(Minghui.org) In ancient China, there was a story about a man who suspected his neighbor’s son of stealing his axe after he lost it. He kept watching the lad – whether it was the way he walked or his facial expression – it all made the man feel convinced that this young man had stolen his axe.
Later on, the man found the axe. After that, when he saw his neighbor’s son again, he no longer found the young man’s gestures or actions to resemble that of a thief.
From this story, we know that our own thinking will affect how we understand or look at things. It’s also very easy for us to be subjective and make wrong judgments about others.
Master once taught us,
“With every person dissolving the bad factors within the scope of his reach that he is responsible for, wouldn’t the entire world change? Actually, the world’s people themselves have a certain expanse of their own, only it’s a very small field and it doesn’t include other people. So for them, too, one’s emotional state can determine the outcome of certain things. Ordinary people don’t know that all of this is encompassed by the expression “the appearance stems from the mind.” So, put another way, one’s own factors can in fact change one’s surroundings. “Cultivate yourself” and “search within” are words that I have said in a very straightforward and clear manner. (Laughing) But, there aren’t that many people who give these words due weight. What I was describing holds true for Dafa disciples when they do things.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. X)
Although Master has emphasized the importance of looking within many times and I knew that I must to do so when encountering conflicts with others, I didn’t do a good job at it in my past 25 years of cultivation. This is one of the areas that I’m not satisfied with in my cultivation.
When I studied the Fa not long ago, I suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the principle of “the appearance stems from the mind.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. X)
As a cultivator, our cultivation environment, how well we pass each test, and the conflicts we have with others, are all reflections of our cultivation state and our xinxing level. The Fa is all-encompassing. What happens around us actually is a good indicator for us to look within and find our internal problems. As long as we want to find it, we will be able to.
My Reflection on the U.S. Election
On January 20, 2021, the new U.S. president was sworn in and took over the White House. From the surface, the election process has come to an end. We all know that the result isn’t what we had wanted. Trump didn’t only lose his reelection bid, but is also facing a second impeachment trial and further attacks.
Ordinary people all know that a fair election is the foundation of democracy. The democratic system in the U.S. is a beacon for the world. But through this U.S. election, we can see that despite the well-established democratic and legal system, nothing can be done when people’s hearts have gone bad.
We can foresee that in a short period of time, the U.S. society or the whole world will degenerate even faster. Trump has done what he could while in office to prevent the world from sliding down further, but he still couldn’t fully turn the tide. Now with him out of office, the situation might just become much worse.
Given the level of corruption and fraud exposed in this election, it is almost impossible for Trump to win election again in the future. Now I could only hope that he and his family will be safe and protected from being attacked by the evil. But of course, it’s possible that the divine has other arrangements for him and that would be another story.
So from the fierce battle between good and evil in the past few months and the chaos surrounding the election and its final result, doesn’t it also reflect our own human hearts and cultivation state?
Master taught us:
“As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. II)
We know from the Fa that the current stage is still left for us to save people, cultivate and consummate ourselves. The divine is still keeping the illusion of the human world for sentient beings to make their own choices between good and evil and for us Dafa disciples to finish walking our cultivation paths.
I have to admit that during the process, whether it was myself, our media, or Dafa disciples as a whole, we have more or less shown our attachment to the results and were interfered with by our own human hearts. Perhaps for the current stage, from the perspective of our cultivation, maybe it’s more important for us to get rid of our human thinking than to have a desired election result.
Master said,
“If you do not change the human logic that you, as an ordinary human, have formed deep in your bones over thousands of years, you will be unable to break away from this superficial human shell and reach Consummation.” (“Cautionary Advice,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
As Dafa disciples, we also know that no matter what the final result is or however arduous the path will be, everything is in Master’s control. Everything is also based on what’s the best to save sentient beings, awaken people to the fullest extent possible and help them make the right choice.
Towards the end of the final stage of Fa-rectification, our mission is still to save sentient beings, validate the Fa and walk well and righteously the remaining part of our cultivation path.
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Category: Perspective
