Searching Inward During Conflicts

By a Falun Dafa Practitioner in the USA

(Clearwisdom.net) All Falun Dafa practitioners should follow Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. One practitioner stated that she did not like a certain practitioner who spoke untruthfully and behaved as an ordinary person, and while mentioning mistakes made several years ago by others, she would still be very emotional. The practitioners who were criticized might sometimes react the same way. Thus, in certain areas, practitioners have become divided into various subgroups and are not interacting with each other.

In "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York (Questions & Answers Section, Part III)" Teacher said,

"It is back to my old saying: Although in a certain aspect he seems to be really way off, actually in many areas not shown he has cultivated very well. You can't compare him with ordinary people. You should not take this kind of conflict among them as just a simple conflict, as it is an opportunity for them to elevate themselves." (Provisional translation)

In my cultivation practice, I have realized an important point that I would like to share with fellow practitioners outside China. I have come to understand that because we have not yet reached consummation, we all still have attachments. Thus, we are confronted with the difficulty of working together with our attachments. Expanding our own capacity for tolerance of others may be more important than deciding who is the "most capable" or who has the "best ideas." After all, this is cultivation practice, not everyday people doing things. We may all have experienced the headache of fighting among ourselves. An idea may not seem so "brilliant" at the start, but because we work together harmoniously, things go quite well. But, if each practitioner insists on his or her own idea and keeps debating or arguing endlessly, nothing will get accomplished even after a year of good planning.

In "Teaching the Fa at the 1999 Fa Conference in Australia," Teacher said,

"... when conflicts arise between two people and it's seen by a third person, even the third person should think to himself, "Oh, they're having a conflict. Why is it that I was there to see it? Is it because I have certain attachments? Is it because I have that kind of problem as well?" Since you're cultivating, you need to be truly responsible to yourself and need to look at yourself." (Draft translation)

If our heart is dedicated to cultivation practice, besides searching inward during conflicts we must also look for the good side of others. You will then see that others are also sincere toward Dafa and that every fellow practitioner has goodness.

It is up to all of us to form a good cultivation environment. When the cultivation environment is good, the work environment will get better. With an excellent environment, our efforts to clarify the truth will become more effective and fruitful.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/1/12/93308.html

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