PureInsight | May 26, 2011
[PureInsight.org] Several incidents in the past two months saw practitioners arrested and we had various discussions regarding this issue. Some attributed the arrests to a loophole in our one body and others thought the arrests might not necessarily be bad since the practitioners involved do have tribulations to overcome. Here, I would like to share my understandings. Please point out anything inappropriate.
Fa-rectification has continued for a long time and Dafa disciples should be matured already. Then why do persecution incidents still occur one after another? I think one main reason is that we fail to recognize the difference between personal cultivation and Fa-rectification period cultivation.
In Guiding the Voyage, “Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. Fa Conference,” Master said, “No being in the entire cosmos knows the true situation. They regard me as a cultivator, and so they dare to do what they have. As I told you before, no sentient being knew about the Fa of the cosmos. That’s why they think that I’m establishing a system of things that I’ve enlightened to—when I’m really doing Fa-rectification—with the only difference being that it’s exceptionally pure and righteous, and extremely high level. In their view, that’s all it is. This is why they’ve dared to bring us this disaster today. In other words, a higher Attainment Status and a Fa this immense require a test this massive. Yet on the other hand, if this hadn’t been allowed to happen it wouldn’t have. My intention was to utilize all the things they arranged so as to see their xinxing displayed in their actions.”
From this paragraph, I realized the old forces considered Master’s Fa-rectification as personal cultivation. Therefore, they created various tribulations to test Dafa disciples. In other words, they pay attention to practitioners’ shortcomings and loopholes. However, all these are not acknowledged by the Fa-rectification. If we practitioners also consider things based on personal cultivation, aren’t our thoughts aligned with the old forces and therefore we walk the path arranged by them?
In “Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference,” Master said, “Do you know what principle I go by in Fa-rectification? I disregard all the sins beings have committed in the past! (Applause) During this Fa-rectification I only look at beings' attitudes toward the Fa-rectification!”
Therefore, I realized that Master does not pay attention to how far beings have deviated from the Fa, but rather focuses on their attitude towards Fa-rectification. In other words, any beings in the old cosmos (excluding Dafa disciples) are able to enter the new cosmos as long as they agree with the Fa. We Dafa disciples, on the other hand, have the mission of saving sentient beings and assisting Master with Fa-rectification. Therefore, we have to assimilate ourselves to the Fa unconditionally in order to meet the requirements for us in the new cosmos and to fulfill our vows. That is, how we act during Fa-rectification period cultivation, reflects our attitude towards Master and the Fa-rectification.
More specifically, regarding fellow practitioners as mentioned above, if we attribute the arrests to our loopholes as one body, or certain practitioners’ omissions, aren’t we walking the path arranged by the old forces?
If we are looking within from the perspective of personal cultivation, we are actually acknowledging the persecution. But in fact, our improvement is not achieved through these negative elements that destroy sentient beings. We are here to save sentient beings and we have to be responsible for them. Therefore, we must be clear that our omissions should not be an excuse for the old forces to persecute us. All our attachments will be eliminated amid the Fa-rectification.
In Essentials for Further Advancement II, Master said, “Although everything the old forces did to people’s personal cultivation achieved a certain effect in the past, if that approach is used during the Fa-rectification, not only does it fail to meet Dafa’s standard, but it also seriously interferes with and disrupts the Fa-rectification.”
How can we understand this from the basis of Fa-rectification? As Fa-rectification Dafa disciples, we are not merely cultivating ourselves—instead, we coexist with Fa-rectification, connected to the Fa. From Master’s lectures, we know that we have the great mission of saving sentient beings, and that one Dafa disciple’s role cannot be replaced by another Dafa disciple. Therefore, when a fellow practitioner is persecuted, isn’t that the Fa-rectification being interfered with? That is why we must oppose the persecution and this is one of our responsibilities.
Then, how can we rectify ourselves in the Fa? In Essentials for Further Advancement II, Master said, “As a Dafa disciple, everything of yours is formed by Dafa and is the most righteous, and it can only be that [you] rectify everything that is not righteous. How could you bow to the evil?”
My understanding is that Master considers us as beings acting according to the Fa, who are the most righteous, and who can rectify anything that is not righteous. Therefore, our environment should also be one of, “The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities.” Then, where did we go wrong? We need to identify those places and correct them. This way, we are assimilating to the Fa while problems are resolved.
Here is one example. We once went to another city and shared experiences with practitioners there. Not many practitioners showed up since some were out of town for work and some stayed at home, unable to step forward, etc. During discussions, we realized that experience sharing is a format left by Master for us to improve together according to the Fa. What Master wants is also the choice for the future cosmos. Why were some practitioners unable to attend? Is it because our human notions acknowledge the situation? We thus sent forth righteous thoughts to rectify all the interfering elements. Within half an hour, more than 20 practitioners showed up—even a practitioner who went out of town for work came back riding a motorcycle.
Another time, one practitioner said the persecution in his area was very severe and practitioners were unable to step forward. On the way there, the practitioner said it was hard to find coordinators since everyone was afraid and dared not meet each other. Even diligent practitioners were arrested, which made other practitioners even more pessimistic. During the discussion, we said Master would like everyone to improve together and we should do it unconditionally without any human notions. Master said, “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master” (Zhuan Falun). As a result, within about 10 minutes, about 17 more practitioners arrived and some did not know why they were compelled to come. The sharing went very well and many confusions were cleared up.
Through these two incidents, I realized that we could not have human notions. Otherwise, there could be blockades waiting for us to rectify. It is because there are some places that are not righteous. If our basis is pure without human notions, then there will be no blockade for us to remove.
In “Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Students,” Master said, “You are a cultivator, so you need to have mighty-virtue. And where does your mighty-virtue come from? Doesn't it come from letting go of self and being selfless in this grueling environment, and being completely responsible to the Fa as a Dafa disciple? Isn't that, itself, mighty-virtue? And what's more, you did it in a grueling environment. The more you put you first or mix in [factors of] self, the less mighty-virtue you have, and that's why it is less likely that you succeed at things or do them well. Dafa's things should be the most sacred, and that's why the less you have of your own notions and involve your own factors, the better you can handle them and the more likely you are to succeed.”
I also have further understanding on Fa-rectification cultivation. Several practitioners and I once were discussing how to eliminate human notions in Fa-rectification period cultivation. In Zhuan Falun, Master said, “As human beings, we have the right to maintain human lives. Therefore, our living environment should meet the needs of human lives.” From this sentence, I realized that since we are assisting Master with Fa-rectification, this should be the basis for all our actions. Therefore, our cultivation state, including our surrounding environment, should be up to standard accordingly. By that, the Fa-rectification mechanism will automatically rectify all relevant elements.
Fa-rectification is the most important thing in the cosmos and all beings in the old cosmos are facing the issue of whether they are able to enter the new one. That is why no interference is allowed. This is far beyond our personal cultivation and it is Master who gave us this previous opportunity of participating in the Fa-rectification.
Here is another example. One practitioner said he was unable to calm down when sending forth righteous thoughts, even after sitting for a long time. During discussion, we realized that sending forth righteous thoughts is to eliminate the evil. This is not personal cultivation, but assisting Master with Fa-rectification. If one passively endures the interference during sending forth righteous thoughts, it may mean he or she is not clear on the difference between personal cultivation and Fa-rectification period cultivation.
In “Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York,” Master said, “Everyone knows that right now is the Fa-rectification period—the cosmos is being renewed, rebuilt, and recreated. Only under this circumstance can the imperfections be mended, and the only time that imperfections can be mended is when the colossal firmament is being rebuilt. So this is an opportunity. No being is allowed to interfere with or damage this opportunity. Whoever interferes is committing a sin, and whoever interferes has to bear the responsibility.” Therefore, once our basis is righteous, no interference is allowed. Any interfering elements will be eliminated immediately.
Now, I have a better understanding of the Fa. In Essentials for Further Advancement, Master said, “Buddha Law can save man, but it is not for the salvation of mankind that Buddha Law has come into existence. Buddha Law can solve the mystery of the universe, life, and science and make mankind take a correct road of science again, but it is not for the guidance of human science that Buddha Law has been formed.”
“Buddha Law is the cosmic quality, the factor that has produced the source of the matter, and the cause for the formation of the universe.” Since the Fa is the basis of everything in the cosmos, we can only assimilate ourselves to it unconditionally, and cannot use it to achieve personal gains. Otherwise, it is disrespectful of the Fa. For example, the Fa can solve many of our problems, but we cannot study the Fa with the purpose of solving problems. After all, all beings should be assimilated to the Fa. If we really do everything on the basis of assisting Master with the Fa-rectification, we will be able to do better in validating the Fa.
Above are personal understandings. Please point out anything inappropriate.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2011/4/23/73870.html
