Diligently Cultivating and Holding Ourselves to High Standards

(Minghui.org) I went to sleep after sending forth righteous thoughts at midnight one night in late August.

In a dream, I saw myself preparing to do the sitting meditation. Just as I crossed my legs and was about to play the exercise music, a very clear thought entered my mind, as if through telepathy: “Your cultivation has come to an end. It’s over—this is where it stops.”

I paused and thought, “So should I still meditate?” Then another thought came: “Meditating any further is pointless now. It won’t transform your body anymore.”

I sat there in a daze, thinking: Is this how cultivation ends? Is that it, without any warning? I quickly recalled my recent cultivation process, wondering if I’d failed any tests or had any regrets. At that moment, my mind was very calm. As I quietly pondered, I felt both at peace and composed.

Then I woke up from the dream. I checked the time; it was 1:05 a.m.

Although my cultivation has been a bit bumpy lately and I haven’t been able to look inward at every moment, I still hold myself to strict standards for most of each day.

I know that I must remain in the Fa at all times, constantly remember that I am a cultivator, and always keep in mind that I am here for the salvation of others. I strive to eliminate all self-centered notions and behaviors, and discipline myself according to the Fa at all times.

This is my understanding of walking the path arranged by Master, which means completely rejecting the old forces and everything they have arranged. By rejecting the very existence of the old forces, they cease to have any hold over me.

Before going to sleep at night, I usually take a moment to reflect on the events of the day. I consider what I said and did—which actions were in accordance with the Fa and which were not—and identify any negative thoughts, notions, or hidden mental patterns that I wasn’t aware of at the time, so I can clear them away immediately.

We must promptly clear away the negative substances generated by our minds in daily life; they must not be allowed to accumulate. If they continue to accumulate, they will affect a cultivator’s righteous thoughts. If not cleared away in a timely manner, notions and harmful thoughts will form thought karma. These negative substances can then control us, for they are alive—watching us intently, waiting to exploit any gaps we leave open.

At this point, if our righteous thoughts are weak or we let our guard down further, we’ll easily be swayed by the accumulated negative notions and external interference. The words we speak and the actions we take will be no different from those of non-practitioners.

Then, when conflicts arise, it becomes very difficult to look inward—or even if we know we should, we’ll find all sorts of excuses, shirk responsibility, and hide from the truth. With too much interference, we’ll study the Fa less. Even if we do study, the results will be poor—we won’t be able to absorb it, or one’s mind will wander frequently—and it will be even harder to persist with the exercises.

We must pay close attention to every thought and notion that arises in our minds, filtering them promptly and evaluating them against the Fa. The sooner we eliminate anything unrighteous completely, the less we’ll be disturbed, so our righteous thoughts grow stronger.

We will live each day with rationality and wisdom. Doing the three things well is far more effective with strong righteous thoughts, immersed in the Fa. This is especially true for sending forth righteous thoughts. For a cultivator, righteous thoughts are paramount; without strong righteous thoughts, it is difficult to withstand various interference and the persecution imposed by the old forces.

While we completely negate the existence of the old forces, this must not be mere lip service—it requires genuine, concrete action. Maintaining and strengthening our righteous thoughts constitutes a total negation of the old forces’ existence. Without righteous thoughts, it is also difficult to achieve the ultimate goal of cultivation.

The following day, after that dream, I had this realization during meditation: “Time won’t wait for you.” Time rushes forward at breakneck speed—as if that is its mission—like a wild horse breaking free from its reins or a speeding train roaring past, toward the destination where it must come to a stop.

We must redouble our efforts to keep pace; we can no longer afford to waste time, for once it slips away, it is gone forever—never to return. We must strive all the harder and hold ourselves to stricter standards, ensuring we do not end up with any regrets or harboring lasting remorse.

Cultivation is a truly serious matter; the final moment could arrive at any time. Reflect deeply on one’s current state as if the day of Consummation were about to arrive, and ask: How is my cultivation progressing? How many human attachments remain? What level of diligence do I need to uphold?

This is my understanding at this stage. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.