Examining Ourselves and Eliminating Our Competitive Mentality

(Minghui.org) I've noticed a phenomenon that worries me. When people or things don’t meet their expectations, some practitioners’ first reaction is to look outward, and then judge or blame others. When the other party ignores them or refuses to listen, these practitioners argue or may encourage others to side with them, and this may cause everyone to become entangled in trivial matters.

I feel conflicts are opportunities for us to improve our xinxing. But if a practitioner feels that others are wrong and he has to convince them, this may be a manifestation of validating oneself and looking externally. By doing this, the practitioner has turned a cultivation opportunity into an everyday argument. I feel that at least in this matter, this person has not behaved like a genuine practitioner.

I noticed that the cultivation states of most practitioners who have this issue are poor. Some challenges they are struggling with have gone on for a long time, and some projects were repeatedly delayed with no breakthroughs. We’re still cultivating, so we haven’t completely eliminated our human notions—but isn’t this unsettled environment a reflection of our cultivation states?

As practitioners, our first response shouldn’t be to look outward. Whenever we encounter a problem, we should remember the Fa (teachings) and use them as our guide to handle challenges. We should examine ourselves and ask, “Why did this happen to me? Which attachments or human notions do I need to let go of?”

We shouldn’t waste our time and energy fighting with others or looking outward. Some practitioners assume that their talking points are “very reasonable,” but they are trying to convince others that they are correct. Their thoughts are not righteous. Some bad people attack certain Dafa projects through online group chats. When practitioners don’t pay attention to their cultivation, their human notions may lead them to fall into these traps, and be targeted.

I’m sharing my concerns with you because some of us began practicing more than 25 years ago—but unfortunately this mindset is common among practitioners in China or those who recently moved overseas, including practitioners who left China years ago.

Some practitioners disagree about what we say to people when we clarify the truth about the persecution. When we discuss our cultivation experiences, others may think what was said is directed at them, and they immediately begin to defend themselves. Other situations include negatively reacting to an article and voicing their opinions—even about sending forth righteous thoughts.

At the end of Zhuan Falun, Master wrote,

“I will mainly make a few requirements: I hope that all of you will treat yourselves as practitioners in future cultivation and truly continue your cultivation. I hope that both veteran and new practitioners will be able to cultivate in Dafa and succeed in it! I hope that after going home everyone will make the best use of his or her time for genuine cultivation.” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

Some practitioners think they understand Master’s words. We should reflect on what Master meant when he said, “to cultivate in Dafa” and to “make the best use of his or her time for genuine cultivation.” We may not have achieved this yet—but this is the standard we need to reach to be considered genuine practitioners.

If our first thought or second thought are human notions, then we are still everyday people. It doesn’t matter how diligent we may seem to be on the surface, or how familiar we are with the teachings. Some practitioners are so used to arguing that they tend to find “allies” and even want a “referee” to show that they are right. Isn’t this behavior driven by human notions?

I recently read an article in which a practitioner said Master’s article, “Expounding on the Fa” in Essentials for Further Advancement is very helpful. I agree. If a practitioner can memorize this article and even the entire book of Essentials for Further Advancement, and uses what Master said to guide them when conflicts surface, I think the situation will change.