(Clearwisdom.net) Over the last two years, after studying the Fa, memorizing the Fa, or particularly after studying "Fa-Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners," what I have benefited from most is understanding the importance of looking inward whenever encountering a problem, and forming a habit of looking inward. I have learned to rectify the Fa with wisdom, keep myself in a state of cultivation, completely negate interference from the old forces, do the three things diligently, and urgently save sentient beings.
Cultivating Away the Attachment to the CCP's Collapse
I felt that the sooner the downfall of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the easier for the mainland Chinese to eliminate their fear. All Chinese know how brutal the CCP is as it persecutes its citizens. Under the enormous pressure, most dare not or are unwilling to learn the truth about Dafa, particularly those in the government and in the Party committee. When you give them the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party or Dafa truth-clarifying materials, they may immediately reply, "We received an order prohibiting us from reading these materials." I hoped for the downfall of the CCP in the near future, in order to have more sentient be be saved. When I discussed this issue with fellow practitioners, most also believed that when the CCP collapses, the greatest interference to saving sentient beings will be gone.
Master said,
"As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts." ("Teaching the Fa at 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.")
However, because of our human hearts and attachments, we created the opposite result. Over the last nine years, these lessons have been repeated over and over. We should truly be aware and awaken.
After studying the Fa and carefully looking inward, I realized that what we did was with a heart of pursuit, a heart of counting on others and counting on an external force to eliminate the CCP and end the persecution. Master said,
"Since you're Dafa disciples, you shouldn't put your hopes in so-called 'natural' changes, external changes, changes in the ordinary society, or in some favors that someone might do for us. You are Gods, and you are the future rulers of different cosmoses, so who would you count on? All the beings are counting on you!"
"You're cultivators, and all changes come from your cultivation and the Fa-rectification..." ("Teaching the Fa at 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.")
The sooner the collapse of the CCP and the end of the persecution, the better for saving sentient beings, but we can only count on Dafa practitioners to end the persecution. Our first and foremost task is saving sentient beings. Eliminating the CCP is not the most important thing.
I believe that maintaining mainland Dafa practitioners' cultivation environment and steady cultivation state is also rectifying the Fa. The sentient beings will able to see the wonderfulness of Dafa, eliminate their fear and be willing to learn the truth of Dafa.
Master said,
"Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy-this is establishing the mighty virtue of an Enlightened Being." ("Rationality" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Looking Inward is a Magic Tool Given to Us by Master
Master wants us to learn the Fa on the basis of the Fa and elevate to a rational understanding of the Fa. This is an important step for Dafa practitioners to elevate as a group.
From Master's two recent scriptures, all emphasis is on "looking inward." Why does Master keep advising us earnestly and kindly about "looking inward?" There has to be deep connotations.
I am not yet clear about how to understand the Fa on the basis of the Fa. However, I recently realized that if one is able to look inward when studying the Fa, then he can understand the connotations of the Fa. The purpose of studying the Fa is to improve and elevate in the Fa. When one truly learns to look inward, he is truly studying the Fa and will be able to learn the connotations of the Fa. Looking inward is cultivating oneself. Recalling my cultivation path after the persecution started on July 20, 1999, under Master's compassionate protection I did not suffer persecution, but I felt quite passive, as if looking inward in order not to be persecuted. I didn't actively eliminate the interference from the evil. I always waited until the loophole in my xinxing was too obvious and the projects to save sentient beings were interfered with. Then I began looking inward to see what kinds of attachments were still there. With Master's protection I wasn't persecuted, but the project was affected and had to stop. This caused great regret.
Through studying the Fa for a year and with Master's reminder, I finally realized that in order to negate the old forces and smoothly do the three things well, we must become accustomed to looking inward at all times and form a mechanism of looking inward. Summarizing the process, when I was able to look inward and quickly find the problems and my attachments, I knew that I was on the Fa. If I looked everywhere and couldn't find the problem, I might have deviated from the Fa, so I studied the Fa more and found out why I wasn't on the Fa. I started becoming accustomed to doing this, and now, whenever I encounter a problem, for the most part, I can understand it on the basis of the Fa. I am able to keep a Dafa practitioner's state of cultivation, use righteous thoughts to view the problem, actively eliminate interference and better save sentient beings.
Dafa cultivation is very serious. It not a simple issue of whether you cultivate well or not, it is a critical life and death issue for sentient beings. As Dafa practitioners, we must cultivate ourselves well, look inward, and truly cultivate ourselves. It is our responsibility and our sacred mission.
This is my understanding. Please kindly point out any shortcomings.
