PureInsight | September 27, 2012
[PureInsight.org] The experimental results at work were not as good as I was expecting. I thought about it for a while and still could not figure it out. Standing by the window and looking outside, I was wondering why it had turned out like this.
I have been working on a project that tests a certain products’ potency. In the past six months, my colleagues and I had been working hard on it to overcome various types of difficulties. We were ready to qualify the product, and just prior to entering the next stage, we found that a new batch of product performed differently from previous batches. We then identified and confirmed that the new batch of product from the vendor was different from previous batches. Since this product was not available from any other source, we had to redo much of the work that had been done to accommodate the change. However, several weeks had passed and the results were still not ideal. The product has a high profile in the company and the product’s successful potency assessment is a critical step needed to market the product. This assessment is closely monitored by various groups. Then, why was it so hard to work out?
Through recent Fa-study, I have come to understand that nothing is accidental. Therefore, I began to think this over from the perspective of cultivation.
I remember when I first joined the company several years ag, my first project was also testing a product’s potency. Before that I was working in a small company that focused on early-stage product development. Usually I started an assessment from scratch, and would continue with the product’s development and then finally complete the product’s qualification, with everything finished within two to three months or earlier, all by myself. After arriving here, however, I found even improving an existing assessment could take six months, while qualification or validation took another several months. Then the assessment transfer would take another few months. I was puzzled why things took so much longer. Later I found that, since many of the products were already marketed or close to it, the requirement was much higher than before. To ensure a product’s quality, an established assessment process may not change for several years or even longer, while the testing could take place simultaneously in multiple countries. The assessment needed to be robust enough to withstand the challenges of product fluctuation and change of testing groups or personnel. To meet such a high standard, the assessment and product had to be thoroughly tested at the stage of qualification and validation. This is why the standard is so high.
From this I thought about cultivation. I remember in the early days of cultivation, I was happy every day and spent lots of time studying the Fa. After the persecution started, I also joined other practitioners to clarify the truth. Looking back though, I did not think the process could take this long. Despite my improvement from time to time, I often encountered problems which reminded me to do better. There are some attachments that I have noticed, but have been unable to let go of, let alone those attachments that I am unaware of. The effect of truth-clarification to people is also very limited. I have cultivated for more than 10 years; why is my progress still so slow?
From this incident at my workplace I came to understand that because of our great mission, we should be able to handle all sorts of tests. Occasionally I made progress in Fa-study and did something to save sentient beings. But that is far from enough. Through good Fa-study and righteous thoughts, we can handle things well that come up to test us and walk through them in an open and aboveboard manner.
Through this incident, I also found another shortcoming of mine. Ever since I was young, I had a habit that when focusing my attention on something, I tended to ignore other people or things around me. This had some advantages. For example, I was able to concentrate on study at school and then was admitted to a top university. After beginning to practice, I was able to focus on cultivation and laid a good foundation. As Fa-rectification has continued, I have realized more and more the importance of enlarging the capacity of our hearts. That is, we need to handle all the things around us, instead of paying attention only to some things and neglecting others.
Because I have been looking inward more often recently and have let go of some attachments, I am now able to get along better with my coworkers and I am not so attached to personal gain as I was before. At the same time, however, I have noticed a hidden issue—I have not been fully dedicated to my work due to some negative feelings toward my boss. On the surface, I have no pursuit at my workplace. This was partially because I had few attachments to fame and self interest and also because I cared less about the results—thinking the result would be the same anyway, no matter if I did well or poorly. I did not find this mindset inappropriate until recently. After all, as a company employee, it is good for me to work well with my colleagues and to pay little attention to fame or self interest; but my work also needs to be productive. Otherwise, how could my boss deal with the pressure from upper management? Furthermore, it could negatively affect other departments and, if all products are in such a situation, how could the company survive? That is, if I have the mindset of just letting things be, it would easily be taken advantage of by interfering elements. This could be one reason why my project has encountered difficulty.
From this, I realized that we have to consider things as a whole and cannot be so narrow-minded. At the workplace, we interact with our boss and coworkers in the same department and other departments. Similarly, we interact with people in various ways when staying at home, walking on the street, or driving the car. If we are qualified Dafa disciples who have assimilated to the Fa from our hearts we will bring positive energy whenever we go.
Of course, we are still in the process of cultivation and sometimes cannot do very well. With a pure mind, however, we can eliminate barriers between us and other sentient beings. We will then be able to communicate well with them and experience the power of the Fa. Through recent Fa-study, I also came to understand that right now every day may go on as usual; however, it is indeed precious and we cannot miss any opportunities because of our inadequate efforts.
This incident also reminded me of my attitude towards other practitioners. Starting several years ago, while cultivating myself, I often noticed attachments in other practitioners. Thinking of myself as not good at communicating with others, and since I had not interacted with other practitioners much anyway, I seldom pointed them out. On the one hand, I was waiting for these practitioners to see their attachments themselves; on the other hand, during such occasions I focused more on looking inward and was often able to see problems with myself. Later, I realized that this situation was not appropriate. I thought that if my child or relatives have shortcomings I would point them out, so why couldn’t I compassionately bring any issues I may see in a practitioner to their attention?
During a recent group Fa-study, many practitioners shared about tribulations that they were experiencing, ranging from difficulty in the family, physical discomfort, to problems at the workplace and complaints about others. While hearing these, I tended to think that this practitioner has such and such attachments, and that practitioner has such and such attachments—thinking the tribulations were caused by these attachments. When looking back later, however, I found my understanding was incorrect. After all, practitioners are still in the process of cultivation, and there is interference forced upon practitioners by the old forces. Since Master has confidence in these practitioners, how could I comment based on my shallow understanding? Weren’t there many times that I did not do well? And sometimes I could not correct my mistakes, even after noticing my own problems. It was even more wrong of me to assume practitioners would encounter tribulations due to their attachments.
Sometimes in the past, I was often confused: I am so insignificant and have so many attachments, how could I complete the mission a Dafa disciple? Later I realized that we are all cultivating ourselves and we are all assisting Master to validate the Fa. Therefore, we need to cherish the efforts that practitioners have made, the journey they have walked, and the faith they have in the Fa. That is, we need to unconditionally strengthen practitioners’ righteous thoughts and their faith in the Fa, while helping them to eliminate all sorts of interference. Only then can we be assimilated to the Fa and, by working together with other practitioners, join our efforts to complement each other in validating the Fa and helping with the salvation of sentient beings.
Above are my personal understandings. Please point out anything that is inappropriate.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/111016
