(Clearwisdom.net)
My fellow practitioners, how are you?
I would guess that you are now struggling very hard among everyday people. Deep down inside I am sure that you never really gave up practicing cultivation. You want to return to Dafa, but you have all kinds of concerns. I'd like to share my understandings here and I hope they will be helpful to you.
I. Would there be enough time left if I return to practice cultivation?
First I'd like to respectfully quote from Teacher's Lecture at the First Conference in North America,
"On this account, think about how vast the cosmos is. 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 most simple 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, to remove your improper thoughts, and so forth. Given that the Fa's power is so mighty, why don't we do it this way? We can't do that in the society of everyday people, because cultivating that way wouldn't be considered cultivation. Rather, it would be regarded as re-creation, which would mean discarding you completely and re-creating another person. So you have to genuinely cultivate in order for it to be you, yourself."
It was in 1998 that Teacher gave this lecture. My understanding of this is that Dafa's power is very mighty. Dafa can completely eliminate all of our karma and attachments in the blink of an eye. Then why does it take us so many years to cultivate? In my humble opinion, it is because when Dafa was about to eliminate the karma and attachments for us, we held on to them tightly and wouldn't let go. The following Fa principle then came into effect:
"There is a principle in our universe that normally other people cannot interfere with whatever one pursues and wants for oneself." (Zhuan Falun, third lecture, "Spirit or Animal Possession")
Sometimes I can vividly feel that as long as I stay firm in passing tests to give up my attachments and bad things, Teacher can eliminate them for me in less than a second. Therefore I think that if you make your decision resolutely that from now on, you are ready to get rid of every attachment and human thought no matter what, you should still have many chances.
Teacher said in "Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,"
"Sometimes when I see the things that you do it really makes me sad. Yet if I were to really give up on you, that would really pain me, too. I really don't want to abandon you just like that. But you just won't strive to improve! You just won't perform honorably! And you're even tarnishing the reputation of Dafa and doing things that are even undeserving of the title of "human being," yet you still call yourself a Dafa disciple! Let me put it this way, what I said just now is for all of those who have done things that are undeserving of the status of Dafa disciples. You'd better tell people about those things openly. That way, many things of yours will be eliminated, and at the same time it will make you really strengthen your resolve [to correct your behavior]. I'm telling you that for you time is really limited now. For all of you who've done those bad things--and I'm not including those who've already corrected themselves, I'm talking about those who are still doing the bad things, and those who are providing information to China's evil Communist scoundrel gang--the moment I truly give up on you is the moment you go down to hell! I'm really not just trying to scare you. Because it hasn't ended yet it is still an opportunity for all beings. Master has been waiting for you over and over again!"
From this lecture, my understanding is that, if there weren't any chances left for you, Teacher wouldn't take care of you any more; or if you were completely not worthy of saving, then you would have probably left this human world already. Since you are here, and you repent for your past wrongdoings, and want to try again, then there might still be chances for you. Of course, in my opinion, those who are alive but have damaged Dafa are totally different. They might be used by the old forces to the very end to damage Dafa. They won't be destroyed until they are cast down into hell. But for you, chances have been provided for you to do well again, because regardless of how many bad things you have done, your heart is still sided with Dafa, and wants to come back to Dafa.
II. The question of whether you can reach consummation if you start practicing cultivation from now on
I'd like to once again respectfully quote Teacher's lecture from "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference,"
"From the Fa you've all realized this principle: in this cosmos, no being will suffer in vain. This is especially true for someone who cultivates Dafa, and on top of that is a Dafa disciple in the Fa-rectification period--as long as he's still in the Fa, no matter what ends up happening to him, what awaits him is Consummation."
My understanding of this lecture is that, even for a practitioner who has been doing very well, whether or not he/she can reach consummation depends on whether or not he/she can walk his/her path till the last step. Therefore in my humble opinion, from now on, you should stop thinking about this question, because all of the thoughts that make you repent and doubt if there's enough time are all obstacles. You need to recognize them and break through them, and do well again the three things you're supposed to do. As to the attachment of whether you can reach consummation or not, not only should you let go of it, every one of us should let go of it!
III. The issue of whether or not the sentient beings we are responsible for can be saved
Teacher said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference,"
"Of course, I still have ways that the old forces cannot imagine. When beings have been totally destroyed and have disappeared without a trace, and even when they've been turned into other creatures or plants and later gone through various changes over the long course of time, I can still locate them and bring them back. Since I can transcend the utmost microcosm of all beings, I can find them. (Applause) I can even bring back beings' original matter and factors that would never exist again, bring back the factors that originally made up their beings, and bring back all the factors that made them up, in the way they were, and I can eliminate the part, the process, and the history in which a being sinned against Dafa--I can have a being re-born as if he'd never gone through that part of history. I can do anything, but I don't do things casually. I need to look at the cause. Master has to consider things for the sake of the future cosmos, the wonderfulness of the future, and the beings of the future. (Applause)"
I have my personal understanding of this section as well. In the past, I've done some very bad things. (Of course, it wasn't damaging Dafa). Yet I found that all my sentient beings had been cast into hell because of my wrongdoings. I was very sad. After I stood up again, I begged Teacher, "Teacher, even if I'm not worthy of being kept any more, please help me. I will make sure to save my sentient beings and help them return. I came for them. As long as they can be saved, as to my wrongdoings, regardless of what the consequence is, I will bear it without complaining."
Later on I did well. I found Teacher had indeed scooped them up from hell. About this topic, I hope you can find the article "Life and Death" published on Clearwisdom.net on March 10, 2004, and read it. This article has helped me a lot. I hope it can be of some help to you, too.
Recently when I was reading this paragraph in "Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,"
"Dafa disciples' righteous thoughts can't be undermined by anyone. Success is a question of Dafa disciples' accomplishment during the Fa-rectification period, and it's a question of whether those people in the world with karmic relationships can be saved, whereas the Fa-rectification in the cosmic body is bound to succeed."
My understanding is that regardless of whether an individual practitioner can be successful or not, Teacher's Fa-rectification is sure to succeed. The progress of Teacher's Fa-rectification cannot possibly be affected by our failing to let go of our attachments. If we cannot cultivate ourselves well, and cannot keep up with the progress of Teacher's Fa-rectification, then those sentient beings of ours who should have been saved will have to be weeded out.
Saving sentient beings is the grand vow that we each made before coming down to the human world. Therefore we should stand up quickly. Do not think of anything else. The most important thing for us now is to do well the three things that Dafa disciples are supposed to do, and to keep up with the progress of Teacher's Fa-rectification.
IV. The issue of being embarrassed to face fellow practitioners
Please don't think that fellow practitioners will look down upon you because of your wrongdoings. Practitioners are merciful and compassionate, and they are all trying their best to save sentient beings and help those fellow practitioners who have a hard time standing up or breaking through tribulations. Therefore it is our duty to help you stand up completely. We wholeheartedly hope that you can do well.
From today on, please do what you're supposed to do. Do not let down Teacher's patience and mercy any longer, do not let down the sentient beings' hopes in you any longer, and do not let down fellow practitioners' merciful help any longer. Having the determination and will, with firm faith in Teacher and Dafa, you will be sure to stand up again.
I've seen too many fellow practitioners in this situation. The chances are indeed getting fewer and fewer. In addition, I was once in that state, and understand your concerns very well. Therefore I have outlined these relatively typical concerns, and hope they are helpful to fellow practitioners in similar situations.
Heshi,
A fellow practitioner who hopes for you to stand up again
Nov. 11, 2005