It's Cultivation, Not Work - Looking Inward
By a Taiwan Dafa disciple
(Clearwisdom.net) Many practitioners in Taiwan obtained the Fa after
April 25th of 1999. They joined Fa-rectification cultivation right after
they started to practice. Looking back on my cultivation journey, I have one
story of "looking inward" to share with everyone.
During an experience sharing gathering, an issue arose that caused
practitioners to argue fervidly. Many practitioners thought it was
practitioner A's own problem. Everyone except A agreed, and it seemed to us
that A needed to look inward. However, I sensed something wrong. In Zhuan
Falun, Teacher said,
"You do not even have to use your mind to do this. This field is one
of pure harmony, compassion, and right faith. Therefore, people are
unlikely to think of bad things or commit bad deeds. It can have this
effect. The other day I said that the Buddha-light illuminates
everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities. In other words, the energy
scattered from our bodies can rectify all abnormal conditions."
So I raised my question and concern to another practitioner. He also
thought it would be better for us practitioners to gather together and
discuss it. It was an issue of being one body. As one body, we need to look
inward, so as to improve as one body.
Pretty soon, we gathered everyone together. We studied the Fa, sent forth
righteous thoughts, and looked inward together. I spoke first, saying
practitioner A was like a mirror, which reflected my egoism and
inharmoniousness. Some practitioners said they found human mentalities
within themselves. Some found the attachments of fear, fame and
self-interest . Some found the attachment of jealousy hidden deeply in their
hearts. After looking inward, we felt that we found we all had attachments
and omissions. Then one practitioner said, "What if we invite practitioner A
to come here? We can then tell him how we looked inward." We then called A,
but couldn't reach him at any of his numbers. We then sat down and again
looked inward: "Is it possible that Teacher is using this to remind us that
we have not done well enough in looking inward?" Then I mentioned a deeply
hidden, subtler attachment I had, that is, jealousy. After further digging
out attachments, we once again called A, but were still unable to reach him.
I thought to myself: "Haven't we done enough in looking inward?"
Suddenly I remembered Teacher's word in Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa
Conference in Boston:
"with everything that happens, to conduct yourself in an open and
dignified manner, to be tolerant and broad-minded, to be able to
understand others, and to be able to consider all perspectives. Then, I
think you might be able to do a lot of things well."
Was it possible that we did not understand practitioner A? Then we sat
down again and began to think over that issue from A's angle. After sharing
our insights, we suddenly began to realize the difficulties and concerns
that A had. Everyone then became quiet. When we tried to reach A by phone
for the third time, we got through. After we said sincerely, "We are sorry,"
A joined us. Thereafter our practice group's projects also began to move
forward smoothly.
Through this, I realized that during our cultivation, there would be
tests even at the final stages. During those tests, we will be examined to
see whether we are determined in the Fa, if we can firmly believe in
Teacher, and if we can regard the Fa as teacher at all times.
The three phone calls arranged by Teacher made me realize that the first
time maybe we only looked inward superficially. The second time, we indeed
found the root of the attachments, but we were still on the basis of selfish
and individual improvement. The third time, we were truly able to understand
others. This is just like what Teacher said in Teaching the Fa at the
2002 Fa Conference in Boston: "You probably remember something I've said
to you often: a Dafa disciple should consider others first in everything he
does. Whenever something happens or whenever a situation comes about, even
if it's a minor thing, my first thought is of others, for it's already
become natural for me--I just think of others first. If all of you can do
this, there won't be any of that stubborn arguing in your validating the Fa;
if you really have a solid foundation like this and are able to calm
yourselves, consider others, and examine yourselves when anything happens, I
think you'll be able to handle a lot of things well."
If we can all find our attachments during Dafa work and get rid of them
to reach the standard for a practitioner, if we are able to understand
others and consider others during any Dafa work, if we are able to clarify
the truth, send forth righteous thoughts and save sentient beings with
compassion, I think that is what Teacher would like to see.
Chinese version available at
http://www.minghui.cc/mh/articles/2003/1/4/42167.html
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