(Clearwisdom.net) During the process of my cultivation, I gradually came to understand different levels of Fa principles. During sharings with other practitioners, I offered much to the discussions, and practitioners around me thought I understood Fa principles well. Practitioners liked to share with me when they had questions. Upon looking inside, I found my attachment of feeling superior to other practitioners. Sometimes when practitioners shared how they understood certain Fa principles, I would think to myself how I had grasped the essence of their understandings long ago and wonder why they were just beginning to understand now. In so doing, I considered their cultivation not as good as mine. I thought that I understood the Fa principles better than they did. Then I began to only read articles on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website, and still later I would pick and choose selected articles to read that I thought were good. I became less modest than I was before. I started to comment on the practitioners' articles and felt I could write better ones than they. In the past, I was different. Back then I always looked at the good points in other practitioners' articles and immediately looked inside to consider which aspects I should improve on. But now when I see their good points, I feel very unbalanced.
I realized that my attitude was not right. One day a practitioner asked me to attend a sharing with other practitioners. I thought, "What was the point of sharing with them? They were not as good as me." But because of my pride, I went. There were five practitioners. A male practitioner shared his cultivation experience. As I listened I thought that I already knew this. Because other practitioners were listening intently, I had to listen, too, and I felt what the practitioner said was reasonable. Then I started to change my attitude. I thought that the point the practitioner mentioned was clearer than mine, although I had a better understanding in other aspects. When I had noticed that all the practitioners were listening attentively, I had pretended to listen attentively as well. Then I found that the practitioner's sharing was very good, and moreover I realized that he had exerted more effort than me to pass the tests for raising his xinxing level. Before, I always thought I had great tolerance and looked inward seriously. After hearing his sharing, I realized that I was very full of myself and that I was like a shortsighted person. I started to change my attitude. I discussed with other practitioners in an atmosphere of constructive criticism, and since then have found that I've made considerable progress.
Since then, I have participated in several experience sharings with practitioners that I felt were very fruitful. For example, one practitioner, who was very unremarkable, does not usually say much during these gatherings. She is a housewife with not much education. Before, I always thought she was too average in her cultivation, but later I heard she went to Beijing to appeal for the right to practice Falun Gong. She had very strong righteous thoughts in the police station. She clarified the truth about Falun Gong to the police, protested the persecution of Falun Gong, and was released immediately. Practitioners commented about her and said she had very strong righteous thoughts at the critical moment. When I heard this, I really felt ashamed of myself. Another practitioner had a very strong main consciousness and was not swayed by others no matter what. The good sides of practitioners are usually hidden, and I tended to focus on their negative qualities. That was why I looked at their attachments in the past. In fact, they have eliminated their many attachments, and I did not know how great their divine sides were. Teacher has also lectured on this. We cannot ascertain a practitioner's level from his or her surface appearance. We only can see if the practitioner cultivates diligently or not. However, I had been judging practitioners by focusing on their negative qualities, which led me to biased conclusions.
Later, during my contact with other practitioners, one practitioner's words made a deep impression on me. She said that no matter how good someone's understanding may be, there are always limits. We should share with more practitioners. She also said that every practitioner has his/her good side and those good sides are very difficult to achieve. I know this too well. For example, I know that some practitioners are very tolerant. They simply smile when beaten or sworn at. However, I am only reluctantly able to "not fight back when being punched or insulted." Some practitioners have a great ability to forbear. They insist in sending forth righteous thoughts every midnight and doing the exercises regularly. Some practitioners are doing very well to help people withdraw from the CCP. Some practitioners are doing the three things well and never show-off. Some practitioners live up to their duty well and let people see the beauty of Dafa. Compared to them, I am really nothing; in fact, I may be on the wrong path. Because of my attachment to superiority, demonic interference from my own mind resulted in my deviated thoughts. Luckily, Teacher woke me up.
After I understood this I felt my heart become broader and more peaceful.
This is my personal understanding. Please point out any discrepancies.
