Learning to Look Within When Cooperation Is Lacking

(Minghui.org) I have been practicing Falun Dafa for 19 years. A particular cultivation experience taught me to look within and be tolerant of others.

I had a special interaction with a fellow practitioner on a project. Though it was not arranged, it always happened that after I came to the work site, she would arrive shortly after and then we would work as a pair for that day.

I had a very high requirement for myself, and applied the same standard to her. However, no matter how I asked her to improve her work quality, she seemed not to care about it. I ended up constantly cleaning up after her messes.

For example, instead of sanding the wooden block smoothly, she made dents on the block; then I had to fill the dents before painting it. She was also slow in the work and take twice as long as I expected.

I got angry in my heart. Every day I told myself that I needed to deliver good quality work, but she always failed me. “What kind of karmic relationship did we have in a previous life? Why does she always obstruct my efforts?”

When she came to work with me, I would say in my heart, “Why is it her again?”

I didn't get enlightened until one day, when another practitioner visited me.

“Wow, you are different,” She said.

“How am I different?”

“You have changed a lot. Your face is shiny. Remember how in the past, you were so angry about that practitioner every day, but she was just smiling?”

Actually, I was still angry with her, but Master probably wanted to point out my problem via that practitioner's mouth. I suddenly realized how high that practitioner'sxinxing was. Why didn't she get angry, but only I did?

Maybe Master arranged for her to help me improve xinxing. But I didn't get it. I focused on criticizing her instead of improving myself.

Master said,

“The human world is one of illusion. Nobody can see the reality of things while here in this illusory, secular setting. Human beings see the world two dimensionally, while divine beings view it multi-dimensionally and can see each of the world’s planes as a whole.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the New York Fa Conference Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Dafa’s Spreading”)

I had a strong attachment to doing things. I focused on using my standard to measure others. Not only was I not kind and hadn't developed compassion for others, but I also developed anger against her.

From this, I learned to look within when encountering anything, to truly become what Master asked us to be: “to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (Essentials for Further Advancement, “Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature”).

Thank you, Master, for giving me the opportunity to learn to look within.