Utilizing Every Tribulation to Improve Ourselves

By a Dafa practitioner from Mainland China

(Clearwisdom.net)

A fellow Dafa practitioner once said, "As long as I can do well for one day, I'll make an effort to do well for that one day. As long as I can do well for ten thousands years, I'll make an effort to do well for that ten thousands years." His "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance" touched my heart, and moved me to tears.

The thought of writing experience sharing articles on Clearwisdom had never crossed my mind. I always thought that my cultivation was not good and my understanding was not as profound as others. This time I am writing an article for Clearwisdom because I now realize that writing down one's experience and understanding is something Dafa disciples should do in the Fa-rectification period. We should not wait, nor should we rely on others. Fa-rectification disciples are one body, and my understanding and experience may be helpful to my fellow practitioners.

In the past, when I went out to distribute flyers, my mind was filled with fear. If I waited until my xinxing became a little more calm and stable before I went out, then things would go smoothly. When passing out flyers, my mind was not thinking about anything. Because I was not thinking about anything, I did not feel any fear. Fear did not exist for me. Once, when I was shopping at a wholesale market, I gave somebody a truth clarification flyer face to face. I did not feel any fear, and did pretty well.

However, when a practitioner in our area was followed recently, my attachment of fear was completely exposed. The thought of fear entered my mind whenever I was planning to go out to distribute flyers. I thought about Teacher's words, "The Fa can break all attachments." I decided to study the Fa! However, I failed to study anything no matter how hard I tried, as all I could think about was running into somebody when distributing flyers. My imagination and suspicions were all deviated substances needing to be eliminated. The more I thought about it, the more fearful I was. Lacking a righteous mentality, I failed to do a good and consistent job when I went out to distribute flyers. I even ran into an acquaintance of mine. After I got home, the feeling of fear surfaced again, so I sent forth righteous thoughts around the clock. I believe in the power of righteous thoughts and in Teacher. Therefore, I am now safe.

A fellow practitioner once published an article on Clearwisdom, stating that the Fa-rectification verses should not be used as protection if one has the attachment of fear. I think that what she said is not wrong, for that was what she had enlightened to at her level. However, I think Dafa is all encompassing, and I would like to talk a little about my understanding from a different angle. Fa-rectification verses are Fa granted to us by Teacher. Teacher said, "although this book appears to be black ink on white paper, behind every word there are infinite dimensions at different levels, and even Buddhas, Daos, and Gods of different dimensions manifest themselves behind the words." (from the Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Europe). Teacher said, "Before, when I discussed enlightening, I expounded on a heavenly secret that no one had mentioned: 'Cultivation depends on oneself, while gong depends on one's master.'" For thousands of years people have thought that it was the person who practiced cultivation and who elevated himself. Actually, you can't achieve anything in cultivation on your own. Nothing can be resolved if you don't have a master taking care of you. That is, real matters are resolved by your master--they're resolved by the factors behind the Fa. Your own enlightening only refers to your continuing cultivation after overcoming difficulties while practicing cultivation. This is what we refer to as your own enlightening. As for truly enlightening to something from the principles, if this Fa doesn't let you know it, you can't enlighten to it no matter how you try. So you have to meet one condition: "You must genuinely practice cultivation." ( from the Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Europe ) . Therefore, these Fa-rectification verses are Fa. Behind every word, there are infinite numbers of Buddhas, Daos, and Gods. Whenever each of us recites these verses, there exists a question of our faith--faith in the Fa, in the Teacher and in the power of righteous thoughts. Teacher said, "The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts." (from "Drive Out Interference ") Therefore I came to the understanding that when I myself have pure righteous thoughts, the reciting of Fa-rectification verses is capable of breaking all attachments. This is the first point I would like to make.

Secondly, the attachment of fear is also a substance in another dimension. Your reciting the verses is not only an issue of strengthening righteous thoughts and beliefs. It is also an issue of eradicating these deviated substances.

Thirdly, the attachment of fear is indeed not in accordance with the characteristic of the Dafa principles--Zhen, Shen and Ren--it is instead a manifestation of demonic nature. Teacher said in the Lecture in Sydney, "He could practice cultivation precisely because he is able to consolidate his Buddha nature in a maze." Therefore, I think our cultivation process is not only a process of giving up human attachments, but also a process of eliminating demonic nature and constantly enriching our own Buddha nature. Thus I have reached the understanding that the reciting of the Fa-rectification verses not only eradicates the evil--because it is indeed Fa and therefore omnipotent--but also eliminates our demonic nature and hence enriches our own Buddha nature.

This is what I have enlightened to at this time, when I encountered problems, overcame problems, sent forth righteous thoughts, as well as experienced the power of sending forth righteous thoughts. Therefore, every time a problem occurs, it is due to an unstable mentality, and one's demonic nature is exposed and can be eliminated. It is also Teacher's way of mercifully pointing out our attachments. That is why I think we should cherish every tribulation, because in each instance, there are many elements that we can use to improve ourselves. Teacher said, "although this environment is very evil--think about it, everyone--isn't it precious and hard to come by? It is truly precious and hard to come by. After this period there won't be any opportunities like this. You are able to come upon this kind of opportunity only because you are Dafa disciples. Nothing like this happened in ordinary cultivation or individual cultivation in the past." (from the "Teaching the Fa at the Washington D.C., International Fa Conference")

Of course, Dafa disciples completely oppose the old forces' arrangements. Anytime a problem occurs, we should send forth the righteous thoughts with the utmost confidence. It is only by sending forth complete righteous thoughts that we completely eliminate the evil. In The North America Lecture Tour, Teacher said, "When Dafa disciples send forth righteous thoughts to remove the evil's persecution of you, if the righteous thoughts are pure and upright, that is allowed. The old Fa principles have this kind of principle as well. This is the same principle as regarding cultivation with righteous thoughts and using righteous thoughts to save sentient beings."
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/5/3/29465.html

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