(Clearwisdom.net) During my Fa study recently, a problem has constantly surfaced: I could concentrate when I studied Teacher's articles or lectures, but I would have problems when I read Zhuan Falun (1). As I am more familiar with the content of Zhuan Falun, I often felt that I didn't really absorb much even when I spent a lot of time reading the book. Later I realized what was happening and decided I needed to change the situation. But how? I tried memorizing the book. My goal was to become absorbed in it. When I couldn't concentrate during the Fa study, I tried memorizing it, paragraph by paragraph.
Sometimes it was easy for me to learn it by heart. Because of the familiarity with the content and being able to concentrate, I could quickly memorize several paragraphs. Sometimes it was not so easy; even trying for a long time, I would not be able to memorize a paragraph. Either I had completely missed a sentence or I had memorized a sentence incorrectly. I realized it was because I didn't have a calm mind and couldn't concentrate enough. I then concentrated with all my effort on the book. I tried to memorize word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence. Those words would then appear in front of me clearly. When I recited sentence after sentence with a quiet mind, it seemed I had purged many attachments and passed a barrier.
There is another situation that sometimes occurs. When I tried to memorize a certain paragraph, either I couldn't remember a sentence or I kept making mistakes with a sentence. After careful reflection, I realized I hadn't accepted deeply in my mind what that sentence was saying. It wasn't that I couldn't accept the actual meaning of the sentence, but that I felt it was too difficult to accomplish. I made a decision to accomplish it right then. Do just what the Fa (1) requires of us, do it without any deviation! I then believed that I would be able to accomplish it right away, and my mind relaxed. I was able to memorize the passage smoothly and clearly. I realized that it was the power of the Fa. Studying the Fa also reduces karma and puts oneself right. It is cultivation.
My way of studying the Fa is mainly to read through Zhuan Falun. From time to time, I read Teacher's other lectures or books. If my mind is not calm, I'll try memorizing Zhuan Falun. Everybody has his or her own way of studying the Fa. It is necessary that everyone studies the Fa with a quiet mind and attains the goal of studying the Fa. Once, I heard from a practitioner that he couldn't quiet his mind during Fa study. He had also tried memorizing, but felt it was too difficult. He said that he had tried memorizing just a paragraph, but after having tried it for a long time, he still couldn't memorize it. He gave up. My thinking is that he shouldn't have given up. Everyone should pass this barrier, unless one can find another way to quiet one's mind.
Notes -
- The book, Zhuan Falun, comprises the principal teachings of Falun Dafa.
- Fa: Law and principles; the teachings of Falun Dafa.
