(Minghui.org) I have been cultivating for over 20 years, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized the true meaning of looking inward and cultivating oneself. I would like to share two of my cultivation experiences with other practitioners so we can improve together in cultivation.
The First Encounter
Before leaving a group Fa study one day in April 2021, I said that I still needed to change a Chinese character in the book Zhuan Falun, as advised by the Minghui website.
When a practitioner named Ling heard me, she started to nag at me and said that it was a very serious matter. I said, “That’s it, don’t mention it anymore. I will change it.” I began reprimanding her loudly before she was even done talking to me. Other practitioners stayed quiet while I was yelling loudly.
I took the situation lightly since I am used to being very straightforward. I never thought about how I might have hurt other practitioners’ feelings. On my way home, I asked Frank, another practitioner, “Frank, can you point out some of my shortcomings?”
He replied, “You are easily agitated and anxious. You need to improve on that. You need to have a heart of compassion while talking with other practitioners. If you see other practitioners’ shortcomings you can point them out. You need to talk in a calmer way instead of reprimanding them. If your advice is not accepted by others, you still need to be compassionate and adhere to the principles of the Fa.”
I said, “You’re right. I need to start genuinely cultivating myself.”
When I saw Ling the next day, she looked upset and didn’t speak much. I realized that I might have hurt her feelings. Isn’t Master helping me to enlighten and eliminate my competitive mentality? I caused Ling to be embarrassed in front of everyone; how would I feel if I was treated the same way I treated Ling? It was not right for me to reprimand a practitioner. The more I thought about it, the more guilty I felt. As a true cultivator, I needed to apologize to her.
My human notions started to appear again when I decided to apologize. I thought: I’m ten years older then her. What happens if she ignores me? Doesn’t that make me look bad? However, I realized I needed to align myself with the Fa and let go of all my human notions.
The situation is similar to that of saving sentient beings. Regardless if one is receptive or not, we still need to clarify the truth. Ultimately, it is their own choice to accept the truth or not.
I walked over to Ling’s house in the light rain. I said, “I am sorry, Ling!” Ling cordially welcomed me into her house and said, “It’s nothing at all. We are all practitioners. It’s really nothing at all!” I was amazed at how high her moral and spiritual level was, and at the same time I also felt quite relieved.
The Second Encounter
A practitioner named Jian was in our local Fa study group as well. Everyone respected him and he cultivated very well, too. He was very outspoken and rarely accepted others’ opinions. I’d gotten into two arguments with him when we were sharing experiences because we had different perspectives.
I reminded myself not to look outward and not get into another argument with Jian and that I need to look inward to cultivate myself. Though Jian still has his shortcomings, that’s just something he needs to cultivate.
We cultivate for ourselves and need to find our own shortcomings and eliminate them. I reminded myself to maintain my xinxing if I had the chance to meet him again.
Sure enough, a problem occurred when I attended the next group Fa study. Jian started to talk loudly and endlessly. He was saying many negative things about other practitioners and was not abiding by the principles of the Fa. He was like an ordinary person and was looking down on people.
If I hadn’t reminded myself to maintain my xinxing, I would have started to argue with him. I told myself that even if he reprimanded me, I still had to maintain my xinxing and not let my heart be moved.
Master said:
“They should turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to them, and be unaffected by people and things.” (“Cultivation of Character,” Falun Gong)
I took a copy of Minghui Weekly and started to read it while I was sitting on a bed. I was unaffected by what they were saying.
I was laying on my bed at home half asleep when I saw a huge thick piece of ice melting away slowly in another dimension. My body suddenly felt very light and wonderful. I said in my heart, “Thank you, Master!”
Perhaps since I abided by the Fa and maintained my xinxing, Master helped me eliminate my karma. It is indeed as Master said:
“Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
The next time I saw Jian at group study, he was a different person. He was smiling and said things that were in accordance with the Fa. His arrogance and tendency to be in control disappeared.
I realized that everything was an illusion and was created for me to upgrade my xinxing. When I cultivate and improve, everything will work itself out. Thank you, Master!
I enlightened that practicing the exercises is not difficult, studying the Fa is not difficult, sending righteous thoughts is not difficult, and clarifying the truth is also not difficult.
What’s hard is cultivating ourselves and eliminating our attachments. It is truly challenging to relinquish and eliminate human notions from our past lives. When we are truly determined to do it, what we get in return is priceless. This is what we truly gain from genuine cultivation!
This is my understanding and enlightenment at my level. Please feel free to point out anything inappropriate.
All articles, graphics, and content published on Minghui.org are copyrighted. Non-commercial reproduction is allowed but requires attribution with the article title and a link to the original article.
Category: Improving Oneself
