Zhuan Falun dozens of times. Master answers all my questions, and I can gain a new insight each time I read Dafa teachings.

The Real Me Versus the Fake Me

I could not let go of an attachment for a long time, and my mind always dwelled on it. Even though I knew that I should eliminate it, every time the subject was brought up, my mind could not let go of it.

I tried to dispel that thought when sending forth righteous thoughts and reading Dafa teachings. As my understanding of the Fa was not deep back then, I was stuck in that condition. Sending forth righteous thoughts and searching inside helped, but only up to a point. I was unable to touch the root of my problem.

Master said,

“Suppose a Buddha worshiper who is after money prostrates himself before a Buddha statue or that of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara or a Tathagata and says: 'Please help me make some money'. Well, a complete mind will form. Since this request is made to a Buddha statue, it is instantly projected onto the Buddha statue. In another dimension, an entity can become big or small. When this thought arrives on this entity, the Buddha statue will have a brain and mind, but it does not have a body. Other people also come to worship the Buddha statue. With this type of worship, they will gradually give it some amount of energy. It will be more dangerous if a practitioner worships it, for this worship will gradually give it energy and enable it to form a tangible body. Yet this tangible body is formed in another dimension. After it is formed, it exists in another dimension and can also learn some truths of the universe. Therefore, it can do some things for people. In this way, it can also develop some gong. But it helps people conditionally and for a price. It moves freely in another dimension and can control everyday people quite easily. This tangible body appears exactly the same as the Buddha statue. So it is human worshiping that creates a phony Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara or a fake Tathagata, which looks just like the Buddha statue with a Buddha’s appearance. (Lecture Five, Zhuan Falun)

Master's Fa said that a “complete mind was formed.” This conveys the idea. However, in my case, the wrong thought had formed a brain within me. If I continued giving that attachment energy, I would enable it to change from “brain” to a“tangible human body.” What would have been even more horrifying was that this “tangible human body”would have looked exactly like me, although it was not really me. Master said, “Consequently, is what you see the actual Bodhisattva Guanyin? Is what you see a real Buddha? It is hard to tell.” (Lecture Five, Zhuan Falun)

I failed to recognize this “fake me,” and was actually attached to it for a long time. Because it was hidden, I mistakenly thought that it was me.

In the book, Journey to the West,, Xuan Zang, the Buddhist monk, could not tell that the White Bone Demon used magic to turn itself into several human figures to trap him. When Monkey King told him that the three persons he had killed actually were the same demon, Xuan Zang insisted that these were three human lives.

In our cultivation, if we want to clearly see the evil tricks, we must have a pair of "eyes" like those of the Monkey King that can distinguish demons from our real selves at all times.

Master told us, “ The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts.” (“Drive Out Interference,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)

“No Dharma is definitive”

Master said,

“ When Shakyamuni became enlightened under the Bodhi Tree, he did not reach the Tathagata level right away. He was also constantly improving himself during the forty-nine years of his Dharma teaching. Whenever he improved his level, he looked back and realized that the Dharma he had just taught was all wrong. When he improved again, he discovered that the Dharma he had just taught was wrong again. After he made further progress, he realized again that the Dharma he had just taught was wrong. He constantly ascended in this way during his entire forty-nine years. Whenever he reached a higher level, he would discover that the Dharma he taught in the past was at a very low level in its understanding. He also discovered that the Dharma at each level is always the manifestation of the Dharma at that level, that there is Dharma at every level, and that none of them is the absolute truth of the universe. The Dharma at high levels is closer to the characteristic of the universe than that of lower levels. Therefore, he stated, 'No Dharma is definitive'.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

The process of cultivation resembles the status of “No Dharma is definitive.” This tells us that we constantly ascend, and the surface meaning of the above tells us that one could break an attachment or dispel the evil. However, the old forces have made arrangements at different levels. In order to break through evil interference at a higher level, we need to constantly elevate in the Fa. Therefore, studying and obtaining the Fa are both important. Master told us, “Without knowing the Fa at high levels, one cannot cultivate.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

If one does not cultivate in the deep-level Fa, a practitioner cannot elevate. If a practitioner cannot break through one level, searching inside nor sending forth righteous thoughts will not make a difference. Such a practitioner should reflect on his cultivation state to see if he is truly obtaining the Fa.

Cultivating and Enlightening

Master said,

“This Fa can only be taught to this level. It is up to your own cultivation to attain what is at higher levels. The questions raised by some people have become more and more specific. If I explain all the questions in your life, what will be left for you to cultivate? You must cultivate and become enlightened on your own. If I tell you everything, nothing will remain for you to cultivate.” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

Many practitioners, including myself, always ask Master for help when facing tribulations. It is fine to do so, however, as we all used to be kings in the heavens and have great power. If we can study the Fa and constantly look inward, our level will improve by leaps and bounds. Then, our wisdom will let us see through all kinds of evil interference. The abilities that we gain through cultivation in Dafa can break down the evil factors and interference.

Master said,

“I’ll tell you, for years I have been continually saying that Dafa disciples’ abilities are tremendous, yet many people don’t believe this since those abilities were not allowed to be seen. Under the effect of righteous thoughts, everything around you, as well as you yourself, will undergo changes. Yet you have never thought to give it a try.” (“20th Anniversary Fa Teaching,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)

We have great power and abilities, why do we always bother Master? When Dafa disciples can do what Master has asked of them – constantly study the Fa, obtain the Fa, and search inward – we will be able to eliminate the evil forces in all dimensions, and improve in cultivation as one body. Thus we can gain greater wisdom, save more people, and acquire more abilities to eliminate more evil forces, and better assist Master in the Fa-rectification.

Master said,

“You must study the Fa well, for that is the fundamental guarantee that you return to your position. (Disciples applaud) This isn’t just something that I casually thought up: what Master is imparting to you is the Fa of the cosmos. What I just said was to tell you that you absolutely must not slack off in your cultivation, you absolutely must not slack off in your Fa-study, and that you definitely must do it with all due sincerity. If previously you didn’t study well, you definitely should, once you leave here today and having heard Master address this again, really earnestly study and cultivate, and not let your mind wander.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa”, Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)

I hope that this article inspires more practitioners to share their understanding of this topic. I hope that fellow practitioners who have long been in the state of “studying the Fa but not obtaining it” can break through this state soon. When we can truly study the Fa, obtain the Fa, and elevate in the Fa, it can help Master to feel a little more gratified.