PureInsight | July 18, 2021
[PureInsight.org] In recent tests, I’ve realized that the strong likes of discussing right and wrong has blocked my way back to Heaven, which looks like a high wall. Only by changing the concept of ordinary people can I break through the barriers.
In the course of my cultivation, I knew I should look inward when conflicts arise, so I did well in tests. However this time I found it a bit hard to get through the barrier. How can I look inward while I’m not at fault? In particular, in this scenario I had to face the practitioner who started cultivation earlier than I. Why I performed well in the past tests? Because I was willing to search for my own shortcomings. However, I do not think I have made any mistakes in the current conflict; it is the fellow practitioner who should look inside.
Master taught us in Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan, “That’s how things will be for you, starting now. Whether you are right or not is, for a cultivator, not important whatsoever. Don’t argue left and right, and don’t emphasize who’s right and who’s wrong. Some people are always stressing that they’re right, but even if you are right, even if you’re not wrong, so what? Have you improved on the basis of the Fa? The very act of using human thinking to stress who’s right and who’s wrong is in itself wrong. That’s because you are then using the logic of ordinary people to evaluate yourself, and using that logic to make demands on others. As gods see it, for a cultivator to be right or wrong in the human world is not important in the least, whereas eliminating the attachments that come from human thinking is important, and it is precisely your managing to eliminate those attachments rooted in your human thinking as you cultivate that counts as important.”
Once I’ve emphasized left and right, I seem to be on the track of human thinking. Then the old force will take advantage of this loophole. Master stated in Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference, “What they’re thinking is, ‘This idea of mine can serve the Fa better,’ and they never think, ‘I’m showing off.’ But the old forces will latch on to his not giving ground and constantly strengthen it—‘You’re right, you’re right, what you’re doing is exactly right!’”
At that moment, my attachment had surfaced. The more I thought about it, the more anxious I felt. It seemed that I had entered a strange circle, and my mind was full of my own right. It wasn't until later that fellow practitioners reminded me to wake up, and I worked hard on Fa study, I got released.
When I decided to stop discussing the left and right, I began to truly look inward. I found that we have two thinking systems controlling us, one is the thinking of cultivators, and the other is human thinking. When we are swayed by everyday persons’ mind, we immediately enter the channel of human thinking and are easily manipulated by old forces. Why many cultivators found it hard to look within? Because they reckon that they’re right. In fact, this is the human thinking which had not been detected by us. Moreover, it was easy for some practitioners to argue with others because they reckoned that they were defending Dafa. Thus it was a bit harder for them to raise their level.
Master taught us in Further Understanding from The Essentials for Further Advancement, “Do you realize that as long as you’re a cultivator, in any environment or under any circumstances, I will use any troubles or unpleasant things you come across—even if they involve work for Dafa, or no matter how good or sacred you think they are—to eliminate your attachments and expose your demon-nature so that it can be eliminated, for your improvement is what’s most important.”
My understanding of this Fa is that we should cultivate ourselves even when doing work for Dafa. Why we cannot meet Master’s expectation 100 percent? Every part of Fa teaching reveals secrets, in which we can find lots of treasures to dispel confusions. The human notions can blind us, which deters us practicing Dafa. When we were swayed by human notions, we kept our confidence with the postnatal self, but lost our faith in Dafa. No matter how wronged you may feel, you certainly know that you are already affected if you cannot remain unmoved. When we felt annoyed, we should identify the attachments giving rise to this negative feeling. Otherwise, we are not mature-minded in cultivation.
Generally speaking, veteran practitioners are aware that we should let go of human notions as well as attachments and desires. The ordinary people’s concepts that rooted in our thinking have prevented us from practicing cultivation. I think it remains a question of whether you evaluate the conflict with divine thoughts or human thinking. If you still hold on to the right and wrong and don't want to change your concept, then you will be unable to upgrade your understanding and raise the level of cultivation.
Master stated in Teaching the Fa in New York City, “But if you want to cultivate into a Buddha, your understanding has to be extraordinary in every regard.”
When we need to pass the tests, have we upgraded our prior understanding? It is acceptable if everyday persons conform to the principles at the level of this world. Nevertheless, Gods do not care. We should fully understand that the barriers are used to help us dispel human attachments, while we shall ignore left and right. Even if you seem to win when arguing with others, you will lose in your cultivation. The more we study the Fa, the quicker we can change human notions and upgrade our levels.
Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/266494
