(Clearwisdom.net)

Our understanding of Dafa is the most basic issue in our cultivation practice. Some may think this is a repetitive topic. Through my recent experience, I personally feel that how well Dafa disciples do things, in many cases and to a large extent, depends on their understanding of Dafa.

I often wake up before the crack of dawn. Yet I have often been reluctant to leave my warm bed so early in the morning, especially in winter. I felt so comfortable in bed, and I was somehow afraid of the cold and hardship. Due to my lack of self-discipline, often I'd go back to sleep and let this precious exercise time slip away. After I advanced in my understanding of Dafa, I came to see the importance of early morning exercises and raised the bar for myself. As a result, I no longer oversleep.

Dafa has made me realize the many attachments I have. However when I try to let go of them, it seems very difficult. Why is it that I could identify my own attachments but fail to remove them during cultivation? I was frustrated.

It seemed my heart contained two types of understanding--one based on the Fa, and the other based on human notions. Unfortunately whenever issues occur, my heart defaults to the latter. This is a manifestation of not studying the Fa well and not cultivating myself well.

If we follow the human notions, our attachments will be viewed as something good, which makes it hard to let them go.

If, however, we treat the issues we encounter according to our understanding of the Fa, we can care less about them and be less attached. I believe our cultivation process is essentially a process of constantly replacing our human notions with our understanding of the Fa. Before, when I studied the Fa, I was able to maintain my good mind-set and my understanding was righteous. However, oftentimes, I tend to use the human notions to deal with things. I've enlightened that this was the fundamental reason why I improved at such a slow pace. If we all form the habit of seeing all things with the understanding of the Fa, we might have less difficulty and fewer pitfalls throughout our cultivation journey.

Master said,

"If every one of you can understand the Fa from the depths of your mind, that will truly be the manifestation of the Fa whose power knows no boundary--the reappearance of the mighty Buddha Fa in the human world!" ("Cautionary Advice" from Essentials for Further Advancement)

In the past I found myself unable to comprehend the meaning of the above words. Now I've come to realize that an individual cannot be enlightened to the understanding of the Fa at a certain level if the person's cultivation doesn't reach that level. In other words, if we understand the Fa at a certain level, it means that we have already reached that level, and we are able to communicate with the Fa at that level. The power of the Fa at that level will then manifest in our lives. As our bodies are still in the human world, thus the reappearance of the mighty Fa at that level will manifest through our deeds and words. This is just my limited understanding. Of course, there are more profound meanings behind the same sentence of Master's words.

Although we are at the final stage of Fa-rectification, our understandings of Master, of Dafa, of Fa-rectification, and of "Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples" still remain the fundamental issues in our cultivation practice.

For those who do not cultivate diligently, those who are less interested in participating in Fa-rectification activities, the problem lies in their lack of understanding of Dafa, of Fa-rectification and of the historic mission Dafa disciples shoulder. This is why I believe it's critical to reiterate the importance of our fundamental understanding of Dafa.

I hope fellow practitioners will find my little understanding helpful. Let us all assist Master well in rectifying the Fa. Let us be worthy of the sacred mission history has bestowed upon us, the expectation and hopes sentient beings have long set on us, and the greatest glory of all as Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples.