(Minghui.org) After I began practicing Falun Dafa I refrained from fighting back during conflicts. I still felt disturbed, however, and had trouble letting my resentment go. 

When I couldn’t pass tests in my cultivation, my anger and grievances were hard to suppress or let go of. I wondered why I kept stumbling during tests and I couldn’t completely eliminate my attachments.

Master said,

“When you’ve improved your character by cultivating, like for example, maybe you’re around ordinary people and somebody insults you, but you don’t say anything back and you’re totally calm inside, or maybe somebody punches you, and again you don’t say a thing and you just shrug it off, and you get through it. Then that shows that your character is high.” (The First Talk, Zhuan Falun) [Translation Edition (Feb. 2003, North America)]

When I memorized this paragraph, I realized the reason it was so painful for me to get over my grievance was because I hadn’t truly improved. I always got stuck on some aspect of the issue and couldn’t move forward.

If I could not only require myself to refrain from fighting back or arguing, but also remember what Master said about gaining in four ways in one shot, then I wouldn’t hold a grudge. As Master taught us, I could dissolve my karma, transform my karma into virtue, improve my character, and increase my gong.

If I could completely let go of my attachments, how could I ever hold grudges or complaints? When I complained or felt upset after a conflict, wasn’t it because I was still holding onto my attachment and thinking about payback?

I understood that in order to shrug it off, I need to do the following:

First, I should study the Fa more. (I’m memorizing Zhuan Falun and Hong Yin.) Then, when conflicts arise, I can immediately remember Master’s teachings on the issue.

As Master said,

“Don’t let up in studying the Fa;amidst it transformation happens”(“Diligence and Righteous Enlightenment,” Hong Yin Volume II) (English Translation Version A)

After I memorized Master’s teaching about not fighting back, I was able to compare my behavior to the Fa and I found my gaps. For example, I couldn’t always refrain from saying anything back. Sometimes I wasn’t completely calm inside or I wasn’t able to just shrug it off. Even though on the surface I seemed fine, I still held grudges.

As I memorized the Fa, Master’s words helped me see through the illusions and I gradually let go of my attachments.

Second, I should actively eliminate my attachments. My human notions may have those attachments, but my true self is calm and has no attachments.

I should measure everything with a cultivator’s criteria instead of worldly principles. I should accept whatever happens happily and openly. By contrast, non-practitioners wouldn’t be able to tolerate being hit or insulted.

I shouldn’t dwell on insults, hold grudges or complaints. When I have an issue with someone, I should remember that it happened to help point out my attachment. I should look inward so that I can improve, and set what happened aside. If I continue thinking about my bad feelings, I'll never be able to get over them.

A cultivator should hold Dafa’s principles in mind instead of grudges. No matter how hard it is, I must reject, eliminate and deny any grievance, and always measure up to the criteria for a Falun Dafa practitioner.