Eliminating Ego

(Minghui.org) I was very proud of the skills I had and felt they made me stand out among ordinary people. After reading the Minghui Editorial, “Flattery and Demonic Interference from One’s Own Mind” and practitioners’ reflections on the article, I realized that my inflated opinion was paving the way for nurturing a self-indulgent heart and interference.

Right now, I don’t think I’ve cultivated very diligently. I always thought I was diligent and remarkable. In 2015, when I filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party who launched the persecution of Falun Dafa in 1999, five police officers came to my home to harass me. I sent righteous thoughts to resist the persecution and I clarified the truth to them. When they stopped I thought it was a result of my diligence, my persistence in sending righteous thoughts, and the strength of my righteous thoughts.

In retrospect, I realized I thought too highly of myself and completely forgot that Master protected me, as well as the power of Dafa, that helped me avoid being arrested. Without Master and the Fa, and without Master strengthening me, was there any difference between my diligence and ordinary people’s hard work? I couldn’t accomplish anything by myself without the abilities bestowed by Master.

I wanted to regain my original diligence so that my righteous thoughts would become stronger and the old forces would not be able to persecute me. The problem was that my starting point was based solely on what would benefit me the most. I realized my selfishness might be the primary hurdle that prevented me from staying diligent.

I understand now that nurturing a self-indulgent heart begins with thinking highly of oneself and not properly positioning one’s relationship to Dafa. It starts with appeasing one’s desire to show off. When one has such a mindset, it weakens their reverence for Master and Dafa—this is something we all need to pay attention to and avoid.

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 in studying, compare in cultivating.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)