I Stopped Looking Outward in My Cultivation

(Minghui.org) As Falun Dafa practitioners, we all know that we aren’t able to improve ourselves without cultivate our hearts. But in our day to day cultivation, it’s easy for us to follow our human thinking and find fault in others when problems occur. This is a problem that I have been struggling with for years.

During the lockdown, I spent much time systematically studying the Fa, especially all the lectures Master has given other than Zhuan Falun. Through Fa study, I realized that it’s a serious matter if we don’t look within as a cultivator, and I began to pay special attention to cultivating myself in that regard.

I would sometimes begin to think about how I did certain things with fellow practitioners, and easily slip into the mindset that I was right and that was fellow practitioners who weren’t cooperating with me. As I kept thinking without realizing I had already gone off track, I would begin to find excuses for myself, sometimes even using the Fa to cover up my problem. It sometimes took me over ten minutes to realize that I was thinking about something I shouldn’t. Even when I reaffirmed my righteous thoughts and began to look within, I still couldn’t help but begin to point fingers at others when I lowered my guard.

Today, I read the following paragraph that Master taught us twelve years ago.

Master said,

“If there really are serious problems, however, you can always report it as normal. But, over the years, you have formed a habit whereby you always think poorly of some people, and you have had a hard time putting an end to that attachment since you have become accustomed to looking outward. I want to undo this state, and eliminate that substance for you. You can’t go on like that. The time for that has passed.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)

I felt ashamed that I didn’t study the Fa well. I think I only read this lecture twice when it was first published and I didn’t read it again for years. This in fact is a serious problem. I now understand that when Master gives a new lecture, he points out some common problems among practitioners. If I don’t study the new lectures well, I miss the places where Master wants to see us catching up.

I remember that when Master gave the lecture Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles in 2006, Master explained to us that the attachment of not accepting criticism corresponds to actual material existence in another dimension. When I understood that, it was easy for me to get over it.

Now with the same principles, the attachment of “looking outward” is also a habit that has its connection in the other dimensions. When Master removed the root for us in the other dimension, it remains for us to work on ourselves in the human level to completely eliminate this attachment. When I understand that, I no longer feel it’s a tough test impassable for me.

Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s understanding in their current cultivation state meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare with one another in study, in cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)