PureInsight | August 20, 2001
Everyday when I read the touching stories of Dafa practitioners in North America and other parts of the world promoting the Fa and clarify the truth on Clearwisdom and Zhengjian Net, I look back at “graceful and serene” Europe. I feel as if the course of Fa rectification is half a beat too slow, and I feel very anxious. Recalling my experience during the past two years of Fa rectification, and from my current personal understanding, I want to talk about how to better clarify the truth to people and to keep up with the progress of Fa rectification.
1.Break through the old forces’ arrangements, fight together, and remove elements hampering Fa rectification
There has been continuous warfare in the history of Europe; however, there has never been a king who was able to unite the continent like the Chinese emperor did. The diverse languages in Europe originated from several different major language families, yet none of them had spread throughout the European continent. From my understanding, for the convenience of the promotion of the law of the universe, [Falun Dafa] initially Europe was supposed to be using one language like in China, but because the old forces wanted to hinder the Fa rectification, they maintained numerous small countries, each of them with their own language. Regarding the promotion of Teacher’s law of the universe and Fa rectification today, this arrangement is obviously a great hindrance. First, Dafa hasn’t been promoted in some areas and this has caused great difficulty for people to obtain the Fa there, which resulted from the differences in language.
Concerning this matter, Teacher had explained in 'Lecture at the Conference in Switzerland' in response to a practitioner’s question:
'Question: When can we get Dafa translated by Westerners?
Teacher: Zhuan Falun will be available soon. The French version will soon be sent to the publisher for printing and the English version is already available. The German version is now in bookstores, apparently a lot of bookstores already have it. As for versions in other languages, the Italian and Spanish ones are apparently being translated; and the Russian one is available. These are in regards to Western languages. There are also people translating it into other languages. Personally, I am really concerned with this matter. Often the reason is that conditions aren't yet ripe in many regards. Additionally, there is interferences from different sources that you're unaware of. So it's been dragging on. '
So from what I understood, right now the major barrier in Fa promotion in Europe is that this arrangement made by the old forces is still in effect and hasn’t been crushed. The reason for causing such a situation itself is as Dafa practitioners, we haven’t done well and haven’t comprehended from the perspective of the Fa. Although we put in a great deal of effort and spent lots of time and energy, the governments of different nations just wouldn’t stand up and condemn Jiang Zemin’s crimes like the U.S. and other countries’ governments did. They always say that they have been paying attention to China’s human rights issue all the time, and they hope to solve it through human rights talks with China. Within this, also included is that as practitioners, we didn’t illustrate to them clearly from the standpoint of Fa. We didn't give emphasis to the purpose of supporting us is to stop the persecution of the law of the universe, “Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance”, and to build a foundation for their obtaining the Fa in the future.
The apparent human world condition is that, the European Common Market is adjusting the relationship between European countries. I think, this is the high level being’s superior arrangement in an effort to break through the beehive-like pattern made by the old forces. Then, as Dafa practitioners, first we should act from within the principles of the Fa, remembering that Teacher doesn’t acknowledge all these arrangements made by the old forces. Otherwise no matter what we do, it seems like we’re doing it within their “beehives.” For instance, this old force makes you feel from within your heart that you belong to his country, so you should mainly take responsibility for this country and do things for this country. Therefore, for a longtime, ordinary people have been doing so, even when the heads of the European Common Market sit together and have a discussion, they still each argue and fight for their own country’s interests. Such a notion reflected on Dafa practitioners is that, we do not have enough coordination between the different countries. (We) always base our (actions) on the point that first do well with our own country’s Fa promotion, then will we think about other countries. This is the same manifestation as ordinary people’s selfishness; only such selfishness is covered up by the name of our own countries’ need of Fa promotion, so it’s a more concealed selfishness.
“If you first consider, whenever a problem comes up, whether others can put up with it and whether it will hurt others, you will not do wrong.” (Lecture 4, 'Upgrading Xinxing' in Zhuan Falun) My understanding of this is we should not fight with others when our personal interests are being touched, on a higher level, it has a higher connotation. The arrangements by the old forces are also shown in that the Europeans closely follow rules and regulations, they observe laws very well, and they have their own pace of doing things. From the ordinary people’s angle, this seems to be a good thing, but when they obey the corrupted laws and regulations in the human level, which go against the law of the universe, then such so-called “abide by the law and act discreetly” becomes a negative element and works as an opposing force to Fa rectification. There are many such examples. I believe as long as we take truth-clarification work seriously, then all these twisted notions and things will be exposed during Fa rectification and get cleaned out, rectified and harmonized. We must “eliminate all misconceptions while providing what is correct.” (“Lunyu,” the forwarding explanation in Dafa books) while following Teacher’s laws and principles “While you cultivate, do Fa-rectification, and move yourselves towards Consummation, you also need to save sentient beings; you are creating everything for the future. Everything Dafa disciples do today is extremely important, and the righteous path they take might become a reference for beings in the future. In the meantime, they've laid a foundation in human society for humankind's future way of existence.” (“Lecture on the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Conference”)
2.Get rid of the Mentalities of Waiting, Relying on others, and Having Expectations
Teacher clearly told us in his article “To All Students at the Nordic Fa Conference”, “Meanwhile, I hope that the students in Europe can be more like the students in North America—every student should, in addition to participating in group activities, in his daily life fully take the initiative of a Dafa disciple, establish his own mighty virtue in the process of clarifying the truth, and do well on his own Dafa disciple's path. So in clarifying the truth, don't wait, don't rely on others, and don't just hope for changes in external factors. Every one of us is creating history for the future, that's why everyone is not only participating in group activities, but also taking the initiative to look for work to do. As long as something is good for Dafa, you should take the initiative to do it, take the initiative to work on it. Every person you come into contact with in society is someone to clarify the truth to, and what's manifest in clarifying the truth is Dafa disciples' mercy and salvation of the people of the world. I hope that every Dafa disciple will fully take initiative and fully play his role as a Dafa disciple.”
I can give a specific example, there are very few practitioners in my area, and it was very difficult when I first began Fa promotion, so I hoped (practitioners) in other countries and areas who began Fa promotion earlier and better could take the initiative to help us and provide us with their tips for Fa promotion and related information, so we could run through the same process. Consequently, for a long time, as my heart was filled with expectations, it was also filled with complaints. However, I was disappointed. Such mentality lasted for a long time until one day, after I realized that this is a passive state and not from the perspective of the Fa, did some improvements appear with the situation. Teacher said in the article “Environment” from Essentials for Further Advancement, “The environment is created by you, yourselves, and it, too, is essential for your improvement.” So after I intensified my Fa studying, I started to look inward. I realized that, when I promote Fa to people is also the process of my self-improvement and cultivation. I should create the environment myself instead of just waiting for others’ help. The process of Fa rectification is in its last moments. In Europe, there are still many practitioners who haven’t “stepped forward” yet. How to break away from the state of waiting for Fo Xue Hui (local Falun Dafa associations) or group-arranged activities is a big, key step, for this part of our practitioners. As stepping out of humanness, establishing our own mighty virtue during Fa rectification, and harmonizing our future worlds need to be done solidly.
At present, a portion of practitioners still has the “grab both” mentality, which is preserving both cultivation and worldly interests. (They) are also studying Fa, doing the exercises and participating in group activities, yet they always give people the feeling that they are treating cultivation as a hobby. How to make these practitioners improve themselves from the standpoint of Fa as soon as possible and melt into the magnificent torrent of Fa rectification, is one of the most important jobs for practitioners who already stepped out and practice at group practice sites. Teacher said in “All Dafa Associations:,” “I am happy for the disciples (great living beings) who have cultivated with Dafa. I also hope that in the future while clarifying the truth and appealing to the government they will not in any way neglect the importance of studying the Fa, because all of them need to progress towards Consummation.” For a practitioner who has taken part in Fa rectification, we ourselves should exhaust all means, do everything we can, and give all we have to clarify the truth, for the sake of being compassionate to all beings, in order for them to obtain the Fa in the future. Teacher said, “I can give up to the greatest extent possible everything I have. I can thus resolve all of this.” (“Lecture at the Conference in Switzerland”) Think if each one of us practitioners could give up all that we have been bestowed by the law of the universe, including our future great enlightened beings’ wisdom attained through Dafa cultivation, our benevolence to all beings in the universe, our righteous thoughts and our supernormal abilities acquired through cultivation of orthodox law. If we can give up every single thought, even every single body cell, then, I think the old forces’ would completely disintegrate in an instant.
“Actually, I say that they are not formidable and are nothing before a true practitioner. Though you may find one that has practiced cultivation for nearly one thousand years, a tiny finger will be more than enough to crush it.” (Chapter 3 in Zhuan Falun, “Animal or Spirit Possession”) To put this in a clear way, the mentality of wait and rely on others are also degenerated selfish states. I remember a once practitioner said, she said, “if I didn’t have a job, I would buy all kinds of newspapers everyday, make calls attentively, mail out resumes and spend lots of time thinking for sure. Then why can’t I spend that much energy on Fa promotion?” Of course, this practitioner is already doing great now, but as she was saying the above, she had already realized her problem, which is what comes first between Dafa and personal interests. If every one of us practitioners can regard Dafa as the most important and put Dafa in our hearts every single moment, think from the perspective of Dafa when encountering tribulations, then our righteous thoughts cultivated from Dafa will enable us to know what to do, so we wouldn’t sit and wait for others’ arrangements.
(To be continued…)
In the morning on August 10th, 2001
(Translated on August 14, 2001 from http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2001/8/11/11300.html)
