Eliminating Human Notions and Truly Cultivating Myself

(Minghui.org) I’ve been practicing Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) for 27 years, but it’s only been in the past 10 years that I truly came to understand what it means to genuinely cultivate myself. During this time, my cultivation state has undergone a fundamental change. I have learned to identify and let go of my fundamental attachments by looking inward. When faced with tribulations, I now measure myself against the Fa’s principles. Every step of my improvement and elevation has been guided by Master and Dafa.

My Husband Gives Me the Opportunity to Improve

From 1997 to 2014, I endured a long period of tribulation because my husband opposed my cultivation. I was constantly confronted with xinxing tests. Because I had not truly cultivated myself, those years were filled with hardship and exhaustion. Despite my diligently doing the three things, the family environment remained unchanged. Whenever I returned home, my husband would make things difficult for me. When he got angry, he would either start shouting or beat me. He even said I was a “walking corpse.”

I remember he once cursed me, saying, “Why did you come back? Why couldn’t you just get hit and killed by a car!” I didn’t react but, deep down, I felt very bitter and that I was being treated unfairly.

He continued to get upset whenever I did anything related to Dafa. And he seemed to ignore the fact that I was the one doing everything at home—the cooking, the laundry, taking care of my in-laws, and managing the family business. The workload was overwhelming. He never offered to help, just criticized me.

When I struggled to maintain my xinxing, I would sometimes tell him, “If I weren’t practicing Falun Gong, I would have divorced you long ago. I’ve had enough of this!” I always believed he was being totally unreasonable.

Then, in 2014, I finally asked him, “I take care of everything at home and do my practice in my spare time. Why are you still angry?”

He replied, “Yes, you do everything, but your heart is not in this family. You’re just like a housekeeper. Your heart belongs to Falun Gong. All you ever think about is your Falun Gong. Everything you do is just so others will say Falun Gong is good!”

I was stunned and wondered, “Could he be right?” I searched inward and realized I had developed the attachment of wanting others to acknowledge I was doing good things because of my practice. I indeed had the attachment of pursuit. I was doing these things because I wanted others to say that Dafa was good, not because I was being considerate of them. My behavior went against the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

I started to reflect and saw I was always trying to finish the housework quickly so I could make time to do the three things. In the evenings, I would return from our small shop and read Dafa books while he browsed on his phone. We barely communicated, and I never took the initiative to care for him. That’s also why he didn’t listen when I tried to clarify the truth to him.

I found a very strong attachment—the attachment to self. I also had resentment, competitiveness, and jealousy. I thought everyday people lived better lives than I did. For a long time, I always thought it was my husband’s fault and believed he was just being unreasonable. I thought that, since I was cultivating Dafa, he shouldn’t be interfering with me. Sometimes, I tried to use the Fa’s principles to evaluate things and thought maybe he was only helping me eliminate karma and improve my xinxing. But I never seriously looked within to see if my own attachments were causing his behavior.

When I shifted my mindset and began truly looking inward, I started to see many of my husband’s positive qualities. During the years when I was persecuted, he endured many hardships. He managed everything at home and also took care of our daughter. He always worked hard to support our family. Despite how he treated me, he never abandoned me. Why did I always feel the need to argue with him from an ordinary person’s perspective? I should have been grateful to him!

Once I truly understood this and changed my notions, I began to do more to care for him. I tried to manage everything well. When he occasionally got upset or lost his temper, I no longer argued with him. I just silently sent out a righteous thought to eliminate the evil factors behind him. Gradually, he stopped getting angry and began helping with the household chores. He shows true concern for me and has even started to smile. When fellow practitioners visit us, he greets them warmly and no longer drives them away

My husband now often praises me in front of relatives and friends. Although he still hasn’t agreed to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), he has changed a lot. I believe that, as my cultivation state improves, he’ll eventually be saved.

I’ve come to understand that my home environment is a direct reflection of my cultivation state. In the past, I treated things with human notions and often complained to fellow practitioners about my unpleasant environment. Only after rising above this mindset did I realize that my husband is here to help me improve my xinxing. Everything Master arranges is the best!

Cultivating Xinxing Amid Conflicts

Only after enduring over a decade of hardship did I come to understand what it means to truly recognize things based on the Fa. I no longer view conflicts from a human standpoint, judging who’s right or wrong. I unconditionally look inside and identify my attachments, such as competitiveness, jealousy, and resentment. These are the root causes of conflicts!

I came to understand that these bad notions are all substances in other dimensions. When I have the desire to eliminate them, Master will help me. I realized, on a deeper level, the meaning of what Master said, “One’s gong level is as high as one’s xinxing level.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

When one’s xinxing improves, the conflicts no longer exist. If a conflict arises, it must be because some human attachment has surfaced. But if one remains unmoved no matter what happens, there wouldn’t be any conflict.

I once observed two fellow practitioners in a conflict. I told them to “Look within.” One of the practitioners said I shouldn’t take sides. I immediately replied, “Don’t push your conflict onto me!” When I looked inside, I found I had a heart of not wanting to be criticized. I only wanted to hear good things. And if someone said something unpleasant, I would feel unhappy. Isn’t that a human attachment?

I no longer get attached to other practitioners’ perceived shortcomings; I choose to focus on their positive sides. In fact, being able to follow Master and make it to this day is truly remarkable for every practitioner. It’s an incredibly precious predestined relationship that allows us to grow together. I’d like to thank fellow practitioners for helping me realize my attachments. I believe it was Master using their words to enlighten me.

Helping People Quit the CCP

In the past, I always went out alone to distribute materials to clarify the truth. After Master published “A Wake-Up Call,” I felt the urgency of saving sentient beings. So I began cooperating with fellow practitioner Lan to clarify the truth to people face-to-face. Every day at 8 a.m., I ride my bike to her home, and we go out to together.

Lan has been clarifying the truth in public for over 10 years and is very experienced. She greets everyone warmly, calling them “Big Brother,” “Big Sister,” “Uncle,” “Granny,” as if they were members of her own family. This approach sets a friendly tone before the topic naturally shifts to quitting the CCP for personal safety.

We once noticed an elderly lady standing by the roadside. Lan quickly got off the bike and greeted her. We learned she was over 80 years old and was on her way to collect her pension. She hadn’t been outside in a while because she’d been ill. She was delighted to run into us and readily agreed to quit the CCP. She kept thanking Lan for giving her a Dafa amulet. Sometimes, it feels like the people we approach are just waiting for us to save them. It takes only a few kind words and they readily agree to withdraw from the CCP.

Another time, we encountered a man in his 70s. As soon as Lan greeted him, he said menacingly, “What do you want?” Lan smiled, “It’s a predestined relationship for us to meet here. You seem like someone blessed with good fortune. I’d like to tell you about quitting the CCP to ensure your safety. Did you ever join any Party organizations?” He shouted, “You’re Falun Gong! You people are still against the Party. Don’t talk to me about this!”

Lan calmly replied, “With so many natural and man-made disasters nowadays, our master asks us to help people like you to stay safe and avoid misfortune. We sincerely hope you remain healthy and protected. You seem like a kind person. May I ask your surname?”

Perhaps Lan’s kindness touched him. His attitude softened and he said, “My surname is Yang.” Afterwards, our truth clarification effort flowed naturally and, in the end, he agreed to quit the CCP.

Every morning, we dedicate about two hours to clarifying the truth. On some days, more than 30 people quit the CCP; even on quieter days, we still help over a dozen individuals. As long as we persist, there will always be people willing to withdraw. I have come to realize that being able to do the work of saving people is actually Master fulfilling this for us. Without his protection and strengthening, we couldn’t even safeguard our own lives, let alone others. Each day we have is granted by Master, at great personal sacrifice, solely for the sake of our offering salvation to people in these final moments before the Fa rectifies the human world.

I’ve been through many ups and downs on my cultivation path, and I’m deeply grateful for Master’s compassionate protection and enlightenment. I know I fall short compared to those practitioners who cultivate well, and I still have many attachments that I haven’t eliminated. From now on, I will hold myself to higher standards, be more diligent in cultivation, and fulfill my prehistoric vows.