I. View the Chief Perpetrator's Relinquishment of Power with Righteous Thoughts
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, at the Communist Party Central Committee Meeting, Jiang Zemin relinquished his power. As practitioners, we must not take for granted that the people in power will now act differently, and we must not expect the persecution to be resolved by ordinary people. Regarding this issue, our experience has taught us many lessons, and Teacher has on many occasions clearly explained this principle.
The relinquishing of power by the chief perpetrator of the persecution is only an indication of the reduction of the evil's power, which has been impeding the Fa-rectification. It is not the aim of Fa-rectification. Falun Dafa practitioners must not be jubilant because of this, and we must not decrease the pace of validating the Fa (1). When clarifying the facts and saving the world's people, we must take into consideration our mission to save ever more people, be more diligent, and maintain completely righteous thoughts. We must strive to do even better.
Although the chief evil has relinquished his power, we cannot let down our guard. It is without doubt that the evil beings will remain evil to the last moment. In fact, they will act with even greater cruelty as their end nears.
Furthermore, at the final stage of the Fa-rectification, we need to be more alert and levelheaded and not go to extremes. When seizing the opportunity to clarify the facts, we must simultaneously be in harmony with our families, our Dafa work, and our livelihoods.
II. Do Not Have Any Attachments to Jiang Zemin Relinquishing his Power, or to the United States' Upcoming Presidential Elections
By a Falun Dafa practitioner from Shanghai, China
In Teacher's latest article and previous lectures, he pointed out that our cultivation is not based on the norms of ordinary human society, nor is it subject to any political condition. After reading Teacher's recent article, I have come to the following understanding concerning recent events -- that is, the relinquishing of power by the chief evil Jiang Zemin, and the impending elections of the United States:
1. Although the former head of Communist China -- the primary perpetrator of the persecution, Jiang Zemin -- relinquished his power, those following in his footsteps, supporting his dictates, and the principles he represented are still in positions of power. The evil persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners has not come to an end. There are still many people in the world that are not clear about the facts of the persecution. Consequently, Falun Dafa practitioners must continue to diligently perform well the three tasks Teacher gave to us (2). In order to completely eliminate the evil, it is necessary to melt into the Fa, let go of all human attachments, and walk wisely on the path of a Fa-rectification disciple.
2. The crucial changes in the human world are results of celestial phenomena. The reason given by the primary evil for relinquishing his power is merely superficial. He has lost the support of the common citizens and military. In fact, it is because Falun Dafa practitioners steadfastly clarified the facts with righteous thoughts and actions that most of the old forces' dark minions and rotten demons were eliminated. At the same time, ordinary people are awakening. Consequently we see changes in the human world. Therefore, the basic reason for the chief evil perpetrator's relinquishing power comes as a result of the process of Fa-rectification, and the practitioners' unfaltering validation of Falun Dafa.
3. There is no fundamental difference regarding which candidate is elected during the United States' upcoming presidential elections, although there will be differences in the way each candidate expresses support for righteousness. Falun Dafa practitioners are not involved in politics, but the righteous thoughts and actions of practitioners will promote righteousness in the ordinary human world and cause a resurgence of righteousness. However, the mission of Falun Dafa practitioners is not for the sake of the different political entities or the various norms of human society.
4. Consider the battle raging between righteousness and evil in the other dimensions of New York and Beijing. Falun Dafa practitioners' righteousness does not allow for attachments that make them indecisive, changing direction as the wind blows, as seen in ordinary human society. Falun Dafa practitioners must always act in accordance with Teacher's requirements.
5. Considering the arrival of the Fa-rectification and its outcome, Falun Dafa practitioners must not hold on to notions of ordinary humans. We must take the Fa as the teacher, and rely only on our Teacher, Falun Dafa, and the righteous thoughts and actions of Falun Dafa practitioners.
The aforementioned are my personal views for my fellow practitioners' consideration.
III. Thoughts About Teacher's Recent Article, "In Fa-Rectification Your Thoughts Have to be Righteous, Not Human"
By a Falun Dafa Practitioner in China
On September 9, 2004, the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Meeting concluded with the principal perpetrator of the persecution relinquishing his power. Many Falun Dafa practitioners were overjoyed. They imagined that the persecution was about to end. As they were happy that the principal evil had relinquished his power, they saw in the new leaders a change in the winds. It is as though they are waiting for the new leaders to end the persecution. They still have wavering hearts and minds. Such thoughts are not in harmony with the three tasks that Teacher had delegated to us.
After studying the new article, I found that I had quite a number of problems.
Teacher has pointed out:
"...during the tribulation, you've taken the persecution of Dafa disciples by evil beings in this cosmos using bad people to be human acts; and when hardly any of the evil remains in Fa-rectification as Dafa disciples validate the Fa with righteous thoughts and clean out the evil, and as the world's people begin to see things clearly, you are putting your hope for an end to the persecution in ordinary people." ("In Fa-Rectification Your Thoughts Have to be Righteous, Not Human")
I must admit that I often had thoughts of paying close attention to the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Meeting. But I quickly realized the gravity of such thoughts. How could a Falun Dafa practitioner entrust his hopes onto ordinary people? Who is the principal character in this drama? The Fa is rectifying the universe, and the central character is Teacher. Teacher is assisted by Falun Dafa practitioners during this Fa-rectification. Can an ordinary person determine the result? Teacher drew attention to this problem quite some time ago:
"With a Dafa like this, how could so many magnificent future Gods, magnificent Dafa disciples, who've been forged through Dafa cultivation put their hope in some ordinary person? Aren't we insulting ourselves? Could human beings control Gods? But a lot of our Dafa disciples were thinking that way. It's not a big deal if one person thinks that way, and it's not a big deal if two people think that way--that's just their personal cultivation issue. But if everybody thinks that way, then what kind of situation will there be among the larger group of Dafa disciples? It'll be a major disruption, a strong attachment, and that can't be allowed. I saw it, and the old forces saw it, too. The old forces thought, "Wait a minute, what's this?" So they made the outcome of the Chinese Communist Party's 16th Congress worse" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.")
Since we have all diligently studied the Fa taught by Teacher, why are such problems surfacing? One reason is that we unceasingly think about the urgency of terminating this persecution. Another is that we wish to lessen our suffering, and consequently neglect our responsibilities and the urgency of saving sentient beings. The root of the problem is selfishness. If we had placed Falun Dafa and saving sentient beings in the forefront, would we be attached to the concept of time?
The second reason that problems surface is because we do not thoroughly understand the Fa. As Falun Dafa practitioners, we should not be moved by whatever happened in ordinary human society. This is not only an issue of individual cultivation.
"That's because your every thought and whim, and each and every action, are affecting major things. No matter what big things are happening, pretend nothing is going on and just go about, as usual, doing what a Dafa disciple should do. This is the path you're taking today, and this is the [legacy of] mighty virtue you are leaving." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Washington DC Fa Conference")
Logically speaking, if the rotten demons and the dark minions were eliminated, the principal evil would loose all the support he needs to survive. Wouldn't he disintegrate? Why are we so attached to the activities by ordinary humans? If we do not let go our dependence on ordinary humans, the profound lesson brought about will be enormous,
"As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts. Even though the old forces do exist, if you don't have those thoughts they can't do anything. When your righteous thoughts are strong enough the old forces can't do a thing." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.")
Today, as the evil is being eliminated, we have to walk very carefully on the remainder of our path. Having not cultivated well, I originally thought of writing, but was afraid that I could not write well. However, I realized that writing to Clearwisdom.net is the responsibility of every Falun Dafa practitioner, as Clearwisdom.net is the website of Falun Dafa. Hence, it does not matter if what I write is published or not. Writing and submitting to the website is in a way eliminating my own bad thoughts, eliminating the evil that is interfering with me, and therefore I am also validating Falun Dafa. I recommend that all Falun Dafa practitioners write articles for Clearwisdom.net to enhance the content of Clearwisdom.net. That will augment the function of Clearwisdom.net for Falun Dafa, as fellow practitioners can then learn from each other by exchanging views. I realize that Teacher has left for us a way to cultivate today, as well as for future practitioners.
Notes
(1) Fa: Law and principles; the teachings of Falun Dafa.
(2) Teacher has asked practitioners to study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts and clarify the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution.