(Clearwisdom.net) In recent years, some fellow practitioners have been going through many difficult situations combating illness karma tribulations. I would like to use this opportunity to share my own understanding on the issue of "karmic tribulations". Personally, I feel that in order to break through the karmic tribulations in cultivation, one needs to pay attention to certain issues.
1. Strengthening with Righteous Thoughts; Knowing Who's in Charge and Building Self- Confidence
As practitioners, it is very important where we position ourselves. We are not just ordinary cultivators; we are Fa-rectification period Dafa practitioners. As practitioners, the cultivation paths that we've walked were meant for us to cultivate, eliminate our attachments and to save sentient beings. Our cultivation path is for continuously raising our xinxing from the many trials and tribulations that we encounter. If we are not aware of this, then our subconsciousness will not be mentally prepared to overcome all the obstacles. When the hard times come, it is easy to unknowingly use the concept of an ordinary person to solve the problems. As cultivators, we are not pursuing ordinary things like comfort and material gain.
In order to become true cultivators, it is necessary for us to withstand hardships, cultivate diligently, eliminate our karmic tribulations and attitudes of "me-first" into a selfless enlightened being. Master taught us:
"Cultivation practice must take place through tribulations so as to test whether you can part with and care less about different kinds of human sentimentality and desires. If you are attached to these things, you will not succeed in cultivation." (from Zhuan Falun)
Therefore, as practitioners, we need to remind ourselves constantly that we are cultivating. We can break through and move forward only if we abandon all those attachments. We should use the opportunity of tribulations to cultivate and eliminate our attachments in order to upgrade our levels. In our cultivation process, we will be going through many ups and downs and tests before we can achieve our final goal of consummation.
There is a fellow practitioner in our area. Several years ago, for some unknown reason, his legs became swollen with blood stasis. Eventually, he lost the ability to walk, and his family forced him to be hospitalized. The doctor called for immediate surgery; otherwise it would develop into necrosis and he would become disabled. However, the surgery costs more than one hundred thousand yuan. Even a few thousand yuan was a problem, let alone a hundred thousand! His family was shocked. Where would the money come from? There was no alternative but to take him home. After returning from the hospital, his family agonized, but the fellow practitioner understood what was happening. He gained strength and confidence, determined to eliminate his karmic tribulation after fellow practitioners visited him. He said, "I am a Dafa practitioner. It was our benevolent Master who saved me from Hell by eliminating karma from my body and giving me the opportunity to become a practitioner. I am already practicing Dafa, there is nothing to worry about. There was this wise ancient saying: "If someone hears the Dao in the morning, he can die at dusk!" I've laid down all my worries and completely negated the old forces' arrangements. I will practice Dafa all the way, until I have reached consummation, and follow Master home." During a three-year period, he studied Teacher's Fa and lectures diligently, daily, and with his steadfast belief in Dafa and Teacher, the miracle happened: the swelling in his legs went away, and his legs slowly revived. Now fully recovered, he is happily participating in activities for saving sentient beings. This wonderful turn of events was a subject of discussion for many local people for a long time. Some of the people who had not believed in Dafa before now believe and some have even started to practice.
2. Constantly Look Inward, Cultivate Diligently and Maintain Righteous Thoughts in Order to Eliminate Karmic Tribulations
As a practitioner, it is inevitable that we will go through many tribulations and crucial trials on our cultivation journeys. However, any tribulations that emerge are not coincidences; they are carefully arranged by the old forces to take advantage of practitioners' attachments. The old forces imposed tribulations especially during the Fa-rectification period for practitioners, who have been entrusted with the important mission of saving sentient beings. 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." ("Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
So what can we do to break through each and every barrier in our cultivation paths according to Teacher's requirements for practitioners? Fellow practitioners summed up one resolution that was derived from our practice experience, and in accordance with the requirements of Master, to look inward and cultivate ourselves. Practitioners should continuously look within during all our daily activities, not just when we run into conflicts or tribulations. In this way, we will be able to maintain our righteous thoughts and actions, and not forget what our true missions are. Only then will our hearts not be driven by the everyday people's thinking. We will not forget what we should do and continuously improve ourselves.
Of course, you will not know in advance when hardships come, otherwise, it will not exist. It can only be a real test to practitioners when the conflicts suddenly appear. Because each practitioner's cultivation path, family conditions and working environments are different, the karma accumulated over a lifetime plays an important role in their karmic tribulations. The existence of the form and size of the tribulations also vary. The karma could be designated to improve our xinxing; it could be imposed by the old forces or to pay back the bad deeds we committed, etc. When facing tribulations, if we look outward instead of inward, we will not be able to maintain our righteous thoughts and actions. Then, the old forces will take advantage of our loopholes and complicate the tribulations. Why were some practitioners "transformed" and some compromised in the persecution? Why did some practitioners betray other fellow practitioners by giving the authorities the names of fellow practitioners, or addresses where the truth clarification material sites were? Why did some practitioners lose their righteous thoughts and actions when encountering some sickness karma tribulations? It is because they didn't look within, did not pay attention to their cultivation, or were unclear about the Fa principles. They mistook their karmic tribulation for disease, with their ordinary person's mentality. When they couldn't handle the tribulations, eventually they took medicine and injections, or were even hospitalized. The old forces tightly grasped the opportunity and intensified it with endless persecution. Some fellow practitioners endured long periods of illness due to the above consequences. Of course, there are a few cases with practitioners' incurring deeper karma, which will take a longer period for them to pay back the debts they owed. That is another matter.
Of course, there is a big difference in the Dharma-ending period cultivation compared with the individual's cultivation before the evil authorities directed the persecution toward practitioners. In cultivation paths, it's very important to look inward when encountering conflicts. Only then are we able to assimilate to the Fa and improve ourselves.
The above is just my personal opinion and I would like to use it as an experience sharing with fellow practitioners.
