(Clearwisdom.net)
Teacher said,
"That can only reduce a lot of the losses, because your gaps would be taken advantage of due to the fact that you yourselves still do have undetectable elements, and the old forces insist on forcing in what they want to do." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
Lately, when fellow practitioners were sharing on the Fa, we detected a subconscious misunderstanding (or human notion) - "Diligent cultivation without persecution."
Some fellow practitioners said, "A few years back, it was like we were being chased by dogs, so we had to run fast, otherwise we wouldn't be able to avoid getting bitten." After 2004, although the atmosphere loosened up, the thought of "diligent cultivation without persecution" was transformed into a subconsciously hidden idea in our heads. The old forces have seized our hidden idea of "persecution" to continuously take advantage of this loophole, which is one of the main reasons for the persecution lasting all these years.
There are many notions showing in our subconscious that are recognized by the old forces:
1. One fellow practitioner said, "It's dangerous to work in a truth-clarifying materials production site." Making truth-clarification materials is what Teacher wants--it is for saving sentient beings. Although the evil forces focus on destroying materials production sites, Teacher's Fashen and righteous gods focus on protecting them. As long as what we do is required within the Fa, it is most secure. Why do we think that the old forces and their persecution are so important?
2. When fellow practitioners were persecuted, our first thoughts were not to completely negate the old forces' persecution to save them, but rather to wonder if they had done anything wrong and if they had any loopholes--this is a typical acknowledgment of the old forces.
3. On the issue of security, the old forces are really looking everywhere for our loopholes. So, as long as we do well based on the Fa, and unconditionally assimilate to Dafa, there's no possibility that the old forces could take advantage of anything. As long as we really cultivate within the Fa, and not circle around the old forces, nor around the issue of self-protection, we will be perfectly safe.
4. When a fellow practitioner was persecuted, some fellow practitioners thought that as long as we could collectively raise our levels, the persecuted fellow practitioner would be released. It was just the same as recognizing the old forces. Dafa practitioners' insufficiencies and problems will certainly be corrected by the Fa without the old forces' insisting on the so-called "test."
5. The confiscation of our computers, printers, videos, and truth-clarification materials (also known as "Fa-qi" or "weapons-equipment" used for validating the Fa) as criminal evidence is misunderstood--this is also a kind of acknowledgment of the old forces. These "Fa-qi" are personal and legal property bought with money saved from the very simple daily lives of Dafa practitioners, and used for the purpose of saving the world's people and sentient beings. This is a supremely compassionate action--a sacred service. How could they be regarded as "criminal evidence?"
6. When some fellow practitioners were persecuted, we did not immediately expose the evil persecution, saying instead that exposing the evil was like acknowledging the old forces. In fact, if you don't expose what the evil forces have already done, then you're acknowledging them, albeit silently. Immediately exposing the evil actually negates them.
7. When some fellow practitioners were distributing truth-clarification materials or talking to people in person, they were afraid of being seen or being reported by others. This state of mind is also a recognition of the old forces and its persecution--the cause of this state of mind originates from selfishness and self-protection. As long as we have pure hearts and compassionate minds for saving sentient beings, Teacher will safeguard us, and no one will be able to touch us.
8. Even now, there are still a small number of fellow practitioners who don't have the courage to store the "Minghui Weekly," truth-clarifying materials, VCDs, and other media. The reason is that they're afraid of persecution, recognizing the old forces, and concerned with self-protection. I won't go into detail.
Teacher said,
"A Dafa disciple completely opposes everything arranged by the evil old forces." ("Dafa is Indestructible" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Why does Teacher want us to completely oppose everything arranged by the old forces? My understanding is that there are at least three reasons:
When beings at very high levels saw that the old universe would be moving towards disintegration through the principles of the old universe - "formation-stasis-degeneration-destruction," then for self-protection, twenty per cent of them were arranged through different levels, from top to bottom, to take part in the Fa-rectification. The lives of the old universe were trying to rectify the laws of the old universe--it was just like the old clothes being washed, only to remain the same old clothes. Teacher does not approve of what they're doing, because Teacher, from the realm outside of the universe, started doing Fa-rectification based on "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," the highest characteristics of the universe. The new universe after Fa-rectification has nothing to do with the old universe. The new universe's lives, substances, elements, standards, and principles are all brand new--their levels are far above the old universe. At the same time, whether or not the old forces exist, Teacher's Fa-rectification will undoubtedly succeed, whereas the old forces' taking part in the Fa-rectification has created interference and destruction, the real demonic obstruction. Therefore, we must not recognize the old forces and their arrangements.
For saving sentient beings, the old forces intended to pay the ultimate price, including their own destruction in order to poison countless sentient beings, whereas Teacher's Fa-rectification goal is to save as many sentient beings as possible. For this reason, we absolutely cannot accept the old forces and their arrangements.
As far as Dafa cultivation is concerned, the old forces consider personal cultivation as the most important thing, so under the guise of testing Dafa practitioners, they have been interfering, persecuting, and trying to destroy Dafa practitioners with attachments. In so doing, they have not only destroyed some Dafa practitioners, but have seriously interfered with Teacher's Fa-rectification, Dafa practitioners' validating the Fa, and saving sentient beings. Therefore, Teacher does not acknowledge the old forces, and Dafa practitioners must do the same.
As I stated above, the so-called "rectifying the laws" arranged by the old forces is outright interference with Teacher's Fa-rectification, Dafa practitioners validating the Fa, and saving sentient beings. Therefore, we must completely negate the old forces' arrangements.
Teacher said,
"Of course, we don't acknowledge any of the things that the old forces arranged--I as your master don't acknowledge them, and Dafa disciples of course don't acknowledge them either. (Applause) But after all, they did do what they wanted to do, so there's all the more reason for Dafa disciples to do even better and cultivate themselves well in the course of saving all beings." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference")
"For a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, personal liberation is not the goal of cultivation: when you came, saving sentient beings was your great aspiration, and that is the responsibility and mission history has bestowed upon you in Fa-rectification. Thus great numbers of beings are to be saved by you." ("Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People")
"Only when you, the Dafa disciples, don't conduct yourselves well do they dare to do things. That's when they have an excuse to target you. Under normal circumstances they don't dare to do such things." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
When Dafa practitioners don't do well, it is because they still have human thoughts, ideas, desires, attachments, fear and selfishness, and they don't assimilate to Dafa. They are actually acknowledging the old forces. So, the old forces will insist on interference and persecution. In the midst of evil interference and persecution, we are required to unconditionally assimilate to Dafa, and in the end the old forces will be disintegrated with our mighty righteous thoughts.
Teacher said,
"Because forced persecution that's not acknowledged is a crime, and the cosmos's old laws don't allow it either--irrational persecution absolutely is not allowed, and the old forces don't dare to do it if that is the situation. So you should do things as righteously as you can." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
Therefore, when we send forth very strong righteous thoughts for not acknowledging the old forces, the old forces don't dare to persecute us, because if they do, they violate not only the new cosmos's laws, but the laws of the old cosmos that also don't allow it.
Let's take another perspective. Teacher said:
"In fact, let me tell everyone that matter and mind are one thing." ("Why Doesn't Your Gong Increase with Your Practice?" from Zhuan Falun)
In that case, when we send forth strong righteous thoughts to disintegrate the old forces, a large field of substances will be formed in another dimension, that field will definitely make a difference.
Teacher said,
"Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master." (Zhuan Falun)
When Teacher envisions the disintegration of the old forces, our problems will be solved, whereas when the old forces see that they're not wanted they won't dare to persecute us. Therefore, it's very important to negate the old forces, and all the elements in the cosmos are also restricting them.
The process of disintegrating the old forces is the process of Dafa disciples' validating the Fa and saving sentient beings, and of course it's also the process of Dafa disciples doing righteous cultivation, accumulating mighty virtue, and going towards consummation during the period of Fa-rectification. We should really value this time, and do well during this fleeting opportunity for which we have waited thousands of years.
The aforementioned is the understanding of fellow practitioners after group sharing, along with my own perception of the Fa at my current level. Please, fellow practitioners, kindly correct my errors from the standpoint of the Fa.