(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
Master repeatedly reminds us to study the Fa, to study the Fa by heart, and to save more people. Determining how we live up to Master’s requirements and follow the right path is part of our cultivation path.
My understanding of the Fa principles was shallow in the early stages of my cultivation. I was so busy working on truth clarification projects that I mistakenly thought doing things was cultivation.
When the project I was working on went awry I looked inward and tried to find what went wrong. The other practitioners said I didn’t study the Fa well. When I read Zhuan Falun, the words “true cultivation” and “solid cultivation” Master mentions jumped out at me. I realized that I did not solidly and truly cultivate myself.
It surprised me because I thought I prioritized Fa study. When I first started practicing I couldn’t stop reading Zhuan Falun, and I read it whenever possible. After Master’s article in Essentials for Further Advancement, “Melt Into the Fa,” was published, I printed it out and framed it to remind myself of the importance of studying the Fa.
However, as I worked on more and more Fa validation projects, I couldn’t focus when I read the Fa. While I read my brain was thinking about the projects. Studying the Fa became a formality. I didn’t realize the seriousness of my problem.
Since there was a problem with my Fa study, I decided to rectify myself. I decided to recite the Fa and melt into the Fa.
It was hard to persist in the beginning. I couldn’t get into it because of all kinds of distractions. Looking inward, I realized that I was not determined enough and had too many attachments and notions. I read the sharing articles about memorizing the Fa on the Minghui website and saw my gaps. I began to look inward and remove my attachments. I also asked Master for help. I was determined to recite the Fa.
One day when reading a sharing article on the Minghui website I suddenly felt a powerful force strengthen me. I knew Master was encouraging me to memorize the Fa.
From that day on, I set aside time every day to memorize the Fa with my legs double-crossed in the full lotus position. In the beginning, there were still a lot of distractions. I pursued speed and wondered how I could memorize the whole book. I also felt memorizing the Fa took too much time and that I couldn’t join the Fa study group.
However, these negative thoughts could no longer sway my determination to memorize the Fa. Memorizing the Fa is so different from reading—it simply has a different effect. I gradually came to understand some Fa principles. I felt I truly obtained the Fa and the Fa penetrated through my body to my cells. The more I memorized the Fa, the more I understood the Fa principles. I was grateful to Master and felt joyful.
I felt I broke through a thick shell after memorizing Zhuan Falun for the first time. I knew I was closer to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
After the second time, I felt I was a new person. Dafa is so powerful. I couldn’t have eliminated so many attachments if I hadn’t recited the Fa.
When I looked back at the problems in my project, it was apparent what went wrong. The so-called problems were easy to solve, and I could have avoided them. All the mistakes I made were ridiculous. Before the issues occurred, Master enlightened me many times in advance. However, I didn’t understand the hints at all. As a result, I could not step up and be responsible for the project.
Through memorizing the Fa, I realized that studying the Fa well did make a big difference. It turns out that Master prepared everything for us. Only by studying the Fa well can we meet the standard set for us and have the wisdom and ability to accomplish the mission as a practitioner. On the other hand, we won’t be able to do the project well with enthusiasm, experience, capability, and dedication.
Master said,
“That is because the Fa is the foundation; it is what’s fundamental for Dafa disciples; it is what ensures everything; and it is the avenue by which a human being journeys toward godhood. Thus I would like to take the opportunity of this Fa conference in Australia to tell all Dafa disciples around the world: Whether you are a new or veteran student, all the same you must not neglect Fa study on account of being busy. Don’t just go through the motions when you study the Fa. You should study with a concentrated mind, and you must really be studying” (“To the Australia Fa Conference,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
After working on the media project, I had to balance Fa study, doing the exercises, and the heavy workload every day. I always put the Dafa project as my priority, with almost no break or holidays, because my mission is to save sentient beings. I worked long hours and had to deal with endless text messages, phone calls, and emails. Finding time to study the Fa and do the exercises seemed hard.
I realized that studying the Fa was important for my cultivation and affected the project I worked on. Therefore, no matter how busy I was, I persisted in studying the Fa and doing the exercises every day. Except for exceptional circumstances, when it was time to study the Fa and do the exercises, I always dropped my work and studied the Fa first. If I missed Fa study or doing the exercises because of work, I always made it up later. I realized that it was a test of how we prioritize Fa study every day.
Sometimes I was so overwhelmed that I could not find time to study the Fa well for a while. When I was struggling, I remembered what a practitioner told me. She said seriously, “Master repeatedly talked about the importance of studying the Fa. How could Master not arrange a time for us to study the Fa? When you said you didn’t have time to study the Fa, it was because you didn’t give it due importance. Are you following the path Master has arranged?”
I agreed with her and I was determined to study the Fa well every day. I found that when I determined to study the Fa, let go of all kinds of human notions and attachments, and overcame the feeling of tiredness, the problem of not having time to study the Fa was solved. I was able to find all kinds of opportunities to study the Fa. In fact, Master arranged the time for us to study the Fa, do the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts no matter how busy we seemed.
I was able to join the Fa study group every day. However, I couldn’t resume my memorizing and couldn’t do all the exercises every day.
During that time, some practitioners who persisted in memorizing the Fa shared their experiences. I found my attachments to comfort. I also read sharing articles about memorizing the Fa on the Minghui website. Every article was an alert to me and encouraged me to resume reciting the Fa. I gradually removed some attachments and human notions. When I changed my way of thinking, the power of Dafa showed again. I was able to find time to memorize the Fa.
I stopped memorizing the Fa because I wanted to have a block of time to do it, but I couldn’t find any block of time as I joined the Fa study group in the morning and did the exercises in the evening. After I changed my way of thinking and was determined to recite the Fa, I found I could use many scattered times to memorize the Fa.
In fact, at that time, the only free time I could use was on my commute, so I started memorizing the Fa on the bus. At first, I felt tired and had difficulty concentrating, and I couldn’t remember anything. However, I knew that as long as I put my mind to it and persevered, things would change, and a way would open up. Gradually I could focus when I memorized the Fa while riding the bus. Slowly, I found there was other short free time that I could all use to memorize the Fa.
Later, Master enlightened me to recite the Fa in group study. So I did. When listening to other practitioners read, I usually recite the passages along with them. In this way, I had to concentrate all the time, and the effect of studying the Fa improved a lot.
When I memorized the Fa, I required myself to memorize every word correctly. When I recited Lunyu, every word appeared in front of me. Studying the Fa no longer feels like a task. I only feel joy and happiness of being able to melt into the Fa.
There was a time when I had fierce thought karma. Although I could recognize that the thoughts were not from my true self, I could not get rid of them. I looked inward and sent forth righteous thoughts, however, it didn't seem to work. This kind of interference became worse and later affected my daily work.
When this tribulation seemed to overwhelm me, I remembered a story I read on the Minghui website about a practitioner who disintegrated the persecution by reciting Lunyu.
Master taught 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,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress II )
So I recited Lunyu every day. I persisted for several months and finally disintegrated the thought karma.
I didn’t pay enough attention to doing the exercises previously. I often used the excuse that Master said studying the Fa was the most important to address my attachment to laziness. There was a period when I was often sleepy and dizzy when studying the Fa. I didn’t know what I had just read. I realized this state might be because I seldom did the exercises, so I did the exercises more. My state of studying the Fa improved significantly.
After working on the media project, I could only do the exercises for one hour per day and I couldn’t make a breakthrough for a while. I understood that it was still a problem with my xinxing, but I did not know how to break through. Once, other practitioners discussed the importance of doing the exercises and said we should set a higher standard and demand more of ourselves.
My heart lit up, and I was immediately determined to do the exercises well. Once again, I felt that Master had removed some attachments for me. I have insisted on finishing all five exercises every day since then.
For the past two years, I was also able to arrange a time to insist on doing the second exercise for one hour every day.
I found I could get twice the result with half the effort when I studied the Fa well. With the power of the Fa, my work went smoothly, and I could arrange my tasks reasonably. There were also fewer problems and troubles.
I remember once I worked on a task that I initially thought would take seven to eight hours. When it was time to study the Fa, I decided to go ahead instead of continuing to work. After I studied the Fa and did the exercises, my wisdom was opened. I found several options to deal with the matter, and work became more manageable. In the end, I finished the task in just over an hour.
When I studied the Fa well, Dafa unlocked my wisdom. I was able to organize my tasks and prioritize well. I also learned to document all the procedures and revise them accordingly. When there was a problem, I analyzed it and found solutions to prevent the team from making the same mistakes.
When I seized every minute to study the Fa, I found Master had already arranged my work according to my potential. For example, when there was an unexpected issue, I often learned someone from another team could come and help. When I had to deal with a time-consuming issue, my other tasks became quiet, so I could focus on the urgent problem.
Further insight led me to become even more convinced that Master is indeed doing everything for us. There is infinite wisdom in Dafa, and Master has put everything we need into this Fa. Master has urged and instructed us to study the Fa and to study it well. Only by assimilating to Dafa can we open up our wisdom and follow the path Master arranged for us and complete our mission.
Looking back on the past twenty years of cultivation, I feel deeply that Master has paved the way for us in every aspect. All we need to do is to follow Master’s teachings. We can never know how much Master has endured for us and all sentient beings!
As I continued studying the Fa and looking inward, I found many attachments. I knew I needed to cultivate myself solidly.
For example, I didn’t think first of the needs of others and gave bad attitudes to team members, using the job as my excuse. I became angry and impatient when team members didn’t meet my requirement and I looked down upon them. I blamed and argued with people when they disagreed with me.
I realized that all these attachments resulted from selfishness. I should live up to the Fa principles and understand other people positively. I should treat other practitioners with compassion and tolerance.
Minghui Radio programs help me a lot in removing my attachments, as well. I wrote down all the attachments mentioned in the articles when listening for some time. I wrote down more than 80 in total. I looked at my notes whenever I had time and tried to recognize their manifestations in myself so that I could catch them as soon as they appeared and remove them.
The Minghui website has helped me tremendously. I am very grateful for the practitioners who write for Minghui and the great efforts of practitioners who work for the Minghui website and Minghui Radio.
I recently listened to a special collection on Minghui Radio about getting rid of CCP culture. I found I still had a lot of CCP culture that I hadn’t recognized. I could see the CCP culture manifesting in my daily life while I listened. Now I pay special attention to my thoughts and try to let go of every thought and attachment. I treat everything in life as an opportunity to improve and I cherish every opportunity.
I will try my best to treat everyone and everything with compassion. In my infinite gratitude to Master, I want to work with my fellow practitioners and help the media project play a more significant role in saving people.
Thank you, Master. Thank you, fellow practitioners.
(Presented at the 2022 Hong Kong Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)