(Clearwisdom.net)
1. Set aside all worries and concentrate when studying the Fa
Recently, I have been attending a group Fa study. Each night, we read one lecture of Zhuan Falun until we finish reading the whole book. We then read Teacher's new articles and lectures.
For the first few days, we did not feel any difference. On the fourth day, however, something happened. Two other practitioners and I studied the Fa for the whole day, but we managed to finish only two lectures. However, we did not feel that it was a waste of time as we studied wholeheartedly. I had not studied Zhuan Falun that earnestly for quite a long time. Previously, I would read fast, but 80 percent of the time my mind was not focused and always "wandered" away. However, I comforted myself with the quantity of Fa study I did, instead of looking within. As a result, my very nature did not change and I could not enlighten further from Zhuan Falun. That day, however, we reminded ourselves to try our best to read Zhuan Falun as though we were reading it for the first time; that is, to read it earnestly and wholeheartedly.
After we finished reading the two lectures, I was in a better state and felt great changes occurring in me. I enlightened to the fact that I had been in an incorrect state for a long time. I thus failed to cultivate myself when validating the Fa and my heart was not that compassionate. These problems derived from the lack of concentration when studying Zhuan Falun. When I read, I did not really take it to heart.
On the sixth day, we were not able to study the Fa until later in the evening, so during the day, I got worried. Fellow practitioners reminded me to recite Lunyu (the Preface of Zhuan Falun). I had recited "Lunyu" many times in the past, but seldom took it to heart, as in the description of a young monk who only chants the scripture but never takes it to heart. That day I took it upon myself to recite "Lunyu" with all my heart. After reciting one sentence, I had to think about its meaning. After reciting once, the Fa principles unfolded to me and I was able to find answers to many questions, including the incorrect state I had been in for a long period of time and the things that needed to be done immediately. I finally understood the meaning of "humankind must fundamentally change its conventional thinking." Since that day, I have been paying attention to the quality of my Fa study. Now when I study the Fa, I do it seriously and with full attention.
On the seventh day, I continuously recited "Lunyu" on the way to clarify the facts. Although the environment was noisy, my mind was focused and I felt serene as I melted into the Fa.
On the afternoon of the ninth day, another practitioner and I earnestly studied one lecture of Zhuan Falun together. After we finished reading, I recalled the path I had taken in the past six days, and how I stumbled along. I also thought of my fellow practitioner who had done a lot, but was persecuted by the evil. I deeply feel that if we listen to what Teacher has taught us and truly study the Fa with a calm heart, then we can avoid all those losses we suffer and many things can be done better.
On the morning of the tenth day, I studied the Fa with two other practitioners who were not in a good state. Before we finished reading one lecture, they wanted to slow down and pay attention to the quality of our study. During the process, I could feel that the three of us were in a very pure state of mind. All the rights and wrongs of everyday society as well as the chaotic thoughts all disappeared. Our minds were calm and focused and our pure field made me think of the long missed group study we had during the period of personal cultivation.
I enlightened to another understanding. In the past when I shared with practitioners who seldom stepped forward to clarify the truth, I only talked about practitioners who cultivated well, how fast the Fa-rectification is progressing and how important our mission was. As a result, these practitioners would only clarify the truth for a few days. Sometimes, my sharing had an adverse effect. Some practitioners who had a serious attachment of fear felt pressured, which then became another kind of attachment. This time after I studied the Fa, I realized that there was nothing better than arousing people to think about the true meaning of life and to long for returning home and assimilating to the principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." Only in this way can the person truly persist in cultivation and have energy to keep on cultivating diligently.
As for the evening group study, we read Essentials for Further Advancement. We measured ourselves with the Fa while studying and then shared our experiences. In one and a half hours of study, we would only read 20 pages. When we studied the article, "Pacify the External by Cultivating the Internal," we had a lot of different enlightenments. Therefore, we read the article seven to eight times. We came to realize that the environment around us actually depends on how well we have cultivated. For the past several years, when something happened that I did not like, I would take it as interference. I seldom looked inside to see if it had anything to do with my cultivation or if it was caused by some kind of attachment. One practitioner who did not join group Fa-study during the period of personal cultivation sighed with emotion, "This way of study is very good. It's not important how much we have studied. What is important is how much we understand the Fa we have studied. If we are able to understand only a little bit, then we have assimilated to that little bit."
2. Maintain the greatest kind thought and do well from start to finish
Practitioner C was an assistant at a practice site before the persecution began. However, after July 20, 1999, due to her attachments, she was not able to fully play her role in the Fa-rectification period. She only attended Fa-study and handed out truth-clarification flyers from time to time. Fellow practitioners in our area thought that she had not taken the responsibility that she should have.
On hearing this, I thought of one issue--no matter how good one looks from appearance, one still has attachments. During this unprecedented Fa-rectification of the universe, she just watched leisurely and unhurriedly by contributing only a little bit, and did not try her best to harmonize to what Teacher has been doing. Teacher said,
"So for the beings of the old cosmos, and this includes all the elements of beings, when it comes to the Fa-rectification and what I choose, all beings' harmonizing and completing things according to my choices and contributing their best ideas and approaches--not to change what I want, but to harmonize and complete things according to what I've said--is the best thought a being in the cosmos could have." ("Fa-Lecture during the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
As a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple, she has caused irreparable losses and harmed herself.
The showy and luxurious life style of everyday people is like a transient fleeting cloud. Although it doesn't last long, it can destroy a Dafa practitioner.
I have heard of cases where practitioners who were forced to leave home and became homeless in order to avoid arrest and persecution, thought that they had fulfilled their historic mission as they had already done a great deal for the improvement of the local practitioners as a whole all these years. However, when they came back home, propelled by the mentality of seeking comfort, they have gotten lost in the maze of everyday people's sentiments, fame and gain. They felt they needed to make up for the years when they had been destitute. There is one enterprise where many practitioners worked. They were paid well and had a good work environment. However, these former veteran practitioners now only talk about who has more money and lives a better life, instead of how to make use of such an environment to continue validating the Fa and saving sentient beings.
A Falun Dafa practitioner in any circumstance should always put validating the Fa and saving sentient beings above everything else. Otherwise how can they still be called Dafa practitioners? Teacher said,
"If you are still unclear about what a Fa-rectification disciple is, you won't be able to step forward in the current tribulation, and you will be led by the human world's pursuit of comfort to 'enlighten' along an evil path. Master's heart has always been pained by those who have fallen, and the majority were ruined by that pursuit."
"This period of time will not last long, but it can forge the mighty virtue of magnificent Enlightened Beings, Buddhas, Daos, and Gods of different levels, and even Lords of different levels. It can also destroy overnight a cultivator who has reached a really high level but who has become less strict with himself."
("Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples")
As a matter of fact, every one of us will come across this issue. When we are confronted with it, can we harmonize with what Teacher says with "the best thought a being in the cosmos could have" and can we do well from start to finish.
This is my personal understanding. Please point out any errors.
