(Minghui.org) A practitioner who was responsible for purchasing supplies for making truth-clarification materials and transporting and delivering them in our area suddenly passed away. My fellow practitioners and I are confused and saddened. Many think it happened because he had loopholes in his cultivation. I would like to share my thoughts from a different perspective.
First of all, I think we should support whichever fellow practitioner is the best fit for a project, and we shouldn't argue or compete for it. The key is to let the most qualified one do it, and not mix in our personal interests. When we think about it rationally and wish to benefit the entire body, are tolerant, and quietly make our contributions, it will best serve our greater mission of offering salvation to sentient beings.
Second, we have to pay attention to the safety of our fellow practitioners. When considering whether a fellow practitioner is best suited for a project, we need to consider their capabilities, wisdom, tolerance level and cultivation state. If he isn't the best person to take on this responsibility, we shouldn't force it. Otherwise it's being irresponsible to the project, the whole body, and that practitioner.
When I think about how we interacted with the deceased fellow practitioner, we did not coordinate with him with a sacred and responsible attitude. Whenever his cultivation state was poor, we should have pointed it out, lessened his duties, or allowed him to adjust himself by studying the Fa well. I deeply regret what we failed to do.
After he passed away, I looked inward and I identified my own selfishness, over-reliance on others, laziness, and putting things off on others to make my life easier. Knowing he had hard time saying “no”, I took advantage of him, and even asked him to help with things unrelated to Dafa. My selfishness harmed my fellow practitioner and our entire body of practitioners.
If we could go back in time, would we still treat our fellow practitioner the same way? If we wouldn't, doesn't it indicate that we need to look at ourselves for our own faults?
Master said,
“With such an enormous Fa here, the Fa will be with you when your thoughts are righteous, and this is the greatest assurance. But on the other hand, when your righteous thoughts are inadequate and not in line with the Fa, you will be cut off from the Fa’s power, and it will seem like you are alone and getting no help. Even if the things you are doing are Dafa things, you still have to conform to the Fa or else the Fa’s power will not be there.” (“Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference X)
Third, we should remember that we are only one individual in the body of Dafa practitioners. No matter what we have accomplished, it's not because we are capable, but because we have conformed to the Fa, and the power of the Fa was manifested through us. Doing more doesn't mean we're cultivating better, or that we're acquiring more mighty virtue. What's most important is whether our hearts are in line with the Fa. We have to examine ourselves all the time. It's dangerous if we deviate from the standards of the Fa.
Finally, we need to realize how serious cultivation is, be clear-minded about the relationship between individual practitioners and the group, and between small groups of practitioners and the entire body of practitioners. As a Dafa disciple in the whole body, we need to reach the realm of quietly making contributions without complaining or imposing conditions. Treating hardship as joy, helping others and the whole group are actually ways we help ourselves. Our whole body of practitioners is our true shared home!
I truly hope this tragedy won't happen again. I hope that all practitioners can complete our cultivation paths. Let's look for our own shortcomings, and improve ourselves based on the Fa!
The above is my limited understanding. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Category: Improving Oneself
