Not Acknowledging the Test of Emotion

Recently I have had different degrees of inspiration after reading a series of fellow practitioners' articles on emotion and marriage, which expressed different understandings at different levels. Here I would like to present my view on this issue, from the perspective of opposing the old arrangements.

Teacher told us that no personal cultivation-type tests have been created for practitioners (who began practicing before the persecution began) since July 20, 1999, including the so-called "test of emotion." Knowing that, when conflicts like this occur in cultivation, the old forces must be the culprits. Therefore, we should not acknowledge this test and tribulation. Consequently, when we handle specific problems, we should not be trapped in the specific issue of whether a divorce is needed, for example. Instead, we should eliminate it with righteous thoughts and oppose the arrangements and attempts to damage the Fa(1). Meanwhile, when we send righteous thoughts we should eliminate the bad substances that we ourselves are attached to: it is precisely because of these attachments that we are taken advantage of.

Throughout the persecution over the past several years I have encountered the same problem, and my understanding has also changed as my understanding of the Fa elevated. However, I have always thought that the old forces have imposed this on us. The reason is because if there were no persecution, this problem wouldn't have occurred. I have never acknowledged this arrangement, and this type of problem simply ended, seemingly on its own.

At the end of 2002 while I was illegally detained, my husband was implicated and was also detained for a month. Fearing that he would be unjustly imprisoned in the future, he wrote to me and asked for a divorce, and he wanted to know if I would agree or not. In my reply letter I wrote that I didn't agree, because that was not my original aim in getting married, but that if he really cannot endure it, I could give him his wish. At the time my letter was withheld. Soon after, he sent me another letter telling me that he had already brought the case to a court and enclosed some legal documents for me, to which I did not reply. At the time the incident did not sway my determination to cultivate, but I still felt sorry and regretful (which may have been the problem). I recited the teachings of Falun Dafa, including the articles "True Cultivation" and "Cultivators' Avoidance" from Essentials for Further Advancement. I sent righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil elements in other dimensions that had created problems in my family relationships. Consequently, nothing happened. After I got out several months later, he told me that he had copied the legal documents from the Internet, but in fact he did not end up filing for divorce at all.

Regardless of the reason, in my opinion, it is not a good thing for a practitioner to undergo divorce, especially if it is due to the pressure of the persecution, for it may be very difficult for the people around them to understand the reason for the divorce. Deceived by the false propaganda, instead of realizing that it is in reality this persecution that has made Falun Gong practitioners' families break apart, the people who don't understand the facts might even think that you are abandoning your family because you practice Falun Gong. This is exactly what the evil wants. Teacher has told us to completely oppose it and to not acknowledge it. Therefore, with regard to this issue we should be clearheaded, understand it from the principles of Falun Dafa and not let the evil take advantage of it. This is also part of saving all beings.

This is my understanding at my level. Fellow practitioners, please add your comments and corrections.

(1) Fa can be translated as "law or principles in the Buddha School"