PureInsight | September 27, 2024
[PureInsight.org] When studying the section on 'Jealousy' in Lecture Seven of Zhuan Falun, Master said, “And even among people who are sincere about spiritual practice, you sometimes see people being disrespectful of one another. It’s easy for jealousy to creep in if you are still competitive.” When I used to study the Fa, I would focus on 'competitive' and 'jealousy' but overlooked the 'disrespectful'.
What is 'defiance'? Let's break it down and analyze it. 'Defiance' is being unyielding, unconvinced, unwilling, and unacceptable. It stems from feelings of unfairness, dissatisfaction, and imbalance, often accompanied by a resistant attitude. This typically arises from personal disagreement with certain matters, discontent with others' achievements or behaviors, or holding contrary opinions. The 'heart' here refers to the emotions stirred up as a result, leading to agitation and irrationality, manifesting in a demonic nature.
Often, the 'defiance attachment' and 'jealousy' are intertwined and mixed together. One may feel jealous because of defiance, or feel defiance because of jealousy.
Those who have a strong 'defiance attachment' often also exhibit 'arrogance'. They tend to look down on others, have an inflated self-view, and enjoy elevating themselves while belittling others. At the same time, they are extremely attached to their own opinions, repeatedly emphasizing their viewpoints in any situation, trying to persuade others to accept their perspective. They habitually argue with others, sometimes with the intention of helping, but more often than not, simply to attack others and highlight themselves. Even when they know someone else is right, they are unwilling to change their attitude or accept the other person's viewpoint. When others achieve something, their jealousy naturally arises, and they go to great lengths to undermine and exclude others. Such people are difficult to get along with, hard to manage, and challenging to cooperate with. Because they are overly attached to themselves, they will go so far as to disrupt things, create divisions, and engage in internal conflict, fearing peace more than chaos. They certainly won’t put aside their self-interest for the sake of the collective good, for others, or for the larger picture.
This reminds me of what Master said in Zhuan Falun, “There is nothing innately inferior about a novice monk who tends the hearth or cooks the meals at a monastery, and his hardships make it all the more likely he will achieve spiritual enlightenment. Senior monks, on the other hand, will find it all the harder to achieve since they enjoy comfort and ease, and do fewer things that would rework their karma. A novice monk leads a hard and tiring life, which allows him to pay off karma and enlighten more swiftly. Awakening might come to such a monk unexpectedly one day, and with it, even if not full enlightenment, will come great powers.”
I realized that in the eyes of ordinary people, the novice monk in the temple is in the lowest position, the most underestimated and humble. He has been at the beck and call of others, playing a role with no dignity. In today's workplace terms, he would be considered a marginalized employee, burdened with hard work and looked down upon. If the novice monk had a defiance attachment, he would feel unbalanced. He might think, “Why should I be the one stoking the fire and cooking? We are all monks, all disciples of the Buddha. The hard work should be shared among everyone. I’m not convinced. I want to resist.” Would the novice monk be able to cultivate and open his divine powers? Because the novice monk accepted his role, willingly endured hardship, and harbored no dissatisfaction or imbalance in his heart, this was seen as the best in the eyes of divine beings, allowing him to achieve high-level status in cultivation.
I, too, have a very strong 'defiance attachment'. Over the years, I have resisted my leaders' arrangements at work, believing they were bullying honest people. I compared myself to colleagues who were less diligent, wondering why they were allowed to behave that way. At home, I resisted the fact that my child's father didn’t hand over his salary to me, that he bossed me around. He spoke harshly and unkindly to me, that he was sarcastic and mocking, and that he sometimes made things difficult for me. In the future, I must work to eliminate this 'defiance attachment' to be like that novice monk, accepting my circumstances, willingly enduring hardship, repaying karma without resentment or hatred, and harmonizing my work and family life. I will do the three things well and return with Master in consummation.
If there is anything inappropriate in my understanding, I kindly ask for a compassionate feedback.
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/291882
