On my path of cultivation in the past, I always reminded myself to remember the essence of cultivation no matter how busy I become. Although I am involved in intense Dafa work, I never dare to relax the improvement of my xinxing and my understanding of the essence of cultivation. I deeply feel that overcoming and removing human notions is the most fundamental thing in Dafa cultivation. It is not only related to whether we can improve as quickly as possible but is also a necessary requirement in the enormous progress of Fa-Rectification on our advancement as a whole body. All the conflicts that surface during Fa-Rectification, when traced to the root, are due to human notions playing tricks on us.
Teacher told us in the first paragraph of “Lunyu” “Nothing is as profound as BUDDHA LAW. Of all teachings in the world it is the most wondrous and highest science. To open up this field, ordinary people have to fundamentally change their way of thinking. Failing that, the reality of the universe will forever remain something of a myth to mankind, and ordinary people will forever grope around inside the box created by their own ignorance.” Teacher mentioned fundamentally changing ordinary people’s way of thinking in the first paragraph of “Lunyu”. My understanding is that Teacher clearly told us the essence of cultivation. When I gradually and continuously deepen my understanding of the profound content of this paragraph of Fa principles through my cultivation, and continuously remove, through genuine cultivation, various human notions formed in everyday life, I feel the natural elevation of my cultivation realm. These internal changes allow me to do my Dafa work well and harmonise my presence in everyday people’s society.
Cultivate with the heart and break through human notions
I’d like to talk about something that happened some time ago because it was very important in my cultivation and improvement. At that time, the evil persecution of Dafa had not started. I was living in Manchester, where I persisted in studying the Fa and practising the exercises as well as doing some work to promote the Fa. I found that I did not improve fast enough and I had no idea where the problem lay. One day, I decided to increase my Fa study. I started to read Zhuan Falun peacefully, and read 3 or 4 chapters in a row. When I closed the book, and thought about what I’d just read, I found only one sentence shone brightly and deeply in my heart: “look inward, improving xinxing”. I felt a feeling that I’d never felt before. All the cells in my body and soul seemed to wake up at that moment and say “cultivate with your heart”. At that moment, I understood that cultivating with my heart would be the main thing for me from now on. I also understood that it was a hint from Teacher.
From that moment on, I no longer paid much attention to how things appear on the surface but quietly and steadfastly cultivated with my heart, and looked inward. In passing tests, I genuinely let go of deeply hidden attachments and notions related to the self, despite the fact that sometimes the process of letting go really hurt my whole being. After the process of letting go, I felt the rapid progress in cultivation realms of my real self in the microcosmic dimensions. In doing Dafa work, I no longer pay attention to whether it has shaken the world or gone completely unnoticed, I only pay attention to how much of my heart is put into that Dafa work and to genuinely improving my xinxing.
About two years ago, because some fellow practitioners’ went to the US, I began doing some regular media work, which has weekly deadlines. As I work at university during the day, where the research work I do is quite intense, my Dafa work is mostly carried out at night. I also need to do other Dafa work as well as practising the exercises and studying the Fa, so I stay up late every night. As the media work requires learning as well as carrying out tasks, I only feel relieved of a heavy burden after a week’s work has been completed. I work together with about 3 practitioners and I deal with everyone without notions, and genuinely help them when they encounter difficulties. The relationship is one of tolerance and encouragement, and from time to time we remind one another to remember cultivation in our media work. When fellow practitioners experience ups and downs in their cultivation state, I shoulder a bit more work. Under such an environment of mutual tolerance and support, the work of everyone has become better and better and the coordination has become more orderly and harmonious. The past two years or so have been a good cultivation experience for practitioners taking part in this particular work.
In cultivation and Fa-Rectification, I have been puzzled by the ups and downs in my own cultivation state. In the past I have not paid much attention to this issue and always regarded it as a natural process of cultivation. Only when I started to assume responsibility for the media work did I really start to pay attention to this issue; I was concerned that the cultivation state of an individual may affect the Dafa work that they are responsible for. I felt that I should understand this issue from the Fa – i.e. whether one is hindered by human notions. When I dug deeply for the root cause of the ups and downs in my cultivation state, I suddenly enlightened that this involved the standpoint that a Dafa disciple takes when he or she thinks about an issue.
When thinking about an issue from a human angle, one always places human nature as the most important factor, such as pursuit of comfort, having an easy life, relaxing after intense work etc. Although we are continuously removing attachments and human notions, if our standpoint is still in the human realm, no matter how much effort we make, it would only lead to a quantitative change without a breakthrough in our fundamental nature.
Thinking about an issue from the standpoint of a Dafa disciple, one always takes the duty and historical mission of a Fa-Rectification Period Dafa disciple as the most important factor and always takes Dafa work as the core of one’s life, without the idea of doing some work for Dafa. One works naturally without the notion of self. The nature of one’s life merges with Dafa, without the demand for comfort, an easy life or relaxation, because there are no such concepts in one’s true nature.
When I became aware of the bottleneck of breaking through notions and applied the understanding of Fa principles in practice, I found that the ups and downs in my cultivation state became very few and that the Dafa work was rarely affected by the cultivation state of individuals. My realm of cultivation was elevated again. As a result, in doing Dafa work, my new attitude allowed me to appreciate the wisdom of Dafa and not to think about issues from the perspective of human notions too often.
I gradually understood that every step in the path of elevation in Dafa cultivation requires breaking through notions, as human notions are the fundamental reason for the generation of various kinds of attachments. Thus, letting go of human notions and merging one’s heart completely in the Fa is the fundamental guarantee of elevation for oneself and for the whole body.
In removing human notions, I found many of them originated in thinking about the past and future, which is meaningless. Such thoughts often interfere with the tranquil mind that a cultivator should have. I sent forth righteous thoughts to fundamentally remove various stereotypes in my mind and focus on immediate things in my daily life rather than thinking about the past or the future. I found that I became more and more tranquil, and my heart was also rarely moved by external factors. I am still very busy throughout the day but when I put everything aside to start sending forth righteous thoughts, I am surrounded by warm energy and can truly focus. The notion of time and space disappears without a trace.
Breaking through and removing human notions: harmonising our presence in everyday people’s society
Regarding the relationship between doing Dafa work well and harmonising ourselves in everyday society, I enlightened that the more human notions one removes, the purer the state of the mind, and the easier it is to handle the relationship between the two. Teacher told us in the Jingwen “Further Understanding” that “the things that you do with a pure heart will be the best and most sacred” The less human notions we have, the more clearly we can observe the various sentimental thoughts of everyday people and the more capable we become in clarifying the truth by making use of everyday people’s attachments.
In the second half of last year, two reporters from BBC TV got in touch with me, and wanted to shoot a documentary film based on the fact that my passport extension application to the Chinese Embassy was refused. During our contacts with them and through several filming sessions, I noticed that they were observing us too. They had heard about the slanderous lies against Falun Gong by the Chinese Embassy. During many of our conversations, they raised some sharp questions and I explained to them the beauty of Dafa based on my understanding. At the same time I helped them to naturally perceive the inner kindness and beauty of practitioners through our contact. I was very clear about the everyday people’s standpoint of sentimentality, so during our contacts, I revealed to them that practitioners have normal jobs and lives, and what’s more they have a better spiritual side. The filming went on for about half a year. I also paid attention to allowing the reporters to see the overall background of Falun Gong in the UK rather than just my small family. Because they filmed on many different occasions, I had no idea how the film would turn out. But one thing I was certain of was that they had a good opinion about Dafa practitioners. On completion of the film, when we had to say goodbye, I could feel that they were touched inside. One of the reporters told me that she has read half of the book Zhuan Falun.
When the film was shown on television, it was close to midnight but many people still saw the documentary. When I went to work the next day, some colleagues mentioned the film that they had watched the previous night. After watching the film I felt that the two reporters and the BBC staff involved in the production positively covered the persecution of a Falun Gong practitioner. During the process of making the film, the evil also tried to interfere. I again went through the process of overcoming leg pain during the sitting meditation, although I have long been able to sit in the double lotus position. At the same time, some of the filming took place in the University where I work. This involved dealing with the relationship between the filming and my normal scientific research, as well as the issue that the University and my Chinese boss may be subjected to pressure from the Chinese Embassy. As I was able to treat these issues with righteous thoughts and was not moved by the external environment, everything was resolved quickly. This experience demonstrated again that removing human notions and keeping a Dafa disciple’s pure state of mind will allow the work to go much better, and will allow better harmonisation within the everyday people’s society.
In the process of cultivation, I have deeply felt that studying the Fa with a calm heart, actively participating in Dafa work, and not forgetting for a moment the essence of cultivation are the keys to personal elevation. During the two years that I have been responsible for media work, I have witnessed my rapid elevation based on Fa principles and improvements in cultivation. In the process of squeezing out time to study the Fa, I often encounter many new understandings of Fa principles. When studying the Fa, I could often feel that I was absorbing the content of the Fa behind the pages of the book. I know that Teacher was helping me, so even when I was busy with Dafa work, I would not be left behind in understanding the Fa. One day, during my Fa study, I suddenly felt that I enlightened to the concept of “thorough understanding”. Reading each paragraph is like reading the whole book. While reading Zhuan Falun, I could often enlighten to what Teacher has said in recent articles. I felt that Zhuan Falun is not a book but that it has revealed to me intricate insights into the Universe. Teacher has lead me into the boundless magnificent hall of the universe, but I will not be able to grasp one millionth of it in my whole life time. I am fortunate, because of the guidance of the compassionate great Teacher, I am able to step into the hall of the new universe.
Thank you Teacher!
Thank you fellow practitioners!
Chinese version available at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200308/23650.html
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