PureInsight | January 23, 2023
[PureInsight.org] When I was binding truth clarification booklets one day, I had a strip of staples, which I picked up and put aside. At this moment, the staples spoke, "You, write about me. I was a monk from Taipei in my previous life.” I was stunned for a moment, thinking to myself, “Why did the monk reincarnate into a strip of staples?”
The strip of staples said, "I didn't succeed in cultivation because of sexual lust. But I made a vow, hoping to get closer to Dafa. Because of this wish, I was reborn again and again. I've now became a strip of staples in this reincarnation."
Looking at the staples carefully, I learned some details about its previous life.
In the 1920s, there was a young monk in a temple in Taipei who attracted attention because of his handsome appearance. Some female pilgrims liked to watch him and took the opportunity to talk to him. The monk was still strict with himself in how he behaved on the surface, but evil thoughts gradually grew in his heart, and dirty thoughts flashed in his mind from time to time. He didn't stop those delusional thoughts in time, didn't get rid of those evil thoughts, and continued to fantasize. Some female pilgrims would intentionally touch the monk's hand. The monk was calm on the surface, but in fact he felt overjoyed in his heart. As time passed, he became a very lustful person. He even had evil thoughts when holding the scriptures in his hands. The monk knew that he would not only fail in cultivation, but might go to hell, so he was very distressed.
Later, an eminent monk from Kaohsiung came to Taipei. The Kaohsiung monk talked about the end of the world, and that there would be a wheel-turning sage king who would teach the Fa. The eminent monk saw that the handsome monk was a lustful person, and told him quietly, "If a monk does not abide by the precepts, and has wild, distracting thoughts and deep lust, not only will his cultivation fail, but he will also fall into the animal realm in the six paths of reincarnation. When will he be free?" The monk panicked about this and hoped that the eminent monk would advise him on how to turn himself around.
The eminent monk said, "Reincarnation is endless. Suffering is endless. Karmic debts will be bound up for several generations, and the power of the gods is beyond reach. Behave yourself!" The monk became more panicked, knelt down and begged the eminent monk, hoping to find a way out. The eminent monk sighed and said, "You make a pious wish in front of the Buddha, hoping to form a predestined tie to the Dafa that will be disseminated in the end days. This may be your way to liberation! But I'm afraid you won't get a human body at that time, you can only be an object." The monk said, "I just hope that I won't create bad karma in reincarnation. I do not want to go to hell, and I do not want to be destroyed. It's okay to be an object and have a bright future." The eminent monk said, "If you have such a wish, then kneel down devoutly before the gods and buddhas. Never have evil thoughts again. Beg for the Fa-guardian vajras to strengthen you. Don’t repeat the same mistakes ever again, and remember—remember—don’t slack off!”
For this reason, the monk abandoned his distracting thoughts and made a pious wish in front of the Buddha: I hope that in the end of days, I will have the predestination to be close to the Fa, even if I am but a petty and low life form at the time. He asked the Buddha to bless his wishes. He knew that he did not cherish the opportunity to practice cultivation, and had committed a huge sin. For this, he shed tears of regret. He also worked hard to cultivate himself and straighten himself out.
After the monk died, he first reincarnated as a yellow ox and worked arduously. After the ox died, he was reincarnated as a black pig. After the pig was killed, he was reincarnated as a mouse, which was eaten by an eagle. Then he reincarnated into a sparrow, then a mole cricket, a pangolin .. the reincarnations go on. Later, the immortal in charge of reincarnation allowed him to reincarnate as a strip of staples. In the process of being reincarnated from a monk to a strip of staples, he was reincarnated twelve times, eleven times on the path of animals, and once as a basin. On reviewing this being's course of life, one can tell it really hasn't been easy for him.
I said, "You made a big wish at the time, maybe you can be the staples in Dafa truth-clarification booklets." The staples said, "Binding Dafa books, I still don't have such a great blessing. Only a pure life can do that! I've seen many beings queuing up to be reincarnated as staples, but not all staples can form predestined ties with Dafa."
I said, "I will write down your story. If you have something to pass on to practitioners, I can also pass it on." The staples said, “Cultivators, you must be earnest in your approach to cultivation practice. You must cultivate your heart and mind, let go of your desires. You cannot be half-hearted. Don't pick up the book thinking that you're a practitioner, then put down the book and become an ordinary person. You must integrate the spirit of cultivation into all of your daily encounters and all your thoughts. Treat cultivation with all due earnestness. Absolutely do not be like me, losing the predestined opportunity to practice cultivation!"
I was very impressed by this. A cultivator should really be like a cultivator and take cultivation seriously! Otherwise, one's realm will be lowered.
I used that strip of staples, and I hoped that after it plays a role in this life, it will have good prospects in the future. However, there are regrets in the course of life after all. I also know that the monk in Kaohsiung has become a Dafa disciple in this life and is practicing diligently in Taiwan. In "Journey to the West" there is such a saying, "It's hard to get a human body, it's hard to be born in the Central Land (China), and it's hard to come across the righteous law: But it's incredibly fortunate to obtain all three."
Dafa disciples are very lucky to be able to cultivate in Dafa. We should cherish the opportunity of cultivation, purify our thoughts, don't follow delusions, stop thoughts that are not in line with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and take cultivation seriously. I hope that we will not let down Master's compassionate salvation, and not disappoint those celestial beings who have placed their boundless hopes on us.
By writing this story, I hope to warn practitioners not to be obsessed with carnal desires. Rather, take desires lightly, break away from desires, cultivate away desires, and not to be bound by desires, so that one can acquire true freedom.
Chinese version: https://big5.zhengjian.org/node/276316
