(Clearwisdom.net)

Teacher created Dafa, which encompasses all life and everything in the entire cosmos. All the sentient beings created by the Fa need to take Teacher's choices and will as their greatest and most immediate responsibility to accomplish. It is imperative that Teacher's will is strictly followed because his wishes are the Fa and the reason why all lives in the cosmos exist.

The old forces placed themselves above the Fa and wanted to be in control of Fa-rectification to reach their goal; this is the opposite of the Fa. Even amidst Teacher's most compassionate salvation, the old forces still stubbornly placed themselves outside of Dafa. In doing so, they have lost the true purpose and meaning of their lives, and are walking towards elimination during Fa-rectification.

This warped idea of the old forces is also reflected in our thoughts to protect and defend ourselves, show off, express ourselves, and elevate ourselves. Almost all attachments are related to satisfying and nurturing the self. To be attached to ourselves is the manifestation of the degenerate and corrupt elements in the cosmos. If all the particles that compose a substance are self-centered, then the connecting mechanisms among the particles which stabilize the material will be weakened and eventually disappear. At this point, the substance will inevitably decompose and deteriorate.

Over the course of cultivation, I have discovered traces of self in my every thought; as soon as I start to think, I begin to contemplate what I want, thus falling into human notions. It is difficult to detect this without careful examination. Sometimes, even when I think that I have a very good thought, when I look deeper I still find elements of myself contained within the thought. Cultivation is indeed boundless. On the other hand, it may be impossible to completely get rid of the influence of "self" within the framework of human notions, for the wisdom of human notions is far too limited.

No matter how well we have cultivated, whenever we are attached to ourselves or whenever we want something in our thoughts (sometimes this is hard to realize), this is the part that has not yet been assimilated to Dafa. Every time we give up a little bit of our attachments to self, a heavy burden is lifted and we become purer. We are still validating the Fa in this human dimension and thus we still have human notions. We have to constantly give up attachments to ourselves, and melt into and assimilate to Dafa. We will then successfully attain the level of selflessness and righteous thoughts; returning to our true selves to again display the true meaning of life created by Dafa.

The above is my experience and understandings gained through studying the Fa and cultivation practice. Please correct any improper points.

October 6, 2003