Walking Out of Selfishness and Ego

By a practitioner in China

(Clearwisdom.net) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1997. During the past twelve years I have gone through wind and rain though without any world-shaking experience. Like every other fellow practitioner, I have been saving sentient beings. I had thought that as a Dafa practitioner in the Fa-rectification period, saving sentient beings was my responsibility and something I should do, therefore, there was nothing to write about. But actually it's not the case. Every practitioner has his own path of cultivation. Just like what Teacher said,

"The paths of cultivation are varied
But none is outside the Great Law
When one is attached to nothing
The path underfoot is naturally smooth"

("Unimpeded" from Hong Yin II)

Moreover, we have to walk our paths correctly and righteously. Especially during this final stage, we have to do all of the three things well as Teacher told us. If we have any wrong thought or deviate, the evil old forces will take advantage of the loopholes caused by our lack of clear consciousness.

I would like to share my understanding about selfishness.

I understand that selfishness in the old universe penetrates from the top to the bottom. The new universe is based on selflessness and altruism. Selfishness verses selflessness is the fundamental difference between the old universe and the new universe. Only when we get rid of our selfishness and lay down our ego can we break away from the old universe and walk into the new universe.

We were born in the old universe. Maybe the source of matter in the old universe contains this selfishness, which is rooted in our life. If we didn't learn Dafa, we would not sense the existence of this selfishness. If you could look within your mind you would notice that every thought and every action of yours may contain the element of selfishness.

All of the attachments we developed in ordinary human society such as jealousy, showing off, combativeness, complacency, and seeking consummation, etc. originate from selfishness. Isn't it so? Why am I jealous of others? I am upset because others are stronger than me. What is there for me to show off? I brag about myself and show off because, 'I'm very capable and a winner.' Why am I complacent? I am happy because I got something or, I am stronger than others in a certain respect. If there is no selfishness or me, are there still so many attachments?

Even worse, sometimes we bring this selfishness unconsciously to the process of studying the Fa. We sometimes don't even notice this phenomenon. This selfish notion was hidden deeply in our minds. If you do not dig out the root, you won't be able to find it.

Cultivation is supernatural after all. As a practitioner, if you cultivate to reach certain goals you will not succeed. Only when you look within can you dig out your own bad thoughts of selfishness. If you want to improve yourself with the goal of improving, the result may be the opposite. Because our mind is not clean and we are dong things with selfishness and ego the old forces can disagree. They will think this way: "We are selfish, you are also selfish. You also want to establish your own mighty virtue by taking advantage of Dafa. You and us have no fundamental difference. How can we be destroyed while you walk toward greatness, magnificence and consummation?" They are not satisfied and will seize the moment to persecute you.

That is to say, the old forces are then able to arrange your path because you are dong things according to the characteristics of the old universe. You are doing things while holding various kinds of selfishness and fear. Though you are doing many things, you are doing them for yourself, which is consistent with the characteristics of the old universe. Then wouldn't you be restricted by the characteristics of the old universe? If you are of a higher level than those old forces, then can they persecute you? Just like: Can an ordinary human being persecute a God? It's impossible. It couldn't even think about it. If it's close to you it would be dissolved by your mighty righteous thoughts.

I believe that the process of diminishing our selfishness is also that of increasing our mind capacity. The extent of diminishing our selfishness directly determines our mind capacity. If we could truly get rid of our selfishness, validate Dafa and save sentient beings selflessly, then our mind capacity and our gong would be dissolved into the whole universe. At that time we will be omnipotent and unshakable.

Dear fellow practitioners, let's cultivate diligently! What Teacher gives us is the best. What's ahead is extraordinary and magnificent. Let go of all our human attachments, and hand in hand, let's walk righteously on our paths of cultivation during this last period.

May 19, 2009

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2009/5/19/201162.html

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