(Clearwisdom.net) Generation after generation, human ideas insinuate themselves into people's notions and entangle themselves in their minds like climbing vines. They make us believe that these conventional ideas are the only law we ought to use to judge everything. This conventional understanding dominates us, interferes with us, and confuses us.
Many thoughts spring spontaneously into our consciousness, but we rarely think about what they are. In fact, many of these thoughts are human ideas, acquired notions, and karma remaining from our past lives. They are actually living, accumulated matter. Entertaining those ideas nurtures them and gives them energy, and they become more active and refreshed. Once we accept “common laws” for why things happen, they influence us. As a result, the incorrect belief shows up as “sickness karma” or we may fail a xinxing test. Only when one truly looks inward and judges the issue from a Fa perspective, can one can overcome the test well.
A single thought can show one to be a divine being or a human being. In particular, the first thought of a cultivator in any given situation is crucial. Upon encountering tribulation, if the first thought that comes to mind is that of a divine being, the interference may be gone in the twinkling of an eye. But if it is a thought of a human being, it will entangle you for long time, as you have admitted it and so given it a safe haven. Therefore, to cultivate each single thought is truly what we who study the Fa have to do. Similarly, to deal with thought karma, one needs to recognize it and reject it. Then it will become weaker as righteous thoughts get stronger and stronger.
To give some examples, let's talk about phenomena in daily life, like a having a headache or a stuffy nose. If you think of catching cold or of the cold weather, which conforms with everyday notions, you are at the level of ordinary people in this matter. As you validate these notions, you will be ruled by them endlessly, and even sending forth righteous thoughts won't help a bit. But you can right away call to mind that you must have done something improperly, which is now being used by the evil to interfere with you. Then you are a Dafa disciple, who won't admit or acknowledge such persecution, and you can assess the situation to find out where you fall short in cultivation.
Another example: In studying the Fa, we may think that this or that is the way to go or that these words of Master mean such and such. We have built up lots of rules, but at each level there are different laws. Thus, if we cling to an understanding of a certain level, we will not recognize the law at higher levels.
Because we are following the way of divine beings, we need to break through the notions of human beings and pay attention to them in order to get rid of them entirely. This is the process of striving forward.
These are only some understandings at my level. Please point out anything inappropriate.