(Clearwisdom.net) I have recently noticed that many practitioners around me have exhibited an incorrect state, which is being attached to oneself and unwilling to accept suggestions from others. Be it positive or negative, suggestions by others are often not accepted. They also look for shortcomings in one another. Instead of helping fellow practitioners kindly, they blame each other. This incorrect state has lasted quite a long time and has created barriers among practitioners. It has also impacted Dafa projects, causing concern among some practitioners.
When I saw these problems existing among the practitioners, I looked inside my heart and found that they also exist in me. When I saw that some practitioners' words and actions weren't on the Fa, I wasn't able to be completely kind to them and help them, and instead, felt uncomfortable. I often thought, "How could a cultivator do this? Why doesn't he look inward?" Although I knew my state wasn't right and that I needed to treat fellow cultivators with compassion, when actually encountering a problem, I often lacked calmness in my heart. Sometimes I even felt frustrated. I also told myself that cultivation is about one's heart, and asked myself why I felt so frustrated when I saw others' shortcomings. I had tried to change this state for quite a while but hadn't been able to do so completely.
Today, after reading the booklet "A Compilation of Articles Related to Eliminating the Attachment of Jealousy," (a compilation of articles published on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2008/1/28/93737.html) I realized the source of my attachment was jealousy. Even when I saw it clearly, the feeling of frustration and those unkind thoughts were still there. Then, I sent forth a strong thought: I can't let this continue; this jealousy is not me, and these bad matters and thoughts must disintegrate right now. Immediately, I felt my heart opening up, and the feeling of frustration disappeared. Replacing it was understanding, tolerance, and kindness towards fellow practitioners. Tears welled up in my eyes. Words could not describe how I felt. Looking back, the shortcomings of fellow practitioners were so trivial and insignificant. When I shared with the fellow practitioners on the Fa principles, they also changed their attitude and became much calmer. They began looking inward, too. Again, I experienced the wonder of cultivating myself and looking inward.
My understanding is that when a fellow practitioner points out a problem of mine, I should look inward unconditionally. If I indeed have this problem, then I should eliminate it. If I don't have it, I should remain unmoved. Even if this practitioner's attitude is not good, I should still be calm and look inward, and should not feel resentful or resistant. Being concerned with how we are treated by fellow practitioners is also an attachment. If we can't find our attachments in time, eliminate them, and improve ourselves, the evil factors of the old forces will take advantage of the situation and strengthen these attachments, causing even more complications and interference to Dafa disciples' work of validating the Fa and saving sentient beings.
I remember a practitioner once said that our fellow practitioners are like mirrors. I think this makes a lot of sense. When we see that a fellow practitioner has a problem, we should not always focus on the attitude of this practitioner, nor should we only discuss the conflict in an isolated way. We should look inside our hearts and see if we also have the same problem. When we find and eliminate our own problems, perhaps the fellow practitioner's problem will also be naturally resolved. If every practitioner treats fellow practitioners as a mirror for looking inward, eliminating jealousy, competitiveness, or frustration, and kindly help others, I believe our environment will only become better.
Master said, "A wicked person is born of jealousy. Out of selfishness and anger he complains about unfairness towards himself. A benevolent person always has a heart of compassion. With no discontentment or hatred, he takes hardship as joy. An enlightened person has no attachments at all. He quietly observes the people of the world deluded by illusions." ("Realms," Essentials for Further Advancement) My understanding is that jealousy can manifest in many different ways. It is not only present when we feel that others are treated better and feel it is unfair. It is actually the source of all of our evil thoughts. If jealousy is not eliminated, we cannot even be called a "benevolent person," let alone an "enlightened person." I suggest that all fellow practitioners search within to find their own jealousy. This will help us improve quickly and do well the three things, so that Master can worry less about us.
