Respecting Teacher and the Fa when Raising Questions at Fa Conferences

Written by a Falun Dafa practitioner in China

(Clearwisdom.net) I have been lucky enough to listen to Teacher give lectures and explain the Fa at recent Fa conferences. Every time when I attended the conferences, I prepared my questions beforehand so that I could submit them when Teacher started to explain the Fa. If conditions permitted, I printed my questions beforehand and brought them with me to the conferences. I chose the official script (an ancient style of calligraphy commonly used in the Han Dynasty) that Teacher has expressed to us is the most upright. Even though these are all human superficial forms, I still feel they should be done.

Recently, when a fellow practitioner described to me how Teacher couldn't read a practitioner's scribbled question when answering questions in a Fa conference, and had to take out his glasses, I couldn't help crying once again. Respecting Teacher and the Fa, this is something that everyone talks about. But have we really done enough?

The form of Fa conference that Teacher has created for us has been around for more than ten years, and many times Teacher has answered our questions in person at the conferences. However, the issue of handwritten notes has been long-standing, and has become a formality that everyone has accepted. A practitioner told me before, "Teacher is merciful, and Teacher is tolerant. Even Teacher doesn't mind, why do you?"

Yes, Teacher is merciful. But this absolutely cannot be our excuse for not respecting Teacher and the Fa. The Fa-rectification has proceeded to this stage today. Don't we know the reason why Teacher has come here? Don't we know how much Teacher has paid and undertaken for us as well as all sentient beings? Can we still treat our sacred and venerable Teacher the same way we did more than ten years ago when Dafa was first being spread, in terms of understanding, attitude and form (including handwritten notes)? Mercy and solemn dignity exist side by side. We cannot take Teacher's mercy as a joke.

Teacher has said before that gods listen to the Fa kneeling down. But even now some practitioners read the Fa lying down. Veteran practitioners I came across before wrapped the book Zhuan Falun in yellow satin, and held it in great reverence when taking the book out to read each time. But until now some practitioners still place the book casually after reading it, or leave it on the carpet and stride across it over and over.

Let's talk about the matter of raising questions again. You know, in everyday people's work, to give feedback or report updates to the boss, one must print them on the company's letterhead before formally submitting them. You also know that in Buddhism many scriptures were printed on gold foil to show respect to the Fa, even though the scriptures were compiled five hundred years after Sakyamuni's time. However, in the most significant Fa conferences of the colossal firmament, we dare to submit our crude paper with scribbled questions to our esteemed Teacher, and have him guess what was written on it after "Handling human affairs of every sort, burned with all of heaven's troubles." ("Cold and Alone Up High" from Hong Yin, version A)

My fellow practitioners who have raised questions before, please take note! As soon as Teacher answered your question, it was engraved in the great Fa of the cosmos forever. Is our carelessly scribbled paper worthy of it? Please ask the millions of practitioners in China who expect you to express their heartfelt wishes and see if they allow it. Please also ask the mighty gods participating in the Fa-rectification in other dimensions and attending the Fa conferences with us, to see if they allow it.

In an article from the editors, "Our Compassionate and Venerable Master," it was said: "In the face of this kind of vicious and dangerous situation, Master gathered together all of this karma and the huge physical elements composed of evil. Master used his own body to bear them, and, at the same time, to destroy these huge evil elements. Because these evil beings had gathered such an enormous amount of karma and venomous elements, it took Master nine months to destroy it using his powerful energy potency. However, because the evil elements and the karma were so immense, they also caused serious damage to Master's body. Master's hair has turned gray; this is something we can see. As for the other harm that has been done to Master's body, Master doesn't mention it out of concern that it would cause his students to have hatred toward the evil beings and subsequently affect the students' cultivation. Such a compassionate and venerable Master -- in the course of rectification of the Fa, Master has exhausted everything for sentient beings."

Practitioners who have scribbled your questions on paper, and practitioners who have organized such conferences, I am deeply ashamed for you. Shall we really exhaust Teacher's eyes to save some efforts for our own? If so, do we "...assist Master as he journeys this human world?" ("Assisting the Fa" from Hong Yin) Are we strictly seeking to upgrade our xinxing?

Practitioners who can attend the Fa conferences in North America, you're truly so lucky! In today's Fa-rectification cultivation practice, you can still attend all kinds of large-scale experience sharing conferences freely and safely, and listen to Teacher give lectures and explain the Fa in person. Can't you prepare your questions and print them ahead of time? "I will only prepare my questions when Teacher comes. Otherwise wouldn't it be wasted?" Isn't it a loss then? Such a big attachment of loss and gain, and such a big attachment of pursuit! In everyday life, a student even prepares lessons before class. Aren't we willing to prepare such a little bit ahead of time?

My fellow practitioners in the Fa conference organization committee in North America, since you work near Teacher, in my humble opinion, you are required to respect Teacher and the Fa even more, and think of Teacher more. I know there are always new practitioners attending the Fa conferences or practitioners who didn't have time to print their questions before hand. Can I suggest we prepare a notebook computer and an easy-to-carry printer, key in the handwritten questions and print them out before giving them to Teacher? I think this is easy to achieve technically.

My fellow overseas practitioners, please start with the Fa conference to respect Teacher and respect the Fa.

This concludes my personal understandings. Please point out anything inappropriate.

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