(Minghui.org) Recently there have been many sharing articles published on Minghui.org about whether or not to take the coronavirus vaccines, with each author voicing their opinions based on their understandings of Master’s Fa teachings.
Master told us:
“In terms of dealing with specific issues, you should judge things based on Dafa. You can do things however you think they should be done. Everyday people will do whatever they want to, and that is their business; it is not possible for everyone to truly cultivate. As a practitioner, however, one should follow a higher standard, so I am putting forward the requirements for practitioners here.” (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)
I think what matters is not whether we get the shots or not, but what mindset we have in dealing with this matter and how our hearts react when faced with the vaccine mandates. As a cultivator, everything we encounter is related to our cultivation.
One fellow practitioner came to my home the other day and declined to take his mask off, saying that the pandemic was raging and he was afraid to contract the virus. I replied, “You are a Dafa disciple. No virus can get near you. If it does, your gong (energy) will eliminate it.”
Some fellow practitioners used Master’s Fa teaching, “we should accord with everyday people as much as possible” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun) as an excuse to take the vaccines. Some said: “There is no way out if you don’t get the vaccines.” They worried whether they would still be allowed to pick up their child at school, go to the store, or even keep their jobs.
These may all seem like reasons. But we should ask ourselves: How do our hearts react when facing these problems as Dafa disciples? What would a divine being do if he were faced with this problem?
For me, I never thought whether I should take the vaccine or not. What does a cultivator need that for? I also didn’t worry about whether or not I would be allowed to go to a store or take the bus. I am a Dafa disciple. Master is in charge of me. There is no hurdle a cultivator cannot overcome.
There was a period of time that the bus stopped running in my city due to the pandemic. When the service resumed, people were asked to scan their health code on their cellphones; otherwise they would not be allowed to ride the bus. Many times I told the drivers that I did not have a cellphone and they just let me in. Some drivers asked me to leave my information. I showed them my senior citizen card and they let me board the bus as well.
There was a community notice that required everyone to be vaccinated. I ignored the notice. Later when a residential committee staff member came to check, my daughter told them that we wouldn’t get the vaccine. Then the deputy director of the residential committee came to pressure us. I told him that I didn’t get the shots, as even officials of China’s Centers for Disease Prevention and Control center admitted that China-made vaccines are ineffective, and that some vaccinated people have a higher rate of contracting the virus than their unvaccinated counterparts. He replied: “We know it, but we are just doing our jobs.”
Master taught us:
“I said that just by remaining unmoved you could handle all situations.”
“Being “unmoved” refers to a person’s steadfast righteous thoughts and righteous faith being unmoved.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Canada Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. V)
I remember that soon after the persecution began, many Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and sent to the local brainwashing center, where they were threatened to be expelled from their job or school, or being taken to the labor camps or prison, if they didn’t give up their belief.
A number of practitioners succumbed to the pressure and renounced their faith against their will. But some were unmoved. One practitioner said: “I’m going to uphold my faith, so take whatever you want!” As it turned out, the person in charge of the brainwashing center even admired him. He drove the practitioner back to the school he worked at, and asked that the school leadership not give him a hard time, and let him continue his teaching job.
No matter how long we’ve cultivated, the Fa’s requirement for us never changes. As a cultivator, we should maintain our righteous thoughts and remain unswayed by our own human notions or attachments at any time.
This is my understanding at my level, and please kindly point out shortcomings.
Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s current understanding meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare with one another in study, in cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)