(Minghui.org) Since I resumed cultivation at the end of 2015, I have encountered many obstacles set by the old forces. Thankfully, I've overcome them under Master's protection and now have a slightly more stable cultivation state.
As I have just returned to cultivation, I can understand those fellow practitioners who fell behind but, from deep down, did not give up on cultivation. Below are some of my understandings that I'd like to share with everyone.
Reasons Why Practitioners Have Fallen Behind
I feel that there are many reasons for a practitioner to fall behind, such as personal issues, interference or the old forces' arrangements. Regardless of the reasons, I feel that we should help them, as they still have Dafa in their hearts.
“As a cultivatorOne always looks for one's own faults”(“Who's Right, Who's Wrong” in Hong Yin III)
I feel that the main reason for practitioners falling behind is that their main consciousness is not clearheaded and their true self is not being rational.
When a person's main consciousness is not clearheaded and does not have righteous thoughts to differentiate between his true and false selves, he will follow his acquired notions, thought karma or interference, and do things that do not comply with the Fa.
The evil beings that the old forces have arranged – including creditors from past lives – are watching cultivators' thoughts at every second.
Every thought or action that is not in accordance with the Fa will be exploited by them to persecute Dafa disciples if the practitioner does not rectify it in time.
Experience of Falling Behind and Resuming Cultivation
Master said,
“Some Dafa disciples left the ranks of Dafa disciples, and when they come back, you should not consider them veteran students—absolutely not! It's because, at that time, he had become exactly the same as an ordinary person for sure, and he could not remember at all any of the Fa he had learned before. He completely didn't know what state Dafa disciples should be in. Make sure you do not consider him a veteran student, and you must treat him as a new student, and then he'll be able to make it.”(“Fa Teaching at the 2016 New York Fa Conference”)
Desolation and Sadness After Leaving Cultivation
I have personally experienced this after leaving cultivation for ten years. I was an ordinary person in every way and became attached to fame, personal gain and human emotions.
I couldn't remember Master's Fa that I could once recite so smoothly at age 15. I forgot how to do the exercises. I forgot the courage that I had at 17 when I distributed truth-clarification materials. I couldn't remember the sending righteous thoughts formulas that I had memorized at 20 while in the detention center. I even forgot some of the most basic principles of the teachings.
I did not have the cultivation state that a Dafa disciple should have.
A being that left the Fa is pitiful and sad, as it has thrown away its heavenly mission in favor of an ordinary person's life.
Master's Poem Helped Me Retain My Righteous Thoughts
Fortunately, I could still remember one poem that held me up in these ten years, that told me deep down that Dafa is good:
“Falun Dafa is greatThe colossal firmament,illuminated by the Fa’s lightOnly after the immense forceof Fa-rectification sweeps through,Are the boundless wonders knownFalun Dafa is greatGradually enters the human realmThe sentient beings need not worryGods and Buddhas are smiling”(“Dafa is Great” in Hong Yin Volume II)
After cultivating in Dafa, I have tried my best to do well at my everyday job and to be filial to my parents, and my life was renewed. However, I did not fulfill the responsibility of a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple and have wasted ten most critical years in helping Master rectify the Fa.
Fortunately, a fellow practitioner looked me up and under Master's protection, I came back to cultivation. My life is filled with sunshine again.
Initial Difficulties of Resuming Cultivation
Though I have resumed cultivation, the old forces in other dimensions have tried many ways to keep me from rejoining the ranks of Dafa disciples.
As I did not have a solid foundation of Fa study, I could not understand the Fa principles such as the old forces and evil beings. My cultivation state was not stable and easily interfered with.
Whenever I wanted to cultivate, the evil used ordinary people to deceive me or other practitioners' deaths to frighten me. They even increased my everyday job's workload in an attempt to make me feel depressed and helpless. However, I know that Dafa is good and asked Master for help.
Understanding the Truth
Fellow practitioners gave me a lot of materials about the Tiananmen self-immolation hoax and the April 25 demonstration at Zhongnanhai that removed my doubts. After watching some videos on the Minghui website, I was moved by fellow practitioners' compassion and also saw the true face of the CCP.
I felt more and more clearheaded during the process of understanding the truth, which strengthened my righteous thoughts and determination to cultivate.
Obstacles in Studying the Fa
Master said,
“You must study the Fa well. In the process of studying the Fa you'll be able to keep clearing away bad elements in yourself, changing the last bit of stuff you have that hasn't yet been changed. Why did I always use to tell you so emphatically to study the Fa, study the Fa, and study the Fa well? Because it's of utmost importance.”(“Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference” in Teaching the Fa at the Conference III)
“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” in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I encountered many obstacles along the way. I dared not visit Minghui.org for a long time and was concerned about using my electronic devices due to an attachment to fear.
Inhibited by various notions and interference from the evil, my main consciousness was not clearheaded and I did not have strong righteous thoughts. I was always feeling sleepy and could not focus while studying the Fa. I always looked outwards, blaming the fact that there was no group Fa-study environment and no practitioners by my side.
I used many excuses not to study the Fa. The evil exploited my gap because I did not have the proper reverence for Master and the Fa.
Righteous Thoughts Eliminated Interference
I became more aware of the importance of studying the Fa and having righteous thoughts. I knew that I must cultivate, regardless of interference from the evil.
I must eliminate the evil even if I only had weak righteous thoughts. I tried to strengthen my main consciousness by opening my eyes when doing the exercises and sending righteous thoughts. I also recited the Fa loudly and warned my main consciousness to be alert.
Learning How to Save People Through Minghui
Dafa websites, and Minghui in particular, contain a lot of precious information. I read articles on how practitioners clarify the truth, and learned how to strike up a conversation with others, clarify the truth compassionately, and eliminate the evil while clarifying the truth.
When I saw that many practitioners have set up material production sites in their homes, I asked Master for help so that I could do the same. I read articles about how to purchase equipment and supplies for making truth-clarification materials.
The websites helped me a lot.
Assistance from Fellow Practitioners
From resuming cultivation to becoming more stable and participating in Fa-rectification, fellow practitioners have been of great help to me. They have treated me compassionately and guided me according to my acceptance level.
For instance, they gave me a CD with all of Master's Fa-teaching audio and video recordings. Next, they gave me a large amount of truth-clarification materials to dispel the evil's lies. After this, they gave me a CD with songs written by practitioners so that I could experience traditional culture.
To encourage me, they told me that by saving one sentient being, I may have also saved the beings that are from this sentient being's world.
They downloaded Minghui radio programs for me to listen to. To encourage me in cultivating, they suggested that I listen to “The Cultivation Story of Milarepa,” which moved me to tears. They also tried ways to find a hard copy Dafa book for me.
In addition, they showed me where to find supplies to make truth-clarification materials at a good price, thus reducing my financial burden.
I am very thankful for the practitioners who have helped me. Without them, I may have fallen back to becoming an ordinary person. Thank you, Master, for letting these practitioners treat me compassionately so that I can do the three things well.
Helping Others
I am grateful for help from fellow practitioners – without it, I wouldn't be where I am today. Because I've benefited so much from their help, I always think of those practitioners who have fallen behind and require assistance.
I feel that regardless of how well one has cultivated, a practitioner should still try and shoulder his historic mission.
When helping those practitioners who have fallen behind, I will guide them to study the Fa more, do more exercises and clarify the truth more. I would also share my personal experience.
However, there are some areas that I did not do well in, such as having the mentality of showing off when sharing my experiences, feeling complacent after accomplishing some things, and feeling anxious when another practitioner did not keep up with me.
Suggestions on Helping Practitioners Who Have Fallen Behind
1. Find out the main reason why the practitioner has fallen behind and untie the knot in their heart.
2. Clarify the truth to the practitioner and thoroughly explain the true face of the CCP.
3. Encourage the practitioner to study the Fa. If conditions permit, bring the practitioner to a group Fa-study.
4. Encourage the practitioner to participate in Fa-rectification. When the time is right, help them participate in projects to increase their confidence in cultivation.
5. Do not be attached to the practitioner. The practitioner may display various human notions. Have a compassionate heart and do not pressure the practitioner. Even though you may think that you are doing a good thing, coercion is something that is reflective of the CCP's culture.
6. Do not be overly emotionally attached to helping a practitioner and negatively impact doing the three things.
“Before descending to the world, we promised each otherWhoever obtained the Fa first should find the other”(“Fulfilling The Vow” in Hong Yin III)
Whenever I read this poem, I feel the urgency of clarifying the truth and the bonds that practitioners had before coming down to this world.
A righteous thought, an expression, a word, an action or a compassionate act could be enough to awaken those practitioners who have fallen behind. They may once again become diligent Dafa disciples and save more sentient beings.
Above is my experience of helping fellow practitioners. If there is anything inappropriate, please kindly point it out.
Thank you, Master for your compassionate salvation!
