By Feilong, a Dafa practitioner from China

(Clearwisdom.net) Recently I have had a lot of interference when studying Zhuan Falun and, thus, the quality of the Fa study has been very poor. However, I was able to concentrate when I studied Teacher's new articles. An analysis of this issue led to a conclusion that, because I have read Zhuan Falun countless times, I knew what to expect when I started to read the beginning of the sentence. Therefore, I gradually lost concentration when studying Zhuan Falun. I had mixed up "understanding the words on the surface level" with "understanding the Fa." When I became absent-minded in Fa study, I could no longer see the inner meanings behind the Fa.

What caused me to become absent-minded when studying the Fa? I found the root cause was my lack of respect for Teacher and the Fa. It was also a reflection of my failure in understanding what the Fa is and how to study the Fa. I simply regarded Fa study with a human mentality. Teacher said,

"I've written into this book everything that I can give you and everything that can enable you to improve and to achieve transformation--all these are compressed into this work of Fa. Not only will your improvement be guided by its principles: Behind the Fa there is powerful inner meaning." ("Lecture at the Conference in Europe")

"In order to truly enable you to ascend through cultivation, I have utilized a method, which is, taking what I can give to you and what I can help you with, and compressing all of it into the book of Fa ¨C the only thing left is to see if you want to obtain it. Therefore I tell everyone that when you are unable to see me, you must take the Fa as the Master, take the Fa as the Master." ("Lecture at the Australia Fa Conference")

There are many things that reflected my lack of respect for the Fa in Fa study. For example: Sometimes I would unintentionally press my hand or wrist on the book; I would study the Fa on the chair, on my back, or on my side; when holding a copy of Zhuan Falun at hand, I lacked the same level of heartfelt respect toward Zhuan Falun as that towards a Buddha statue. I seldom dress up and sit up properly while studying the Fa, and I rarely study the Fa with genuine respect. All the aforementioned behaviors are signs of disrespect toward the Fa, and disrespecting the Fa is like disrespecting Teacher.

Teacher has opened for us the widest and the most convenient door in order to offer us salvation. He is saving us with his immense compassion and revealed to us the inner meaning behind the Fa. Now that we have come to the final stage of the Fa-rectification, we must set an even stricter standard for ourselves on respecting Teacher and Dafa. Dafa is solemn and dignified. Respecting Teacher and Dafa should be the basic standard for a Dafa practitioner; however, I failed to meet this requirement. The old forces' behind-the-scenes helpers had exploited upon my biggest omission and used all kinds of methods to give me a lot of interference, preventing me from concentrating on studying the Fa and exposing my attachments. This interference was manifested in many different ways. The old forces would even manipulate the depraved people to persecute me, such as abducting me to the forced brainwashing center. A practitioner will truly be serious danger if he disrespects Teacher or the Fa.

If we sit upright and concentrate when studying the Fa, as if we are most respectfully listening to Teacher giving us a Fa lecture in person, aren't we already displaying our sincere wish to assimilate the Fa? Teacher said,

"Sakyamuni said that one should chant the scriptures with a righteous mind and undivided attention in order to shake the paradise of his cultivation practice. Only then can a great enlightened person be invited. And only when one of the great enlightened person's fashen arrives on the Buddha statue can the goal of consecration be achieved." ("Consecration" in Lecture Five of Zhuan Falun)

If we study the Fa in such a respectful manner, who dares to interfere with our Fa study? This is the state of mind we should have for Fa study, and it's also an appropriate attitude that the Fa requires of us. Our action is the manifestation of our character.

When our forefathers sought the Fa, they would take a bath, change into fresh clothes, burn incense, empty their thoughts, and kowtow first. Some practitioners with open Celestial Eyes saw heavenly gods on their knees when listening to Teacher teaching the Fa. Influenced by the degenerate modern concepts, people no longer pay attention to etiquette. We have to let go of all these concepts and rectify our thoughts in our cultivation.

Respecting Teacher and the Fa is the manifestation of faith in Teacher and the Fa. The degree of our faith in Teacher and Dafa determines the degree of our respect toward Teacher and Dafa. If we could not do well in this respect, we must look inside ourselves. Please cherish the remaining time we have. (I do not mean cherishing time for the attachment of time, but cherishing the extremely rare opportunity that our Teacher has given us. Once the evils are completely eliminated, we would not have any opportunity to think about what other fundamental attachments we had that held ourselves and the sentient beings back.)

This concludes my personal understanding on respecting Teacher and Dafa. Please oblige me with your valuable comments.

Posting date: 12/15/2003
Original article date: 12/14/2003
Category: Practitioners' Insights
Translated on 12/7/2003
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/11/30/61521.html

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