(Clearwisdom.net) Many practitioners in Taiwan obtained the Fa after April 25th of 1999. They joined Fa-rectification cultivation right after they started to practice. Looking back on my cultivation journey, I have one story of "looking inward" to share with everyone.
During an experience sharing gathering, an issue arose that caused practitioners to argue fervidly. Many practitioners thought it was practitioner A's own problem. Everyone except A agreed, and it seemed to us that A needed to look inward. However, I sensed something wrong. In Zhuan Falun, Teacher said,
"You do not even have to use your mind to do this. This field is one of pure harmony, compassion, and right faith. Therefore, people are unlikely to think of bad things or commit bad deeds. It can have this effect. The other day I said that the Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities. In other words, the energy scattered from our bodies can rectify all abnormal conditions."
So I raised my question and concern to another practitioner. He also thought it would be better for us practitioners to gather together and discuss it. It was an issue of being one body. As one body, we need to look inward, so as to improve as one body.
Pretty soon, we gathered everyone together. We studied the Fa, sent forth righteous thoughts, and looked inward together. I spoke first, saying practitioner A was like a mirror, which reflected my egoism and inharmoniousness. Some practitioners said they found human mentalities within themselves. Some found the attachments of fear, fame and self-interest . Some found the attachment of jealousy hidden deeply in their hearts. After looking inward, we felt that we found we all had attachments and omissions. Then one practitioner said, "What if we invite practitioner A to come here? We can then tell him how we looked inward." We then called A, but couldn't reach him at any of his numbers. We then sat down and again looked inward: "Is it possible that Teacher is using this to remind us that we have not done well enough in looking inward?" Then I mentioned a deeply hidden, subtler attachment I had, that is, jealousy. After further digging out attachments, we once again called A, but were still unable to reach him. I thought to myself: "Haven't we done enough in looking inward?"
Suddenly I remembered Teacher's word in Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston:
"with everything that happens, to conduct yourself in an open and dignified manner, to be tolerant and broad-minded, to be able to understand others, and to be able to consider all perspectives. Then, I think you might be able to do a lot of things well."
Was it possible that we did not understand practitioner A? Then we sat down again and began to think over that issue from A's angle. After sharing our insights, we suddenly began to realize the difficulties and concerns that A had. Everyone then became quiet. When we tried to reach A by phone for the third time, we got through. After we said sincerely, "We are sorry," A joined us. Thereafter our practice group's projects also began to move forward smoothly.
Through this, I realized that during our cultivation, there would be tests even at the final stages. During those tests, we will be examined to see whether we are determined in the Fa, if we can firmly believe in Teacher, and if we can regard the Fa as teacher at all times.
The three phone calls arranged by Teacher made me realize that the first time maybe we only looked inward superficially. The second time, we indeed found the root of the attachments, but we were still on the basis of selfish and individual improvement. The third time, we were truly able to understand others. This is just like what Teacher said in Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston: "You probably remember something I've said to you often: a Dafa disciple should consider others first in everything he does. Whenever something happens or whenever a situation comes about, even if it's a minor thing, my first thought is of others, for it's already become natural for me--I just think of others first. If all of you can do this, there won't be any of that stubborn arguing in your validating the Fa; if you really have a solid foundation like this and are able to calm yourselves, consider others, and examine yourselves when anything happens, I think you'll be able to handle a lot of things well."
If we can all find our attachments during Dafa work and get rid of them to reach the standard for a practitioner, if we are able to understand others and consider others during any Dafa work, if we are able to clarify the truth, send forth righteous thoughts and save sentient beings with compassion, I think that is what Teacher would like to see.