(Clearwisdom.net) What is true kindness? I think the kindness in ordinary people's hearts and that in cultivators' eyes are completely different. I would like to give an example to explain why.
I once shared with another practitioner about making corrections to the Falun Dafa books. When this practitioner heard that I had done quite a few copies of Zhuan Falun, she asked why I had done so many. I said to her, "I do it for illiterate or semi-illiterate senior practitioners and practitioners whose family environments are not very good. They have difficulties in carrying out this task, so we should give them a hand." She said to me, "They can take care of it themselves. You should not do it for them, otherwise you are not demonstrating true kindness. You did not help them truly improve because the process of making corrections is also a process of cultivation." When I heard what she said, I was shocked. I realized that I had done something wrong, but I did not want to recognize it. Later I started looking within and then realized that I was using my sentimentality to help fellow practitioners, and was doing it just for the sake of doing it, instead of having a clear understanding of the true purpose of making corrections. Not only did fellow practitioners not get to improve themselves, I didn't improve myself either. This attachment came from not studying the Fa very well, and not being clear on the Fa principles. For one to truly think of others is to truly improve on the Fa, and that is to truly be kind to others.
About five years ago a practitioner said to me, "You always take care of everything, this and that." At the time I didn't think about what she meant, and I didn't take her words to heart. I always felt that I was very passionate and thought of others. As a practitioner, what one should do and should not do should be measured against the Fa principles, rather than one's passion. This is the true distinction of being truly kind.
Since childhood, I have been a very kind and obedient person. In other people's eyes, I am someone who is honest, warmhearted and tolerant and who always keeps their word. Yet I got angry very easily, which resulted in my developing many diseases, and I took a lot of medicine. I couldn't lead a good life as I was in pain most of the time and depressed. In late 1996, I began practicing Falun Gong, and not only did my health improve, but my character also changed for the better. Seeing the changes in me, my family members all became supportive of Dafa. This made clarifying the truth to my family and friends very easy, and as a result many people began to practice Dafa, and still others learned the truth.
Through Fa-study, I came to realize that some of my attachments were formed from childhood to adulthood, so they became deeply-rooted notions. These attachments not only harm myself but also others, so in my cultivation I continue to rectify myself. Yet those deeply-rooted attachments surface from time to time. In my future cultivation, I'll study the Fa wholeheartedly and keep rectifying myself. When improving my xinxing, I will negate the old forces' arrangements in my every thought, walk the path that Teacher has arranged, and make use of the limited time ahead to save the people with predestined relationships!
I read something in Minghui Weekly: While shouting out "Falun Dafa is wonderful," a practitioner did not cooperate with the evil, but instead he clarified the truth, saved sentient beings, looked for his shortcomings, eliminated human attachments, negated the old forces' arrangements completely, and broke out of the evil den with righteous thoughts. I always felt that I was far from that practitioner's righteous state--I couldn't do it. Later I came to understand that it was because I had fear and selfishness. With those human attachments, one cannot develop compassion, and without compassion, one can't come up with true kindness.
Teacher said in "Be Vigilant,"
"I have long pondered, "What am I going to do with you students who are still not rational at this point?" I can help you eliminate a great deal of karma, but you must face on your own what you are to face, and neither Master nor anyone else can do so on your behalf. You have to, yourself, get through the attachments that are to be removed and the tests that need to be passed."
Through Teacher's lecture, I truly felt that believing in Teacher and Dafa, walking the path that Teacher has arranged, and listening to Teacher is something we should do. Only by doing that, can we achieve true kindness, do well that Teacher asks of us, and follow Teacher to return home when we reach consummation.