Some Thoughts after a Practitioner's Passing

(Minghui.org) Practitioner Yun (a pseudonym) passed away. I feel sad and regretful every time I think of her voice and smile. She was cheerful, generous, and kind, a veteran practitioner, and had worked on many projects and was acquainted with many practitioners. Her passing was a shock to us all. However, nothing is accidental in cultivation. As Fa-rectification Dafa disciples, what have we learned from it?

I would like to share some of my thoughts.

Cultivation State Is the Key

After Yun passed away, some practitioners pointed to different external factors that might have contributed to her passing.

In my view, those things could have played a small part in Yun’s situation, but they weren’t the critical determining factors. Yun's cultivation state and our group’s overall cultivation state were more likely what contributed to her death.

Master likely had given her many opportunities to make breakthroughs in cultivation, but she probably had trouble relinquishing her attachments. We cannot just blame external factors for her passing.

Following the Guidance of the Fa, Not Other People

Yun was warmhearted and kind. Many practitioners wrote tributes to her excellent character, such as “a model practitioner,” “a true practitioner,” “a true person practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.” One practitioner said that Yun's passing might have been a result of her having completed her task in assisting Master Li in the Fa-rectification ahead of schedule. I personally disagree with such thinking that speculates on the reason for fellow practitioners' passing.

Master answered questions about the deaths of practitioners many times in his lectures. He mentioned different complicated situations, such as some failing the tests, some signing pacts with the old forces, and some being looked up to as a role model. As a result, the old forces took the lives of these model practitioners in order to test those who were looking up to them.

While we don’t know the true reason for Yun’s passing, it is true that some practitioners were too dependent on her. Such dependency may have done her harm.

Master said:

“But I have said that for cultivators, there are no role models. If you take someone as a model rather than trying to understand the Fa for yourself, it will bring trouble. The old forces may think that you are merely watching him cultivate instead of trying to gain an understanding of the Fa for yourself. Then it’s likely they will make that other person pass away.”

“That’s what the old forces have made of this issue. They use this evil approach to test others, to test people through this thing that happens. “What now? Here’s someone you think cultivated well. He died. Do you still believe?” There have been many instances of this. Many Dafa disciples have had this experience, and are now aware of the old forces’ tactics.” (“ Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference”)

No Minor Things in Cultivation

Some practitioners may wonder why Yun died prematurely, since she was very diligent. Master said that there are no minor things in cultivation. Yun may have been stuck in cultivation, but we didn't know about and were unable to communicate with her in time to help her remove her attachments. In a way, we were partially responsible for her passing.

Let us all remind each other from now on to “mind the details” in cultivation. If we see any attachments in other practitioners, we should point them out without worrying about hurting others' feelings or fearing confrontations. If we fail to help each other remove attachments, that will leave gaps in our cultivation and possibly lead to fatal consequences such as premature deaths.

Master clearly stated:

“Some of our practitioners are struggling with passing the tests of sickness karma. Don’t think that it’s necessarily something major [that causes that]. You might think that you haven’t done anything majorly wrong, and that you are very firm in your faith in the Fa. However, you shouldn’t treat the little issues you have like they are nothing. The evil will seize upon any gaps. Many practitioners have even passed away on account of little things; it really was due to something very minor. That’s because cultivation is something serious, and requires having no gaps. If for a long time you haven’t dealt with those things through cultivation, small as they may be, if you haven’t taken them seriously for a prolonged period of time, then it is a big issue. Many people have passed away on account of such things.” (Fa Teaching at the 2015 West Coast Fa Conference)

An Accepting Environment

Yun considered me one of the few practitioners that she could open up to and talk with about anything. She once said to me that she could tell me her bad thoughts without worrying about being laughed at or criticized. She knew I would understand and encourage her. I was very grateful for her trust, but this brings up the question of our group environment.

Among some Chinese practitioners, elements of Chinese Communist Party culture are still apparent, such as putting big labels on others and talking about others behind their backs, which prevents some practitioners or new practitioners from speaking freely.

One practitioner told another practitioner about a bad habit she had before she began to practice Dafa, but the other practitioner failed to cherish that trust and told other practitioners about it, commenting that even a non-practitioner would not have a habit that bad.

We all have bad thoughts to get rid of in our cultivation. That’s exactly what we do in cultivation. If we treat others so harshly, no one will dare to share or will only stay on the superficial level in their sharing.

Master said:

“It’s because in that Chinese society people’s faults or mistakes will be seized upon, you will be labeled, and be attacked. Outside of China there is nothing like that, and nor has there ever been in the history of mankind. Only in the evil CCP’s society is it like that. Outside of China, when two people who don’t even know each other are together, they’ll tell the other anything and everything about their families, all very openly and naturally.” ( Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference)

I initially didn't want to share my thoughts on Yun's passing, concerned that I might offend others or stir up unnecessary talk. Of course, this was all due to my selfishness. Yun often encouraged me to share my understandings with the group when I shared with her. She always thought of others and the whole body. Unfortunately, I didn't follow her suggestion most of the time. But today, I am writing my understanding down in remembrance of Yun and as a reminder to our group to improve as a whole body.