My Rough Understanding of Sentimentality and Selfishness

(Minghui.org) Recently my cultivation has been stagnant, and I did not know why. I could not break through that state for a long time. My demon nature showed itself. I worked hard to keep it at bay, but I couldn’t hold it back if the other party was too unreasonable. In addition, I could not tolerate others anymore. I felt people around me did not have the basic moral values of a human being.

I knew selfishness was a factor for this bad state, and perhaps the whole thing was caused by selfishness. I knew I needed to remove human notions and attachments completely. I also knew everything that happened was a good opportunity for me to cultivate.

Perhaps because I had failed my xinxing tests over and over again, the tribulations have piled up. The evil’s interference was definitely a factor. But amid the chaos I really did not know what to do.

Asking Master for a Hint

Yesterday, I asked Master for a hint to let me know what my problem was. Perhaps Master saw that my enlightenment quality was poor, that I was unwilling to admit my problem, and going one step forward to face it, Master gave me a stick warning.

Today, when studying the section of “Genuinely Guiding People Toward High Levels” in Zhuan Falun, I suddenly perceived the hint from the Fa. I instantly had ease of mind. Like an enlightenment, I understood everything.

My sentimentality was too strong! For a practitioner, having a strong “sentimentality” is never a good thing. To put it bluntly, however much “sentimentality” one has is however much selfishness one has. These unnecessary burdens are attachments for a practitioner.

Perhaps one doesn’t want to admit it, because one thinks the “sentimentality” was part of oneself. For example, everyday people with a strong “sentimentality” would commit suicide for the one they love.

Some people admire such actions, but in fact, infatuated lovers are irrational. These people do not know what they are doing. The action is selfish, isn’t it? It’s harmful to themselves as well as to others, and is keeping everyone trapped in sentimentality.

Of course, practitioners live in the ordinary human society, but we do not advocate such extreme “sentimentality” that drives people to follow another to death. Instead we follow the traditional devotion between husband and wife, obey cause and effect, live together in harmony, encourage each other, and return to our true home together.

Discussing the Value of Kinship

How about kinship? In my opinion, kinship is the most befuddling thing humans have to deal with. Why? Because kinship can be very "thick." How thick? Some people claim their kinship relationships are very "thin," but in fact, most of the time they are not thin, but, in fact, very thick.

It is because these people were hurt, and as a result, they begrudge, resent, and seek revenge for what they could not get. They did not really let go of the attachment.

The saying “blood is thicker than water” refers to kinship. But in reality, kinship is a wall that prevents people from returning to their true home. Everything in the human world is built to befuddle humans. If a practitioner clings to it, he or she will be ruined; if a practitioner takes it lightly, he or she will be able to transcend it.

Why do I say “kinship” is more befuddling to everyday people, sometimes even practitioners, than “romantic love” between a man and a woman?

Because in today’s warped modern society, people still value “kinship,” as only a few family members fall into this category. Whereas “love,” frankly speaking, in the warped society, how many couples can follow tradition and grow old together, given so many options are out there in the world? In addition, “kinship” has made so many cultivators fail.

Nowadays, the warping of modern society is no longer perceived as warped, because everyone is deviating. Warped sentimentality was created amid all these factors, and even practitioners are confused in handling their attachment to sentimentality.

In other words, sentimentality does not want to die. It is very cunning. For example, one did something and thought one did it not for oneself, but for one’s family, and therefore did not think it was an attachment.

But, if one looked inside using the Fa principles, one would slowly find the root cause, which was still for oneself - for not losing the “kinship,” not losing the “self,” not losing the awareness there are people who were particularly good to them, and not losing everything that one had - the so-called material enjoyment and decades of human happiness.

To put it bluntly, one does not want to suffer, does not want to lose reputation and personal gain, and moreover, does not want to change oneself. Everything is for oneself, for the fake self.

Selfishness, Sentimentality, and Compassion

If the motive were really for the sake of other people, which is compassion, one would not be moved, irritated or frustrated. If there is a little bit of impurity, no matter how deeply the selfishness is hidden, as long as the most fundamental attachment was touched, be it “selfishness” or “sentimentality,” the attachment would explode, and one would be moved, irritated, frustrated, or even vengeful.

It would be terrible for a practitioner because going down a demonic path, one would not obtain righteous fruition. One not only would not become an enlightened being, but also would create karma, let alone living up to the title of Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple.

In a moral society, filial piety and maternal love are common human sentiments. Without such sentimentality, humans could not be called humans. Today, many things have deviated and yielded many notions such as foolish loyalty and foolish filial piety without principle, and everyone is adding fuel to the flame.

Today, self-protection has become a concept that everyone can talk about openly and without shame. The manifestation of demon nature has become a fad among young people, thinking it is a straightforward personality, and many people even praise it.

In reality, when something really conflicts with their personal interests, the “kinship” or “romantic love” becomes worthless and can be tossed out the window. Traditional virtues such as upholding justice, being fearless of death for a just cause, giving up one’s life for justice, loyalty, filial piety, grace, human dignity, and compassion, are found ridiculous by many people in modern days.

Despite the moral decline, what happens on the surface cannot stop people’s innate desires; everyone in the depths of their hearts wants to be free. That’s why temples have been so well attended in recent years. As to whether it works or not, that varies from person to person.

Wherever there is sentimentality, there is “selfishness,” and vice versa. How can compassion be born out of “selfishness?” Compassion does not come from sentimentality either. At least the part that has not completed cultivation has no compassion, so how can there be compassion when the demonic nature is in display?

Compassion is not sentimentality; it transcends sentimentality. Compassion does not make anyone feel suppressed or give anyone any special treatment. Compassion can melt anything.

A big taboo for practitioners is self-righteousness and taking oneself to be someone special. In fact, no one is special, and there is nothing special, therefore steadily cultivating oneself is basic and fundamental for a practitioner. Failing to let go of the attachment to self amounts to cultivating with a pursuit.

Having cultivated for so many years, it wasn’t until now that I came to understand what cultivation is. Cultivation is on one’s own, not something done to show others.

Editor's note: This article only represents the author’s understanding in their current cultivation state meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare with one another in study, in cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)