[Excerpt]
" This Dafa is so immense, that if one can cultivate strictly following the requirement of the rectification of the Fa, one is in the process of improving and reaching consummation. But whether one can actively assimilate to Dafa and conform to the rectification of the Fa, is of the utmost importance to one's life." " We should go beyond the narrow mentalities centered around one's own cultivation and one's own consummation. We should go beyond the human concepts, the restriction of ones own group of people as well as the restriction of geographic boundaries. Merge ourselves with the process of the rectification of the Fa for our own refinement. Harmonizing Dafa itself is harmonizing ourselves." We as overseas disciples carry not only the duty of revealing the truth to all deceived people in China, but also the duty of spreading
Falun Dafa and clarifying the truth to western societies and overseas Chinese people.
The process of the rectification of the Fa by our teacher has already progressed into the realm of the human world. The cultivation practice of Dafa disciples in the human world is closely connected to the process of the rectification of the Fa by our teacher. How to closely follow our teacher in this process is what every disciple should be enlightened to.
In Falun Dafa (Lecture at the First Conference in the United States), the teacher said: "Since such an immense Fa is being taught in human society, think about how remarkably easy it is to assimilate one person. Let me draw a simplest analogy: If a piece of sawdust drops into a furnace of molten steel, it will vanish in a twinkling. It would be effortless for an immense Fa such as ours to assimilate a person like you, to eliminate your karma, or to remove your improper thoughts, and so forth." My understanding is as follows: This Dafa is so immense, that if one can cultivate strictly following the requirement of the rectification of the Fa, one is in the process of improving and reaching consummation. But whether one can actively assimilate to Dafa and conform to the rectification of the Fa, is of the utmost importance to ones life.
As the rectification of the Fa progresses to the current stage, everyone in the world should have an opportunity to position him or herself. However, the evil is obstructing the process of the rectification of the Fa, sabotaging and disrupting the spreading of Dafa in the human world. Thus, there exist bizarre things such as labeling the righteous as evil, and declaring the good as bad. In fact, it is the demons that are creating such an adverse physical environment, which goes against the Dafa, causing people in the world to be unable to see the truth of this Dafa of the universe. They are unable to distinguish what is true from what is false, nor can they truly attain the Dafa. In this illusory and adverse environment, how could people in the world properly position themselves in the universe? This is also because the principle of "inter-generation and inter-inhibition" went into decline in the Dharma ending period. This caused the force of inter-inhibition in the human world to surpass the force of inter-generation, particularly in China. My understanding is that the rectification of the Fa in the human world also includes rectifying this principle.
Since we were unable to rectify this demonic physical environment, what were the consequences?
1. The Dafa of the universe was labeled an "evil cult."
2. Dafa disciples were detained, sentenced, jailed, sent to labor camps or even tortured to death because they wanted to cultivate "Zhen-Shan-Ren" (Truth-Compassion-Forbearance).
3. Controlled by this demonic environment, people in the world were unable to truly understand what the Dafa of the universe is.
Perhaps someone may argue that throughout history, some righteous religions have been labeled "evil cults" as well. Jesus Christ was crucified on the Cross to sacrifice for the worldly people, etc. However, this time our teacher is rectifying the universe, which is different from the process of offering salvation to human beings that has occurred throughout history. Dafa has created the environment for living beings at various levels in the universe and has also created living beings at various levels. Every one of us who attained the Fa is an element in Dafa. I recall our teacher once said in a lecture: "You are the hope of the universe and the future of the universe." Dafa has given us life and a future. As a Dafa disciple cultivating in the human world, how could we harmonize Dafa in the human world? Do you still remember the oath taken in a remote age: "assisting the teacher in the human world"?
The awakening of our original nature is the precondition necessary to closely follow our teacher in the process of the rectification of the Fa. We should go beyond the narrow mentalities centered on one's own cultivation and one's own consummation. We should go beyond the human concepts, the restriction of ones own group of people as well as the restriction of geographic boundaries. Merge ourselves with the process of the rectification of the Fa for our own refinement. Harmonizing Dafa itself is harmonizing ourselves.
Our teacher said in Falun Dafa (Lecture in Switzerland), "When I talked about the issue that the future universe does not extinct, all of you are happy. Do you know why it is so? Someone made such a statement: If a person is not after self-interest, heaven and earth will kill him. Someone has taken it as his motto. Actually, you don't know yet, that the selfishness penetrates to a very high level. In the past, a cultivation practitioner said, I am doing such and such, I want to do such and such, I want to gain something, I am practicing cultivation, I want to become a Buddha, and I want to attain something. In fact, all these did not get away with the selfishness. However, what I want you to attain is the really pure and pristine, the righteous enlightenment and consummation of real selflessness. Only then can you achieve non-extinction forever." Through the cultivation process of promoting Dafa and protecting Dafa, we should attain the realm of righteous enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.
Many practitioners in China are assisting our teacher and rectifying the Fa with their own lives. When I read their stories, oftentimes I was moved to tears. I admire those elite who dares to give up their own life to harmonize Dafa during the tribulations. I am proud they have enlightened to the lofty aspiration of "assisting teacher in the human world" with their own lives. On the other hand, I felt guilty for my inadequate sacrifice in assisting our teacher in the human world. Each shock to my soul makes me be more steadfast with Dafa. Each purification of my heart and soul awakens the deeply buried oath of assisting our teacher.
As practitioners overseas, how could we do better to step forward in assisting our Teacher and rectifying the Fa?
1) Have a clear understanding of the current situation and a genuine practitioner's responsibility
First, let's take a look at some of the foundations on which the demonic physical environment in China was formed how it exists:
Breaking the laws in the human world, making chaos in the world, and trampling the tiny bit of benevolent consciousness still remaining in peoples hearts. Controlling the media, taking wrong for right, covering the truth and fabricating stories, brainwashing the people with wicked thoughts, and deceiving people. Using the state apparatus of dictatorship to ruthlessly persecute Falun Gong practitioners who dare to speak the truth and dare to insist on justice; attempting to wipe out the truth and righteousness in the human world. Using the approach of "utilizing the people to fight the people," pushing those who know nothing about the truth of Falun Gong to the opposite side of Falun Gong, pushing them to the opposite side of the truth, and attempting to push the nation and the people into a dead end. All these means are in fact only manifestations in the human world. The real reason behind these are the deteriorated living beings and evil forces in the universe who fear and resist Dafa. Because all living beings will be fully exposed before "Zhen-Shan-Ren" (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance): either they will assimilate to it or they will oppose it. Therefore, the fear of death will be manifested in the final life-and-death struggle. Thus, this is a manifestation of a life-and-death struggle between the righteous and the wicked, the benevolent and the evil, the Buddhas and the demons.
The evil force needs physical conditions to exist in the human world. As long as people still acknowledge falsehoods and evil (knowingly or unknowingly), the evil force will have a place to hide in the human world. They will destroy many lives who otherwise have the potential to be saved. If we do not rectify and eliminate the impact of the evil force in the human world, it is as good as giving up on the realm of the human world. Therefore, rectifying and eliminating the evil environment created by the evil force in peoples minds and in other forms in the human world is the pressing task for all genuine practitioners in "assisting the teacher in the human world."
In China, the adverse environment against Dafa is even more malicious. It controls many Chinese who do not know the truth. While overseas, wicked people do not even hesitate to use the national interests to make a deal, utilizing all means to vilify Falun Gong and our teacher. This has already deceived a large number of the Chinese population overseas (especially overseas Chinese community, associations and societies). What we should do in assisting our teacher in rectification of the Fa in the human world includes: as soon as possible, telling people the truth about Falun Gong and exposing the crimes of persecution against Falun Gong by the Chinese government; using various channels to have the overseas Chinese community really understand us positively as well as rectifying the evil influence by the Chinese government.
We as overseas disciples carry not only the duty of revealing the truth to all deceived people in China, but also the duty of spreading Falun Dafa and clarifying the truth to western societies and overseas Chinese people. Not only do we need to break the resistance created by the evil force in China and the demonic physical environment against Falun Dafa, we also need to destroy the demonic physical environment that has spread overseas to establish righteousness in the human world, provide opportunities to learn the truth about Falun Dafa to all nations, races, and people and give a proper position for Dafa in the human world.
2) How can we do better to step forward?
1. Reveal the truth to all people
What Dafa is rectifying is the human heart. This is an opportunity for all sentient beings provided by the incredibly immense compassion of the Lord of Buddhas. If everyone of us overseas practitioners can step forward, starting from people around ourselves to tell the greatness of Falun Dafa to the western people, to overseas Chinese people and to people in China; If we tell them about the selflessness of thousands upon thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners devoting their lives for the truth and righteousness; If we expose the trampling of justice, conscience and human rights by the Chinese government; If we awaken people's understanding of the truth and righteousness; If we reveal to our relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, supervisors, fellow workers, neighbors, and all people we encounter wherever we go how we have benefited from cultivation so as to rectify the environment around ourselves; If we tell the truth to all countries, all governments and their officials, all non-governmental organizations and their members as well as all unofficial bodies and organizations, then the universal Dafa of "Zhen-Shan-Ren" (Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance) will permeate the hearts of people in the world, the indifferent nature of people will return to righteousness, and the people will awaken.
Our determined minds plus the awakening of the people will create an immense energy field, which will break the demonic physical environment, reducing the living space for demons. Thus, even if a handful of people who intend to sabotage and resist Dafa were to use the state apparatus to realize their personal goals, it would be like a praying mantis attempting to stop a car wheel with its limb.
2. Thoroughly utilizing all means to break the media block in China, totally destroying the demonic physical environment to support practitioners in Mainland China
We as overseas practitioners should utilize advanced technologies to break the media block and monopolization of the media within China, via the Internet, newspapers, radio and television broadcast, and various channels to tell the truth about the persecution and vilification of Falun Gong by the Chinese government to all Chinese people who were deceived and have them hear the voice of righteousness, and know the existence of the truth.
3. Group improvement during the spreading and protecting of Dafa
Teacher said in Towards Consummation "...Had you truly been able to discard those fundamental human attachments in your cultivation, these last tribulations wouldn't have been so vicious." It is precisely because we have such a large group and such large fundamental attachments that have not been relinquished, that the evil demons are exploiting the loopholes, affecting the process of the rectification of the Fa by our teacher. What should we do to completely prevent the crime from continuing? We should diligently make group progress, relinquishing our fundamental attachments, improving as a group and reach the realm of consummation.
What practitioners in China are facing is the tribulation of life and death, and the tribulation of how to sacrifice. Through their suffering, they are dissolving their karma accumulated over lifetimes. In the meantime, they are also buying time for practitioners who have not reached consummation and for all sentient beings who have not attained the Fa. If we are unable to step forward beyond the concept of self, merge ourselves into the giant current of rectifying and protecting the Fa, how can we face those thousands upon thousands of fellow practitioners who are walking in front of us? And how could we be worthy of what we were given by Dafa and the immense compassion of our teacher?
Overseas, due to the practical situation of our scattered residences and the long distance to practice sites, many Chinese and western practitioners are unable to participate in group practice and group study of the Fa. This gradually causes some practitioners to "practice alone at home." Some even do not know the existence of practice sites. Group practice and group study of Fa are what our teacher passed on to us for guaranteeing our progress. We should encourage those who "practice alone at home" to come out of the environment of practicing alone in the "small individual home" and make progress together with the group in the group practice and group study of the Fa. Only by studying the Fa more and studying it well, can we really do well in assisting our teacher in rectify the Fa. Teacher said, "Cultivate diligently and make progress together, and a bright future awaits you." If every practitioner can step forward, the group can step forward. Let's improve as a group in spreading and protecting the Fa. Do not let the overseas "comfortable" environment become the incubation of obstruction to our diligent cultivation.
Let's do as what was said by our teacher in The Knowing Heart, "With attachments left behind, the lightened boats sail swiftly. With a preoccupied human heart, crossing the ocean proves arduous." Having the predestined relationship to cultivate in the human world during the period in which our teacher is rectifying the Fa in the universe, assisting our teacher in rectifying the Fa, is a precious opportunity that so many living beings in the universe dream about and yet are unable to obtain. What human attachment cannot be relinquished? On the other hand, overseas practitioners must have the spirit to sacrifice all we have to spread the voice of the truth to the world. Only then can we live up to our great wishes of assisting our teacher in rectifying the Fa, and walking towards consummation during protecting the Fa and cultivation practice.
A Falun Dafa Practitioner in United States
June 22, 2000