My Thoughts After Reading Master’s New Article “Wake Up”

(Minghui.org) After reading Master’s new article “Wake Up,” I felt the time remaining for us to cultivate is not long. From the several issues Master talked about, I realized that this is something for each of our Dafa disciples to reflect upon. Some problems are relatively prominent at present, including fellow practitioners’ attachments to sentimentality or going to extremes.

Attachment to Sentimentality

Sentimentality permeates all aspects of human society. We need to look at whether we have the problem ourselves and to what extent. If we do have the problem, then it’s important to find out how much it hinders us, and how to eliminate it and do well in the final moments when Dafa disciples are fulfilling their mission.

Master taught us:

“Everything has its karmic relationship. Why can human beings be human? It is because human beings have qing. They live just for this qing. Affection among family members, love between a man and a woman, love for parents, feelings, friendship, doing things for the sake of friendship, and everything else all relate to this qing. Whether a person likes to do something or not, is happy or unhappy, loves or hates something, and everything in the entire human society comes from this qing. If this qing is not relinquished, you will be unable to cultivate.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

In the past, I never thought about whether someone likes to do something or not is related to sentimentality. Sometimes, I had planned to read Fa, but instead I picked up my cellphone, as if I were not in control. It turns out that it is not oneself who is “willing” to do such a thing! It is driven by sentimentality, not rationality.

My wife received an award at work. She wanted to show her appreciation so she purchased some goodies online. She asked me whether it was appropriate to do so. I replied without thinking that it should be alright. But days later, the goodies never arrived. We checked online and it said they were not delivered to our area due to some reason. We canceled the order. I later realized that the problem of this incident was that we were doing things for the sake of sentimentality.

In terms of the problem of lust, its harm is indeed very serious. It is not only a problem that affects cultivation but also affects the whole cultivation state of a person. It consumes one’s energy and human essence, making one lazy, worn out or unmotivated.

To give an inappropriate example, it is like a car, which needs fuel to run. The attachment to lust is equivalent to draining the fuel, then the car will naturally have no power to move forward. To get out of lust, one needs to have a strong, righteous mind. It’s also important to recognize that lust is a postnatal notion and something not born with a person’s real being.

Master said:

“If you break free from this qing, nobody can affect you. An everyday person’s mind will be unable to sway you. What comes and replaces it is benevolence, which is a nobler thing.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

Do Not Go to Extremes

Why does one go to extremes in doing things? I found that often happens when one looks at others and sees things only from one’s own point of view, not from the perspective of the whole picture. It also reflects the mindset that one doesn’t think about or consider others.

I have found that when one sees or hears something, one often can’t see the essence of the matter if one carries one’s own view. When someone talks, his words carry his personality and notions. The listener might also have his thought karma and notions. When he processes the information, he might unknowingly mix it with his notions, leading his understanding of things to deviate from reality to various extents.

Therefore, as a cultivator, one should stop searching outward or pointing fingers at others, but to look within as soon as something happens. Whenever one hears others commenting on something or someone, one should use it as a mirror and reflect if one also has the same problem.

Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s current understanding meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare with one another in study, in cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)