Rectify Ourselves Before We Rectify Others

By Shan Guo

1/30/2003

(Clearwisdom.net)

As all Dafa practitioners know, this time around the Fa rectification will rectify all that has deviated, and eradicate all that has degenerated. Although we have the magnificent mission of assisting Teacher to rectify the Fa, we are also being rectified ourselves.

Thus, throughout the course of cultivation we must earnestly apply the standards of Dafa to set right ourselves, and save sentient beings at the same time. Only when our thoughts and actions conform to the fundamental requirements of the Fa rectification, can we truly be able to rectify ourselves and save sentient beings. Therefore, how pure and righteous we are in the Fa rectification has direct bearing on the outcome of the Fa rectification.

In this final phase of the Fa rectification, how can Dafa practitioners attain further breakthroughs and better achievements? The answer is that we must rectify ourselves before we rectify others.

Most recently while trying to do well in the three tasks required of us by Teacher and maintain righteous thoughts in every thing I do, I realized that a deeper understanding of and assimilation to the Fa are the sole and fundamental guarantees that can assure us to do a good job in Fa rectification. Our understandings during the past had many limitations. If we cannot continue to improve ourselves, then it will be very difficult to take care of other sentient beings with benevolence.

If we mix our Fa rectification effort with any adulterated thoughts, then it will manifest itself sooner or later in our efforts as a wall that we cannot scale. If we try to find excuses to cover up our shortcomings, treat our warped notions as the staging ground to maintain our own fame, sentimentality and interest, whatever our excuse may be, then how can people under the influence of our energy field be willing to forsake darkness and come to the light?

While I am writing this article, I recall an example of how Dafa practitioners help each other. A veteran Dafa practitioner encountered severe tribulations. What manifested as issues related to Xinxing (mind nature) and the limited understanding of the Fa were accumulated over her many years of cultivation. In the beginning, everyone tried sending forth righteous thoughts for her, and told her plainly to diligently study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts, and deal with all the issues through righteous thoughts. Yet she responded with a lot of reluctance. This further aggravated the Xinxing problems among other practitioners.

Later everyone recognized that on top of sending forth righteous thoughts to cleanse the persecution forced upon us, we should all seek from within. We must raise our own cultivation level, and purify our own righteous thoughts. It was not just that veteran practitioner who needed to raise her levels. After everyone within the group raised their level of understanding of the Fa, paid special attention to correcting each one's own Xinxing problems then that veteran practitioner also started to cultivate herself as diligently. Everyone was very encouraged by the progress made.

However as time went by, they started to become complacent and treat this issue as routine. They even treated the previous breakthrough in understanding and the specific ways of dealing with these issues as "predefined and prearranged ways of doing things." The group's understanding of the Fa did not rise further. Seeking from within also became a formality with self-imposed limitations. The veteran practitioner again slowed down her pace of advancement. It was not until everyone within the group advanced further in their cultivation before things started to change for the better.

Getting to the point, what I am trying to illustrate is that in the process of our clarifying the truth to save sentient beings, there exists the same relationship between our audience and us. We do not seek changes in our audience by demanding them to change, but in the course of changing ourselves we influence others who then change willingly.

While I am on the topic, let me also say a few words about my understanding on clarifying the truth to government officials and organizations. I have done very limited government work, but my attitude was not as righteous as with other Dafa related works. Although people did come to help us, they did not truly and solemnly respect Dafa from deep inside their hearts. I did not demonstrate diamond like unshakeable righteous thoughts. Instead I unconsciously followed the formality established by everyday society. Even though I knew clearly that we clarify the truth for the purpose of helping people to properly position themselves, oftentimes I still felt I was pleading with others, and striving for getting their help and worse yet, I lacked resolute confidence. It was obvious that my own worry and lack of righteousness was imposing limitations on how others made their choices.

Lately I realized that regardless of whom we clarify the truth to, we must display our righteous attitude with determination, perseverance and compassionate tolerance. yet be unshakable in the principles for which we stand. Of course, our courtesy and manner in dealing with others is also important. Especially when I face people who have strong attachments to their self-interest and are good at bargaining for what they want, I treat them as I do all others, with a firm and disciplined mind, unaffected by sentimentality. I openly and candidly tell them about the ongoing persecution, what Falun Dafa is all about, why we practice Falun Dafa, why we will not give up our faith under coercion. I plainly tell them that in this historical battle between the good and the evil, and amidst the brutal persecution of "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance," any choice made with conscience, ethics and honesty will lay down an important and great foundation for their future. All I ask is for them to declare their own position, based on what their conscience tells them. If they feel they can or should do something for Dafa is another issue, something I do not actively pursue. If they do offer to do something, large or small, my heart is of course most grateful.

Above are some of my most recent personal understandings.
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/1/31/43679.html

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