Beware of Emotional Attachments Between Practitioners

(Minghui.org) Practitioners communicate and interact with each other often, especially those in the same Fa study group. As they raise their levels, those who have practiced for years may find it difficult to communicate with everyday people, including their non-practicing family members. Because of this they tend to interact more with fellow practitioners, and emotional attachments may develop over time.

The emotions I am talking about are not just between female and male practitioners. Once an emotional attachment arises, practitioners may feel closer to each other, and get involved in the other family's weddings, birth celebrations, funerals, or other worldly events.

When we encounter problems or difficulties, we may have higher requirements for the others in close relationships. If the other party fails to meet these requirements, resentment may arise. It’s easy to have misunderstandings which bring unnecessary trouble, and may create obstacles to cultivation. Practitioners with poor xinxing may forget they are practitioners, and their emotional behavior may disturb the others. This phenomenon has always existed among practitioners.

It is even more dangerous when feelings develop between a male and a female practitioner. This is something that every practitioner should be aware of. According to ancient tradition, men and women did not hand things to each other directly, to avoid bodily contact. If practitioners don't pay attention, there may be more interference and trouble, so we should be vigilant and remain alert about this.

Of course, we still live among everyday people and have to interact with others, so what should we do? I think it is best to use compassion and kindness to replace emotion. Whether interacting with fellow practitioners, clarifying the truth to everyday people, or with family members, we should always treat everyone with compassion and kindness.

Master told us to “attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature” in Essentials for Further Advancement) We should have more tolerance, more understanding, and less human thinking. We have to eliminate shortcomings and do the three things well, so that we can quickly improve and eliminate the shackles of human thinking and emotion. Only then will our path of cultivation be broad, with fewer difficulties and tribulations, and we can save more people.