(Clearwisdom.net) Lately there have been conflicts among Falun Gong practitioners in my area. The conflicts between several practitioners have even escalated and deterred them from doing the three things. The conflicts arose from trivial matters. In fact, they were only a matter of a verbal dispute. I was deeply inspired by Teacher's article "Clearheadedness" when I studied it the other day.
Teacher said,
"While working, your tone of voice, your kindheartedness, and your reasoning can change a person’s heart, whereas commands never could! If others are not convinced deep down inside but only superficially comply, they will still conduct themselves according to their own will when no one is around to see them." ("Clearheadedness" from Essentials for Further Advancement)
It occurred to me that our tone of voice, kindheartedness, and reasoning can change fellow practitioners' hearts, and they will accept our opinions and be willing to cooperate with us. But when we try to command, criticize, or complain about fellow practitioners, it is very difficult to change their hearts. On the contrary, it will only create conflicts and discord. Nowadays it is not common to see any practitioners order others about, but it is fairly common that practitioners criticize or complain about fellow practitioners, especially those who are married to each other. It may be our duty to point out fellow practitioners' problems in cultivation practice, but it is important to use the right approach. Teacher said, "your tone of voice, your kindheartedness, and your reasoning can change a person’s heart," but criticism and complaint will only achieve the opposite.
I would like to suggest that everyone check whether what we are about to say will come out as a criticism or a complaint and whether fellow practitioners will be able to accept what we are about to say before the words come out of our mouths. If only every practitioner would pay attention to his tone and communicate with kindheartedness and reasoning, I believe discord among practitioners would be greatly reduced and conflicts, should they arise, would be eliminated easily.
Communication is not a trivial matter. A lot of discord among practitioners arises from it. As to how we should communicate with fellow practitioners, Teacher has given us a very clear explanation in this article "Clearheadedness." It is high time that everyone revisit the article and enlighten to it.
My understanding is limited to my present cultivation level. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.