Study Falun Dafa Well, with a Disciple's Attitude

By Yi Yan

(Clearwisdom.net) Every time Master publishes a new article, it helps many Falun Dafa practitioners see their own shortcomings. They learn how to better understand the “Fa” principles, and make advances in the Fa. Some practitioners however, turn around what Master says and change Master's words to support what they want to do, and to validate themselves. Then they act according to their own understandings and disregard Master's Fa. The result is clear. It amounts to not cultivating well, wasting time, and causing lots of conflicts with others.

For example, Master has stressed that Dafa practitioners must study the Fa well. Some people then found that reciting the Fa was helpful for Fa-study. Some practitioners concentrated on a certain way of reciting the Fa that they deemed important. It became like an ordinary person reciting textbooks, studying knowledge and completing assignments. They ignored the purpose of Fa-study for cultivating in Dafa. After reciting the Fa, they still acted at their own wills, and treated their notions as the standard.

Practitioners know that Master stresses Fa-study. These practitioners applied this by reading three or more lectures in Zhuan Falun every day, and did the five exercises for two hours every day. They did not have time to participate in “truth-clarification” or Fa-rectification activities, nor did they have the heart and will to participate.

Dafa practitioners are one body. When many practitioners see problems in their own regions they sometimes fuzzily attribute them to problems of the entire body. They change the issue of looking inside oneself into that of looking “inside” of the local group, thus ignoring the elements that allow one's improvement in cultivation.

Master recently published the article, “Further Remarks on ‘Politics’.” Some people who had not rid themselves of the zeal and attachment to politics misunderstood the article and said, "You see, now it is ok to participate in politics."

When Master published, “Thoroughly Dissolve the Evil,” some practitioners thought it should not be understood literally, and that the words, "in close proximity" could be interpreted as justification to send forth righteous thoughts at home, thus avoiding arrest and potential losses. Although they cared about fellow practitioners' losses, they forgot Master's teaching about the issue of close proximity, and forgot that all practitioners should abide by what Master requires, so they can cultivate and improve themselves.

When Master published “Disintegrate Completely All the Meddling Deities in the Three Realms that Have a Hand in Interfering with Fa-Rectification,” some practitioners hesitated, thinking, “Is it ok to do this? How do I distinguish who are the meddling deities?” They forgot that cultivator's divine side is clear and that the supernatural powers cultivated in Dafa know what to do.

There are also some practitioners with vivid imaginations. Whenever Master talks about something, they immediately think about something else, and then seek to execute their own plans. Regarding Master's requirements, they used the issue of “difficulty” to shield themselves. In fact, this type of mindset is not what cultivators refer to as “enlightenment,” but a common mindset of modern people. Ancient cultivators of the Dao and Buddhahood always respected their masters in every way and never dared to haggle or look for alternative meanings.

Some practitioners have been in contact with Dafa for a long time, yet they still don't understand how to cultivate. The above phenomena may reflect on these practitioners. There are also many practitioners who are very sincere toward Dafa and are actively involved in truth-clarification activities, yet they reflect the above phenomena. Zealotry and boasting or showing off, along with egocentricity are some of these traits, as are the deviation of human thoughts caused by modern society. Everyone has been wandering in the human world for too long. Perhaps they are accustomed to the acquired opinions and do not object to them. It is then even harder to realize that there is old forces’ direct interference from other dimensions.

Regarding Master's teachings, as disciples we should first remember and accept Master's words literally, and make an effort to do well in cultivating and improving. When you truly do this well, only then can the higher Fa principles be revealed to you. If we cannot accept the literal words and meaning Master has taught, or if we feel that it is too difficult to do what Master talks about, and switch to our own “goals” that are less difficult, substituting them for what Master asks, how can this be a true disciple's attitude, mindset and actions? It is even further away from “higher understandings.”

Perhaps one can still cultivate to a certain level without eliminating some of the modern peoples' mindsets, such as slyness, stodginess, and ostentatiousness, but eventually these key issues will need to be addressed. Perhaps it is temporarily more comfortable not to directly face difficulties and improve oneself, but seeking this kind of comfort does not reflect true cultivation. Perhaps one would have a sense of achievement from completing something according to one's own wishes, but it would delay Master's orderly arrangements for us. The difference in the other dimensions can be as huge as heaven and earth.

Our unsurpassed Master taught us the Dafa of the cosmos. Because the Fa is immense, by following Master, as long as we as individuals can persist in cultivation to the end, we will gain the Righteous Fruit. However, if in the process we always treat ourselves as children who do whatever we like, then every moment we don't cultivate ourselves in the Fa is a moment we lose. Moreover, if we do not strictly behave ourselves, when can we achieve “maturity” as Master requires of us? In fact, Master never asked us to do anything for him. It is always Master who quietly helps and tolerates us. If we can steadfastly and completely achieve the requirements literally stated in Master's lectures and articles, we will be assisting Master greatly in rectifying the Fa, and only then will the power and beauty of Dafa adequately manifest in the human world through us.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2007/3/13/150628.html

 Yearly Archive   Printer Version