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What is Behind the Inability to be Tolerant

September 16, 2003 |   Written by a Practitioner in China

(Clearwisdom.net)

Teacher keeps telling us in recent lectures that we have to be tolerant and compassionate, but sometimes I still fail to do well. I summarized the reasons why I fail to be tolerant, and I found that when practitioners that are generally thought to cultivate well don't behave well in certain aspects (maybe it is just my subjective notion), I was not able to be genuinely tolerant to them, especially when it was related to me. Though it appeared to be nothing on the surface, my heart was indeed moved: How could I behave like that? I really should do better! Teacher said,

"Some students show their attachments, but some students don't, they keep them inside and they are incredibly attached."

(Explaining the Fa During 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference)

When I dig to the root, I find that this is a manifestation of my attachments of jealousy and selfishness. When I point out the problem to other practitioners, I feel I am responsible for them and trying to help, but in fact there are already too many impure things mixed into it. The attachment is so deeply hidden that I am not able to feel it from the surface if I don't dig deeply to the root. When I stick to things that I don't want to be touched upon, I react even more strongly. When I noticed this, I started to consciously eliminate it.

When some practitioners show such obvious attachments and don't pay much attention to it after I kindly point it out to them, I would think, "How can you be like that? Master Li has made it so clear, why couldn't you just follow Master's teachings?" Even my words and tone become not so polite and rather intolerant. The reason is that I always use Fa to check others, rather than to check myself. I didn't think why his attachments had been shown to me. Even if I don't have this kind of attachment, do I have other kind of attachments? When I point out other practitioners' attachments, do I really look at issues from their perspectives? Do I speak completely out of compassion and free of any personal notion? Do I use the Fa-principle that I understand at my own level to require others? Master Li said,

"A God isn't affected by anything."

(Explaining the Fa During 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference)

Why is my heart always moved?

In addition, every Dafa disciple cultivates under the watch and protection of Teacher's law bodies, and Teacher has said,

"I have no other requirements for you. I have never said that you have to do well in such and such extent. It's always been you yourself handling things."

(Explaining the Fa During 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference)

Then what reasons do I have to tell other practitioners what to do? How well have I myself done? Teacher tells us to look inside ourselves. When a problem emerges, how much effort have I spent to look inside myself? How much effort have I spent to check others? Teacher tells us to be tolerant and compassionate. How well have I followed this teaching?

After I experienced some things and fell down several times, I reflected on myself.

To be genuinely tolerant is a natural reflection of one's cultivation realm. Sometimes I didn't do well, but I knew I should act according to Master's requirements in the Fa. I have already been more and more able to see the shining aspects of every practitioner and also feel at ease with my wishes after letting go of various attachments and bad thoughts.

I am a Dafa disciple in Fa-rectification, and Teacher has told us what kind of magnificent honor this is. The important work that we are doing to offer salvation to all sentient beings and the perfection of our own paradises all have high requirements for upgrading our mind states. With the Fa, with the help of fellow practitioners' articles published on Clearwisdom and help from practitioners around me, I realize some of my own deviations and impurities and get the chance to rectify myself. Thank you!

The above are just some understandings of mine. If there is anything inappropriate, fellow practitioners please kindly point it out and rectify me.

Written on August 25, 2003