(Clearwisdom.net) I am not sure if fellow practitioners still remember why Master writes new articles. In the Fa, Master said:
"In order to have Dafa disciples avoid deviation in their cultivation practice, whenever a common or serious problem appears, I write an article to point it out in a timely manner so that disciples may realize it and Dafa will suffer fewer losses. This is because whether we can take the right way does not depend only on disciples' cultivating righteously; whether Dafa's overall form is righteous is also a key factor. So, as your teacher, I will often correct the deviations that occur." ("Take the Middle Way" from Essentials for Further Advancement)
From the above, it is not difficult to understand that it is because of deviations in the overall state of our cultivation that Master writes new articles. Since this is the case, none of us should exclude ourselves, and we should use the Fa to look inward.
When Master's lecture in Manhattan, "Fa Teaching at the 2008 New York Conference," was published, I only read it once before putting it away. I didn't really reflect on it and was not very affected by what I read. After the busy period was over, I calmed down and read this lecture ten times very carefully. There were two phrases in the article that really got my attention: "You would be ruining yourselves...," and "...it cannot lead to Consummation." Why did Master use these specific words at this point in time, when Fa-rectification is about to successfully conclude and our cultivation is about to end? We should think deeply about this! I felt ashamed upon recalling the path I had taken. Had I thought many times that I looked inward and searched within myself during all these years? I am in a really dangerous state. Master is sounding the alarm by hitting the bell hard!
Master stated very clearly in this lecture:
"Don't let having relatively fewer students in a particular area, or the presence of ongoing disputes among our students in some areas, become grounds for being passive about validating the Fa, saving sentient beings, or even your own cultivation. You would be ruining yourselves, then."
"Those of you who have fallen behind, who have become passive, who are full of complaints, who hold strong grievances against others, or who focus your attention on those in the Falun Dafa Association, none of you are willing to cultivate yourselves, and are instead looking outward." ("Fa Teaching at the 2008 New York Conference")
After exchanging views with fellow practitioners, we realized that many practitioners think that as long as they study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts, and clarify the truth, they will definitely achieve consummation. Thus, many practitioners only do the three things required of them and neglect to cultivate themselves. Here I would like to urge all practitioners to calm down and carefully read Master's new article and truly cultivate yourself! We should assimilate to what Master wants. At the same time, we should reflect upon ourselves and see if any of Master's words are talking about us. Only when we cultivate ourselves well will we be better able to save sentient beings.
August 28. 2008