(Minghui.org) A practitioner in my area passed away because of illness karma in late 2017. Two years had passed from the diagnosis of her breast cancer to her death.
Practitioners studied the Fa with her, shared understandings, and sent forth righteous thoughts. When sending righteous thoughts, one practitioner saw that she had mostly recovered, with the exception to a small tumor in the size of a finger tip.
Practitioners asked her to look within, especially if there had been anything during her previous detention that was inconsistent with Fa. Besides, after being released from prison earlier, why did she still go to a brainwashing center organized by the 610 Office to “transform” practitioners?
She said she had written a “Solemn Declaration,” and she was “transforming” practitioners with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and that there was nothing wrong with the way she handled the issue. Some practitioners agreed with her.
One practitioner suggested that the energy in our group was not righteous – that we should help her instead of reminding her to look within.
However, when this practitioner was “transforming” others – even if she thought it was done “in conformance with the Fa standards,” it was a fundamental mistake. This aligns with what the prison and labor camp officials wanted to achieve. Therefore, when acknowledging such a “transformation,” one actually stands with the evil instead of following Master. Even though she submitted a Solemn Declaration and was also working on other projects, she could not be considered a Dafa practitioner, because the old forces were still manipulating her.
Master will not give up on each one of us, but will the old forces let go? The old forces dare not persecute us when we follow closely the standard of a Dafa practitioner. However, doing Dafa projects does not necessarily mean our lives are insured. When we have fundamental attachments, and are unable to recognize fundamental mistakes, the old forces can easily find excuses, and it is difficult for Master to help us.
Wrongness of “Transformation”
Upon seeing practitioners being released after writing statements promising to give up their cultivation practice, other practitioners are often worried and tell them to submit a “Solemn Declaration” and resume their Dafa practice.
Some detained practitioners' understandings of the Fa were not clear. Therefore, human notions could surface, making them agree with those who “transformed” them, and they may even agree to “transform” others. Because they often took Master's words out of context, the practitioners they talked with were confused and stopped practicing.
After being released, such practitioners may not be diligent in their Fa-study and be unable to recognize where they went wrong. When others reminded them to write solemn declarations, they did it without fully recognizing their previous mistakes. Instead of calming down and studying the Fa, they frequently hurried to keep up with the Fa-rectification and were eager to work on projects so as to make up for losses caused by their detention.
As to the cause that led to the “transformation” during detention, or what attachments made them believe in the defamatory propaganda, these practitioners did not think about it. They also did not realize that the statements they made were sins against Master and Falun Dafa. By writing or signing those documents, they had betrayed Master and Dafa. A practitioner has benefited so much from Dafa, but lost faith in Master and the Fa once detained. If such a practitioner cannot realize the seriousness, how can he or she truly correct the mistake and return to being a pure and genuine Dafa practitioner?
Some practitioners could not endure during detention and thus wrote those statements. In their hearts, they knew they were wrong, and that they had followed the old forces’ arrangements. Some of these practitioners could seriously study the Fa and join the Fa-rectification efforts, but some could not understand the Fa well for a long time because of fear, and thus could not step forward. Some even thought they had helped reduce the torture of practitioners. This cunning thought is related to the indoctrination by the Party and is degenerate. After many years of cultivation, some practitioners still have not recognized that such a “transformation” is a surrender to the old forces and enlightenment along an evil path. Such pretend “transformation” often also results in further persecution of determined practitioners.
With such a mindset, what is the purpose of resuming cultivation practice? One reason could be resolving illness karma, another could simply be following others who returned to the practice. In either case, we need to look within, let go of attachments, and truly understand the purpose of cultivation practice.
If one cannot fundamentally understand why “transformation” is wrong, no matter how many things he or she is doing, it is superficial. Those old forces will not stop interfering and this practitioner could face a highly risky situation.
Indulgence in Sentimentality
Some practitioners came to understand they had been wrong in being involved in “transforming” practitioners. They knew they had assisted the evil to undermine Dafa practitioners’ righteous faith in Master and Dafa. These practitioners were able to improve in the Fa and became diligent.
Some practitioners, however, continue to be immersed in sentimentality. On the one hand, they were helping with Dafa projects, but on the other hand, they keep thinking about the mental and material losses they brought to their families. As a result, some began to get involved in multilevel marketing, direct marketing, or trading stocks. By doing things which are against Dafa principles, these people have undermined the Fa and caused damage. Some did not realize the mistake until they lost large sums of money or went broke.
Some practitioners were addicted to money in multilevel marketing or stock trading. They were pleased by the profits they made in such activities. Some planned to find another job after retirement to make more money for the families and their children. Isn't this an attachment to sentimentality? Had they not practiced Falun Dafa, these practitioners' lives may have already ended. Master has sacrificed so much to extend our lives, which is for our cultivation, not for making money for the family. When these practitioners do not cherish these opportunities, it could result in sickness karma or even death.
Young practitioners who began practicing before the persecution in 1999 have now become adults. Some parents did not balance cultivation and schooling back then, due to sentimentality. This led to various issues for their children, which now in turn affect their parents. Therefore, we should focus on cultivation in order to harmonize the family.
Lust
The issue of lust applies to all practitioners. In this instance, we only focus on formerly “transformed” practitioners.
After being released from prison, some practitioners thought their spouses had suffered a lot, and wanted to make it up. Some could not let go of sentimentality, in the name of conforming to the everyday society, and held on to the attachment of lust. Too worried about extramarital affairs, some women practitioners whose hair had turned gray, still have sex with their husbands.
Master said,
“In our school of practice, those who practice cultivation among everyday people are required to practice cultivation precisely in ordinary human society, and to fit in among everyday people as much as possible. You are not really asked to lose anything materially. It does not matter how high your position ranks or how much wealth you own. The key is whether you can abandon that attachment.” (Zhuan Falun)
When we have truly eliminated the attachment to lust, our spouses will not leave us because of that. Sentimentality and lust are only a part of marital life. There are elements of greater importance, such as gratitude and responsibility.
Some practitioners had extramarital relationships and even divorced, which was followed by remarriage. This is not something a Dafa disciple should do, and even everyday people consider such behavior despicable.
No Misuse of Dafa Resources
For many years, the persecution was rampant and Dafa disciples were harassed and detained. Without a regular life or income, they accepted assistance from other practitioners and dedicated themselves to truth-clarification efforts. By establishing materials production sites, they sacrificed. It was remarkable because although they could not return home, they still validated the Fa and saved sentient beings.
But as time continued, some practitioners, because of temptation from material interest, became greedy. The money was sometimes misused by them or family members. Other practitioners pointed it out, and Master also provided many hints. But these practitioners did not make restitution, which often led to persecution by the old forces.
Turning Into Genuine Practitioners
When practitioners were “transformed” while in detention, they wrote statements and read articles that defamed Master. Their bodies in other dimensions may have been filled with vicious substances, with the main spirit being influenced. If such practitioners did not eliminate these substances and just wrote a solemn declaration about returning to cultivation, the interference could continue.
Practitioners should continually clean their fields by studying the Fa, improving xinxing, and sending righteous thoughts. Only when rectifying and purifying ourselves can we truly do well on our cultivation paths and be unaffected by the persecution.
Anyone who had been “transformed” needs to recognize the mistakes they made. They should look within, accept advice from other practitioners, identify attachments that led to their being “transformed,” and eliminate anything that affects their cultivation.
Some practitioners found their attachments but could not let go of them for a long time. They sometimes attributed the attachment to interference and sent forth righteous thoughts by themselves or with other practitioners. This was not looking within and does not resolve the issue.
Therefore, practitioners should often look inward unconditionally and check for issues within themselves which are not consistent with the Fa. By removing anything that is not on the Fa, they will become genuine practitioners.
Category: Improving Oneself
