When My Printer Malfunctioned, It Was Really About Me

(Minghui.org) A few days ago, I went to turn on my printer to make truth-clarification materials. As usual, I used a hair dryer to warm it up. However, the printer failed to start, and the warning light flashed four times. When I linked it with the computer, I saw that the ink cartridge was not being recognized. I rebooted it several times and even reinstalled the ink cartridge.

During the process, I sent forth righteous thoughts to disintegrate all evil spirits and factors that interfered with the printer. When it still didn’t work. I got ready to take my computer somewhere else to use a different printer. But just as I was about to leave, a thought popped in my head: “Isn’t this looking outward?”

When I recently reread Master’s “Teachings at the Conference in Singapore,” one paragraph stood out to me. It said,

“Yet when we run into problems, we often look outwards—“Why are you treating me like that?”—and feel that we’ve been treated unfairly, instead of examining ourselves. That’s the greatest and most fatal obstacle for all living beings.”

When I studied this paragraph, I felt that Master was talking to me. He saw that I wanted to cultivate well, so he reminded me. Alas, I still couldn’t look inward when encountering problems. I calmed down and said to the printer, “Printer, thank you for letting me know that I’m wrong in this way. I did not do well and made you feel uncomfortable. I’m sorry!”

Then, what did I not do well? I remembered that, some time ago, I felt there were two practitioners who were not cooperating well, so I gave them fewer truth-clarification materials.

The next time I visited them, I learned the details found that something minor had indeed happened. When we studied the Fa together, I first shared my recent understanding of Master’s early Fa lectures, such as his teachings on enduring hardships and passing xinxing tests. I did not point out their problem specifically, so as not to make them feel I was doing better or that I was there to help them resolve conflicts. My intention was to avoid new conflicts.

The two practitioners are both in their 70s. To better understand the Fa and overcome their difficulties, we studied the Fa and shared with each other. I even gave some examples of times I’d failed to overcome my xinxing tests. When I went to see them another time, I saw that they were getting along well.

I was worried that their cultivation state would affect my own safety—that’s why I gave them fewer materials. My fear then affected the printer. The printer is also a sentient being, and it told me in its own way when I was in the wrong. Through this process, I realized I was selfish and did not fully believe in Master and the Fa. I definitely needed to improve.

The next day, I turned on the printer, and it worked just fine. There was no problem with the printer: I was the one with the problem! Thank you, Master, for reminding me to look inward and cultivate myself.