PureInsight | December 3, 2023
[Pureinsight.org]
Master said in What is a Dafa Disciple, “Of course, be this cosmic law as it may, compassion is a trait of righteous gods. That is not to say that simply wishing to do some good counts as compassion. When someone is seized by a whim and acts on it, that doesn’t count as compassion. Rather, in that case it stems from the person’s likings. Or put more bluntly, it’s out of attachment. True compassion doesn’t have any selfishness mixed in, and one will, when dealing with anyone, or sentient beings in general, look at things with righteous thoughts and loving kindness.”
Master's lectures enlightened his disciples, giving me some insights. Today, my kid shared some thoughts and suggestions with me. I felt a bit upset upon hearing them because in my eyes, his ideas were too active and jumping too fast. I couldn’t keep up with his ideas since they had a different perspective from mine and a big gap. I felt like a bundle of fire inside me testing the limitation of my tolerance. Outwardly, it seemed I was on the brink of collapsing, yet I managed to hold back. Negative thoughts kept flooding my mind, fueling my anger as I dwelled on them. It felt as if my heart was stitched together, rendering everything I did seem meaningless.
Unable to calm my mind, I turned to memorize Master’s lectures. Opening the Hong Yin IV The Grand Verses, the first poem is "Indomitable Will", "Born into suffering, Life itself was a struggle. Blessed to find Dafa. Tarry not on the way home.”
Continuing to recite, as I immersed myself, my mind grew tranquil. I reminded myself that my child had her own thoughts and plans. She has been a Dafa practitioner, guided by our Master. In the human world, I play the role of a mother. In cultivation, I must improve myself and not harbor resentment towards others. So, in my heart, I rejected negative thoughts, refusing to accept them. My thoughts revolved around positivity, focusing on my child's innocence, kindness, and I shouldn’t persist myself by imposing myself on others. Did my kid’s words touch any stubborn personal attachment within me? I clearly felt a physical discomfort in my body.
Now it seems that discomfort is related to the attachment to myself. Over time, concepts have formed, slowly leading me to wrongly accept them. Laziness and numbness are opportunities for these concepts to take root. Until you see through these notions and self, on the surface, it may seem peaceful. But when you strive for improvement, you need clear vision to distinguish what’s good from what’s not. External triggers can awaken your main divine spirit. By using the Fa to find your shortcomings and reflecting on why you encounter certain situations, your first thought turns to the Fa. You will be willing to place those negative substances within the Fa for purification. Then you will be able to face them without evasion.
How much of my supposed kindness to others lacks any selfishness? Impurities are mixed in with compassion, making it less pure. Hence, the recipient can't feel compassion because it falls short of the standard. The concentration and density aren't at that subtle, microscopic level that can truly touch one's innate nature.
My understanding is that cultivating compassion forms the basis of a compassionate heart. A great enlightened being is compassionate towards sentient beings without any personal thoughts and concepts. Dafa disciples will eventually become enlightened beings overseeing celestial bodies. If we aren't diligent in cultivation, can't shed human attachments, or if our compassion is lacking, our level will determine the standard of our celestial world.
Yet, in the human world, a dimension of illusion, especially in the latter Day of the Dharma and the End times, disciples are fortunate to obtain the Fa and follow the path from Master. Every step forward, every improvement, is nurtured and blessed by Master's vast compassion. Cultivating within Dafa is like sailing on an immense ship. We cleanse ourselves in Dafa, purify our thoughts. When attachments arise and can't be discarded, Master compassionately enlightens us. When trapped and at a loss, we can feel Master by our side. His compassionate strength helps us generate righteous thoughts to get out of trouble. We step forward by holding Master’s hands tightly. Looking back after overcoming challenges and conflicts, we deeply realize Master's compassion and immense tolerance for sentient beings.
Compassion is entirely for others, without preserving the self. Dafa disciples must eventually cultivate into altruistic beings. How can we achieve this?
At my current level, I realize that to discard self and become selfless, Dafa must come first. In any situation, we should measure and compare with Dafa, rectifying ourselves accordingly. Standing on the foundation of the Fa, you become one with it. "The great Fa is boundless." ("Zhuan Falun" Lecture Two). Correspondingly, you receive the blessings of the Fa; your compassion increases. Acting with compassion allows consideration for others; your benevolence deepens. The mutated substance of self loses its foothold, its habitat. Your pure cultivation becomes the manifestation of righteousness. Invisibly, you dissolve those negative substances. This might be an embodiment of "non-action governing."
Cultivating compassion is a compulsory lesson for Dafa disciples; no one can evade it. We all must face it. The opposite of kindness is malevolence. Or you could say, the distorted substance of the universe, "self." This "self" hinders our cultivation of compassion as a barrier before us. Only by shedding "self," overcoming obstacles, can kindness emerge quietly. Then we can understand that compassion is a state of selflessness, a complete embodiment of being entirely for others.
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/284959
