My Understanding of the True Secrets to Cultivation

(Minghui.org) Master answered the following question during his teaching in San Francisco in 2005:

“Student: Our cultivation right now is cultivation for the sake of others, cultivation for the sake of saving sentient beings. Is this the right way to put it?

“Master: No, it’s not. It is for yourself that you cultivate. The sentient beings that you save are encompassed by the cultivation you do, with the goal [of cultivation] still being to consummate your own world...” (Teachings at the 2005 Conference in San Francisco)

My understanding is that cultivation is improving ourselves in the following regards.

I. Cultivation is the improvement of ourselves

a. Measure ourselves against the Fa when we study the Fab. Reflect upon ourselves when we read Minghui articlesc. Improve ourselves by observing fellow practitionersd. Look within ourselves during conflictse. Improve ourselves when fellow practitioners give us negative feedbackf. Look within ourselves for our gaps when the old forces take advantage of our loopholesg. Stay alert to the bad influences in today’s society and preserve our purity in this degenerated ageh. If our mind is disturbed, we have human attachments. The stronger our attachments, the more disturbed we are. It’s time to eliminate those attachmentsi. Never blame others or look for others' faults. Doing so is following a demonic way, which leads to self-destruction. Remember to look within ourselves under all circumstances and at all times, which is the way of righteous self-attainmentj. Look within and reflect on ourselves sincerely. Truly look inward deeply and be strongly motivated to improve ourselvesk. Do the three things conscientiously, because this is the basis of everything. Doing the three things well without any omissions will lead to the comprehensive improvement of ourselves

II. Remind ourselves

a. Learn to remain humble. Always place ourselves below othersb. Learn to listen. Don't impulsively express our opinionsc. Stay low-profile and don’t bragd. We don’t need to seek recognition from others. Master and righteous deities know everything. Don’t show off in front of fellow practitionerse. Learn to be tolerant. Everyone slips up now and again. We should understand and forgive others while eliminating our selfishnessf. Don’t give in to wishful thinking. It is better to be safe than sorry. We need to have a sense of responsibility for the Fa, fellow practitioners, ourselves, and our sentient beings.g. Hold unwavering faith in Falun Dafa and Master. Remember at critical moments that we are Master’s disciples. Entrust ourselves to Master's arrangements completely

The above is my personal understanding. Please feel free to point out anything inappropriate.

Editor's note: Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions, for which the author is solely responsible. Readers should evaluate the article's merits on their own.