(Minghui.org) My life as a Falun Dafa practitioner has been wrought with tribulations over the past 10 years, ranging from persecution issues to interference from family and friends.
I've also encountered interference while studying the Fa and clarifying the truth with fellow practitioners. I believe that some of the interference was due to the differences in our xinxing levels and our understanding of the Fa.
I've witnessed some veteran practitioners over the years who on the surface, appeared to be doing well in their practice, yet they experienced varying degrees of sickness karma.
By studying the Fa and looking within, their sickness karma appeared to have been reduced or completely eradicated. There are some practitioners who appear to have a shallow understanding of this issue. Instead of feeling better and better as they cultivate Dafa, their health steadily deteriorates to the point that they pass away or narrowly escape death.
Whenever they experience sickness karma, their attachment of fear immediately wells up. Although they appear to reject their family members' suggestion to see a doctor, they do so half-heartedly. Thus, they not only go in for a “check up,” but even wind up taking the medication that the doctor prescribes.
Master has taught us how to deal with the occasional bout of sickness karma. If we deem that the old forces are taking advantage of our loopholes, we need to unconditionally look within to find the gaps in our thinking.
Do we take studying the Fa seriously? Do we regard ourselves as cultivators at all times? Do we seek out ways to help Master save sentient beings? Do we truly believe in Master and the Fa? If we can effectively deny the old force arrangements in our lives, Master can reduce or completely eliminate our sickness karma.
There are still many practitioners who are attached to when the persecution of Falun Gong will end, myself included. I developed the notion that Dafa practitioners have suffered enough and it was time for them to return home, to their original positions.
While being detained at a brainwashing center, I once dreamed that Dafa practitioners' cultivation path had come to a sudden end. All those who had persecuted Dafa practitioners were completely destroyed, while I and my fellow practitioners happily accompanied Master to the Falun Paradise.
When I thought back on this dream, I realized that Master was pointing out my attachment to time, as well as my selfish nature. How so? Because instead of thinking about all the beings who would have perished due to the Fa rectifying the human world, and more specifically, all the beings whom I had failed to personally save, I only thought about my own consummation.
Practitioners in our Fa study group had recently gotten into a heated debate as to when the persecution would end. One practitioner pointed out that Master had already answered that question when he said,
“Of course, there won't be another ten years. It's not allowed to take that long, and they don't have that much time left in their lives. (“Touring North America to Teach the Fa”)
On the surface, it appeared as if this ten-year persecution made us all hope and wish for an expedient end to our cultivation path, when in fact, it was due to our selfishness and our attachment to consummating within this specific ten-year period of time that Master had referred to.
It was as if we were tired of cultivating and awakening sentient beings, and thus we longed for an end to our suffering. Of course, any pursuit such as this must be abandoned.
If the path that Master had arranged for us were extended another 10 years, would we go on cultivating ourselves? Would we be able to endure the ongoing tribulations? I had never considered such things as I was too focused on the thought that all Dafa practitioners would have already attained spiritual perfection within the 10-year span that Master had spoken about.
Instead of being attached to the end of our cultivation path, we should firmly resolve to study the Fa, cultivate our xinxing, and fulfill our historic vows as Fa-rectification period disciples.
Some practitioners think that it's interference from the old forces that is causing them to be attached to the end of their cultivation path. Actually, the old forces are powerless in the presence of a being with rock-solid righteous thoughts.
Master said,
“Any time some kind of interference comes along in your practice, you have to look within for the cause and find what it is you still haven’t let go of.” (Zhuan Falun)
Some practitioners in China like to watch TV news programs, claiming that it helps them have a better understanding of the changes taking place in everyday society.
One practitioner told me that Dafa cultivation practice would not be affected if practitioners watched an occasional history drama, as dramas only depict the purity of ancient times, a time when there were no evil factors present.
However, all media outlets in China purposely distort and fabricate things so that everything is in line with the Party's long and short-term goals. If we watch TV won't it interfere with our cultivation?
I know several young practitioners who often surf ordinary peoples' websites at home and abroad. They excitedly share what they've learned on these sites with their fellow practitioners.
Some practitioners who visit websites that slander and attack Falun Dafa, argue back and forth on public forums, claiming that they're clarifying the truth to these people.
Master has already instructed us on how to cultivate in ordinary human society and how to avoid being interfered with. If we want to achieve spiritual perfection as soon as possible, we need to cultivate ourselves according to the Fa's requirements.