PureInsight | May 13, 2007
[PureInsight.org] Editor's note: The Cosmos' Calamity,
a mythic novel, is a Dafa disciple's literary creation. Its purpose is
to use storytelling to validate Dafa, clarify the truth, and save
sentient beings. In the novel, there are descriptions of other
dimensions which may be helpful for disciples whose third eyes are not
yet open. However, they should not be attached to it and thus create
interference in their cultivation. Being a Dafa disciple is to do
the three things well. Literary creation is an important tool for
truth clarification. We hope that Dafa disciples with writing talent
can create more and better works and thus save more sentient beings.
A Letter to Bei Yunfei, Author of The Cosmos' Calamity
When I share with others, everything I say is only my personal
understanding in this aspect. Please forgive me if there is anything
inappropriate.
Actually, I have not read this novel. We have quite a bit of materials
from Zhengjian and Minghui. However, almost every practitioner I met
wanted The Cosmos' Calamity.
Some of them wanted to burn CDs and others wanted to make it into truth
clarifying materials. In addition, many practitioners wanted to read or
memorize it. There are also practitioners who have sent this novel to
others electronically.
When I realized how much sensation this novel has generated, I knew
that something was not quite right. I remember that Master said
very clearly in the article "Bear in Mind Forever": "Bear in mind:
Except for Dafa students' experience sharing conferences for studying
the Fa and activities organized by major assistance centers with the
endorsement of the Research Society, anything that does not belong to
Dafa but is being circulated in Dafa undermines Dafa."
Of course, I am not talking about the novel per se. I am only
talking about what kind of attitude would be the most appropriate when
dealing with this novel. Consequently, I started to remind others in
our email sharing how we should look at The Cosmos' Calamity.
I was surprised to find a file from a fellow practitioner who said,
"This is a true story. Taking the receptive ability of the
ordinary people into consideration, we can only call it a "Novel of
Myth."
I believe that if what the author wrote is not totally true and fellow
practitioners believe it is true, that will create a lot of
interference for their cultivations. I am not here to criticize the
author but feel that I should be responsible for such
practitioners. I am here to ask the author to elaborate on a few
things.
Is this novel a true story? Or is it a gradual enlightenment during
certain state of the cultivation? Are there any creative writing skills
involved, such as exaggeration, imagination, or fabrication? You need
to make all that very clear to us. Otherwise, fellow practitioners will
consider it a true story and do their best to promote this novel.
In addition, I would like to know how we dafa disciples should think
about this novel among us and what groups of readers this novel is
expected to attract.
A Responding Letter from Bei Yunfei
How are you? I am Bei Yunfei.
I read your short note to me and felt quite uneasy. I have not expected The Cosmos' Calamity
to have such wide-spread influence. Perhaps, it has already interfered
with some fellow practitioners. Your letter reminds me to think
rationally and to examine what effects it has generated during the last
stage of Fa-rectification cultivation.
When we measure everything against the Fa, of course, we have to include The Cosmos' Calamity.
Therefore, there should be nothing that can interfere with the three
things that Dafa disciples have to do. To carry out the three
things is also one of the requirements for the last stage of
Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples. Because a great enlightened
being must be able to independently validate whatever principles he can
enlighten to from Dafa and with which to measure everything in this
universe. From that standpoint, it cannot interfere with Dafa disciples
with strong righteous thoughts.
The Cosmos' Calamity is a book which Dafa disciples can choose to read or not. When they
have time, they can take a look and it will not do any harm by
broadening their train of thought, just like reading an experience
sharing article. In reality, some of the pages or chapters have gone
beyond the meanings of "experience sharing." They are the enlightened
principles from Dafa by the author and carry the power of enlightened
truth from the Fa. I think that is the reason why The Cosmos' Calamity has created effects far beyond the author's imagination.
For Dafa disciples with strong righteous thoughts, they already know how to measure things with Dafa. The Cosmos' Calamity
cannot bring them any negative influence. Because they are very
rational and clear-headed, they take the Fa as the measure of every
matter, free of delusion and doubt. Consequently, they turn matters,
right or wrong, into an opportunity and an environment for their
spiritual elevation.
Ever since the publication of The Cosmos' Calamity
on Zhengjian Net, the controversy surrounding it has continued.
Sometimes, it is quite a serious matter, bringing forth both praise and
criticism simultaneously. I believe that both elements of positive and
negative exhibit themselves side by side in the novel. For that
particularly reason, some practitioners either praise or criticize it
based on their emphasis on a certain point.
There are positive effects from reading The Cosmos' Calamity.
Some practitioners start to realize the value of the Fa, the
importance of cultivation, the urgency of saving sentient
begins, and the universal mission of coming down to earth. As a result,
they can do the three things more diligently and save many more lives
from the celestial bodies.
However, I also know that due to the restraint of the old forces and
the lack of total Fa-rectification in our surface dimension, mutual
generation and mutual inhibition is the absolute principle. As a
result, the negative effects also come into display.
The concrete exhibitions of various incorrect phenomena are what you
mentioned in your letter. And I wish that they did not exist.
Nevertheless, I think that such conditions can also be resolved.
Because Dafa disciples are the enlightened beings coming out of a new
universe, they will not be confined by the principles of the old
universe. If fellow practitioners can measure everything by the Fa and
make decisions based on the Fa, the negative effects from reading The Cosmos' Calamity will be eliminated and only the positive effects will remain.
I believe, but also hope, that all practitioners who have been moved by
it will become mature in time and look at it, as well as themselves,
rationally. This may take a transitional period, but that is the end
result that we expect to have.
I am going to answer you questions regarding the aspect of creative writing:
1. The Truthfulness of The Cosmos' Calamity.
The Cosmos' Calamity is the work of creative writing. It is a novel written to validate Dafa
in the field of literature. Master said in "Lunyu", "The truth of
the universe will forever remain a mystery to humankind." I realize
that The The Cosmos' Calamity
has to reflect only the truth of the universe and the human world,
meanwhile it will be written through a creative process with literary
skills and yet itself is a literary fiction. The subject matters of any
fiction can be treated like that. Therefore, it is not a documentary.
It contains both true cultivation stories and fictional details. One
thing is clear: the creative principles of The Cosmos' Calamity
must not violate the principles of the Fa. Of course, that refers to
only the Fa principles within the level of Bei Yunafei's understanding.
2. My Hope for The Cosmos' Calamity's Effects on Its Readers.
Actually, The Cosmos' Calamity has two groups of readers: the ordinary people and the cultivators.
For the ordinary people, it is really a fiction of myth. When ordinary
people read it, they may find it hard to understand and very
mysterious. It does not matter because those dimensions described are
really the manifestations of the worlds belonging to the divine beings
and gods. The supernormal expressions of the Buddhas are myths. But the
documentary part of earth reflects the reality of Dafa disciples in
this world. The difference between this and other truth clarifying
materials is that this is written into a story. Bei Yunfei hopes
that, after reading The Cosmos' Calamity,
people will understand the truth, know right from wrong, and choose a
bright future. And that truly is the purpose for the existence of
The Cosmos' Calamity.
For my fellow practitioners, you may look at The Cosmos' Calamity as a sharing of experience, a discussion of principles, or even a creative novel. However, The Cosmos' Calamity
cannot compare to the Fa. My fellow practitioners, it absolutely cannot
be an attachment or a barrier on the path of your cultivation. It
can serve, at most, as a stone under your feet paving the way for doing
your three things. Whether you need to read it or not is a small
matter, too insignificant to be discussed here. The important thing is
that you do the three things well. And that is the only resource to
save sentient beings and yourself.
How should we look at The Cosmos' Calamity? Please relate this message to them to take the Fa rationally in measuring everything.
Thank you for expressing your thoughts.
Bei Yunfei
May 6, 2007
A Few Words: Looking at The Cosmos' Calamity Correctly
A Dafa Disciple in China
I shared with many practitioners recently and found many of them were reading the novel: The Cosmos' Calamity.
Some had not finished reading it and regretted or complained that the
practitioners in charge of collecting materials were irresponsible.
Actually I enjoy reading this novel too. Just like other
practitioners, I find the descriptions of other dimensions very
interesting.
Personally, I feel that the descriptions of other dimensions have been
explained by Master before. This novel can help cultivators to
improve, be more diligent, look at the persecution more readily from
the standpoint of the Fa, and fight against the persecution from the
Fa. I have one reminder for fellow practitioners: We can not acquire an
attachment nor should we imitate it. Otherwise, we are hurting other
practitioners and ourselves. Let's avoid the detour because we are more
mature now. The only guidance we have on the path of cultivation is
Dafa.
Translated from: http://zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2007/5/6/43694.html
