(Minghui.org) The cultivation process for Dafa practitioners is a process of assimilating to the Fa and a process of finding our true selves. Assimilating to the Fa is also a process of each practitioner reaching righteous enlightenment and abandoning layers of false self.
All Dafa practitioners know the Fa principle of looking within that Master taught us. However, in cultivation, it is not easy to completely get to the point that we will look within every day. This is because many notions that were formed in the human world and exist in our minds are actually spirits in other dimensions. When a practitioner cultivates the Fa, he will eliminate the attachments and the spirits that do not conform to the Fa. The spirits do not want to be eliminated and will try every possible way to occupy and control the practitioner’s mind, which in turn prevents the main consciousness from unconditionally assimilating to Dafa. This could manifest in such a way that the spirits control the practitioner’s mind to look outward instead of inward, so the spirits can hide and extend their lives. In this case Dafa’s mighty power cannot manifest in the practitioner.
In contrast, once a practitioner looks within, the false self formed by the human notions will be exposed and then eliminated by Dafa. As a result, the main consciousness will unconditionally assimilate to Dafa, and divine power and compassion will manifest in the practitioner.
The only way for a practitioner to tell the true self from the false self while cultivating is to look within unconditionally, in all environments and circumstances. Looking outward maintains the false self while looking within removes the false self. Looking outward vs. looking inward can manifest differently each day in cultivation. When looking within, a practitioner will have compassion in his heart and no resentment, and will be grateful, often in tears, sincerely thanking Master for providing the opportunity to get rid of attachments and elevate oneself. While looking outward, the practitioner will feel wronged and resentful in his heart. The practitioner may also be tearful, but with tears of grievance instead.
A practitioner, therefore, shouldn't have any thought of looking outward during cultivation. It is a state of being that is produced by the false self. If we are always controlled by the false self, how can we assimilate to Dafa and become particles of Dafa? The only way to eliminate interference from the false self is to cultivate and look within unconditionally. Anything not conforming to the Fa within our dimensions is caused by the impurity of our dimensions, and is our responsibility. If we conform to the Fa and do well in everything we should do, we will have the state that Master described,
“The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and harmonizes everything.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)
Master taught us,
“I also want to tell you that your nature in the past was actually based on egotism and selfishness. From now on, whatever you do, you should consider others first, so as to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism. So from now on, whatever you do or whatever you say, you must consider others—or even future generations—along with Dafa’s eternal stability.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature”, Essentials for Further Advancement)
My understanding is that the beings in the old universe are selfish by nature and only think of changing others, not themselves. They cannot enter the new universe with this thought. We Dafa practitioners have the opportunity to cultivate ourselves, get rid of any selfish nature, and become lives in the new universe, which is only because we are bestowed the eternal opportunity by Master during Fa-rectification.
Fundamentally speaking, the old forces have persecuted Dafa for more than 20 years because some Dafa practitioners have not truly believed in Master and the Fa. Not cultivating and unconditionally looking within, as Master requires, has manifested in our cultivation. Our true nature did not come forth, and our belief in Dafa could not be as indestructible as diamond. Therefore the mighty power of Dafa could not manifest in us.
Often times we showed human notions and selfishness, which were taken advantage of by the old forces. We can certainly use righteous thoughts to deny the old forces’ persecution. However, using righteous thoughts to deny the persecution does not equate to getting rid of our attachments. We must also look within to find the cause of the persecution in order to fundamentally deny the persecution. Whether the old forces imprison us, torture our bodies, or try to drag us down in different environments is fundamentally caused by our human notions and by our not conforming to Dafa, since we did not look within for a long time during our cultivation.
Dafa practitioners should consciously dissolve the false self through cultivation, uncover our true self within the Fa, become truly selfless beings who always think of others first, and constantly look within and cultivate ourselves, with not a single thought of ourselves. This is the way in which the old forces will no longer exist.
At this last moment of Fa-rectification, we must truly cultivate ourselves and unconditionally look within to eliminate all remaining notions that do not conform to Dafa. This will lead us to the origin of compassion and the source of wisdom, and will allow us to become enlightened beings who are created by Dafa and exist eternally like diamonds.
The above is my personal understanding. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.