(Minghui.org) For a long time, I could not break free from my limited perceptions and attachments. I really tried to look within, but I couldn't see the root of the problem or find my fundamental attachment. I longed to return to the pure, selfless, and diligent state that I was in when I first started cultivation.
As I am responsible for many Dafa projects, fellow practitioners often want to talk with me when there is a problem or when they have tribulations in their cultivation. If a practitioner was arrested, I would be the first to expose the officers involved on the Internet, make posters, send forth righteous thoughts, etc. My home is like a reception area for practitioners. Rarely do I have any peace and quiet.
Naturally, I had less time to study the Fa. I couldn't concentrate even when I studied the Fa, and I did the exercises even less. Fellow practitioners often complained about me. Sometimes, they were so angry that they criticized me to my face, but they would always come back.
I tried to look within but couldn't find the root cause. Secretly I felt that I was better than those practitioners who resented me because I kept calm in those times. I thought the one practitioner who I had the most problems with was jealous of me.
Recently, I was able to calm down and carefully examine myself. I studied the Fa calmly and stopped thinking about who was right or wrong. When I stepped out of our conflict, I saw the real issue.
I realized that it was the old forces taking advantage of our attachments and interfering with what Dafa disciples need to do. The jealousy I saw in the fellow practitioner in fact reflected my own jealousy.
Master said,
“A wicked person is born of jealousy.Out of selfishness and anger he complains about unfairness towards himself.A benevolent person always has a heart of compassion.With no discontentment or hatred, he takes hardship as joy.An enlightened person has no attachments at all.He quietly observes the people of the world deluded by illusions.”(“Realms” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
I had seen Communist Party culture in the other practitioner, but now I realize that I had this problem, too. I also found some fundamental attachments that I had before and at the beginning of my cultivation. In the process of looking within, I started to form a clearer picture of the insidious arrangements of the old forces. My fellow practitioners and I have been trapped in human notions and their arrangements.
At the same time, I have gained a better understanding of what Master said about “beating them at their own game” in “Fa Teaching Given at the 2016 New York Fa Conference:”
“The persecution has been far too evil; what the old forces arranged is truly far too evil. They have wrecked what I spent some 200 million years establishing, turning things into what they are today. I had originally intended for everything to be benevolently resolved, yet now it is what it is. What we can do, though, is to beat them at their own game.”
As Master taught us, the old forces' arrangements have been the biggest demonic interference to Master's Fa-rectification. However, the power of Buddha is boundless. Master uses their arrangements to judge sentient beings' attitudes toward Dafa and their xinxing levels, to see if Dafa disciples are resolute about the Fa, to eliminate the karma of Dafa disciples, and to establish mighty virtue for Dafa and Dafa disciples.
Similarly, we can turn all the tribulations we encounter in our cultivation into good things. For example, let's say someone in your family doesn't understand the truth about Falun Gong, and he is angry at you for risking your safety to help others learn the facts. If you could remain calm and send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil factors behind him, then you could explain to him and help him understand the truth when he is not angry. Along the way, you will find your own shortcomings.
Isn't this beating them at their own game? Other examples include conflicts between practitioners, evil persecution, facing people who do not want to hear about Falun Gong, etc. No matter what the old forces arrange, we can always turn it into a good thing.
My understanding is that the new cosmos is indestructible, which is beyond the imagination of the old forces. The wisdom of the Creator is too wondrous for words. Once I enlightened to this, my heart was filled with joy, pride, and gratitude.
I am now able to send forth righteous thoughts four times a day and get up early to do the exercises. My only thought is to rectify myself, study the Fa more, and make the best use of time to save people!
These are my limited understandings. Please kindly point out anything that is not in accordance with the Fa.