(Minghui.org) Most practitioners in my local Fa-study group recently developed Covid symptoms, such as colds and coughs. I heard that groups in other regions experienced similar situations, where many experienced the symptoms of illness simultaneously, with some practitioners even passing away. My local Fa-study group shared our understandings on this topic many times and the following is a summary of some of the discussions we had.
Master said:
“The Fa’s rectification of the Cosmos has finished, and now a transition to the Fa’s rectification of the human world is taking place.” (“Wake Up”)
I understand that the transition is a true manifestation of the Fa-rectification purging evil from within the three realms and cleaning up the human world. Those cultivators who have not been diligent for a long time and who have been doing the three things on and off will be exposed in the process. Of course, there are special, more complex cases.
If we can measure things on the basis of the Fa, it should be obvious as to what attachments these not-so-diligent practitioners still have. Some of them are doing the three things but can’t take any criticism. Some still haven’t let go of their fear of disease and death, often those who initially took up Dafa for the purpose of healing illnesses and getting fit.
I often hear them say things like, “I do not feel well here and there. I can not eat a certain food. I do not like such and such.” To me, they didn’t use a cultivator’s requirement to measure themselves. Those who listen to them saying such things also get used to it, without pointing out to them something was wrong.
For many of them, they pursuit comfort, are unwilling to endure hardship and take the normal elimination of karma or the retribution for their past wrongdoings as bad things. They resist suffering and reject anyone or anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Such behavior is a reflection of their human notions and failure to eliminate fundamental attachments.
How to resolve such a problem? Master told us, “The raising of levels is what’s fundamental” (“True Nature Revealed,” Essentials for Further Advancement II).
In a solemn statement, a new practitioner in South Korea mentioned that many people who enlightened on a deviated path and their followers have been infected with the CCP virus one after another. These examples illustrated the consequences of failing to raise one’s levels and truly cultivate themselves.
Of course, human hearts are complicated, and there are different manifestations of different attachments. No matter what, if one’s attachments are not eliminated, they will show up someday in one way or another. They may come down with the CCP virus or encountered other problems. None of us can bring our attachments to the new cosmos. It might be too late if one waits for the attachments to cause trouble – one needs to proactively eliminate attachments. After all, the Fa-rectification is not over yet and there are still opportunities for us to improve ourselves. But for those who departed prematurely, it is still a grave loss for us in saving people.
Various Suggestions
Some practitioners believe that if those showing symptoms of the CCP virus come to group Fa study, they are not being considerate of others and are putting pressure on others; some worry that those who do not have a deep understanding of the Fa might be afraid of being infected and stop coming to group study; and some feel that those infected are not being kind to others by still joining group Fa-study and possibly spreading the virus around. One practitioner accused another practitioner of infecting her with the CCP virus and landing her in the hospital.
Many groups have not resumed face to face Fa study since the pandemic began and still meet online. While some have difficulty finding a venue, others simply prefer online for fear of getting infected face-to-face.
The key issue here is whether we should base our discussion on the contagiousness and lethality of the virus and what can it do to a cultivator. But as far as I know, in many places, those who have the symptoms are recommended not to join face-to-face Fa-study.
Why Do We Persevere in Face-to-Face Group Fa Study?
In-person group Fa study and group exercises are cultivation forms that Master taught us. They guarantee that we can improve together, and sometimes we need to overcome some difficulties to achieve these. This is also a test of our faith in Master and Dafa, as well as a test of our overall cultivation state.
The key is that we need to turn the group Fa study into an environment for true cultivation, a place we can look within, find our own inadequacies in our xinxing, and remove our attachments. Ideally, anything that comes up in our cultivation can be shared and discussed here, so that we can enlighten on the basis of the Fa, improve our xinxing and also improve as a whole.
It’s Also Cultivation When Trying to Conform to the Way of Ordinary People
Since the pandemic broke out, the lockdowns and various pandemic mandates have caused much disruption to our in-person Fa study. At the same time, different practitioners have different understandings of the CCP virus. It has become an overall cultivation issue that we have to face and a bigger test of whether we can persevere in face-to-face group Fa study.
In order to conform to the state of ordinary human society, our group recommends that practitioners who have severe symptoms of the CCP virus should not participate in group Fa study for the time being. This can avoid creating unnecessary misunderstanding or obstacles for us to save people in society. But this does not mean that we agree that fellow practitioners really caught the virus and need to quarantine.
On the other hand, how fellow practitioners exhibiting the virus symptoms look at the issue and whether they want to come to face-to-face Fa study is up to themselves. We can only make suggestions, and not demand or force them to do anything. How we conform to society while harmonizing Dafa is a matter for each one of us to decide in our cultivation.
When we have disputes among practitioners over pandemic-related issues, we need to look for the root causes and what attachments are there. When we refuse to come to the group Fa study, or stop those who have symptoms from coming in the name of “conforming to ordinary society,” maybe we need to look within to see whether we are afraid of the virus, afraid of being infected and spreading it to our family members.
When practitioners who caught the virus blamed other practitioners for spreading it to them, maybe they need to think about why they got it in the first place, as we all know that cultivators are protected and the energy we carry ourselves can kill the virus and bacteria.
When it comes to the CCP virus, the basis of our understanding plays an important role. We should not just stay on the perceptual level, as it is often false and “confusing”; we should see the essence through the phenomenon and truly understand it from the rational side – the Fa.
If we treat it as a “virus,” we admit that it is a “disease,” and we fall into the trap of “sickness,” which is the common understanding of people. We will be afraid because the virus can be fatal. But the virus is everywhere and there is no place on earth that one can run away from it. One’s fear simply will not stop the CCP virus.
But if we understand it rationally and from the perspective of the Fa, we will know that the symptoms of the CCP virus are just an illusion for practitioners. The purpose of those symptoms is to eliminate karma and it is a test of our faith in Dafa. If we take it as a test to overcome in cultivation, it’s a great opportunity for us to look inward, get rid of our attachments, and reach the Fa’s standard. In that case, the symptoms might be over quickly. Conversely, if we don’t look at it based on the Fa, the process might be prolonged and it would be more difficult to pass the test, or even impossible to pass it.
As I understand it, the “virus” has eyes. Everything is controlled by the divine power. In ordinary society, the CCP virus is a process of weeding out people who can’t be saved anymore. For cultivators, it is an opportunity to eliminate our attachments. Those who got the virus usually have attachments to let go, not because someone else infected them. If we don’t have the attachments and the soil that nourishes the attachments, the “virus” will not survive in our own energy field.
Maybe a fellow practitioner came across another practitioner with the symptoms and later developed symptoms himself. This might be a test for the former. Master said, “Amidst truth and falsehood, enlightening is important.” (“Enlightenment,” Essentials for Further Advancement) The test is to see how well one understands and believes in Master and the Fa.
Master told us “matter and mind are one thing” (Teachings at the Conference in Australia). It depends on how our mind moves, and it is this mind that is tested and cultivated. If we take the CCP virus seriously, it will crush us like a big mountain, making us afraid or unable to breathe. If we take it lightly, it will be nothing, and we will overcome it with one step.
As I understand it, although our body has symptoms, it is not the CCP virus. We do not have the virus at all. This has been discussed above, so it will not have any contagious or other negative effects on others.
If the symptoms seemed serious, it will easily make people think that we have the CCP virus, which will block us from saving them. If we stay away from people for the time being, it is understandable.
However, the slight physical discomfort should not affect us, as long as our righteous thoughts are sufficient. The symptoms of physical discomfort will often disappear during the process of clarifying the truth, and it will only become a test whether we can persevere in saving sentient beings.
When we suffer tribulations, if we can still think of the mission of saving sentient beings and let go of ourselves, this is true compassion for sentient beings.
When many practitioners are eliminating sickness karma at the same time, it may be because there is something that needs to be cultivated off as a whole, or there is something that we don’t understand clearly. For example, many practitioners were against vaccinations and face-to-face truth-clarification. They lacked a deep understanding of the virus and feared being infected, which may have resulted in group elimination of sickness karma.
In saving people, it is unavoidable to have face-to-face contact with society. We all know that Shen Yun is the most powerful in saving lives. But the quarantine measures in some places are blocking more audience members from coming to see the show. Some theaters also require the audience to be vaccinated or present a negative test result. Some people then choose not to see the show, which has a huge impact on ticket sales in some regions.
Looking at the cultivation state of our fellow practitioners, do these phenomena of trying to keep social distance also exist in the cultivators’ community? For example, some fellow practitioners refuse to sit or eat together with those who had symptoms. Some who shared the same apartment forced those with symptoms to move out. Others wore layers of masks or gloves to protect themselves. There were also practitioners who would rather give up attending Dafa activities than get the required shots.
All these attachments bring trouble and tribulation to ourselves but may also aggravate the pandemic and prevent us from forming a diligent, solid cultivation group.
How can we expect ordinary people to break through this interference and be truly saved if we can’t get past the CCP virus ourselves? We are here to save people, we should not be driven by society, as our overall state will affect the society.
The current group elimination of sickness karma has already affected our efforts to save sentient beings; if our understanding of the CCP virus is not based on the Fa or righteous thoughts, it will also make ordinary people fear the virus, thus affecting the efforts of Shen Yun to save sentient beings on a large scale.
I would like to share the story of a dentist in Chicago. She began practicing Falun Dafa not long ago but was very diligent. When she heard that her mother, who was in her eighties and lived in Florida, had the CCP virus, she didn't hesitate to fly there and take a pregnant friend who also had symptoms of the virus along with her.
She cooked, cleaned and read Fa lectures to them. She also taught them to say “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” She has been diligent in doing her daily exercises and Fa studies. After one week, both her mother and friend recovered. She, in the meantime, wasn’t infected.
If we can all be like this new practitioner and cultivate with the heart we once had, have no fear of the CCP virus, be open-minded, and firmly believe in Master and the Fa, then our cultivator's group as a whole will reach the standard.
A fellow practitioner in our Fa-study group tested positive at his workplace. He called the group coordinator and asked whether he could come for the Fa study. The coordinator said that it was up to him and that we did not mind one way or the other. He came and told our group that he tested positive. One fellow practitioner told him that she was not afraid. Others also told him that they were happy for his attendance and appreciated his courage to reveal his tribulation. He felt greatly encouraged.
During his first sharing, he found his fear. After reading Master’s article “Wake Up,” he felt that he did not cultivate well. He was full of negative thoughts and fearful of the virus. He was aware of his fear but felt not strong enough to overcome it. He tested positive a week later, even though his symptoms were subsiding.
During the second sharing, he found his resentment. His coworkers usually treated him unfairly. When they saw that he tested positive twice in a row, they were gloating: “You never thought you would have a day like this, hey?” The practitioner despised them. He then realized that “hatred” is one of the underlying principles of the CCP. He had the substance “hatred” which attracted the CCP virus; the positive test result indicated that he had a material field that was connected with the CCP virus. From looking within, he found various attachments. He exposed them and was determined to get rid of them.
During the third sharing, he felt his body recovered completely, and he was no longer obsessed with the result. This tribulation is a warning for him to do true cultivation. He realized that he still has many attachments that need to be eliminated. He told us that he tested negative in the third week. We were all happy that he was able to break through the test; that he was clear-minded about his attachments; and that he has taken a big step forward in his cultivation. We witnessed the power of “looking within” and we are grateful to Master for giving us such an opportunity to understand the Fa rationally and improve together.
The frequency and difficulty of various tests in cultivation are increasing. For some it’s a midterm exam, and for others it might be a more difficult final exam or even a life-or-death test; every test is critical and must be passed because we don’t know if there will be another chance.
One has to cultivate off all the notions from the old cosmos in order to have no omission and assimilate to Dafa completely. One can achieve this only through looking within, which is a magic tool that runs through the entire cultivation process.
Master said that the overall environment of Dafa disciples is a “pure land.” I think it covers several aspects.
We are Dafa practitioners, and Master purified and adjusted our bodies when we began cultivation. We have no disease or viruses. Germs and viruses will be eliminated by the gong we developed through cultivation. Not only will we not get sick, but we are also constantly eliminating karma, so our bodies are pure. We, as a whole, are a “pure land.”
We have the Fa in our hearts, and when we encounter tribulations, we look within. When we communicate and discuss things together and help each other, we are constantly purifying our minds and becoming more and more in line with the requirements of the Fa. So this way of practice will enable us to improve together, which is a “pure land.”
The field of righteous thoughts of our fellow practitioners as a whole is most powerful when we study the Fa and exercise together. When we are all together, the field of righteous thoughts is reinforced by each other, which can adjust our bodies and correct our incorrect states. The “pure land” of Dafa disciples is the environment we rely on to improve.
Nowadays, the normal society is in a state of “prevention for all,” where everyone is on guard against the CCP virus and is afraid of being infected. They close themselves off as a result, without having another way out. When the Black Death hit ancient Rome, everyone was in danger. Once infected by the virus, they fell to the ground and died, with no time for treatment at all. In the future, when the human race goes through a big weeding out, I understand that “People will feel close to whomever they come across.”(“What is a Dafa Disciple,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI) At that time, there will not be many people left, and it would be a great relief to see a human being.
Can our own cultivation and willingness to save sentient beings keep up with the progress of Fa rectification? It is a question that every one of us needs to think about.
Whether in ordinary human society or in cultivating groups, no matter what major events happen, we cannot be driven by it, but to hold tightly to cultivating ourselves and saving all sentient beings. Cultivating ourselves well is the foundation of saving all sentient beings, and saving all sentient beings is our mission.
At present, the large-scale sickness karma elimination in various Fa-study groups is to improve our overall cultivation and to give us the experience to deal with greater difficulty in saving people in the future. We should seize the opportunity, understand the Fa on the basis of the Fa, and solidly cultivate ourselves in it.
Eliminate the fear of the CCP virus, breakthrough this obstacle, do what we should as cultivators, and completely believe in Master and the Fa. No matter how serious a plague appears, or no matter how great changes occur in ordinary society, it cannot shake our cultivation, nor can it cause us to give up our mission of saving people.
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)