(Clearwisdom.net) "Correcting others and being corrected" means that we point out the shortcomings of our fellow practitioners and that our fellow practitioners point out our shortcomings. The two actions are complementary and compatible with each other.
First, I would like to discuss pointing out the shortcomings of our fellow practitioners. Something I experienced altered many of my previous understandings. I know of a practitioner who was good with computers. He used to spend a lot of time fixing technical problems and teaching other practitioners. This resulted in him slacking in Fa-study and exercise practice. He came to our material site and we reminded him to study Fa more often. However, he did not realize the importance of it. Later, he was arrested while having a meal with another practitioner in a restaurant and illegally sentenced to a forced labor camp by the National Security Group.
I felt very guilty about this. I felt embarrassed to point out his shortcomings even though I could clearly see them. Whenever my computer had some problem, I kept bothering him and depended solely on him. This incident made me realize that as a body of practitioners, when I see the shortcomings of others, I should be responsible and kindly point them out to them. Even though the conditions may be embarrassing, but they will discover the benign intention and benefit from it in the future.
I realized that kindly pointing out fellow practitioners' shortcomings is an important part of our cultivation. While first doing so, we might still hold strong personal concepts and standards. Even with a kind facial expression and a peaceful voice, other people still may not accept our ideas. Sometimes we might feel strange that when our points really make sense and they are still not accepted. When this happens, we might feel unhappy about it and say to the other person, "I have already told you everything. Whatever happens, it's your choice." Although we think that our words make sense, we did not realize that our personal concepts are also added in. At this moment, we are not helping our fellow practitioners by not discussing in a frank manner about our shortcomings. We are pointing out other people's shortcomings with a teaching attitude and personal concepts such as showing-off, competitiveness, complaint, or proving ourselves, which irritate the human notions of the other people and make our word unacceptable. If we could realize them and gradually get rid of them, the attitude of our fellow practitioners would also change. In our cultivation process, Master often exposes our human notions by using conflicts with fellow practitioners or others. Thus we can realize our own attachments and work on getting rid them.
In the video, "Teaching the Fa to Australian Falun Dafa Practitioners," Master mercifully and peacefully taught us, whether it was easy for us to listen to or not. In this video and other lectures, Master taught us several times with his own behavior. The more we watch the video, the more we sense how Master demonstrates his own words about, "your tone of voice, your kindheartedness, and your reasoning can change a person's heart."
Then, if our shortcomings were pointed out by other practitioners, how should we face it? My opinion is that the intention of our fellow practitioners is good. As a particle in a whole body, we are responsible for protecting Falun Dafa and its image. Although sometimes the corrections are intertwined with personal concepts, we should still tolerate them and search inward. If some of our human notions surface such as a thought that one practitioner is cultivating better than the other, we should take the chance to look inward and find the root cause. Nothing happens without a reason. The key issue is for us to take the chance, really search inward, and elevate ourselves.
Master mentioned often in his lectures that he would use other people's mouths to point out our shortcomings. However, we often forget about this. Sometimes, I hear other practitioners say, "I know. You don't have to say it." I would like to remind those practitioners, "Fellow practitioners, when the truth emerges, you will feel sorry about your words."
The above is my personal opinion. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
