PureInsight | November 4, 2002
1. Do not harbor any negative thought(s) but step forward with righteous understanding based on Fa.
In my understanding, we should not underestimate what we are currently doing. Any self-negative thoughts we harbor are in fact reflections of a lack of determination in the Fa. Of course, looking inwards to remove our shortcomings and do better is a given, but "Cultivation practice is sacred, and it is not something like an everyday person's self-examination or repentance." ("Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature," Essentials for Further Advancement).
Remember who we are. Master has repeatedly told us who we are. At the same time, in considering the upcoming events, every single overseas Dafa disciple should seriously look at all things in a balanced way, including various pieces of Dafa work in progress, family and work environments, and all the rest. Nonetheless, Teacher said, "When you conduct yourselves righteously Master can do anything for you." (North American Lecture Tour).
When we truly see from the larger perspective, placing Dafa first and ourselves as Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples second, then we will not only see what we should do, but everything around us will change and accommodate our path, the path we have decided to take "Those who do well will change the environments around them, and those who do poorly will make the environments around them change according to their states of mind." ("Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference, 2002") I have experienced this several times with, for example, work, finances, and family issues that at first seemed to be obstacles to participation in Fa-rectification trips, and then dissolved away once I had a clear understanding. "He comes with the Truth, which gives him full control; And travels the four seas with a free and easy spirit" ("Tathagata")
If we harbor attachments and fear, then the environment around us may seem even more severe and restrictive, to the point of preventing us from stepping forward. It is in fact all up to our own minds - and determination - as to whether or not we break out of the limits of humanness, the arrangements of the old forces, and our notions of personal cultivation.
Nonetheless, I do not think it is enough to merely act, but rather, it is very important to have both "righteous thoughts and righteous actions," enlightening based on the Fa, and then acting accordingly.
2. Upgrade our sending forth righteous thoughts as a whole body.
I understand that one aspect of some disciples having their Third Eye open is that they can share experiences of what they see, based on Fa, and thereby offer other practitioners a different point of view, helping the whole body to advance. Of course, we cannot act based solely on their experiences. Nonetheless, after hearing or reading some experiences, we can refer back to Fa and understand more deeply some Fa-principles. Its stands to reason, especially given Teacher's newest article "Righteous Thoughts", that we need to take sending righteous thoughts even more seriously and do it well.
Though I can barely see with my Third Eye, my body is very sensitive these days and I would like to briefly share some experiences I had while sending forth righteous thoughts. These days, in the first five minutes after erecting a palm I feel very intense energy flow, especially at the set global times to send righteous thoughts. During the second five minutes, things often begin to clear up some and the situation becomes somewhat calmer, though it is still quite a battle. I find that to stop at five or ten minutes alone is no longer quite so good. After another five minutes, however, I really feel that a great number of evil things have been wiped out, and the cosmos is very clean-feeling and peaceful again. At the global times, after cleaning myself for five minutes (or longer, depending on my given state of mind), I try to send righteous thoughts for fifteen minutes, using different combinations of the vertical palm or lotus hand position, according to my enlightenment at different moments. I also sense that the quality of what is going on is different with each hand gesture and, since Teacher taught both to us, I think we should do both, according to our understanding.
I think that, at the present time, we should not settle for only five minutes if circumstances permit extending the time. Teacher told us that "then, if every student is able to do that, I can tell you, with five minutes sending forth righteous thoughts together, the evil in the Three Realms will never exist again--that's how important this is." ("Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.") I have experienced that often the best quality of righteous thoughts I have is between 10 and 15 minutes of sending. It may not necessarily be in the first five minutes that we do. And also, perhaps if we can extend the time we can compensate for a lack of purity and achieve a better overall effect, similar to the case of sending righteous thoughts at close proximity. In any case, we should examine our xinxing and thoughts regarding how we conduct sending righteous thoughts. Do we do it according to how others do, following them? Do we stop because of physical or mental discomfort? Are we distracted by things occurring in the external environment? Do we stop because everyone else has? Over the past one and a half years, have we formed notions or concepts regarding sending righteous thoughts? Does it not stand to reason that if we extend the time a bit, perhaps forbearing personally a little more for the sake of sentient beings, we will be eliminating even more evil each time?
I would also like to humbly suggest that practitioners try to remain quiet and keep their minds calm for a few minutes if, while in a group, they stop sending righteous thoughts before some other practitioners. From another angle, those practitioners who send for a longer time may think of choosing an out-of-the-way location to start so that other practitioners who finish earlier may go ahead and start something else.
Let us all try to do better however we see fit, and "To reduce the losses, and to save sentient beings, put your Dafa disciples' powerful righteous thoughts to full use! Show your Mighty Virtue!"
