(Clearwisdom.net) There is a saying among everyday people in China: "Complying with filial piety." Filial piety is defined as children being willing to listen to their parents, being obedient to their parents' wishes and not generating anger in their parents. Filial respect for parents and elders isn't just a formality, but rather respect stemming from one's heart.
Today, Falun Dafa practitioners also understand what it means to respect Teacher and the Fa. Some practitioners burn incense for Teacher first thing in the morning. Burning incense is one way of expressing respect and venerating Teacher. However, as practitioners, we must also understand that Teacher's most pressing requirement for us is to do the three things well. In the last stage of Fa rectification, we must study the Fa well and abundantly, and while cultivating ourselves, we must also continue to save more sentient beings. If practitioners truly wish to express their respect for Teacher and the Fa, they must pay attention to Teacher's words and act according to Teacher's requirements.
Respect for Teacher and the Fa comes from believing in Teacher and the Fa. And belief in Teacher and the Fa originates from our constant improvement on the path of cultivation, which enables us to gradually understand higher levels of the Fa and to truly experience Teacher's compassion, and the miracles and sacredness of Dafa.
Once a practitioner on the true path of cultivation understands the magnificence of Dafa, he or she will not waver his/her righteous belief in Teacher and the Fa under any circumstances. Such a practitioner will not relinquish the Fa even when their life is at stake. Once a practitioner develops such a strong righteous belief in Teacher and the Fa, he or she would then be able to be truly respectful to Teacher and the Fa. The most straight forward way to respect Teacher and the Fa is to follow Teacher's requirements one hundred percent--every action and all conduct must abide by the requirements of Dafa.
Over the years, there have been many practitioners who have burned incense and left offerings to show their respect for Teacher and the Fa. However, many have held on to the deviated ideals of everyday people--asking Teacher to protect them and their families and always thinking about what they could gain from Dafa, instead of doing well the three things that Teacher has required of practitioners. They study the Fa and practice the exercises at home, but rarely clarify the truth to save people. They are afraid of the evil's persecution and of bringing any trouble to their families, and so they cannot completely abide by Teacher's words and honor their missions as Fa-rectification Dafa disciples.
If a cultivator cannot follow Teacher's requirements, how can they speak of truly believing in Teacher and the Fa? If a cultivator cannot truly believe in Teacher and the Fa, then how can they truly and selflessly respect Teacher and the Fa? I believe that what Teacher is primarily concerned with is that we walk our paths well, so that we help Him with Fa rectification and save more sentient beings, complete our historical mission, and in the end achieve consummation.
Everything that Teacher has required of us is for our own sake, and not for the sake of Teacher. Teacher has given us so much without any precondition, so that we can accumulate mighty virtue- something that so many gods and deities could not even receive. He has never required any of us to perform any formal ritual to show respect for Teacher and the Fa. Instead, He only looks at our hearts to see how we carry out our tasks in accordance with the requirements of the Fa. For anyone who disregards Teacher's words, there will only be regret in the future.
In Shanxian City of Shandong Province, the story of Lu Dongbin saving people still spreads to this day. It's been said that one day a person recognized Lu Dongbin. This man knew that Lu Dongbin was an immortal, and wholeheartedly wanted to learn the Dao from him in order to also become an immortal. Lu Dongbin pointed to a pile of dog excrement and said to this person, "Just eat that." The man looked at the dog excrement in confusion and shook his head. Lu Dongbin saw that this person couldn't do what he had required, and therefore, could not learn the Dao and become an immortal. Lu Dongbin walked over, took the excrement and placed it in his own mouth. At that moment, the man suddenly realized that the pile of dog excrement was actually an immortal elixir. Immediately, he realized that he had missed his opportunity and knew that it was too late for regret.
Historically, has there ever been a master who deceives his students in an upright cultivation system? In a righteous cultivation system, the master's requirements are always designed to benefit his students. During this Fa-rectification period, Teacher has spread the truest Fa of the cosmos for the sake of the Fa rectification and salvation of sentient beings. Every single task that Teacher has required of us is by no means trivial. We have been given that which is the most brilliant of the cosmos.
Teacher has never adopted any sorts of illusions historically used in other cultivation systems to test students. Instead, He laid out the true principles right in front of us, so that we could understand them clearly and be able to follow them. It is our postnatal notions and attachments that create false ideas that prevent us from abiding by Teacher's requirements, and lead us to miss one opportunity for improvement after another.
During the New Year season, tens of millions of practitioners in mainland China devoutly burned incense to express their respect for Teacher. Of course, it is good that practitioners have the sincere wish to burn incense even though Teacher has never emphasized the need to do so. One should pay attention to having a righteous state of mind when doing this. There mustn't be any selfish or distracting thoughts. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to Teacher.
Regardless of the ways we choose to personally show our respect, what's most important is that all Dafa practitioners follow Teacher's requirements and take advantage of the New Year season to do more to validate the Fa and save sentient beings.
