Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts for Others, Not for Oneself

(Minghui.org) One day my sister called me to tell me our parents were fighting again. My dad is in his eighties. He does not practice Falun Dafa, but believes in the goodness of Dafa and often recites the auspicious phrases “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” 

My mother is a practitioner and nearly eighty years old. Usually, only one of them is home.

My father is very aggressive sometimes. He does things like kicking in the door in the middle of the night, keeping my mother awake all night, scolding and beating my mother while she is sleeping, and threatening her with a knife.

Once, my sister tried to stop them from fighting, but my father forced her to leave with a kitchen knife. Sometimes he threw shoes at my sister and brother to drive them out of the house and prevent them from stopping the fight. 

But when I arrived home, my dad acted as if nothing was wrong, which my sister found incredible. In fact, this is due to the kind thoughts I have for my father. 

In the eyes of our relatives, neighbors, and his children, my father’s actions were hateful. But I knew that he was pitiable, and he was being controlled.

Those evil things controlled his mind and body so that he didn’t have a moment of peace in his heart; tormenting him. In that state, he is the one that is actually suffering. 

Although his eyes were as wide as a cow’s and his vision was terrible, I felt his helplessness and powerlessness, and I did not resent or hate him. 

Because my thoughts were in line with Dafa, my dad changed instantly, and his countenance and tone became normal. Those things could no longer play out in my presence.

I went into my mother’s room. My mother looked helpless, telling me how my father had treated her. 

Then she realized that she should not talk to me about this. She was quiet for a while and said to me, “I know it was not him, but I endured his mistreatment without a word. Why did he still act like that?”

“I also sent forth righteous thoughts to eradicate the evil elements behind him. What else can I do?” 

My mother looked at me helplessly, waiting for me to give her ideas. To get out of the predicament as soon as possible, she had used all the “tricks” she knew, but none of them worked, and she was still suffering. 

I had printed many practitioners’ sharing articles in the past and hoped she would be inspired. Now I looked at her and didn’t know what to say.

Suddenly, I had an idea and asked my mother, smiling, “Mom, do you know why you are sending forth righteous thoughts?” My mother was a little confused and said, “Isn’t that what we all do? It’s to eradicate evil.” 

I said, “Yes. But what is the purpose of eradicating evil?” My mother didn’t answer. 

I said, “Mom, it’s for the salvation of all sentient beings. It’s for others, not for ourselves.”

“Let’s say if you send out more righteous thoughts and eradicate evil, then my father won’t beat you, he won’t scold you, this family tribulation will be gone, you will be free from suffering and live a good life.” 

“No, mom, eradicating evil is for the sake of others; it is for the good of others.”

I continued, “For example, you know my father didn’t do all this. Who did it?” 

My mom said, “It’s evil.” “Right,” I responded. “Those evil things manipulated him, and so of course we have to eradicate them.” 

“But the purpose of eradicating these evil things is to save my father from those evil beings manipulating him to do bad things, to persecute a Dafa disciple.”

My mother understood a little bit, and I moved on, “Didn’t you also tell me that as soon as my father finished beating you, he suffered from a bad health condition?” 

My mother agreed and gave me a few examples. I added, “Aren’t those rotten spirits harming him? Then what should we do? You have to help him.” 

“He doesn’t have the power; he can’t beat those rotten ghosts, but you can; you have the power.”

I went on to say, “Didn’t Master give us the power? Mom, who is the victim? My father is the victim! You must protect him. How can you let evil persecute him so?”

My mom said, “Well, he agrees that Dafa is good, and he often recites ‘Dafa is good.'”

I said, “Yes, Master will take care of him. Those evil demons and rotten spirits have no reason to harm him, manipulate him, and use him to commit crimes against Dafa disciples?” 

“So, don’t treat yourself as a victim. You can eradicate evil with your strong righteous thoughts.”

“Also, think about it, you are surrounded by a boundless aura. How can you still be afraid of a human being?”

“Isn’t my father a human being? How can he persecute you? He is not a fierce being, but rather, you have to protect him from all those messy things that persecute him.”

I looked at my mom’s eyes and said, “Mom, you know what? When you stand based on helping others, that is in line with the principles of the new universe. The nature of beings in the new universe is selflessness and altruism.”

Master said,

“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)

I encouraged her and said, “Master will back you up. If anyone dares to do it again, Master will not let it happen because you conform to the Fa.”

After repeated exchanges, my mother understood, and her righteous thoughts arose. She was no longer isolated and helpless; her whole persona changed. 

I often received blessings and wisdom from Master when untying the knots in my mother’s heart. Through this exchange with her, I realized that letting bad people receive retribution is the same as saving all beings, and shows great kindness and compassion. 

It is a wake-up call for those bad people that makes them stop doing evil and prevents them from facing a more tragic end for committing excessive evil. At the same time, it cautions all beings to take warning and stop doing bad things.

Clearing one’s own dimensional field also saves sentient beings. Our human notions and attachments, and all the corrupt things developed during various human lives are not in line with the Fa. 

Their very existence interferes with the salvation of sentient beings. I often hear fellow practitioners suggest that we send forth righteous thoughts to prevent a fellow practitioner from being harassed by police or to avoid persecution in one area.

Master said,

“Dafa disciples are suffering,But who is ruined are sentient beings.”(“Every Lifetime Was For This Life,” Hong Yin III)

We send forth righteous thoughts to prevent people from being used, committing crimes against Dafa disciples, and thus ruining their own future. We are standing on the basis of saving sentient beings and being responsible to them. 

Therefore the effect of sending forth righteous must be good. I want to take this opportunity to share a small story that may be helpful to fellow practitioners who have been stuck in family tribulations for a long time. 

I remember once my parents were fighting. I saw my mother's sad face, and I didn’t know what to say. I suddenly thought to ask her, “Mom, what is my father’s good point?” For a while, my mother racked her brain, and did not say anything, but smiled. 

I also smiled and asked, “There is not one good point at all?” My mother said, “Yes.”

I immediately said, “My dad knows that Dafa is good, and believes in it, and always recites it. That’s his greatest merit. Wealth and high positions are useless. If they disagree with Dafa, they don’t have a future. So he is a good person, yet he is useless in your eyes.” 

My mother smiled in embarrassment. That time, my mother saw her unkindness, how she looked down on people and found many other attachments. 

Most importantly she discovered her righteous thoughts. She expressed her intention to cultivate herself well, treat my father with kindness, and be considerate of him. 

She found her way out. Afterward, I felt amazing. 

If Master did not enlighten me, I would not know what to say at that time. I want to express my deep gratitude to Master for the wisdom he gave me.