(Clearwisdom.net) This morning at 5:50, my alarm clock rang. Feeling exhausted and lazy, I turned the alarm off and went back to sleep. This was not the first time that I have done this. I know this is not right and should not be accepted. This is not a normal condition for a Dafa disciple.
We, as Dafa disciples of the Fa-rectification period, should cultivate along the path arranged by Master. A sluggish, lazy, and lackluster mentality is not right. Although the evil elements left over on the surface by the old forces, along with the communist evil spirit, are causing interference repeatedly, we have the Fa. Therefore we have enough capability to break through all the barriers and interference during our continuous assimilation to Dafa. We can walk every step of the way following the Fa's standard. If we can't do all three things according to the Fa's requirement, then our cultivation does not meet Fa-rectification's standards. If we are not serious about doing the three things simultaneously, we can't call ourselves diligent Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period.
In "Teaching the Fa in San Francisco 2005," a practitioner asked: "Some students devote themselves entirely to doing things for Dafa. Some have encountered life-threatening danger. It might be because they neglected their own cultivation and didn't pass certain tests well. But precisely because they were still cultivators, they couldn't possibly pass every single test well. Why couldn't Dafa protect them?"
When I read this question, I had mixed feelings. Every practitioner has a different cultivation realm. Each of us has different cultivation requirements for ourselves. But isn't it true that the principle in our cultivation is the same, namely, looking inward for our own problems? Cultivation in the Fa rectification period is unconditional. Master never forces us to cultivate or to do anything; you come and go at your own initiative; your cultivation efforts and results are strictly up to you. Master taught the Fa clearly. Whether or not we are responsible to ourselves is our own business.
The practitioner who asked that question showed that he did not look inside when facing tribulations. He did not reflect and examine himself for problems, and he did not try to find his own shortcomings. On the contrary, he asked Master for an answer and pushed the blame on others, even on Master. Isn't this negotiating with Dafa to rescue oneself when in trouble? Is it right to expect a smooth and comfort ride to Consummation regardless of one's efforts?
Fellow practitioners, let's think about it. Without Master's compassion, the old universe would have been destroyed long ago. There would be no such thing as today's Dafa cultivation, let alone our very existence. When a universe goes bad, it is destroyed and re-constructed; when a life goes bad, the life is eliminated and re-born. This is defined by the old cosmos' principles: formation, stasis, degeneration and destruction. No one has ever accused this process of being uncompassionate. Master's compassion has caused him to suffer a great deal for others. When I mentioned this to my wife, she said, "I believe that this is the result of many practitioners not doing well and not being diligent." That answer kept me thinking for a long time.
Indeed, some fellow practitioners encountered tribulations; some even lost their lives. But have we thought about the reason why the tribulations occurred? Why were we persecuted? Why did some practitioners die? What can we learn from this issue? Do we measure ourselves with the highest standard in everyday life? How are we doing on the three things? Have we truly helped fellow practitioners in all circumstances? When fellow practitioners were enduring tribulations, have we really cared for them? How much effort have we put into Dafa work? Have we completely denied the evil persecution by the old forces? Do we have any omissions? Do our fellow practitioners have any omissions? Have we formed a solid cultivation body? Have we measured ourselves with these standards? Do we still have selfish motives? Do the things for Fa rectification exist for ourselves? Could we change the standards to suit our own attachments and notions? Of course, since this question was asked when Master was giving a lecture, then it's not an accident. Everyone should look at his/her own problems. We need to help and complement each other.
Under the old cosmos' mechanism of "Formation, Stasis, Degeneration and Destruction," sentient beings are sinking to lower and lower levels, and they are being covered by layers of dust generated after they were born. They were indeed badly lost, and saving them is a very difficult task. Some lives don't even want to live, like a man who wants to jump into a well and drown. What can you do? To save him, the Buddha makes the best effort to inspire his righteous thoughts, clear up his confusion, and point out a shining path leading to his original, true self. But the person doesn't get it; he does not pay attention to the Buddha's words, and just minds his own business and goes on his own path. This person is very likely going to fall into a ditch. Buddha reaches out to pull him up, but he doesn't want to stand up. He complains while lying there, "See, I listened to you, and now I fell into this ditch." The Buddha wants to save him, but the person just can't gather enough wisdom and strength. This situation creates a dilemma for Buddha. But Buddha doesn't want to give up on anyone. Again and again the Buddha persuades and encourages him, empowers him with wisdom and strength, inspires him with righteous thoughts. The Buddha is saving many people. The whole world is within his care. Why did Buddha endure such tribulations? The Buddha shoulders all the burdens for sentient beings. The tribulations don't belong to the Buddha. How could human beings understand the compassion of the Buddha? How could they know all the sufferings the Buddha has endured for them?
Life is precious because no matter where a person is, no matter how low his life has become, if he realizes his own situation, knows where he is and his own shortcomings, and he wants to change and improve, then he has hope. This is the most precious side of a life and this is something the gods treasure. On the flip side, no matter how high his level is, if he does not know his own situation, fails to position himself right, becomes too arrogant to respect the high level lives, then the person will face grave danger. Old forces are like that, aren't they? They lost themselves in their overconfidence and attachments; they failed to position themselves in front of Master and the Fa rectification process. Now they have been completely eliminated. Lord Buddha is compassionate. When he came to this world, he had a grand wish to save all sentient beings, including the old forces and even the most evil communist party spirit. These evil forces chose to become the enemy of Dafa, therefore, their elimination is inevitable in the cosmos' Fa-rectification, and they are doomed.
To practitioners, every step of the way is a test of our determination to cultivate according to the Buddha Fa. We Dafa disciples have completed our personal cultivation for Consummation. But on this journey, our understanding of Fa rectification and how strong our faith in Master and the Fa is, especially at the final moment of the Fa rectification, and whether we can walk with solid footing--all these can become very serious tests.
With the progress of the Fa-rectification, the Fa has reached the surface of the human world. There is not much time left for people or for us. Fa rectification is at the end of the final stage. The evil has been greatly reduced and the environment is easing up.
Master told us in "Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005":
"That being the case, for Dafa disciples it amounts to being tested under new circumstances and conditions. And so it is that when circumstances ease up, one is prone to becoming lax; when the pressure lets up it leads a person to feel relaxed and not make every minute count as before. But that's not acceptable. The fact is, you are cultivators, and you can't afford to cease being diligent no matter what kind of circumstances you encounter. The more relaxed or comfortable things get, in fact, the more serious is the test you face. Regardless of how the situation may change, the terms of cultivation and the cultivation state required of you will never change, and for this reason you cannot let up."
Dear fellow practitioners, let us all remember Master's teaching. We should walk the rest of the journey with solid footing. We should become more and more diligent.
