Harmonizing Dafa Within Our Families (Part 2)

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Sept. 19, 2003 | By Xiaofan, a Dafa practitioner from Mainland China

(Clearwisdom.net August 9 report)

[...Continued from part 1]

A fellow practitioner told me that Master had dropped her a hint a long time ago about her predestined relationship with her family members. Her family members beat her and verbally abused her to prevent her from stepping forward to validate the Fa. She always had a fear of being beaten and scolded by her family members when validating the Fa. As a result, sometimes she would have reservations about doing Fa-rectification and also developed some rancor towards her family members.

First of all, this practitioner had a hidden attachment, and the hindrance from her family members made her have reservations in validating the Fa, which coincided with her not-so-diligent state of mind. Besides, isn't the predestined relationship with her family members also an arrangement of the old forces?

"In other words, this matter was arranged ages ago. They established a system in order to avoid deviation and to ensure that nothing would go wrong with this matter today. According to their thinking, the things that are happening and unfolding today were all arranged by them. Nothing in the process has been coincidental, even though things appear coincidental among everyday people and manifest among everyday people in an entirely human fashion. Yet these were indeed arranged by them. In their words, one God would be more than enough to make arrangements so that nothing would go wrong with any sentient being on the entire earth. Countless Gods, so many Gods, are watching this. How could there be any mishaps? Nothing in the process could go wrong." (7)

As Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples, we should temper our xinxing [moral character, mind nature] in the process of breaking with the arrangements of the old forces, and at the same time rescue our family members.

As Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples we should think of others first in everything we do,

"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." (8)

Family members prevent you from validating the Fa. Who is harmed by their actions? Mostly themselves. Conversely, you are not being responsible to them either. Some practitioners think that our family members do this or that because we are validating the Fa. This is what it appears to be on the surface, but not in essence.

"The old forces don't dare to oppose our clarifying the truth or saving sentient beings. What's key is to not let them take advantage of the gaps in your state of mind when you do things." (8)

The reason such problems appear is because we do not have a righteous heart and we have failed to create a harmonious environment with our family members. Why is it that some other practitioners were able to break through layer upon layer of obstacles put in their way by their family members (in fact they were all placed by the old forces) and help turn their family members from being negative to being supportive? These practitioners not only walked their Fa-validation paths well, but also rescued lives around them.

I know such a practitioner who excelled among everyday people, being gifted in many ways. After July 20, 1999, she was forced to resign from her job because she validated the Fa. She contributed all her savings of several thousand Yuan to the production of Dafa truth-clarifying materials. Her family members could not understand her actions. Her husband was always making sarcastic remarks; he even beat her and scolded her. Her husband's colleagues also expressed sarcasm. And yet, she treated everyone around her with compassion and tolerance while strictly requiring herself to upgrade her xinxing. Eventually she broke through all these obstacles. She said, "Only by doing well ourselves can we change the surrounding environment." Influenced by her righteous thoughts and actions, her husband not only understood her, but also became very supportive. Her parents and brothers and sisters also attained the Fa with her help.

I am from a family of four people. My mother, older brother and I are all Dafa practitioners. My father also has a righteous attitude towards Dafa, which is the gradual result of my mother's righteous thoughts and actions.

At present, my brother has been on a hunger strike for nine months. We do not know if he is still alive. I do a great deal of Dafa work every day, and because of this my father is extremely concerned for my safety. He would worry himself to death if he does not see me for a few days, yet I cannot promise him to come home often. Each time I leave home, I can feel my father's longing gaze at the window. I know I have an attachment. In fact, the Fa principles are very clear; it is how we apply them in practice that truly reveals our xinxing, and there are no shortcuts for anyone.

"But for Dafa disciples who came to validate the Fa and for beings in the greater cosmos, it's just a matter of making the Fa's salvation a concrete reality. In other words, this Fa was here long ago, and it's just a question of how sentient beings act according to this Fa, or as I put it, how they assimilate over - it just involves this process, that's all. I've said before that nobody can damage this Fa. It's not that I'm creating some new Fa while I'm doing things. The Fa has existed since a very long time ago. It's just a matter of how sentient beings are assimilated to the Fa, that's all." (1)

Rationally, I know the essence of the arrangements of the old forces. The old forces view Dafa practitioners as cultivators and they do not understand the importance of saving people. They want us to reach their so-called standards. My father plays the role of a touchstone. If I could jump out of the boundary of human sentimentality and solidly meet the standards required by the Fa principles at different realms, then the old forces would look upon my father as being useless to them and they would stop using my father to test me. In practice I constantly break through obstructions from my own attachments. I believe one day, along with the elevation of my xinxing level, the compassion and solemnity of the Buddha Fa will shine upon my father.

Then, how do we act in reality? It depends on how practitioners conduct themselves based on their understanding of the Fa. Master already taught us very clearly. On the one hand, we should have our own right state of mind. On the other hand, we should do our best to clarify the truth thoroughly to them.

To thoroughly clarify the truth has very broad meaning. Some practitioners may think that their family members already know Dafa is good. It is not enough for the people close to Dafa practitioners to just know Dafa is innocent and persecuted. They must be able to take a firm stand on some issues. Some practitioners may think, since the family members are just ordinary people, it is not possible for them to understand and support our action. It is enough as long as they are not against what we are doing. Of course, everyone has a different path to follow and we cannot expect everyone to adhere to a unified standard. But we should continue to conduct ourselves according to ever higher criteria and should not be satisfied with the "status quo," because if we stagnate on any issue without improvement, we would not be able to follow the progress of Fa-rectification. When issues arise, we should not foster our family members' incorrect thoughts or endure their actions passively. Facing family members, the compassion of the Fa as well as the dignity of the Fa should be manifested together. To the human side, we should show our kindness and compassion as much as possible and always keep a benevolent and serene state of mind. We should pay attention to our manner of speaking and show our kindness during reasoning. We should be able to show our compassion, pure righteousness and great tolerance. But, when validating the Fa, on the major issues of right and wrong, we should keep our dignity and not give in. We can take more reasonable and wiser measures. At the same time we must stress sending forth righteous thoughts to completely negate any old forces' arrangements. We must further completely eliminate those dark hands of the evil old forces, to completely end the old forces' involvement. Here is another important point: we should not pay attention to the results but focus on raising our xinxing during the process.

In "Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference," Master answered the following question:

"Question: Even now I still find that it's hard to handle and balance well having compassion for all beings and safeguarding Dafa's dignity. Master, would you please help and guide me on this?

Teacher: Your intention to safeguard Dafa's dignity is correct, but how do you safeguard it? Do you shut their mouths? Do you debate with them? I'm telling you, just treat all beings with compassion, and just clarify the facts to people with compassion, and you will be safeguarding Dafa's dignity, and you'll be able to safeguard Dafa's dignity. (Enthusiastic applause)"

"Dafa's dignity can't be safeguarded with the means of everyday people. It's brought about by each of our Dafa disciples exhibiting true compassion and kindness. It's not created, it's not created by human conduct or human means. It's born out of compassion and it's manifest in saving sentient beings and in your cultivation. When you cultivate well as a whole, the world's people will say that Dafa is good and will all respect Dafa."

"The same goes for how the world's people view our Dafa. If someone says that it's not good and you debate with him in everyday people's ways, or you try to silence him or the like, that will worsen the disagreement. We should just conduct ourselves well and handle everything with compassion. You don't need to argue or debate with them. People have a side of them that's aware, and they'll be moved on the human surface too. They'll naturally say that you're good."

Some practitioners like to complain how bad their environment is and how much worse their family environment is compared to other practitioners. Our individual environments are different due to the characteristics of our being living human beings and many other factors. The paths to validate Dafa are all different for individuals and there are no role models. Most fellow practitioners have improved their family environments by thoroughly clarifying the truth. As Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples we should rectify anything unrighteous. If we are in a bad environment, it is just an opportunity for us to make it right. It is up to us to rescue sentient beings. It is up to us to create history. If you rely on external factors to validate Dafa, and if you do not base your actions on the different requirements of the Fa at different levels that you enlighten to, how can you be regarded as a qualified Fa-rectification disciple?

"If someone in ordinary society really did restore our Dafa's name, think about it; maybe human beings will do this, but have you thought about this: how high would I have to position that person? Isn't that right? You're cultivators, and all changes come from your cultivation and the Fa-rectification; everything that you yourselves validate and enlighten to, and everything that you'll receive, all this comes from what you have done on your path. Absolutely don't think about any favors the old forces might do for us, or about how the ordinary society might help us. You are the ones saving the ordinary people's society, and you are the ones saving sentient beings!" (6)

"Since you're Dafa disciples, you shouldn't put your hopes in so-called 'natural' changes, external changes, changes in the ordinary society, or in some favors that someone might do for us. You are Gods, and you are the future rulers of different cosmoses, so whom would you count on? All the beings are counting on you! (Applause)" (6)

I hope all practitioners can regard the Fa as teacher, and to learn and cultivate under the Fa's guidance. Walk every step well in validating the Fa.

"So none of these things are minor, and you should handle them well. Your path is, and I think you've all seen this now, actually very narrow. If you deviate just a little bit you won't measure up to the standard of a Dafa disciple. There's only one very righteous path we can walk on, and we can't deviate even just a little bit, because this is required by history, and required by the lives of sentient beings in the future cosmos. The cosmos in the future can't have any deviation or errors due to your having omissions during the Fa-rectification, so it's important for you to walk each and every step well during your own validating the Fa. It only looks as if it's ordinary. Don't leave any stain or regret on the path that you walk when you validate the Fa and during this period when you establish your mighty virtue. Those can never be erased." (9)

Above is just my personal understanding. Please point out any improper.

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