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Study the Fa, Cultivate Our Hearts, and Do Dafa Work Well
By a Dafa practitioner in China
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, I read through Zhuan Falun again and
gained some new insights regarding how to do Dafa work well.
1. The Issue of Secrecy and Coordination
Dafa has taken the path of "The Great Dao is formless " as it
spreads in the human world; it spreads via word-of-mouth and by talking to
people heart to heart. When the evil thugs in this world who are controlled by
degenerate high-level beings began their rampant persecution against Dafa, Dafa
practitioners in China voluntarily took up the important, historic mission of
clarifying the truth and offering salvation to sentient beings. Some do so on
the Internet, some print [flyers], and some do work in various other
aspects. Those who have skills and knowledge teach the ones who don't. Those who
don't know how to do something actively learn the skills. All of us have taken
each step firmly, according our understanding of the Fa.
As everything is done on a voluntary basis, we don't have any organization or
structure, so someone may be distributing flyers today, but doing important work
on Dafa materials tomorrow. Therefore, when practitioners get together and
exchange their experiences, they might carelessly tell what they are currently
doing. As we cultivate and improve in Dafa, our practitioners are all pure and
compassionate when we are together, and we don't have to be on guard with each
other. Because Dafa cultivation is open and aboveboard, the realm between Dafa
practitioners is the only pure land left in the world. So, what do we have to
hide from each other? With this concept some feel that among ourselves, we can tell all
that we have done, things we know and people we have been in touch with. Another
element to consider, though, is that some practitioners don't fully understand
the evil forces that persecute Dafa. They either consciously or unconsciously
tell about their Dafa work to people they think are trustworthy, or those they
have good relationships with such as their families, friends or predestined
people who have just obtained the Fa. Some others talked about their Dafa work
as a part of truth-clarification to their parents and family members who have
not learned the whole truth. Actually, these actions, to a large extent, pose a
hidden danger to security regarding the Dafa work. Even ordinary people tend to
do things prudently and carefully. If Dafa practitioners are not careful, the
evil will take advantage of this situation.
Some practitioners are very careless about coordination and security. They
talk about specific Dafa work on the phone, showing no concern for security.
When they act so rashly, they go even further and tell the other person,
"you should give up your attachment," meaning, "you are a Dafa
practitioner and you are doing the most sacred work. Everything in humankind has
was created by this Fa, so what are you afraid of?" However, we should note
that for Dafa work that involves certain areas, it is not an issue of whether a
person is afraid or not, but rather whether we are being responsible for the Fa
and for other practitioners. This issue is very serious! Otherwise, what we do
unintentionally might help or aid the evil to intensify its persecution.
We should think about our words and actions at all times, and whether they
will involve others' safety--especially those fellow practitioners who produce
Dafa materials. We should consider if what we say or do will have a substantial
influence on the overall Dafa situation, or even part of it. As for secrecy and
coordination in Dafa work, our being truly responsible for fellow practitioners
and Dafa is not only an issue of doing well in cultivation of speech and
overcoming fear as individuals; rather, it is an issue of whether or not our
hearts are righteous. When we discuss Dafa work between ourselves, before we
decide whether or not we should say something and whom we should say that to, we
should look inside ourselves to see if we are doing so out of certain
attachments, and if we can truly say that, "Being responsible to everyone
is a duty we are able to assume" ("Whoever Practices Cultivation Will
Attain Gong," from Zhuan Falun).
Teacher said in Zhuan Falun,
"Some people just cannot let go of these things and are attached to them
as though they have some talents. Isn't this an attachment? Besides, even if you
really know the truth, as a practitioner you should maintain your xinxing
(heart nature, moral character) and not casually unveil a heavenly secret to
an everyday person. That is the principle."
Similarly, between practitioners, we should listen and do only things that we
are supposed to know about, and we shouldn't have the least attachment nor
should we probe into things that we are not supposed to know, because that will
not be good for either ourselves or anyone else. As for ourselves, we should
remove our attachments. How can we reach Consummation if we don't? As for other
people, if you probe and learn about something you shouldn't know, this process
itself might have some negative influence on other people. You might also
unintentionally affect some people who do not have a good understanding of the
Fa and reinforce their attachments in this regard.
By the way, all kinds of work for Dafa, no matter what, is Dafa work. All are
necessary components of the overall concern of "offering salvation to
people." Therefore, it is certainly wrong to claim that printing materials
is more important than verbally clarifying the truth. Teacher said in
"Teaching the Fa at the Great Lakes Fa Conference in North America," Guiding
Voyage,
"When this thing takes place, there have to be some persons who do this
and some who do that. Since it's a test aimed at the Fa, no matter where you are
or what you're doing, you are improving yourself in the midst of the things
you're supposed to do. There are reasons behind what everyone does. There's no
difference in terms of the realm of Consummation and the progress towards
Consummation--wherever you're supposed to reach Consummation, you're sure to go
there."
There is an issue, though, of certain Dafa work covering more widespread
areas than others and an issue of difference in aspects of influence on the
whole (or part) of Fa rectification. However, using the term
"important" is only expressing this concept with an ordinary person's
word. So whatever we do, we should think from the perspective of the entire Fa-
rectification, and look at the overall situation to see what Dafa needs us to do
and what we should be doing at the current stage. Also, we shouldn't decide what
to do based on personal notions. Some people might think, "I just like to
do this, I don't want to do that." Perhaps he is supposed to this in the
first place, but his starting point is wrong. When we insist on doing things in
a certain way, then there exists an issue of failing to coordinate between us,
which can bring about negative influences in a certain area. It is the same
whatever we do. The fundamental thing is to study the Fa and cultivate our
hearts.
2. The Issue of Security
Where can we find true safety? If we can stand firmly within the Fa, then we
are most safe.
Teacher said in Zhuan Falun, in section "What Has Teacher Given
to Practitioners,"
"However, as to doing it on such a large scale, an average person would
not dare. But we have told you here that I can do it, because I have numerous fashen
who possess my mighty divine powers. They can demonstrate great supernatural
powers--very mighty powers of the Fa. In addition, what we do today is not as
simple as what we see on the surface. I was not hotheaded when I came to public.
I can tell you that there are many great enlightened people watching this event.
This is the last time we will teach a righteous way in the Dharma-ending Period.
In doing so, we also do not allow it to go astray. If you truly follow the
righteous way in cultivation practice, nobody will dare to do something to you
at will. Besides, you have the protection of my fashen, and you will not be in
any danger."
Cultivation is not a skill of everyday people. Imitation is not cultivation.
When our xinxing is on the right level, what should happen will happen;
but if our xinxing is not high enough, nothing will happen, even if we
beg for it. In cultivation, we can learn from the experiences and lessons of
others, but there are no models.
A practitioner rented a house that has two doors with an iron door outside
and a wooden door inside. As the lock on the iron door was soldered on and he
couldn't change it, he felt it was not safe, so he put an advanced triple
security lock on the wood door. Later, he was betrayed. When interrogating him,
the evil thugs said to him, "Tell us about your house at such and such
place." Then they took him to the house and he had no recourse but to take
out the key and open the door.
Was it wrong for him to change the lock? I don't think it was wrong. With his
xinxing level, that was what he understood by "safety," so that
was what he could do. Because his xinxing capability was only at such a
level, his understanding of the state on a higher level was limited to his
understanding of the Fa principles on the surface. Fundamentally, he could not
accept or believe it. The key point of this problem lies in inadequate
understanding/enlightenment. It is time that our xinxing levels be
improved.
Teacher said in Zhuan Falun, in the section "Hospital Treatment
and Qigong Treatment,"
"Someone has said: Would we have cars and trains if we followed ancient
Chinese science? Would we have today's modernization? I would say that you
cannot understand another circumstance from the perspective of this environment.
There should be a revolution in your thinking."
I realized that, "safety" has a different meaning on different
cultivation levels. Similarly, [we] "cannot understand another
circumstance from the perspective of this environment."
Teacher said in "Falun Buddha Fa Lecture at the Conference in New
Zealand,"
"Don't we have to hold ourselves to higher standards during our
cultivation? If you argue, before I get there I can still use human notions to
evaluate myself and set requirements for myself, then you are forever a human.
You yourself won't know whether you've reached there or not. You should always
hold yourself to high standards."
As for our individual cultivation, we should require ourselves to follow
Teacher's words, improve xinxing and truly walk out of being human.
During practical Dafa work, because we face many practitioners, each one with a
different xinxing level, then in real Dafa work we can't ask everyone to
reach a certain state. We must use high standards for ourselves but not others.
We can't ignore the issue of security just because we can send righteous
thoughts and use supernormal capabilities. We have to think about fellow
practitioners' safety. In order for fellow practitioners to be safe and to
conscientiously safeguard the Fa, we cannot loosen our awareness of security.
This is not an issue of whether we are afraid; this is an issue of whether we
can be responsible for Dafa.
3. "Conflicts" Between Practitioners in Dafa Work
During the process of doing Dafa work, practitioners often have conflicts in xinxing,
and sometimes the conflicts can be quite significant.
Teacher said in Zhuan Falun, in section "The Issue of Eating
Meat," "Though all of you have studied the Fa for so long, we have not
required everyone to stop eating meat. Many qigong masters tell you to stop
eating meat as soon as you walk into their classes. You may think: 'I'm not yet
mentally prepared to stop eating meat all of a sudden.' The meal served at home
today may be roasted chicken or fried fish. Though they smell quite good, you
are not allowed to eat them. The same is true with religious cultivation
practices that force one not to eat meat. Conventional practices in the Buddha
School and some practices in the Tao School also say so and prohibit one from
eating meat. We are not asking you here to do so, but we are also concerned with
this issue."
The improvement of xinxing is a gradual process. Some people pass
their tests better in one area and others pass them better in other areas. Some
have done lots of Dafa work and knew what to do right from the beginning. Others
are new and they can do nothing well at the beginning. Then, we should have a
forgiving heart and not set our standards too high. We cannot prohibit people
from doing something just because they can't do it well yet. We should allow
others time to improve themselves. Neither can we use rigid standards on others
and make them feel that all their inclinations are wrong. If we set too high a
standard, the person will not understand right away, which can create
unnecessary conflicts. When problems emerge, we should emphasize the sharing of
thoughts from the standpoint of the Fa; most importantly, we must seriously look
inside ourselves and see if this situation was created by a deeply hidden
attachment that we are not yet aware of. On the surface, it may seem that it is
the other person who was not on the standpoint of the Fa or he didn't do well,
but more than likely there is also an element of our own cultivation and
improvement hidden within the problem.
However, we should not take the other extreme, either. Maybe someone just
isn't very capable in a certain area, or he may have a xinxing problem on
a particular issue, so he is not fit to do certain Dafa work. If this is the
case, we should not have an attachment to "giving him an opportunity."
If what we do is driven by attachments, then we are being irresponsible to the
Fa.
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