PureInsight | June 14, 2010
[PureInsight.org] One day, my sister-in-law called and asked me to remind my husband to bring his identification card with him when he was going back to see his family during the holiday. I asked my husband about this, and he said his father was going to transfer his property ownership to him. Then I asked: “To you only, or to your sisters as well?” He said all three siblings. I was unhappy to hear that.
Immediately, I was alert to my “unhappiness.” In fact, when we got married, I told my husband not to count on the property of his parents; instead we should work hard by ourselves. Therefore, I told my father-in-law that it would be all up to him to decide how to distribute his property, and we wouldn’t say a single word. I had thought I already let go of that attachment. Why was I still unhappy? Which attachment was this pointing to?
After looking within over and over, I found it was due to my human notions. My husband was the only son of his father. After we got married, my coworkers and relatives told me intentionally or unintentionally that since my husband was the only son, he would be the only heir to his father’s property. My father was also the only son of his parents. Thus, this notion had been in my mind for so long that I thought this was how things were supposed to be. As soon as I realized that it was this human notion that blocked me, my attachment of “unhappiness” was gone immediately.
However, after a while, this human notion kept jumping back into my mind. Whenever I wasn’t busy, the following thought would emerge: “My husband is the only son. All of his father’s property should be given to him. My father-in-law is biased towards his daughters. He only dotes on his daughters.” I could tell this thought was not from my main consciousness, but why did it keep interfering with me?
Suddenly, I understood that although I did take the notion lightly, I still hadn’t let it go completely. Therefore, it kept looking for any opportunity to trigger my demon-nature, e.g., it made me feel wronged, angry, holding a grudge, etc. Once I understood this, I knew that as long as my main consciousness could predominate, my righteous thoughts would be strong, I would not let the notion control me, the notion was nothing and it would be eliminated completely.
After this episode, I finally understood what a notion is. During the last half year, I couldn’t calm myself when I sent forth righteous thoughts, did the exercises or studied the Fa. Now, I could finally feel calm. Actually, Master hinted to me to discard this human notion before this thing happened. But at that time, I wasn’t clear in my mind. Master said in Essentials for Further Advancement II, “Towards Consummation”: “What’s a fundamental attachment, then? Human beings acquire many notions in this world and are, as a consequence, driven by these notions to pursue what they yearn for. But when a person comes to this world, it is karmic arrangements that determine his course of life and what will be gained and lost in it. How could a person’s notions determine each stage of his life? So those so-called ‘beautiful dreams and wishes’ become pursuits that can never be realized, despite painful attachments.” After reading this, I understood more clearly that it was really important to discard the “human notions” we have developed.
I deeply realize how carefully Master has arranged every single detail in our cultivation. Only by cultivating more and more diligently could we keep up with what Master has arranged for us and could we do the three things well. Thank you, Master!
Translated from: http://zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2010/5/1/65867.html
