Mention false cultivation and some practitioners might think that you are artificially creating conflicts. In reality, the basis on which everyone discusses these problems is rather different from that of a few years ago. Previously, we discussed about how to criticise others, but now we think of how to cultivate and rectify ourselves.
Some practitioners think, "As long as I truly want to cultivate with my heart, then I am a true practitioner." Actually this kind of understanding is not very comprehensive. It easily results in one lowering his requirements for himself, creating attitudes of slackness and laziness. In fact there are many people who want to cultivate but in the end do not succeed in cultivation. Strictly speaking, these are not true cultivators, especially at this time when we are cultivating in Dafa; those who fail have their own reasons.
There are several situations in false cultivation. The simplest case is when spies infiltrate groups of practitioners. At least this kind of person himself understands that he is not a real practitioner. Next are those that are not diligent. Master mentioned in A Dialogue With Time [Essentials for Further Advancement] that such practitioners are attached to human matters, unwilling to give them up and unable to steadfastly make progress. Such practitioners cultivate but in the end they might not even be qualified to be humans. Master mentioned their special characteristics:
“A most outstanding manifestation is that they always compare themselves with humans and with their own past, but fail to examine themselves with the requirements of the Fa at different levels”
No matter how much effort he feels he has put into cultivation, at the crucial point he places the requirements of the Fa after his human notions. Strictly speaking this is also false cultivation. However in such an instance, once he understands, he will easily become a true practitioner.
There is another type of false cultivation that is not easy to detect. It is when someone seems like gold and jade on the surface but is actually rotten inside. In terms of appearances he seems to be cultivating more diligently than many others, but his entire life is, in fact, arranged by the old forces to create damage. If he is not clear about this then his main consciousness cannot completely deny and break away from this arrangement, then he unknowingly brings his own downfall.
During cultivation, we are unable to distinguish who is truly cultivating and who is not. The standard of a true cultivator is not something we can attain simply by thinking about it. In my opinion, the more one cultivates the more at ease he should be, the more his heart will be relaxed and calm, and the notions in his mind will become fewer and fewer. However, if we have cultivated for many years and the change in our xinxing is small, we should ask ourselves, "Am I a true cultivator? Would a true cultivator act like me?"
Perhaps this would lead you to have a sense of urgency and being in a crisis. At least it is better than those who think that they are in a good state of cultivation. At least this makes us calm. The fatal weakness of the old forces is they always think that others are not good enough, while they are not bad themselves. The most precious thing about cultivators, however, is that they are able to constantly cultivate and rectify themselves. They are constantly looking for their weaknesses and reflecting on their attachments. This is already raising one’s level in fact.
Actually, regardless of the situation, it remains possible for false cultivators to become true practitioners. The crucial thing is to find one’s attachments and take the initiative to get rid of them. False cultivation itself is not frightening. What is frightening is that one does not realise one’s deceit and continues to waste time remaining in this false perception. Once you miss this opportunity that comes once in thousands of years, it is too late for regrets.
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