Western Practitioner: Saving Sentient Beings Is Inherently Part of Cultivation

(Clearwisdom.net) The most important question one faces in life is “What is the purpose of my life?” If a person loses all sense of purpose, life can become unbearable. Yet, if a person has a strong sense of purpose, even difficult circumstances can be overcome with some ease.

For a Dafa disciple, the “sense of purpose” is most fundamental in driving us on. "When it’s difficult to endure, you can endure it. When it’s impossible to do, you can do it." (Zhuan Falun) All this relies on our inner drive. If we are determined, then it's just like this phrase—the impossible becomes possible. Yet without this strong drive, that cannot happen.

Then how can we get it? For different practitioners there are different factors. In some cases Shan (Compassion), faith in Dafa, faith in Master, and Dafa itself can propel practitioners forward. In some cases it's our own sense of “right” that pushes us on, or combinations of these factors.

Some people understand intellectually that Dafa is “the Fa,” that Truth-Compassion-Forbearance is the Fa of the universe. This compels them to cultivate. At some point we may come to a place on our path that makes us stop. We know what to do, rather, what we ought to do—that is very clear. Yet, because karma blocks us, our hearts are not there. We can force ourselves on, to a certain point. At which time we must stop and, again, cannot move further. Our drive is “used up.”

Truth-Compassion-Forbearance is the source of our lives. We cultivate the Fa directly according to Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, to the Fa. The Lord Buddha watches over us and protects us. And we ourselves are clear on what we must do. What is the problem? It's that our hearts aren't there. Our minds know the facts but our hearts aren't there. Why not?

If purpose is what enables humans to live, it is what enables practitioners to cultivate. What is our purpose? Why do we cultivate? Is it to save sentient beings? To save ourselves?

True Shan, without qing, is not human compassion. It isn't forced, it isn't “sympathy.” Every being gets what they should and the universe is fundamentally just. Saving sentient beings cannot come from emotion. Then what is there to push us when we are detached, caring not for losses or gains?

In my understanding, this is the question that proves our hearts, that is, if our hearts are human or divine. We cultivate simply to cultivate, for its own sake.

When a being has no qing, he is free of pursuits, free of human attachment. He's not moved when those close to him suffer, and he isn't moved by the state of the world. He may not even care if he lives or dies. What separates that state from apathy? It is that one cultivates. For an ordinary person, this state is the worst, it makes life unbearable. But for a cultivator, this “hardship” is joy. The principle is completely reversed, as is the way in which one's life is perceived. One has no attachments, yet one's life is joy. Not from human connections, from familial warmth or from earthly success, but simply because he's alive. To live, for a cultivator, is to cultivate. In true cultivation, all one does is give his heart to his cultivation.

Why do we cultivate? We cultivate just to cultivate. That is our purpose. I think that anything else, any other purpose, is, to one degree or another, human. As I understand it, Master is the Lord who created our lives. He has infinite wisdom which we receive through His Fa. How can there be some personal motive in fulfilling His wish? How can our individual selves have anything to offer to the Lord Buddha's Fa? Even the talents we have are themselves from the Fa. Even the virtues of ordinary people come from Dafa, while the karma a being has can be rectified by the Fa. Whether for ordinary people or practitioners, the choice is the same—the choice is Dafa. Once a being makes that choice, his life is redeemed. For ordinary people this is salvation. But how do cultivators look at it? We fear nothing, neither evil nor pain. Only if a practitioner remains at the level of ordinary people can not being saved become a fear. To cultivators who are about to become divine beings, that fear has no meaning.

The following words are from Master's lectures on the Fa:

“Question: When compassion (cibei) emerges out of our desire to save all sentient beings and extricate them from suffering, does that count as qing?

Teacher: The compassion you talk about in your current [cultivation] status in fact results from qing. Compassion is not qing! Ordinary people have qing. Only when you have ascended and no longer have qing can you truly understand what compassion is.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Guangzhou”)

“Question: Since Buddhas at higher levels see human beings as nothing, please tell us why Master has come to save us?

Teacher: The Fa of the cosmos created living environments at different levels for the beings at all of the many levels of the cosmos. It follows that there have to be lives in these living environments. Ordinary human beings are at the lowest level of the different levels created by this Fa for the entire cosmos. So from my standpoint, I need to take into consideration the entire Fa and the entire cosmos. Have I explained it clearly? (Applause) So from my standpoint, I view lives—lives of both the positive and negative sides—differently from you. It’s not something you can comprehend.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Switzerland”)

Perhaps at high levels, one cultivates just to cultivate: No motivation, just cultivation.

This isn't meant to be a cover for attachments. The meaning herein implies a state where one cultivates without pause at one's highest ability, with everything that one has, yet without mind-intent. If in this state a cultivator falls short, he pushes on automatically. The same is true when such a practitioner meets with an obstacle—he just pushes on, ceaselessly striving to meet the standard of the Fa.

Master writes:

“No Obstacles

Cultivation paths are different
Yet all are within Dafa
With no attachment to anything
The path underfoot is naturally clear”
(Hong Yin Volume II)

The state described here has an effect on truth clarification. When beings hear the truth they are saved—this is unconditional. It doesn't have anything to do with who they are or what kind of person they are so long as they can accept the truth. It doesn't matter why they accept it. A being saved is a being saved. Yet we have to save all the beings on this earth who can be saved and this can't be done individually. This is why Dafa practitioners have media. In ordinary society, to be financially solvent these media must be run well and make a profit. Therefore, with people having innumerable interests, these must be appealed to. On the surface it seems as though we have to learn about and partake in ordinary people's affairs, yet everything in society comes from the heavens. Then whatever we do, by default, the focal point is the Fa. Even the Fa at this human level is Fa. Even what appears to be ordinary work, even the three things, every action of ours comes from the Fa, because the Fa “encompasses everything and leaves out nothing.” (“Lunyu” in Zhuan Falun) Everything in society that cultivators are faced with comes from the Fa as part of cultivation. And the way we deal with it in turn must come from the Fa. To return to the beginning of this paper, it's not our brains that figure out how to do this. How to connect the Fa with our lives comes from our hearts, from our divine state.

When faced with attachments, we don't pursue a solution. The action we take, whether strong or relaxed, come from that state. It is steadfastness in the most fundamental sense.

This is my understanding at my level. Please point out anything inappropriate.