(Minghui.org) In the “Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference” Master answered a question about divisions among practitioners:
“Disciple: How have the divisions among fellow cultivators come about? And what can be done to dissolve them?
Master: When human attachments collide, and people refuse to look within, with each viewing things with human thinking and looking down on the other, divisions will form over the course of time. And just like ordinary people, they will cease to get along. Instead, look at things with righteous thoughts, and if both parties can manage to search for their own shortcomings, and truly each do better, then you will see the other party change and that person will be looking for his own shortcomings. If you can do that, there won’t be any divisions coming about. Dissolving the divisions is no different. You both cultivate the same Fa, and you both have the same predestination. So if there’s something you simply can’t get over, then have a heart-to-heart discussion with the other person and really be willing to acknowledge any shortcomings of yours that he may point out. Won’t the problem be resolved, then?” (from “Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference” in Teaching the Fa at the Conference XI)
There would be no divisions if everyone could follow Master's teaching. But in reality, divisions appear because many practitioners are getting rid of their attachments gradually.
The most common reason that divisions occur is that the shortcomings of certain practitioners are spread around through gossip. Hearing this gossip, practitioners many times believe it, leading to a division. Many practitioners do not bother to verify whether what they heard was true. Thus, the rumors spread creating divisions among practitioners. Some rumors have spread for more than 10 years in our area. The impact has been very serious for local practitioners.
A man in fact cannot be judged by his behavior at one time and on one issue, but should be looked at completely, in his entirety. As long as a practitioner continues his cultivation, he will gradually improve his heart nature or xinxing.
How should we eliminate the divisions? First, we need to look within and improve our heart nature. Having cultivated for so many years, we should know our shortcomings and correct them. Time is limited as Fa-rectification reaches the last leg. We must move forward diligently. The less attachments everyone has the fewer the divisions.
Many fellow practitioners have enlightened that sincere exchanges can eliminate many bad substances and lead to better cooperation. If one indulges his bad temper and does not like to improve his character or have sincere exchanges with others, the deadlock will not be overcome for long. The old forces would take advantage of the loophole and use bad substances to cause divisions between us.
These substances must be eliminated. As long as we wish to eliminate these substances, Master will help us and arrange an opportunity to eliminate them so that we can better form one body and better validate Dafa.