(Clearwisdom.net)
For a long time, I did not have a sufficient understanding of either the karmic relationship or the sacred relatioship between fellow practitioners. I thought that the words "fellow practitioners" meant the same as "colleagues."
When I perceived that a fellow practitioner's attachment kept him or her at the same level, or even resulted in tribulations, due to my ordinary person's mentality, to my wanting to protect myself, or to my attachment of affection for my family members, the way I handled the situation would fall into either of two categories. If the fellow practitioners were not my family members, I watched them, like a bystander, with indifference. When I dealt with practitioners who were my family members, I complained and hurled accusations. Often I would even say, "It is for your own good that I lost my temper."
Neither way of handling the situation solved the problem. Instead, what I did created distance between myself and fellow practitioners, and failed to facilitate our forming one body.
In "Lecture at the Fa-Conference in Canada, 1999", Teacher says:
"Since you have found the cause that prevented him from moving forward, why don't you point it out to him? It shouldn't be a problem if you tell him with kind intention. Is it because you are a little afraid of bringing offense to yourselves? Yet, isn't the bad attitude of that person a perfect chance for you to cultivate yourself? It doesn't matter even if he doesn't understand what you said. Shouldn't this emotion (qing) of an everyday person be given up? You should tell him if you see a problem."
Based on Teacher's words, I overcame my selfishness, and was able to point out my fellow practitioners' attachments to them. Yet this often backfired. After hearing my comment, the person didn't keep what I said in mind, and did not change. I didn't understand why this was happening, and I did not look inside myself. I only felt that it was enough that I accomplished my responsibility, which, of course, is not a correct response either. I searched within myself. What kind of mentality did I have when I pointed out other practitioners' attachments to them? Did I think I was better than them? Did I have worry, doubt, impatience, or distrust? Recently while I was going about my daily affairs, I realized that I didn't trust my fellow practitioners. I would rather interact with everyday people than with fellow practitioners. I even doubted whether fellow practitioners could do well. I was shocked when I realized this.
Upon hearing Teacher say, "You're all disciples in the same practice, and you're giving your all for the cosmos' Fa-rectification..." in "Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference, 2002," I realized that in China's history, "disciples in the same practice" referred to brothers and sisters of the same teacher, which is beyond the karmic relationship of brothers and sisters who are blood relatives. As society became deviated, people forgot its sacred, pure, and clean inner meaning. Today, is the first opportunity we have had since the beginning of time--we are here at the same time with the Fa during the Fa-rectification period, and Teacher refers to us as "Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples." In addition, "Dafa disciples are now sentient beings' only, sole hope for salvation." (from "Righteous Thoughts"). What a once-in-a-million-year opportunity this is!
All of sudden I understood the meaning of the Fa-principle of "improving together, and in cooperating with each other" (from Teaching the Fa in 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, USA) which Teacher emphasized over and over. I understood even more the importance of fellow practitioners' sending forth righteous thoughts to help eliminate the evil's persecution, when fellow practitioners, including me, continue to have tribulations over a long period. This is not a matter of what's wrong with fellow practitioners' xinxing [heart-mind nature, moral quality], nor is it a matter of guiding fellow practitioners to look for help externally. Teacher says, "In these situations your conduct should always show Dafa disciples' tolerance, kindness, and niceness. The next person's things are your things, and your things are his things." (from Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference, 2002) "All of this is your goodness (shan) made manifest, and it is what evil fears most..." (from "Rationality")
The above is just my personal understanding. Fellow practitioners, please correct me if there is anything improper.
