The Standard of Our Cultivation Practice

(Minghui.org) When I read some recent experience-sharing articles on Minghui, I had a question: which standard should we use to measure how well we’ve cultivated? I feel this is an important topic because we’ll be able to see where we can improve if we know what the standards are.

The Ultimate Goal of Our Cultivation Practice

Falun Dafa’s founder Master Li, told us to regard the Fa as our teacher. I feel this means we need to measure ourselves against Dafa’s requirements to see where we can improve. In Zhuan Falun, Master also said, “Different levels have different Fa”. In my understanding this means practitioners may have various understandings about issues, depending on the situation and their cultivation level.

But things have changed. Fa-rectification has reached the final stage, so we should evaluate our cultivation in light of the ultimate goal. I think it would be helpful to read what Master wrote on January 1, 2007,

“I sincerely hope that all of my Dafa disciples will achieve Consummation! I sincerely hope that all the people of the world can be clear on the truth and distinctly see the most wicked demon that history decided to visit upon mankind for what it is, see how the wicked Party has poisoned the Chinese people and the entire world, and see how it has persecuted Dafa disciples—and thus manage to survive the greatest catastrophe of all time, which has befallen all beings. I sincerely hope that all sentient beings will be saved!”(“My Thanks to Sentient Beings Who Have Sent Greetings”, The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)

In this article I feel Master told us what he expected of us, to guide our cultivation practice back then. Now that we’re in the final stage of Fa-rectification, I think we should proactively see what’s missing and how we can do better.

Where We Can Do Better

When they tell others about Falun Dafa and the persecution, or send forth righteous thoughts, some practitioners feel the goal is to have the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) collapse or they want the persecution to end. But Master said the goal should be that, “all the people of the world can be clear on the truth and distinctly see the most wicked demon that history decided to visit upon mankind for what it is, see how the wicked Party has poisoned the Chinese people and the entire world...”

When some practitioners are faced with difficulties, they focus on how to cultivate themselves well. But Master wrote, “...all of my Dafa disciples will achieve Consummation”.

With this understanding we should reflect on where we are now, and what we need to achieve. By helping ourselves and helping others, we’ll be able to fulfill our mission.