PureInsight | May 13, 2007
[PureInsight.org] Recently, a
group of practitioners and I were discussing an article that was
published on a major Falun Dafa website. Often we share and
discuss articles that seem of particular relevance--or seem
particularly extreme. This time it was one of the latter.
In the past, I have often felt dismayed when reading some articles
published on this website. Sometimes, it seems that articles are
published without regard to the consequences -- particularly to new
practitioners. In the past, I have even written to the editors,
criticizing them for allowing some articles to be published, including
articles that were either quite low-level (in my view) or articles that
were simply too extreme (again in my view).
I have often been perplexed by this phenomenon, and wondered, "Why are
they printing these articles that could create confusion for newer
students and thereby damage the image of Dafa for some ordinary
people? Why aren't they taking responsibility for their important
mission? Don't they realize the impact their decisions on what to
print can be? Don't they realize that many practitioners use
Clear Wisdom as a guide for their cultivation?"
After our discussion I realized that, because of this article, we had
discussed issues that were inherently relevant to each of our
individual paths of cultivation. Although the article seemed
extreme, it consequently became a catalyst for a discussion that might
not have happened otherwise.
Then, I listened to that last sentence in my mind: "Don't they
realize that many practitioners use Clear Wisdom as a guide to their
cultivation?" And I knew that another part of the reason for that
article being published was because that is precisely wrong thinking to
begin with. Practitioners need to let go of the attachment to
using any means other than the Fa to cultivate. Reading
experiences and sharings from other practitioners is helpful in finding
where we fall short, but it's still not the Fa and it shouldn't be used
as such.
It has been my own personal experience that one of the biggest tests as
a practitioner is being able to walk your own path, regardless of what
other practitioners think, do, or understand. We share with each
other because we want, and because it is our responsibility, to help
each other cultivate more solidly and quickly. The problem lies
in the fact that we can only see what we have enlightened to ourselves,
and nothing more. Then, sometimes we may think that what we see
is "right" and we may sometimes share it with others with the idea that
it is "right." The problem with this is that it isn't necessarily
"right." It just happens to be what we have enlightened to on our own
particular path.
However, because we have power in our words and thoughts, we can
inadvertently affect others negatively when we try to "push" those
understandings on them because we actually believe we are
"right." This, I believe, is just a manifestation of a certain
level, and when we reach higher levels, we will have the ability to
share our understandings with others without thinking we are "right"
and without "pushing" others to think our way, and the like.
On the particular subject of the article in question, which was about
marrying a non-practitioner or a newer practitioner, I think we
shouldn't necessarily have any prejudices either way. But, I
personally think it might be really good to marry a non-practitioner,
simply because in the future people will see that you achieved
Consummation as a god even though you were married to someone outside
of your faith. If practitioners only marry practitioners, then
people of the future might believe that that is the way it has to be.
In fact, marrying an ordinary person would be a sacrifice, since it
would be much more difficult than marrying a practitioner, and it would
bring boundless blessings to that ordinary person, his/her family,
friends, and co-workers, and possibly lay a good foundation for their
obtaining the Fa in the future. Also, being married to a
non-practitioner might be very good for one's cultivation since they
would definitely not be looking at things the same way as you would be.
I believe that the reason Master married and had a child was just to
help us not to be overly zealous and do things in the extreme in these
types of situations. Just as He dresses nicely so that we will
also, He has "lived" His life in conformance with ordinary people so
that we will also.
