(Minghui.org) “Cultivation” has been a sacred and mysterious concept for millennia. People usually think cultivation means becoming a monk, living on a remote mountain, separating oneself from society, seeing through the illusions of this world, reaching old age, and becoming a divine being.
In Buddhism, cultivation means shaving off one's hair, putting on a cassock, and following precepts.
But what is the ultimate nature of cultivation? Master Li Hongzhi explained it in a simple sentence: “We often talk about 'cultivation.' But what does it really mean? Few people really know, in fact. 'Cultivation' is the perfection and fulfillment of a being.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington, D.C.”)
Master has assigned Falun Dafa practitioners a great mission. They walk their paths well so that they can leave a new cultivation way to the lives of the future universe. Their every thought and action will be a model for future lives.
As the Fa rectification proceeds, practitioners can feel the changes in themselves. They have a deeper understanding of the urgency to save people and the nature of cultivation.
Since the Fa-rectification is nearing its end, the demons are putting up a fierce fight. Some veteran practitioners are running into a lot of demonic interference at this stage, and those who didn't study the Fa well are experiencing more difficulties.
I've seen that some veteran practitioners have slacked off in studying the teachings. They feel that they can let up a little because they think the tests and tribulations are over and done with. But Master has reminded us repeatedly that the final time is critical and that any attachment to human notions will result in lowering one's cultivation state and failing to fulfill a practitioner's mission.
Master said:
“Only those who can stick to it until the end are the genuine gold. Only those who stick to it until the very end can achieve Consummation.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Yanji,” Zhuan Falun Fajie)
Being a veteran practitioner myself, I absolutely understand that we must fulfill our missions, be diligent, cooperate, and follow Master's directions. I would like to share some things that have happened recently and the pitfalls that have kept some practitioners from advancing to a higher plane.
A practitioner from another city shared with us about a fellow practitioner who had read the Fa so many times and remembered it so well that when she was not actively reciting it, Master's voice teaching the Fa would resound in her mind.
I thought that was amazing and admired her. I spoke to a few practitioners, and we agreed to visit this practitioner the next day.
While I was doing the exercises the next morning, it seemed to me that there was something wrong with this trip. While I was meditating, I heard a voice say, “You are following a person instead of following the Fa!”
I was stunned and immediately realized my mistake. I apologized to Master and said that I was wrong and that I would correct myself based on the Fa.
When I shared my understanding with the other practitioners, they all understood and were determined not to let this matter interfere with our efforts to save people. We all learned a lesson.
I am in contact with several practitioners who coordinate projects. I've noticed that they have to handle many things. When we communicate, they mostly talk about sickness karma and tribulations fellow practitioners are experiencing. Their minds are full of bad things, and they aren't able to let righteous thoughts take control.
Using my inner eye, I could see the energy surrounding them was very low when they focused on these bad things. I believe a coordinator with such low energy will have a hard time doing well by a group of practitioners.
I believe that we should let the teachings fill our minds wherever we are. When we share with each other, we should talk more about what we've learned from studying the Fa and where we've improved. Positive sharing can cleanse our bodies as well as our surroundings.
Master said:
“Three religions teach to cultivate without pursuitWhen the mind’s used improperly that’s with pursuitSolely seeking out good deeds is still with pursuitRemoving attachments is truly no pursuit”( “No Pursuit,” Hong Yin, English Translation Version C)
Not long ago a veteran practitioner and I shared our understandings of “looking inward.” It was a good sharing, but I felt he was too focused on developing a technique to look inward. He also mentioned another practitioner who was very good at looking inward.
When he was talking about the other practitioner being good at looking inward, my inner eye unintentionally saw that practitioner, too. From my plane, I could see his true body had many loopholes.
Later on, I thought about this vision again and came to an understanding that both of them were in pursuit of a deeper meaning of a teaching on a human plane. When they are too focused on their pursuit, they tend to develop human notions and can easily “dig into a bull’s horn.”
If a practitioner is too cautious over every trivial matter, inadvertently it becomes an attachment itself that stops one from advancing and purifying one's body.
I recently met an older practitioner in another city and could sense that her energy field was very weak. After some sharing, I realized she had a strong attachment to her grandson but said, “Taking good care of my grandson is also a way to validate the Fa.”
She spent a lot of valuable time with the child because she wanted to prove that a practitioner could take care of a child better than an ordinary person. However, she had little time left to save people.
After some sharing, she realized her doting attachment to her grandson was not right. I could see that an airy, black column that had followed her disappeared, and her energy field became brighter.
Master said,
“It is necessary for a Dafa disciple to ensure his cultivation on a daily basis.”(“A Reminder”)
“Only by cultivating yourselves well will you manage to fulfill your missions as Dafa disciples.” (“A Greeting to the South America Fa Conference”)
The Fa manifests differently at each of the cosmic body’s planes of existence. For a practitioner, there must be a big difference from the beginning of cultivation to a time that is close to the end.
If the beginning was like entering elementary school, we should now have reached the college level. However, some veteran practitioners are still sharing about how to overcome laziness to do the exercises in the morning and how to let go of the attachment to watching television. These are elementary level matters, ones that should have been overcome a long time ago.
So why do some practitioners still have sickness karma at this stage of the Fa-rectification? Why have some practitioners even lost their bodies due to sickness karma?
As I see it, the major factors that contribute to a practitioner not having a highly purified body are that this practitioner can't break away from the attachments of fame, gain, and emotion in daily life; has failed to become a seasoned veteran cultivator; and has failed to understand the nature of cultivation and its seriousness.
When we shared about reaching higher realms, some practitioners thought that was an attachment itself. I think veteran practitioners should look inward to see how far they have advanced from a human being to a divine being and how closely they have followed the process of Fa-rectification.
We should look at our level of compassion and see if we have reached the standard set by the Fa.
Master said, “Compassion is the Divine's eternal state” (“Why Do You Reject It, Hong Yin III)
As for the transformation of our bodies, Master said:
“Your whole body will be transparent if seen with higher vision, and look similar to glass, as if nothing were there. This means that your body is now a holy one, for it consists of high-energy matter, unlike the body you began with.” (The Eighth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
We should also observe if we can enter tranquility while meditating. Master said, “Your ability to center yourself and still your mind reflects your spiritual progress.” (The Ninth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
If we look at the progress of our cultivation often and let ourselves be guided by the above aspects, we can easily see our loopholes and thus improve and reach the standard Master has set for us.
I believe that we can fundamentally understand the special origin of Dafa practitioners and our mission in this human world only after we rise above the human realm and understand the Fa from the viewpoint of the Fa. We came here to obtain this Fa. We respect Master and this Fa. We trust Master and trust this Fa.
Let us cherish this Fa with our lives and validate the Fa with our actions. Let us perfect and fulfill our missions together and become Master's qualified disciples.