PureInsight | June 8, 2016
[PureInsight.org] In recent years, I have been slacking off in cultivation. I frequently have the wish to become more diligent, but I just cannot. Especially when it comes to clarifying the truth in person, I no longer look for opportunities like I did in the past. I just do not want to open my mouth anymore. I also stopped mailing truth clarification materials. I distribute materials in my local region as a gesture, because I’ve sent them so many times in the past but feel that they have not achieved anything. Fellow practitioners have been making phone calls to clarify the truth, but I did not want to for a long time, and have just started doing this recently, because I felt that I did not have time. I did put some effort into writing articles though.
Why could I not become diligent? I looked inwards and found the attachment to comfort. I felt that I had worked on quite a few truth clarification projects over the years. Along with the pressure of the persecution, I felt physically and mentally exhausted. I began showing signs of aging. I became powerless, lethargic and felt that I was old, although I knew that I should not have these ordinary notions. I wanted to slow down and relax; I felt that I had some excuses. I thought that it was all right as long as I had a project to work on. I lost the sense of urgency and warmth. I thought that I could move forward slowly, as long as I was not left behind. I knew that this state was not proper, but I felt helpless and remained at this level for a long time.
Cultivation is like rowing a boat against the current. One will inevitably fall behind if one does not advance forward. My state manifested in slacking off, but in reality, I had xinxing problems. It is not just about how much I do on the surface; how much I improve during the process is also important. This is the fundamental aspect of cultivation, because the things we do to save people on the surface can also be done by ordinary people. But they do not have a cultivator’s elements. We are assisting Master in saving sentient beings. Of course Master is saving people, and we are just helpers. However, we can cultivate our xinxing in the process and reach the standard set forth by the Fa, assimilate to Dafa, and become the beings that Dafa has created for the new universe.
One fellow practitioner once asked me whether I would still persevere in cultivation if our cultivation did not have the concept of consummation. I had no words of reply. I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Could I persevere onwards?” I could not. Why not? With this question, I was able to dig up the root of my problem in cultivation. Without the appeal of consummation, I would not be able to risk my life and persevere through the unprecedented cruelty of the CCP’s persecution. Cultivating for consummation is very normal. Who would not want to escape the three realms for eternal life? Higher beings would be happy for us. However, in today’s Fa-rectification period, only wishing for one’s own consummation is not enough, because one has not transcended beyond the old universe’s selfish attributes. Today’s cultivation in this righteous Fa is creating beings of the new universe, whose attributes include selflessness. Isn’t being attached to one’s own consummation selfish? Isn’t that a characteristic of the beings of the old universe? That being would definitely not be able to enter the new universe. Furthermore, we each correspond to countless sentient beings whose salvation depends on us. Of course it is Master who is saving them, while we assist, but if we cannot reach the standards of the new universe, our sentient beings cannot be saved. Thus Master hopes that we cultivate into selfless beings.
In recent years, I have also been doing the three things on the surface, but when I asked myself whether I did it completely for the sake of sentient beings, the answer was no. A large reason was for my own consummation. About this matter, I cannot lie and say pretentious words. I am not pure enough, nor have I reached a high enough realm. Even if I was saying on the surface that I was saving sentient beings, deep down I was hiding my own desire to consummate. Thus when I did the three things, my starting point was not righteous and my heart was not pure, so it was difficult to have righteous thoughts and righteous actions. I was afraid of falling behind if I did not do them, but if I did them, I was afraid of suffering and losing my own interests. In this state, moving forward was definitely a struggle. The persecution has continued for over a decade, and even though Fa-rectification has reached the end, the end has not yet arrived here and the persecution continues. Moving forward while lonely and awaiting the end of the persecution makes one feel that improving is very difficult. This is a result of the constraint of one’s own level, so one naturally slacks off. If one can reach a completely selfless realm, disregard oneself and put one’s heart towards sentient beings, one will definitely not slack off, because one’s realm is at that level.
Master has exhausted everything and suffered unimaginably for all the beings in the universe. Although we cannot reach Master’s realm, we must follow His requirements and cultivate into selfless beings. The reason for my slacking off was selfishness. When one’s own selfish goals seem unreachable, one will no longer have the motivation to be diligent and slacking off is inevitable.
Master has said in Essentials for Further Advancement II – Drive out Interference,
“The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts.”
Before Dafa, one is so unspeakably miniscule. In order to solve all problems in cultivation, one must look towards Dafa, study more Fa and study it well, dissolve oneself in the Fa, assimilate to Dafa, put in one’s utmost effort in doing the three things, cultivate oneself well, and put effort into removing the root of selfishness. Only then can one complete one’s mission and responsibilities, fulfill one’s vow, and live up to Master’s compassionate salvation.
The above is a part of my own understanding. Please point out anything inappropriate.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/152563
