PureInsight | August 4, 2013
[PureInsight.org] A lot of fellow practitioners around me have difficult daily lives. Some borrow money to do business only to have the business fail, rendering them unable to even return the money they borrowed. There are others who work temporary jobs to support their families. Although they work from dawn to dusk, their incomes are still very limited. In order to be frugal some practitioners have for several years abstained from even buying new clothes. Some ordinary people are asking, “How come there are few people who study the Fa that have prosperous lives?” More importantly, when a practitioner is stuck in this situation it’s often easy to develop a misunderstanding about it: “Maybe this was the way my cultivation path was arranged; maybe I’m supposed to bear this hardship.” I’ve often heard some fellow practitioners say this. Is this kind of understanding a way of acknowledging the old forces’ arrangements? Isn’t it also seeking?
Once, a fellow practitioner who used to have a difficult livelihood told me: “I was stuck in this kind of livelihood for so many years. During the most difficult times the entire family would suffice on a bucket of soybean oil every three months. Salted vegetables were usually the main dish for dinner. When we bought vegetables we purposely looked for the tattered and cheap ones. Despite working a temporary job and doing the utmost to make money, a year later it still felt as if there wasn’t enough money to spend. There seemed to be less and less money to spend, yet the elders of the household had illnesses and the children’s education had to be provided for; everyone would be reaching out their hands toward you. Wouldn’t you say this is difficult? Later, when I thought about this it didn’t make much sense. Dafa disciples have great fortune, yet what kind of fortune is this? Is this the path Master planned? Looking inward, I realized that for all these years, I was walking the path of the old forces. The old forces believe: ‘Only from cultivating in these kinds of destitute living conditions can you then be considered up to standard.’ Thus, I sent forth righteous thoughts to negate them. Once your understanding emerges, you will suddenly feel that the state you’re in isn’t quite right. We can’t acknowledge the state where ‘practitioners are supposed to be poor’—we have to walk the path Master arranged for us and allow Master to be our guide. Every time I sent forth righteous thoughts, I would negate and root out this element. Afterwards, my livelihood became better and better. Last year, I made over 40,000 yuan and my family and friends were all happy for me.” Though having finally enlightening correctly, this practitioner nevertheless walked several years on a crooked path.
In the past when I conversed with fellow practitioners, I would often hear some practitioners say: “To be a little poorer and to have to bear a little more hardship is no big deal. We still have far more than the practitioners of the past. When compared to the destitute and homeless, those in prison, and those suffering persecution in detention centers, we are far more advantaged.” In my opinion, this kind of understanding from fellow practitioners is incorrect. If you think the poverty in life is “supposed to be this way” and are even at ease with such a state, aren’t you asking for it? Dafa disciples are running around, struggling for the most basic needs of life. Is this normal? Could this be what Master arranged? We were Kings and Gods with brilliant benevolence that had descended to the Earth; we are people with great virtue and great spiritual inclination. How come today the basic life skill of feeding one’s family is so hard to accomplish? This just isn’t right.
What’s more, the cultivation methods of the past were all arranged by the old forces; all the cultivators in history, no matter if they were deep in the mountains or in a monastery, were pretty much penniless. How can Dafa disciples acknowledge that “path” from human to godhood? Even less can you use them as today’s reference, right? Without the guidance of high level Fa and instead relying on hardship, how high can you cultivate to high levels? Many can’t leave the three realms. The many practitioners who are destitute, illegally in jail, or are persecuted in detention centers were also arranged by the old forces to take that path, not Master. Master wouldn’t let us walk this kind of path. We can’t use them as comparisons, can we? These practitioners are being brutally persecuted. If we think we have freedom merely by comparing ourselves to them, aren’t we bringing down our own quality of life? Isn’t this a form of seeking? If we can’t completely negate our impoverished states from our understanding, then the old forces will say, “Look, these people are actually totally at ease with our arrangements. They’re pretty much satisfied like this. Let’s add some more weight, and allow their livelihood to be even more difficult; isn’t establishing mighty virtue what they want?” Therefore, in our hearts we have to send out one powerful thought: “Completely negate all the arrangements the old forces made on our lives; only walk the path Master arranged. Eradicate the poverty the old forces arranged for us; allow Master to be our guide.”
Master said in “Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting:” “Actually, I’ve been thinking about this since the day you first began. If you can really achieve that, it would make me the happiest. I don’t have any misgivings about Dafa disciples making big money. I’ll be happy when your businesses grow even bigger and you have ever greater wealth. My only concern is that you won’t achieve this. If you all had great financial means, wouldn’t you have greater strength to draw upon for these things that Dafa disciples do to validate the Fa? Wouldn’t that be outstanding? I have never told you to be like those mountain-dwelling cultivators, who’d rather go penniless. That’s because you cannot be like that when your cultivation is carried out in ordinary human society. I never told you to be like that. Rather, I have always said that Dafa’s cultivation is done in a manner that maximally conforms to the way of ordinary human society.”
Of course when we do have money, it’s not to “have a good time.” Rather it’s to validate the mighty virtue of Dafa, to confirm Dafa’s glory, and to allow the world’s people to see what a blessing it is to learn Dafa. This is also showcasing the graceful character of Dafa disciples, and will be helpful in clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings.
This is just my personal understanding. My intention was to share with everyone. Please point out anything that is not in line with the Fa.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/116751
