(Clearwisdom.net) We have experienced many hardships since the persecution began on July 20, 1999. With our determined minds and hearts we have gotten to where we are today. In the process we are all trying our best to do well the three things that Teacher asked us to do.

I just heard that a fellow practitioner died. I know that practitioner was so busy validating the Fa every day that he didn't leave enough time to study the Fa. His death was a huge loss to us. I'd like to share some of my understandings on this incident.

1. Studying the Fa is our base. Teacher said in his lecture, "Explaining the Fa during the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference,"

"...as long as you study the Fa more, your righteous thoughts will be strong. For some practitioners, sometimes you've really gotten caught up in doing things to clarify the truth and have overlooked Fa-study. The things of Dafa disciples surpass personal cultivation, such as our currently validating the Fa, clarifying the truth, and saving sentient beings, but all of these are actually based on a foundation of personal Consummation, so if you can't reach personal Consummation then everything else is out of the question."

Teacher also said,

"...there is a path for you to take, even though it is a fairly narrow one. You have to go down that path correctly, and it won't work if you come up even a little short or stray a little bit." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York")

Teacher repeatedly talked about this issue. Whether we can walk our paths well depends on whether we can study the Fa with a peaceful heart every day. Only the Fa can solve all of our problems. Only the Fa can give us all that we need.

2. Only by studying the Fa well can we do a better job with validating the Fa.

As Dafa disciples we should not deviate from the Fa no matter what we are working on. We should understand the Fa from the Fa so that we can get maximal results from our efforts. Teacher said,

"Validating the Fa isn't something ordinary people do; only Dafa disciples are worthy of doing it. So now study and study the Fa more, study the Fa more." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")

When we study the Fa well we will be able to truly understand the meaning of using mighty Buddha power to truly eliminate all the evil elements persecuting the Fa in the cosmos when we send forth righteous thoughts. Only when we study the Fa well can we understand the Fa principles in a perfectly harmonious way. Then we can easily clarify the truth to achieve the goal of

"Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy..." ("Rationality" from "Essentials for Further Advancement II)

3. Eliminating our attachments and walking our paths correctly.

Each of the three things that Teacher asked us to do is very important. Our personal cultivation is connected to our doing these three things. During the process of doing the three things any of our attachments could cause losses to the Fa-rectification. We need to continuously eliminate our attachments and diligently go forward when we do the three things. Only then can we call ourselves Falun Dafa disciples. Only when we melt into the Fa, cooperate with each other, and coordinate well can we more correctly walk our paths and help make the Fa-rectification process move further while suffering fewer losses to the Fa and to the practitioners, and be worthy of being called "...those who are on their way to divinity." ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Chicago")

September 8, 2005