(Clearwisdom.net) This is my first time writing an experience-sharing article. I have not written articles for more than 10 years. The writing is kind of scattered. I hope fellow practitioners will forgive me and correct me with compassion.
1. Looking Inside to Find Attachments and Cultivating Attachments Away
A while ago, because I was attached to selfishness, I got into conflicts with fellow practitioners. This is what happened: There was an argument among practitioners while we were studying the Fa. On the way home, a practitioner saw two cars hit each other. The next day as this story was being told to me, as I looked down the stairs, I also saw two cars hitting each other. Isn't it that when practitioners get into arguments due to selfishness, isn't it like two cars hitting each other? However, at that moment, I only realized "hitting each other." By looking inside, I found that my speech was uncompassionate and my behavior was not in accordance with the standards of a cultivator. Yet, I still could not completely let go. It was like Teacher said in "Zhuan Falun"
"whenever they run into a problem the first thing they try to do is duck the blame, even if they're at fault." (Lecture 4, Zhuan Falun).
After realizing this I let go of the mentality of "ducking the blame." Looking back, from the bottom of my heart, I am grateful to the practitioner who had a conflict with me, because through the conflict, I found my attachment and got rid of it, and my understanding of the Fa improved. Because of many improvements in different aspects, layers and layers of human notions were overcome. Now I can study the Fa for longer hours and concentrate more readily. Besides, I am more diligent. Actually all of this is Teacher's arrangement.
2. Looking Inside and Rectifying Myself
Once, I went to visit a family member. While there I noticed that his dog's neck was twisted. I inquired as to the reason, but he had no idea. At the time, I let it go, but the next day I found the chimney of the furnace in my building was also twisted. I ask myself: "The chimney is twisted. The dog of my family member has a twisted neck.... Maybe I am not righteous?" I looked inside and finally I found the reason.
Usually after I sent forth righteous thoughts, I extended it a few minutes to rectify the thoughts and behavior of my family members. I did this every day, and there was interference whenever I slackened off on this regimen. Later, I realized that cultivation was for oneself. Why look at others? If the ordinary people in my home could reach the standard of cultivators in their thoughts and behavior, they would also become cultivators.
After realizing this, I did not pay attention to the behavior of others' any more. I only asked myself to do well, and rectified my own thoughts and behavior so as to purify myself. Thus, the circumstance changed, and my relationships with my family members became harmonious. Without my sending forth righteous thoughts to rectify my family, there were fewer conflicts at home. After I corrected myself, I went to that family member's home again and found his dog's neck had recovered without any medical treatment.
In the past, since I was not enlightened to much of anything, after Fa-study I would always visit with fellow practitioners,' hoping to gain some understanding from others, and thereby know what to do. Discussing with this practitioner or discussing with that practitioner was actually looking outside. If I just studied the Fa more often, wouldn't I enlighten to everything? The words of Teacher often reminded me:
"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."("Drive Out Interference" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Now, whenever I have time, I always study the Fa or memorize the Fa. Whenever I encounter some problems, I look inside and rectify myself.
"Let each and every thing
be measured against the Fa.
Only then, with that,
is it actually cultivation."(Hong Yin)
I also go out every day to clarify the truth face to face to ordinary people. We are diligent when we do the Three Things well. Then there will be less interference and trouble, and it will be easier to get rid of attachments.
3. Do Not Neglect Doing the Exercises While Doing the "Three Things" Well
A practitioner told me such a story. She said that for a while, she sent forth righteous thoughts every hour every day. The more she did it, the more she wanted to do it. The result was that she did not do the exercises for a long time. Later, she became very frightened whenever she sent forth righteous thoughts. She did not know why. She was not frightened day or night, at home or going out, but she was frightened whenever she sent forth righteous thoughts, even with the doors shut. She asked me why. I replied: "You did not do the exercises and therefore your energy potency is too low. In other dimensions you became frightened when seeing demons." Then she became more diligent in doing the exercises. On the second day, she was not afraid any more when sending forth righteous thoughts. Of course, practitioners may get into such situations due to other cultivation problems; not doing the exercises is just one of the potential problems.
Here, I want to remind practitioners not to neglect doing the exercises. It is the supplementary means of reaching consummation. It is also a prerequisite for doing the "Three Things" well.
Written on July 1, 2006
