(Clearwisdom.net) Several days ago, I read several articles on the Minghui website regarding group study methods that were of concern, where they deviated from how Master taught us to do it. The same issues have also been present in our area. After I studied Master's lectures on the topic, I became more clear on the issue. Some of these passages are below.
Master answers the following questions about Fa study in “Teaching the Fa at the Assistants’ Fa Conference in Changchun”:
“Question: During group study, the Assistants and students of some study groups talk about things that seem irrelevant.
Teacher: When we study the Fa, we should focus on Fa-study. Don’t comment on the Fa Itself—that would be the same as your letting our students define the Fa. You can talk about your own shortcomings from the perspective of the Fa. Or you can say, “Oh, I’ve realized how I fare with something.” That’s fine. But I need to point out that I don’t encourage you to do that sort of thing too often. What I’d most like to see is that you frequently read Zhuan Falun or any other Dafa book, and read from cover to cover. Go read the books, and if there’s a word you don’t understand, someone can explain the surface meaning of the word. As for the meanings behind the words, you aren’t able to explain those. Everyone will have his own understanding. You might understand it one way, while he might understand it another. And maybe you then start to quarrel with each other. Please make sure you don’t do that kind of thing.
My writings usually contain many inner meanings at numerous and grand levels, and they have a broad scope. So you couldn’t possibly explain them. You can explain what you understand, but others might not agree. They can explain what they’ve understood at their levels, but you might disagree. Everyone has his own understanding, and understandings differ from person to person due to differences in levels. As long as you keep your mind calm, and read the book and study the Fa without any notions, even if you feel that you don’t understand, it’s guaranteed your understanding won’t be off track. However much you understand and however much you know is actually the way it’s supposed to be. It’s unrealistic to ask a new student to understand everything in Dafa as soon as he begins to practice.”
“Question: Some people think that during group study, reading through the book means reading the book over and over again, that discussion is unnecessary, that one should understand the Fa on one’s own, and that we should read one chapter a day. Is this helpful for Fa-study?
Teacher: Reading through the book simply means reading through cover to cover—there’s nothing unclear about that. It means reading it over and over again—reading the book through. We study the Fa together after all, so we can share our understandings and have a discussion with each other: “I suddenly realized this meaning in these words of Teacher,” or “I’m still not doing well enough in this regard.” You might miss that when you read at home. Correct this shortcoming from now on. In other words, it’s necessary to share understandings and to discuss among yourselves. Yet reading the book through should be your focus. We shouldn’t study a passage, stop, start a discussion, and then study another passage, and discuss more—that’s no good. You need to read it cover to cover a lot. The time spent on talking about yourselves or your understandings shouldn’t be more than the time spent on reading the Fa. Studying the Fa is the most crucial thing.”
“Question: While studying Zhuan Falun, is it good if we take information from Zhuan Falun (Volume II) and other Dafa books that’s relevant to certain parts of Zhuan Falun and study them together?
Teacher: No, it’s not good. Just focus on studying. When you read one book you should concentrate on it; that’s how you should read it, and read it in order. You shouldn’t look for something with your own goals or do something with your own goals. That won’t work. And let me tell you that when you reach a certain point and it’s time for you to reach the next level, you’ll be allowed to move up, and when it’s time for you to understand the Fa principles at a particular level, you’ll be allowed to know them. Suppose you did something today and you aren’t sure whether it was right or wrong: If you pick up Zhuan Falun and turn to a page randomly, without any intention of opening it to a specific page, I guarantee that the page you open to will be relevant to the thing you did today. (Applause) Of course, if you want to give it a try when you get home, then with that attachment you won’t find anything. Cultivation is serious business: You’ll never be allowed to try this as if it were kid’s stuff, that wouldn’t work. In other words, you shouldn’t do anything with your own motives.
The Dafa book Zhuan Falun is for systematic cultivation. Go read it. As for the other books such as Explaining the Content of Falun Dafa, Zhuan Falun (Volume II), etc., they’re only supplementary materials to be read for reference. The objective of Essentials for Further Advancement is to correct common problems and incorrect situations that have appeared in your cultivation as a whole.”
I would also like to review Master's teaching in “A Heavy Blow:”
“Also, in some regions people have organized so-called “Fa-preaching groups” without permission, acting pretentiously among students and swindling people everywhere. There are people who also invite individuals to give speeches, thereby undermining and interfering with students’ cultivation. On the surface these people appear to be spreading Dafa, but in reality they are promoting themselves. A student’s cultivation is arranged systematically by my Law Bodies. It is only that some students don’t know this or they remain unaware of it. So aren’t these people causing interference? It is especially difficult for those who have just started learning the Fa to make a clear distinction. There are also people delivering so-called “speeches” in conferences that are attended by thousands. What they say is all about themselves. They even define some sentences of Dafa or interpret Dafa, with their bodies emitting to the students black karma and attachment substances. I have stated explicitly in Zhuan Falun that this is forbidden. Why don’t you think about this? This is especially so for those who are in charge of hosting and have invited people to do those things, for you might have inflicted some intangible harm to Dafa disciples, and you are no longer qualified to be in charge of Dafa disciples. Without listening to me or following the requirements of Dafa, how could you be my disciples? Isn’t this going against Dafa? If this isn’t an act of harming Dafa, what is it? My disciples, you shouldn’t always be unaware of these things until I point them out. In fact, everything is included in the Fa. Why not read the books more? I suggest that everyone set his mind to reading ten times the book I wrote, Essentials for Further Advancement, which you call scripture. When your mind isn’t at peace, studying the Fa is not effective. You should study it with a peaceful mind.
In a few regions we have people in charge who don’t read the books or study the Fa. What’s more, they claim that they have headaches whenever they read the Fa. Isn’t it obvious that demons are interfering with them, and yet they don’t want to break from their control? Even a new student can realize this. How can such people be in charge? I think it is better for people like that to voluntarily become common students and actually practice cultivation for a period of time peacefully—this is good for both Dafa and them. There was also someone who understood my letter of criticism to her in the opposite way. She made copies and distributed them to show off, without realizing her mistake. She claimed, “Teacher even wrote to me.” Also, in order to have students follow their commands, some people often use words in their speeches like, “On behalf of Teacher Li, I ...,” and so on. Nobody can represent me. How could your words become my words? My words are the Fa. Could your words be the Fa? My disciples! I suggest that you first become common students for a period of time, and then resume your work after becoming clearheaded. No matter how much work a person in charge has done among everyday people, he is working for Dafa out of his own will. The success of his work is only a manifestation among ordinary humans. It is the mighty power of Dafa itself and the specific arrangements made by my Law Bodies that enable people to obtain the Fa and spread the Fa widely. Without my Law Bodies doing these things, even protecting the people in charge could hardly be ensured, let alone spreading the Fa widely. So don’t always think of yourselves too highly. There is no fame, self-interest, or official titles in Dafa, but only cultivation practice.” (“A Heavy Blow,” Essentials For Further Advancement)
I hope that we can all take the Fa as the teacher. Let's study the Fa instead of following others, as practitioners should not blindly idolize anyone. We should all treasure ourselves and walk righteously on our cultivation path.
