Letting Go of Human Notions

(Minghui.org) I used to be an ordained Buddhist, and with my third eye open, I was able to see Bodhisattvas when meditating. After I cooked meat for my son, I could no longer see a Bodhisattva, and my physical health began to deteriorate. I was very depressed, as I had been a vegetarian since age five and hoped to succeed in cultivation.

I had a vivid dream that night in which I was under a bridge. A young boy who was standing on the bridge waved, smiled, and told me that he would pull me up to the bridge. I wondered how such a young person would be strong enough to pull me onto the bridge? At that moment I woke up and thought that this dream was a good omen.

Starting Falun Dafa Cultivation

My son, a college instructor, and I took my grandson for a walk the day after the dream. I saw two elderly women meditating with both legs crossed in full lotus position. As I had to take care of my grandson, I walked away. I saw them again the next day. On the third day, I heard a voice associated with the exercise music and realized that it had to do with the Buddha School. Later that day, I told my son that I wanted to learn this cultivation practice. He was supportive and suggested that I leave our home a little early the following day, without my grandson.

The people were meditating when I went early the next day. I stood behind them and mimicked their movements. A practice site assistant welcomed me and said that she had a dream in which she was told that someone would join the practice that day. That day, June 2, 1996, is carved into my mind.

Master purified my body the next day. I had the symptoms of a fever the entire night but was well the next day. I watched the exercise video two months later and noticed that Master looked the same as the young boy on the bridge.

Letting Go of Human Notions

In a dream in March 2013, someone told me to jump out of human notions. In front of me was a horizontal bar more than a yard high, and I was supposed to jump over it. I gave it a try and was able to cross it.

Then I woke up, wondered what this dream meant, and experienced several xinxing tests on the days that followed. Most incidents happened between myself and other practitioners. I had not yet started to look within, but when encountering conflicts with other practitioners I did endure.

Master said,

“Forbearance is the key to improving one’s xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is the forbearance of a cultivator.” ('What is Forbearance (Ren)” in Essentials for Further Advancement)

Through Fa study, I made progress in endurance and patience. I considered enduring hardship a negative thing in the past, due to my human notions. I now understand that such feelings are part of human notions, including hardship, joy, tiredness, comfort, and discomfort. Only when I pay attention to such notions can I move forward without constraint.

It is not easy to achieve this since it requires me to do well in all regards, and maintain strong righteous thoughts. I had memorized Zhuan Falun in the past, and I now study Zhuan Falun by reading at least one lecture per day. In addition to sending forth righteous four times a day, I also added one from midnight until 2:00 a.m. After sleeping, I get up at 3:30 a.m. to do the exercises. Every morning I study the Fa and talk to people about Falun Dafa in the afternoon.

My video player once displayed a picture of an udumbara blossom and played some music. When doing the sitting meditation another time, I felt very comfortable and found myself floating in the air. Master is encouraging me.

Nothing in cultivation is accidental. We should make the best use of what we see and what happens to us, so we will improve.