(Clearwisdom.net) The persecution of Falun Gong has been going on for eight years. It is time for practitioners to recollect deeply. Looking back at the path we have traveled, just as some practitioners have said, we have missed many opportunities to end the persecution. As Fa-rectification approaches its end, we must do well walking the rest of our path, saving more sentient beings and thereby having fewer regrets. Here I would like to share some of my own understandings. Please point out anything improper.
1. The persecution should not have happened
After the "April 25 appeal," Master published two articles on June 13, 1999, "Position" and "Stability." In the article "Position," Master affirmed our action of stepping forward to validate Dafa and said, "I congratulate the Dafa cultivators who can come through the Consummation-determining tests."
I think, this left a deep impression with many fellow practitioners as it did for me. Why? Because it relates to our consummation. Our human notions were thinking, "Oh, one can achieve consummation by going to Beijing. Next time, if there is a similar event, I will go to Beijing and to Tiananmen Square." This was a very strong attachment! It was so strong in fact that we didn't seem to see these words, "a magnificent cultivator, on the other hand, is able to let go of his Self and even all of his ordinary human thoughts amidst crucial trials." We also neglected to understand the teaching in the article "Stability" that was published the same day:
"don't get involved in politics and don't let the events that occurred a little while ago disrupt you. Calm your minds, resume your normal practice and Fa-study, be diligent and cultivate solidly, and continually improve yourselves."
In the clamors of the old forces, we vaguely felt that a catastrophe was coming. At that time, we should have calmed down and studied the Fa to improve ourselves, according to Master's teaching, "let go of his Self and even all of his ordinary human thoughts." However, our human thoughts were very anxious to improve ourselves and to achieve consummation. Our minds were unable to remain calm like still water. It seemed that passing such a test was unavoidable on the path toward our consummation.
How many fellow practitioners were looking forward to have such a "test"? One thought this, two thought this, and soon many fellow practitioners thought this way. Did this not form a powerful attachment? The old forces saw it and took advantage of our loophole and implemented the arrangement that had been planned long time ago. They used the excuse, "there are so many people who are attached to improving their cultivation levels and to reaching consummation. There are so many people who are seeking tribulations."
Now I understand, why Master wrote these two articles. They were to guide us in understanding the principles, to get rid of our attachments to our cultivation levels and consummation and truly reflect "letting go of his Self and even all of his ordinary human thoughts." We are not to suffer a bigger tribulation, nor do we practitioners have to go through tribulations in order to achieve consummation. If we would all have been able to have a righteous understanding of the Fa, studied the Fa with a calm mind, and according to Master's teaching we would have let go of ourselves, steadfast clarified the facts, then no matter what the old forces had arranged, they could not have launched this persecution.
It is thus clear that this persecution should not have happened if all practitioners had taken a righteous path.
2. The persecution should not exist
The persecution took place and after a short period of confusion and fanaticism. We gradually calmed down and began to think over the persecution. We realized that this tribulation was not a test arranged by Master. It was indeed a hooligan persecution arranged by the old forces using the excuse to test practitioners because practitioners had karma, human notions and attachments. Master clearly told us that he did not acknowledge the arrangements of the old forces and asked us to have strong righteous thoughts to "Negate them, completely negate everything of the old forces!" (Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference)
However, driven by human notions, most practitioners did not use powerful righteous thoughts to negate the old force arrangements. Instead, they misunderstood Master's teaching. They thought, as long as we cultivate to the state without any loopholes, the persecution will disappear automatically. Therefore, cultivation in the Fa-rectification period was treated as personal cultivation and the persecution was regarded as the path for improving personal cultivation. Sending forth righteous thoughts was used to decrease the persecution and regarded as a life-saving straw when we were unable to suffer the persecution and endure tortures. Moreover, when a fellow practitioner was persecuted, we blamed that practitioner for having a loophole the old forces could use, instead of sending forth righteous thoughts, "We are Dafa practitioners. Our fellow practitioners will not be persecuted. We thoroughly eliminate all evil beings and factors that persecute our fellow practitioners."
Yes, we should have looked inward. But looking inward is the compassionate cultivation state of a dignified practitioner. It is never being an appearance of being overly cautious and indecisive like walking on thin ice under old force arrangements. Even more, we can be assured and tell the old forces, "Yes, we indeed have some human notions, karma and attachments. But because of this, we can cultivate in human society and are able to assist Master to rectify the human world. If we were all pure, we would already be Buddhas, Daos or Gods! Moreover, Master is taking care of our cultivation paths. Why do you intervene with our cultivation?"
During our cultivation, Master gives us all kinds of hints. Fellow practitioners kindly help each other to improve. We continue to study the Fa to "Cultivating the heart, severing desires, discarding attachments." (from Hong Yin, English Translation Version B) This is our cultivation form. However, in order to get what they want, the old forces used despicable means to disintegrate practitioner's righteous beliefs, which indeed manifested as the degenerated state of mind of beings in the old cosmos. Then why should we acknowledge their evil arrangements?
Since we tacitly acknowledged the evil arrangements, evil forces were able to continue to act violently. If all practitioners could negate them, even after the persecution happened, it couldn't last and exist when facing practitioners' righteous thoughts and righteous beliefs.
3. The persecution must not continue
During the past eight years, how many practitioners have been arrested and detained? How many have had to leave their homes and become homeless? How many had their families broken apart? How many suffered from brutal tortures, and how many lost their precious lives as a result of the persecution and tortures? During this despicable and shameless brutal persecution, the indestructible righteous thoughts practitioners manifest have stabilized Dafa in the human world and achieved mighty virtue for future enlightened beings. This shocks heaven and earth and made ghosts and gods cry. However, are we satisfied with what we have achieved?
Now, many fellow practitioners are in such a state as described in an article with the title "Let Us End the Persecution Now" (http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2007/7/18/87805.html) by an American practitioner "Facing real challenges one by one, we to a certain extent take opposing the persecution as a righteous but difficult task. Although our path is filled with hardship, we seem to "enjoy" it and proudly "take hardship as joy" in the tests that the old forces have arranged."
It is true that what practitioners have accomplished in opposing the persecution is indeed magnificent, which Master has affirmed. However, we should clearly understand that countering the persecution is not the reason we descended to this realm for. Our mission is to save sentient beings. The tribulations arranged by the old forces are gigantic obstacles for us while fulfilling our mission. Although we can establish our mighty virtue during this anti-persecution, we cannot forget our fundamental mission.
In the lecture "Fa Teaching at the U.S. Capital, 2007," Master said,
"The process of Fa-rectification is what's central, so the old forces cannot be allowed to just participate as they wish. Given that this is Fa-rectification, I am particularly insistent on the path I wish to take, as this is about creating the future. All that I have done in the cosmos is most worthy of cherishing, and it is what I will affirm and acknowledge in the future. Things that I don't want cannot be acknowledged or affirmed--they are a disgrace. So in Fa-rectification, no matter what kinds of demonic ordeals I encounter or what kinds of blows I am dealt, they cannot alter my will, nor change what I plan to accomplish."
Repeatedly reading this paragraph, I deeply enlightened that Master wants to save all sentient beings and does not acknowledge any arrangements of the old forces. As Dafa practitioners, we should perfect and harmonize what Master wants. We should negate all the arrangements of the old forces and end the persecution immediately with our righteous thoughts. Initiate a path that there will be no persecution for the gods who come to the human world to save sentient beings and initiate a path that humans can cultivate to become gods. This is the righteous path we should take. It would not bring more difficulties to Master's Fa-rectification. If we only pay attention to our improvement of levels, we would unintentionally cultivate within the arrangements of the old forces and "improve" ourselves in the tribulation, which in fact deviates from our pledge we made before we came to the human world.
Eight years is not a short period of time. We should act as Master asked, "ever more rational and clearheaded." (from "Fa Teaching at the U.S. Capital") The persecution is not just to persecute Dafa practitioners but, moreover to poison sentient beings. In order to validate the mighty dignity of Dafa, and to save sentient beings, this persecution should not be allowed to last any longer.
All Dafa practitioners, let's send forth righteous thoughts together, eliminate all evil beings and factors that damage Dafa, and stop the persecution immediately.
