My Understanding of Teacher's Words, "I Ignore Superficial Formalities And Only Look at One's Heart"

Written by Tongzhen

Written on June 26, 2003

Regardless if it is during individual cultivation or cultivation within Fa-rectification, it is not always easy to see one's true state of mind by looking at superficial appearances, and a person's superficial appearance can often mislead others. Take for example one's understanding on the issue of taking medicine. Some practitioners may think that if they don't take medicine, Master will surely remove their illnesses for them. Other practitioners may think that they are Dafa disciples and are not truly ill and therefore don't need to take medicine. Though the outward appearances of both are the same and it seems that they are each very determined about cultivation, their essential inner natures and understandings regarding the issue of taking medicine are different.

During the Fa-rectification period, many outward appearances of things are transformed by the old forces to mislead practitioners and interfere with Fa-rectification. Only when we surpass everything that the old forces have outwardly transformed and look at their essences from the basis of Dafa and Fa-rectification can we see through their superficial appearances and not be misled. Sometimes I hear a fellow practitioner say something like: I did something this way today and my leg was no longer painful, so I must have done the right thing. I feel this understanding is limited. In fact, the only standard to judge everything should be Dafa, and only things that conform to Dafa should be considered correct. There are also some practitioners who like to see elderly practitioners' white hair become black. The more black hair they get, the better they are thought to have cultivated; the less black hair they get, the less determined they are thought to be. Our attachments to all these superficial manifestations are loopholes in our cultivation and understanding of the Fa. As a result, sometimes the old forces purposefully transform some things that we think are good to test us. But Teacher said in Zhuan Falun, "But once we human beings get this pair of eyes of this material dimension, exactly for this reason, we might get a false picture." (Zhuan Falun; new translation edition, pg. 47)

Some practitioners mentioned that based on the overall surface appearance of things, we have done very poorly as one body and have been unable to completely let go of our personal opinions and genuinely consider things from the perspective of one body. I told them I disagreed with such a viewpoint. When we see different shortcomings in other practitioners, it may be caused by our own notions; we cannot always judge things from how they appear on the surface. Take for example how Teacher has said that before the persecution, there were 100 million Dafa practitioners in China alone. 100 million practitioners in China meant that one out of every dozen people was a Dafa practitioner. When I first heard this, I had some doubt and thought: did we really have so many practitioners back then? In the end, I realized that I still didn't have a firm enough belief in Dafa. If Teacher said there were 100 million practitioners, then there must have indeed been that many, although it didn't appear to me on the surface. In fact, if we look at the number of copies of Zhuan Falun that were published through formal and informal channels back then, the number was far more than 100 million. Likewise, during the past four years of Fa-rectification, Teacher has said on many occasions that practitioners have done a good job. When I was able to let go of my own notions and look at the practitioners around me, I indeed found that practitioners really have done a good job. There are countless stories about practitioners' righteous thoughts and righteous actions of safeguarding Dafa. All of these can help us change our notions that are formed from looking at the superficial appearances of things.

Teacher has said: "In dealing with relevant, important matters, if a life can really assess things without any preconceived notions, then this person is truly able to take charge of himself." ("For Whom do You Exist?" from Essentials for Further Advancement)

We should not think that certain practitioners don't cultivate well just because we see how difficultly they move forward. Two weeks ago, I had a discussion with a few fellow practitioners. One practitioner shared that she didn't do well on a certain fundamental issue. She said that after she read Teacher's recent lectures, she took the initiative to share more openly with other practitioners. In that pure environment, she realized that she had not studied the Fa well enough and became determined to try and do better in the future. At that moment, even though this practitioner felt she was not cultivating well, I saw her sincere heart to genuinely improve herself fundamentally. There was another elderly practitioner who shared how she hadn't gone to group study for the last few years. She then talked about her recent experiences of cultivation and Fa-rectification. Though she said she had a difficult time, her firm belief in Dafa really touched me. At that time, I didn't form any notion that these practitioners were not good. Teacher said: "That's because while you're improving yourself in cultivation, your path of validating Dafa, of saving sentient beings, and of moving towards the final Consummation is going to be a bumpy one. What's key is that you take every step well after you come to realize something." (Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.) What Teacher really requires of us is to have firm belief in Dafa. The reason why Yugong was able to move the mountain was because his firm belief and thoughts touched high-level beings, who then helped him finish everything. (Yugong was a figure in an ancient Chinese story, who attempted to move a huge mountain and was considered silly by others.)

Teacher has also said: "Don't just look at the persecution's surface. When the Fa rectifies the human world all of the truth will unfold before people's eyes. The Dafa disciples in Mainland China are indeed remarkable." (Touring North America to Teach the Fa)

"Without following old rituals and conventions, I ignore superficial formalities and only look at one's heart." ("Seeking Discipleship with Teacher" from Essentials for Further Advancement)

If 100 million practitioners all have firm belief in Dafa, we are bound to carry out our Fa-rectification work better.

The above is my personal understanding. If there is anything inappropriate, please kindly point it out and correct me.

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