(Minghui.org) Practitioners asked Master during the most recent experience sharing conference in Washington, D.C. how to deal with sickness karma. While reading Master's response, I thought of fellow practitioners in my area that could not pass sickness tests and blamed their home environment or society for it. Such notions made it more difficult for the practitioner to do the three things.
Master said,
“A notion, once formed, will control you for the duration of your life, influencing your thinking and even the full gamut of emotions, such as your happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy.” (“Buddha Nature” from Zhuan Falun (Volume II)
Master's teaching helped me realize that if the difficulties were illnesses or persecution, if we cannot improve on our cultivation path, the old forces would find ways to persecute us.
Master also said,
“the appearance stems from the mind.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference X)
Improving Cultivation State
Another practitioner and I share the same courtyard. She has practiced Falun Dafa for 20 years but has not been able to pass illness karma tests, always claiming that her parents had been diagnosed with this and that.
When she began to cultivate, as she had not achieved a solid foundation, she believed that her illnesses were genetic. That thought was still in her mind. She had a check-up, covered by her health insurance, as well as additional medical tests not covered by her insurance.
She could not let go the thought of illness and wondered when she would finally be in good health. Without changing her thoughts, she became depressed instead of realizing that this was an attachment she had to eliminate. Clearly, without following Fa, she could not improve her cultivation state.
A fellow practitioner and I tried to visit her at the beginning of March 2018. Her husband refused to let us see her unless we helped her take her medicines. A few days later, her husband took her to a hospital. We agreed that if a practitioner considers their symptoms everyday occurrences, they should be treated with everyday people’s methods.
In another instance, two of us went to see a practitioner dealing with sickness karma. We brought Dafa materials, including the “2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington, D.C.” Her family reacted in the same way as the practitioner's family above and wanted us to leave.
Both of the "ill" practitioners have cultivated for over 20 years but have not been able to get their families to understand Dafa. Thus, these people kept interfering with them.
I think that studying the Fa is the basis of cultivation and that believing in Master and the Fa is the root. This means that one cannot neglect Fa study, or they would not be able to let go of human notions.
Treating Family Well
A practitioner should display the demeanor of a practitioner at any time and any place.
When the husband first practitioner I mentioned had heart surgery, she refused to visit him, as she blamed him for interfering with her practicing Falun Dafa. This made her family believe that she cared only for Dafa.
Master said,
“... We should be good to others, not to mention our own families, in whatever setting we may be, and treat everyone with kindness. We should treat everyone equally well, parents and children included, of course, and think of others first at all times.” (Zhuan Falun)
If we do not treat our families well, we do not gain their support. If we cannot save our own families, how can we save others?
Although our families might misunderstand us given the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) propaganda, we should show them through our actions that Dafa practitioners are sincere, kind, of high morals. We should show our families how wonderful Falun Dafa is through our behavior.
Practitioners Create Their Environment
Master said,
“In every social class, in every setting in this world, in every form that living in this world takes, there are things that test the heart and mind.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington, D.C.”)
“You may know that when steel is smelted there is more that goes into the furnace than just iron ore: there is also charcoal. And without it, steel can’t be smelted.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington, D.C.”)
A good environment is created by us. Problems may appear to be interference, but the real reason is within ourselves. Some practitioners are always on guard. If anything happens, they think of how to hide but not how to face the problem. They dare not clarify the truth about the persecution. If we are not afraid of the police but instead try to clarify the truth to them and awaken their good sides, we are actually saving them.
It is the same with our families. We should do better at home, be kind to our families, care about them, and clarify the truth to them. If our families continue to interfere with us, it must be the time to eliminate our own attachments. If we can be righteous, the evil behind our families will disappear, and the environment will be good.
Master said,
“However wild the evil may be, it won’t dare to touch you if you have no faults.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the New York Fa Conference Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Dafa’s Spreading”)
Many practitioners know that they have attachments but are unable to eliminate them, making it impossible for their environment to change.
When we face difficulties, we should unconditionally look inward and rectify ourselves. This is real cultivation. Only by studying the Fa well can we rectify ourselves and save people.
Category: Improving Oneself
