PureInsight | October 6, 2008
[PureInsight.org] In recent days, I have thought about one topic a lot. I would like to share my thoughts with fellow practitioners because it concerns how to get rid of our selfishness.
We all came from the old universe. Why has the old universe become degenerate? Isn’t it because of the presence of selfishness? Now, we all understand the Fa principles and know that if we do not get rid of selfishness, we cannot meet the requirements of the new universe. When confronted with various selfish factors, we should examine ourselves strictly and get rid of selfishness as soon as possible.
For example, I have often observed many enlightened beings from higher levels. When they consider how things should be handled, they never consider their own gains or losses, but only the gains and losses of sentient beings. They are willing to give up everything of theirs for the sake of sentient beings. Do you know how much gods possess? What gods possess is very real and everlasting. However, for the benefit of sentient beings and the universe, they are willing to give it all up. Their selfless and altruistic realms are awe-inspiring. When a being can really do that, what will he lose? In reality, he will lose nothing but gain something even better!
Nowadays, everyone is thinking about his wants and needs and will do anything for personal gain. What people think and do is all centered around one thing: personal gain. Some even want to get more and not pay for it at all. That is why there is no joy in living today, for people have become enemies of one another.
As cultivators, we don’t care about gains and losses in this world. Often, we can conduct ourselves very well, and only some of the time we cannot control ourselves.
I believe that reciprocation is a fine rule for ordinary people. But if we apply it to cultivation, it will do more harm than good. Actually, it often means that we have not completely gotten rid of our greedy hearts.
For instance, even now when we clarify the truth, many people mistakenly think that we want something from them. We must come to a state of having “boundless compassion to move worldly people.” No matter how the other party behaves, we must remain unmoved. Our Master comes to this filthy world for our salvation, and all Master wants is our compassionate hearts. I feel that when we truly want to save sentient beings, many people will also ask questions in this regard. I believe that we can answer: “We don’t want anything from you and only hope that you know the truth and have compassion in your heart.” Thus, after people understand the truth, they would help us in many ways and avoid misunderstandings. We should avoid the money issue and we should not take their gratitude for granted because that is not an enlightened being’s attitude.
Quite often, practitioners will make mistakes. Perhaps, they have become stagnant in their cultivation. Out of compassion, other practitioners may share with them and help them to elevate their xinxing. However, some cultivators harbor something very difficult to detect. For example, you may have helped him to enlighten to something (actually, it was arranged by Master), and he would feel obligated to help you financially when you are in need of money so that he could feel better.
I believe that these kinds of thoughts are part of our human notions and should be eliminated. Among our practitioners, or even with ordinary people, it is best not to involve money unless it is absolutely necessary for Fa validation activities. As Dafa disciples, no matter if we are dealing with fellow practitioners or ordinary people, what we are here to do is make contributions, and we should not think of what we can get in return, including money or fame, for clarifying the truth or helping fellow practitioners.
Cultivators cannot have a merchant’s mentality, that is to say, giving up something for profit. That is the worst notion! Even myself, after writing articles for a long time and contributing a lot during Fa validation, I thought about how I have sacrificed so much, and when the evil party collapses, I should gain this and that. That is my human notion of wanting rewards. Sometimes, practitioners knew about this and tried to help me. I reluctantly accepted their help but I truly could not let go of my attachment to fame. Now, I am embarrassed when thinking of this. I am ashamed to be called a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple. The way I behaved is an insult to that title!
No matter what the enlightened beings do, it is a natural manifestation of their being and is an expression of the utmost compassion. It is what the universal Fa asks of all lives! We must achieve the state of selflessness and altruism in order to meet the requirements of Dafa!
Based what was mentioned above, I was out of town for some length of time but have now returned. I have managed to support myself and at least the issues of housing and food are resolved. Different individuals have different cultivation paths and everything needs to be judged according to their own circumstances. Not every life needs assistance from others in order to cultivate and validate Dafa. Needing help itself is an omission and at least I have not walked my path righteously in that regard. So I decided to return because I did not want to bother other practitioners any longer. I found a job to support myself. I continue to use my semi-functional computer to type only because it cannot do anything else, let alone get onto the Internet. I clear my thoughts and do my own things. I believe that my lifestyle is now quite sensible.
I am not here to depend on other’s help and good will. I accepted financial help before, but often it was not comfortable for me. Later, I decided that I should walk my path very righteously! In reality, it is not that hard. As long as we have Fa and sentient beings in our heart, everything will be the best.
As cultivators of the universal Dafa, we can think only of other people, be compassionate toward all lives, and make contributions! We cannot think of getting something in return, including emotional understanding or self-validation, which simply put is also a form gain. The sooner we thoroughly understand this, the sooner we can meet the requirements of the new universe!
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2008/6/15/53346.html
