Truly Internalizing the Teachings, Not Just Reading Them

(Minghui.org) I’m inspired by the articles about Fa study on the Minghui website and I’d like to share some of my recent experiences.

I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1996, so I know the importance of studying the Fa. Over time, reading the teachings every day turned into a formality. I did it as though I were fulfilling a task—and with that mindset, I seldom saw the inner meanings behind the words.

In order to break out of this mindset, I tried all kinds of things, such as silent reading, reading aloud, reading fast, copying the teachings by hand, memorizing, and studying the Fa a lot. Despite all this, I did not feel that I was internalizing the Fa. For practitioners, there is no greater difficulty or feeling of disappointment than repeatedly reading the Fa but not getting it!

A few days ago, I picked up the book Zhuan Falun with a sincere, respectful, and grateful heart. I put down my human thinking, calmed down, focused, and read each word slowly and carefully. As I read, I melted into the Fa with my whole mind and body. If my thoughts wandered, I reread those parts.

Word by word, I absorbed the Fa into my mind, and the Fa principles flowed like water. I saw some new meanings and manifestations of the Fa, and I had new insights.

When I finished the lecture, I felt happy and couldn’t put the book down. Three and a half hours had passed. In the past, I would have studied two or three lectures in that amount of time.

I was shocked! I hadn’t cherished Dafa for so many years! I felt ashamed that I’d been unworthy of Master’s compassionate salvation. Without a sincere and humble mindset, how could I see the inner meanings of the Fa and understand the Fa principles?

Let me give a few examples of realizing the inner meaning of the Fa when I was studying it.

While I read the first lecture of Zhuan Falun, I was enlightened that the true purpose of life is to return to the origin—the origin of the cosmos and celestial bodies, all species and lives. We should discard atheism and the theory of evolution. As I read, I felt my Buddha nature connecting with the divine (Dafa). My innate memory was awakened to the inner meaning of cultivating Dafa.

Master said,

“Once humankind’s conventional mentalities form a systematic way of working and thinking, new ideas are very difficult to accept. When the truth emerges, people do not dare to accept it and instinctively reject it.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

I realized why it is so difficult to internalize the Fa. Outwardly, it is interference from distractions and thoughts, the inability to calm my mind and concentrate, etc. The underlying reason behind this is that we are beings from the old universe. In the process of the universe’s formation, stasis, degeneration, and destruction, as life deviates from the Fa, the old, mutated, and corrupted factors that we haven’t eliminated are unwilling to be rectified by Dafa, so they resist and oppose the truth. Therefore, to learn the Fa well, we must distinguish and eliminate this interference.

Master’s compassionate tone and way of teaching the Fa taught me a lot about how the divine speaks. Master does not impose his opinions on us, preach, or pressure us to change. Instead, Master asks us to reflect. His tone is calm, tolerant, compassionate, and majestic. I want to emulate Master.

Master opened my heart:

“If you are a true cultivator, our Falun will safeguard you. I am rooted in the universe. If anyone could harm you, he or she would be able to harm me. Put simply, that person would be able to harm this universe.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

Before, I always felt Master meant “rooted in the earth.” My understanding of the concept of the earth and the universe was vague. This time when I read: “rooted in the universe,” I suddenly understood. Wow! How big the universe is! The Fa is so immense, and Master’s power is boundless.

Now when I read the teachings I can see the Fa’s principles—I can reflect on myself and find my shortcomings. The more I read the Fa, the more I want to read. I have experienced the beauty and magnificence of studying the Fa with a calm mind and with sincerity. I’m less attached to comfort and I have regained the state of cultivation that I had at the beginning.

The joy of truly obtaining the Fa is beyond words. I fully appreciate the preciousness of life and cherish Master’s teachings even more. I will do the three things well and save more people.

Finally, let me respectfully quote Master’s Fa to encourage fellow practitioners and myself. Master said,

“Its broad and immense, profound inner meaning can only manifest itself to, and be experienced and understood by, practitioners who are at different levels of true cultivation. Only then can one truly see what the Fa is.” (“Broad and Immense,” Essentials For Further Advancement)

The above is my limited understanding at my current level. Please point out anything that may not be in line with the Fa.