(Clearwisdom.net) For a long time I have had a misunderstanding. I thought that there would always be opportunities to save sentient beings as long as the Fa-rectification wasn't over. After reading Master's new lecture, I suddenly realized that because we didn't do well, many sentient beings have lost their chances for salvation.
Master said in “Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa Conference,”
Those who were originally meant to have been saved last year [by Shen Yun, but didn’t go], have lost the opportunity forever. That’s because Fa-rectification is unceasingly forging ahead, step by step, and when it arrives at one cosmic plane it is time for that level of people; when it reaches a certain heavenly kingdom above, or a certain layer of cosmic body, it is time for that group of people to come see [the show], and next time around [when Shen Yun performs], that seat will belong to someone else. Do you realize how many lives have been lost?!
I pondered Master's words for a long time. How could I do well every day? I did not want to live in pain for the loss I caused myself and the sentient beings for whom I was responsible.
Even though I have been cultivating and saving people, many opportunities have passed by. Several years ago, I missed the opportunity to clarify the truth to an acquaintance at the deputy division head level. When I heard the news that he had died of a cerebral hemorrhage as a result of excessive drinking during a business trip, I couldn't believe it was true. Two days before his trip, I ran into him. I had been thinking about clarifying the truth to him, but I hesitated, fearing that he wouldn't be receptive.
I also lost another opportunity to clarify the truth to a colleague. I worked with her closely and every time she gave me files, telegraphs, or typed documents, she did so with much respect. We lost contact with each other after the company was restructured. Five years later, I saw her in the employee cafeteria. The cafeteria was very crowded, and I didn't think that she saw me. She looked unhappy. I had the immediate longing to inform her about the truth. However, days passed, and I didn't do anything. I thought I would be able to see her every day in the cafeteria, but I never saw her again.
I have lost many opportunities. It is painful when I think of them, not to mention how much pain I will experience at the end of Fa rectification!
After looking inward, I realized that I had the following gaps:
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I was blindly optimistic. I thought every being had a variety of channels to come across the truth. As for the people in my daily life, I saw no urgency to tell them the truth. I thought that they would be curious and ask about the truth one day.
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My approach was to take it slowly when saving sentient beings. Although I might not want to admit this, I was waiting for the end of the Fa rectification.
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I had a strong attachment to depending on others. I thought that a sentient being's salvation might be taken care by someone else if I didn't do anything. Subconsciously, I was relying on the progress of the Fa-rectification. Sometimes I thought, “When Master comes back and Shen Yun performs in Mainland China, then everyone will simply know the truth.”
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I incorrectly thought that the Dafa disciples who left early were no longer saving sentient beings and yet they still had achieved Consummation. Therefore, I didn't need to do more.
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I couldn't proceed in the face of difficulties. I had been avoiding people who seemed difficult to save. I would get frustrated with people who had a rigid mindset or were unreasonable.
In fact, if every Dafa disciple thinks this way, we will become the obstacles to Fa-rectification. If we rely on others, then how can the Fa-rectification push forward quickly? Sitting and waiting is not what Dafa disciples should do. When the Fa rectifies the human world, there might be only a few sentient beings left to save.
With an irresponsible and unmotivated attitude, we might not recognize the people we are to save, and the old forces will capitalize on this gap. Whenever there's an opportunity to save a sentient being, we should try our best, because all sentient beings are Master's relatives. The sooner people know the truth, the sooner they will obtain salvation and a guarantee of safety, and the sooner they will help to spread the truth.
Every Dafa disciple shoulders a different responsibility. As long as we are still here on earth, we should seize the day to save sentient beings. Whether a person finds this difficult or not is addressed by Master in Zhuan Falun,
“Actually, I think it depends on the person as to whether it is difficult or not. For an everyday person who does not want to practice cultivation, he will find cultivation practice simply too difficult, inconceivable, or impossible. As an everyday person, he does not want to practice cultivation and will find it very difficult.”
Dafa disciples who are committed to assisting Master in saving sentient beings should be able to overcome any hardship because we have compassion and venerable Master! If we are passive and lack righteous thoughts we cannot do well in saving sentient beings.
My problems existed because I didn't unconditionally think about and try my best to achieve what Master wants in the Fa-rectification. Human morality is in rapid decline and some beings have become so bad that they are unsalvageable. Master has arranged for the predestined people to find us. This opportunity is hard to come by and once it has passed, it's lost forever.
We must study the Fa well, send forth righteous thoughts well, and save people now! We must honor the lives that dared to come down to the human world because of their firm faith in Dafa, by seeing the urgency to save them.
