PureInsight | January 6, 2003
[PureInsight.org] Why is it so difficult to pass this test? I believe we ask ourselves this question from time to time. Many times practitioners fail to take these tests in cultivation seriously. I think we have problems with the way we look inward, lack understanding of the importance and seriousness of the Fa-rectification and cultivation, and don't understand how important looking inward really is.
As Dafa practitioners, we all know that we ought to look inward when problems arise but sometimes it seems that we just can't find anything. It is especially difficult to be enlightened on our problems when we fail to study the Fa with solemnity and due respect. In situations like this we feel as if we cannot do anything to rectify the problems. Nothing appears as it does on the surface during the Fa-Rectification period. Similarly, looking inward is definitely beyond simply finding our own flaws. Every little thing that we do cannot deviate from Fa-rectification, this most important matter, even a bit. Behind everything that occurs during the Fa-rectification period, even the most trivial matter that we don't think is worth mentioning, there may exist very profound reason why it occurs. Consequently, we need to take everything seriously. Otherwise, the root cause of a problem might escape our attention. Therefore when we do look inward, we can't just stay at a very superficial level of looking.
When we come across a small problem, we normally would develop our initial understanding of the problem, or our initial solution to the problem almost immediately. But when we keep trying to fathom the problem from the Fa, layer by layer, we will discover that it contains endlessly profound matters.
When they encounter this type of thing, many practitioners usually treat it as a test to see if they can guard their xinxing. So they will try to keep any bad thoughts from occurring in their heads. If bad thoughts do occur, they try to eliminate them and also search inward to see if they have any attachments that they have not yet let go of. Any genuine Dafa practitioner will surely go through this process.
But because we are now in the Fa-rectification period, many of us will go one step further. If we find that it comes from our own attachments, we check to see gaps in our own minds. If we find that it does not come from our attachments, we check to see if what kind of evil is behind it and we then use righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil. This is a good practice although sometimes we forget to do that. But no matter what, even when we do remember to eliminate the evil that causes the problem, this is where some of us usually stop. We don't progress beyond this step. At least this step is one that we are used to taking and we don't have too many difficulties with doing this.
But if we continue to think about these problems that are happening in the Fa-rectification period some more, we might begin to see things from a brand new perspective. Why do certain problems arise? Why do we form certain notions? It is possible that these things come from certain sources. Do these tests exist just to force us to overcome these difficulties? Is it really just a test of our mind-nature? When problems arise, we know to search inward and eliminate any attachment we might have. Don't the demons and rotten devils know this too? Don't the old forces know this too? Is it possible that the old forces simply are trying to create a little trouble for Dafa practitioners? Definitely not! As an ancient Chinese proverb says, the old forces are "making noise in the east while striking in the west." In other words, it is their feigning technique.
I have come up with a number of possible true intentions of the old forces when they direct the demons and rotten evil beings to create problems for us. They are:
1. To stir up your emotions and cause you to mess up Dafa work that you are doing. It may be the Dafa work that they are really trying to obstruct.2. To nourish the notion in your head that eliminating the old forces is a simple and straightforward matter. This notion is then used to make you blind to your remaining attachments, or human notions. It may be those attachments or human notions that the evil old forces are trying to preserve for a critical moment when they will create more damage to the Fa.
3. To keep you unconsciously following the arrangements by the old forces. I don't know if everyone has seen this or not: when someone eliminates an attachment or a human notion, he often exhibits a trace of human happiness, and this human heart is then quickly covered up. There are also some practitioners who begin to summarize their Fa-rectification cultivation and conclude from it that Fa-rectification and cultivation are simply those things that they themselves have personally experienced. In these situations, it is clear that the old forces are injecting their ideas into your head through the gaps in your cultivation and try to control you. The lesson is: we must carefully examine every thought in our mind.
When we are oblivious to our human notions or attachments, we become shelters for the old forces. The old forces maliciously use us to create problems for Teacher and obstruct Fa-rectification. They use us to pose difficulties for Teacher, our fellow practitioners, and all the righteous Gods. At this point, we can see how the evil behind us is being manipulated by the old forces. But if we use human thinking to examine our human thinking, we still can't see things clearly. It can be said that we have found a layer of facts, but we have yet to find the actual root cause. So we should continue to look at this problem.
Why would Teacher allow such things to happen? Teacher said, "When you conduct yourselves righteously Teacher can do anything for you." (From "Touring North America to Teach the Fa.") But how do we fully take advantage of this type of opportunity? What does Teacher expect us to cultivate in this process? I think that we are supposed to use the damage of the evil and the old forces to eliminate our remaining attachments while seeing through their every single deed and action, and every single trace of thought. We need to see clearly how they are arranging things and how they are causing damage. We not only must eliminate them, we must also temper our mind-nature in these obstacles to truly become gods that are genuine guardians of the Fa.
Even at this step, we can only see what Teacher meant when he said that he is using the old forces' arrangement to enable practitioners reach Consummation and establish our mighty virtue during the process. But we have yet to see what Teacher has truly arranged for us. I think that it is only when we truly walk on our own cultivation path as Master has hoped that we will be able to see Teacher's arrangement.
Many practitioners appear to be doing quite well even if they have not enlightened to these things. But I know that some people are at this stage, not because of how special they are, but because of Teacher's powerful protection. As long as you are still cultivating, Master will do everything he can to help you. Master cannot bear to give up on you. Each of us understands how ardent Teacher has always been in offering us salvation. Perhaps we can try to be more considerate to Teacher! Don't continue to let Teacher hold us by both hands. Don't push everything away and let Teacher and the progress of Fa-rectification take care of everything for you. Learn how to walk on your own!
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2002/12/5/19479.html
