(Clearwisdom.net) Last year, in the lecture “Be More Diligent,” Master said, “You all need to do this now. Start cultivating yourselves.” When we read this, we all recognized the importance of doing well the three things, looking inward, and cultivating xinxing. The Fa-Rectification is now near the end, yet there are still some long-standing issues among practitioners that remain. Some practitioners are not good at keeping up with the exercises and Fa study. Some do not cooperate well. Some only focus on doing projects and not cultivation. Some have been tortured by sickness karma for a long time without making any breakthroughs. Some have a hard time keeping their palms upright when sending righteous thoughts. During sharing with fellow practitioners, we realized that these were all xinxing issues. Here I would like to discuss my personal understanding through cultivation. Please kindly point out anything incorrect.
Changing the tendency of looking outward
Looking outward is a habit formed among ordinary people. As a cultivator, external manifestations are developed from our minds. Nothing that occurs around us is coincidental. It is all because of us and changed by us. When something happens, it's an opportunity for us to look inward, cultivate our xinxing, and make improvements. But often, we are unwilling to look inward. We tend to hold onto human attachments when looking at a situation. Master told us that even when we observed something as a third party, we needed to look inward. However, when things happen near us or even to us, we rarely look inward. We talk about cultivating xinxing, but when it's actually time to improve, a lot of times we are focused on cultivating others. When we talk about others, we have a lot to say. Whenever a situation occurs, we first think of how others did things wrong, but not ourselves. Our attachments easily fell under the radar. Fundamentally, it is time to improve our xinxing. If we didn't grasp the opportunity and instead held on to human attachments, then we would be missing one opportunity after another. Time is running out. Veteran practitioners, isn't it time to wake up?
If we truly followed what Master said, changed the notion of looking outward, and examined ourselves, I believe we would all see huge leaps in our cultivation.
Once when I was in a public bathhouse, I heard an employee talking about how addicted to sex one of his friends was. I heard it and felt disgusted. Suddenly I realized that I didn't hear it out of sheer coincidence. Wasn't it because I had sexual desires myself? Suddenly I felt something move in my body. A piece of bad element was eliminated. I thanked Master from the bottom of my heart. Dafa cultivation targets one's heart. If we could truly look inward, we would see magical changes. Isn't this what we have wanted to achieve? Isn't this the most direct way to progress in cultivation?
Another issue is that some practitioners focus too much on time, social changes, and events in ordinary human society. Some are just “waiting it out.” As the Fa-rectification progresses and celestial signs change, there are more and more things in ordinary human society that are worth noting. All of these are manifestations of the Fa-rectification entering the human dimension. Now is a critical time to clarify the facts and save sentient beings. It's a test to see if Dafa disciples can be as as firm as diamond. “With the interference of various messages and the distraction of various scenes, can you remain undisturbed?” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun) Yet the attachments to time and events in human society impeded our cultivation and added impure elements to the Fa-rectification and could cause severe damage. Every Dafa disciple should pay attention and eliminate these attachments.
Eliminating the fear of being criticized
Master has spoken clearly about this several times. The fear of being criticized usually comes from a fundamental attachment to oneself. This attachment has to be eliminated. During cultivation, we still see this problem on a large scale. Although there are many different forms of manifestation, they all reflect an attachment to self. The root of the problem is a lack of willingness to look inward and cultivate oneself.
During cultivation, we eliminate our attachments layer after layer. The process of looking inward is ongoing. We need to look inward until the very last moment before consummation. The attachment to oneself cannot be eliminated overnight. Some practitioners are unable to follow through, so they don't look inward on a consistent basis. Sometimes they look on the surface but not deeply within. Their attachment to self is tightly wrapped up and protected. They look at the attachment as a part of themselves, so they cannot see anything wrong with it. Some people use human standards to judge things instead of looking for their own attachments from the perspective of the Fa. They are trying to move forward with a huge burden on their backs. They lack a clear understanding of Fa principles and righteous thoughts.
There is another situation. Some practitioners are willing to accept criticism from other practitioners that they consider to be good cultivators, but not those they think were worse than themselves. Of course, the practitioners who have cultivated well usually talk in a kind manner with reason, and are likely to be effective. However, sometimes the least expected or the most hurtful words could have the most direct effect and cause the greatest change. This is a perfect opportunity to improve one's xinxing. Sometimes the practitioners feel wronged and angry when they are criticized; they might even get caught up in a conflict with each other. The opportunity passes in an instant. The environment that Master has given us to clarify the facts, and the process of collaboration with fellow practitioner and co-workers among ordinary people, can all be used for us to improve our xinxing standards and eliminate attachments. Any attachment is quickly brought to the surface. As long as we maintain a peaceful mind and look inward, the situation will change immediately. This is why Falun Dafa disciples are able to elevate our levels quickly. This is why Dafa is such a unique and wonderful practice.
Studying the Fa more without pursuit
We can only see our xinxing problems when we study the Fa more and study it well. Only then can we clearly see the Fa principles and know how to cultivate. That's why Fa study is fundamental.
Some practitioners feel that they have studied a lot without seeing any improvements. As a result, they have developed negative thoughts. When others tell them that they need to study the Fa, they would say that Fa study is useless because so-and-so has studied a lot without any result. They use this excuse to hide their attachment to comfort and their laziness. Actually, their Fa study was not effective because they did not have a calm mind and did not have the correct understanding. Sometimes they cannot see the result because it is not something ordinary; instead, it's intangible. To use an analogy, if we compare Fa study to eating, we cannot say that we do not need to eat now because we have eaten before. When you eat too little, you suffer from malnutrition. There have been so many lessons as a result of the lack of Fa study. Isn't it time for us to wake up?
“Actually, in cultivation practice you ascend by improving yourself gradually and unknowingly. Keep in mind: One should gain things naturally without pursuing them.” (“Learning the Fa,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
After I lost my job due to the persecution, I decided to study and recite the Fa every day. I have already recited Zhuan Falun four times and am in the middle of reciting it a fifth time. Through a lot of Fa study and harmonizing with the Fa, my righteous thoughts are ever stronger. Master has enlightened me to many Fa principles so that I can see my attachment to myself, eliminate it, validate the Fa, and save sentient beings during solid cultivation.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners! Heshi.
