My Understanding of Elation

(Minghui.org) When people are asked what they pursue and what is important in their lives, most times, their replies are about happiness in life.

What do people regard as happiness?

In ancient times, Wang Anshi (a famous thinker, administrator, writer, and reformer in the Northern Song Dynasty) received news on his wedding day that he was the champion of the most important examination. He wrote two Chinese characters for “happiness” side by side. That was where the Chinese character “Double Happiness” came from. That was what ancient people regarded as happiness.

But happiness also has consequences. In Chinese medicine, there is a saying: “too much elation hurts one's heart, too much anger damages one's liver.”

One scholar in the past tried many times to pass the examination so that he could become an official and have a prestigious life. After he finally passed the examination with much effort, he lost his sanity. The elation was too much for him to handle.

After a fierce battle in an ancient war, a general finally captured the head of the enemy. Because he was so happy, he could not stop laughing and died shortly after that.

A deeper reflection on happiness as a cultivator

After I studied the teachings of Dafa, I began to look at things from a cultivation standpoint. The happiness people pursue is to satisfy their desires and attachments, longing for delight.

The seven emotions people talk about are happiness, anger, worry, sorrow, fear, love, and hate. Most of the human emotions have painful consequences; only happiness can make one have moments of joy. It can temporarily shelter people from suffering. The human instinct to avoid pain and suffering makes one dedicate oneself in pursuing joy and pleasure. Happiness can easily generate elation, which in turn motivates one to pursue more pleasure.

When I settled down and examined my attachments, I noticed that many of them were influenced by subconsciously pursuing happiness, to satisfy my desire for fame, personal gain, and sentimentality. When I am not vigilant, I would unknowingly deviate from Dafa.

For example, with the attachment to fame and reputation, I would go out of my way to do good deeds to convince others with my compassion. I would curry favor with others so that they would like me. In order to impress upon others that I am capable and powerful, I would show off my wealth and give others a polished look.

Under the influence of pursuing happiness, I would get carried away and become overbearing and domineering, developing a sense of over confidence, narcissism, and complacency in my own cultivation state.

Master said,

“...whatever you do, you should consider others first, so as to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature” in Essentials for Further Advancement)

As a Dafa cultivator, one should cultivate toward selflessness. But the elation that comes from pursuing happiness is totally opposite: it constantly puts oneself before others; it is all about me, me, me. Isn't that deviating from the requirement of Dafa?

Attachments not only hinder cultivators, but can also be dangerous

In cultivation, the attachment to elation can inflict grave damage. I have personally experienced this. One time, I went to distribute Dafa materials with fellow practitioners at a residential place. We had covered the majority of the district except for one small area. To impress fellow practitioners and show them how to make things perfect, I disregarded safety. I went in the next day, even though there were several police cars around. I did not pay heed to Master's warning. Shortly after that, I was arrested and persecuted for many years.

Master warned us in Zhuan Falun:

“...you have to be careful that you don’t get too engrossed. Demons will probably manipulate that kind of attachment.”

Rationally validating the Fa and being influenced by elation while doing things may look the same on the surface, but the starting point and result may be totally different.

When one validates the Fa, one carries the power of Dafa, and one is able to eliminate evil and save people. When one validates oneself, one does not have the power that comes from compassion; one may not only fail to save others, but also bring persecution upon oneself.

Enlightening to Fa teachings is not enough. We still need to carry it out in cultivation. We already know that our lives are not for pursuing happiness; we are to assist Master in saving sentient beings.