Talking About Serious Cultivation With Practitioners Who Do Not Know How to Improve Themselves

Recently when I shared with other practitioners I found that some of them felt very puzzled. They wanted to improve themselves but did not know how. Although they studied the Fa(1), practised the five sets of exercises, clarified the truth and sent forth righteous thoughts they felt that they had made no improvement. They read the Fa repeatedly but could not find the reason. In line with this issue, I would like to share my experience in combining Teacher's previous Fa lectures with my personal cultivation.

1. Cultivation is very serious

Everyone is familiar with this phrase, but some practitioners do not really know how we can be serious. I think that in our cultivation we should be strict with ourselves in accordance with the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." We have to check whether or not we tell the truth and do truthful deeds, if we mix selfish motives in with our speech, if we consider others when we speak, as well as if our words are kind and compassionate or ill-willed.

Teacher said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Midwest-U.S. Fa Conference,"

"Also, we often have some students who talk irresponsibly. When there are different opinions, instead of looking at things positively and calmly, they throw out a few cold words and just shove aside what other people have to offer. Bringing out good ideas and cooperating with each other with care is the right thing to do."

We should carefully think about whether or not we really act in accordance with the teachings of our Master. What we say should be the truth and our thoughts must be kind. In doing it this way, the substance we give out to others will be pure. As Falun Dafa practitioners we must present ourselves righteously and be of high quality with a noble demeanour. This is to say we should be strict with ourselves in everyday life, respect fellow practitioners and cherish this precious opportunity to listen more, think more and look inside more.

2. Cultivating your heart and abolishing your desires

Our heart should not act rashly and our mind should not have excessive thoughts. Teacher requests us to conform as much as possible to the ways of everyday people. This is to say that we live in the everyday people's society. With the upgrading of our level, our heart must be further and further away from the standards of the everyday people. What we think, say and do must be in accordance with the Fa.

The requirements I set for myself are: to memorise the Fa in my heart, save the Fa in my cells and assimilate myself into the Fa. Since I started my cultivation, I have always required myself to be this way and I have really done this. When I see practitioners worrying that they cannot upgrade themselves and are anxious to do something to improve themselves, I think they are looking outside for help. Actually, they should look inside themselves to cultivate their own heart and their mind, get rid of their attachments to fame, gain and human sentiments. Then, they will naturally upgrade their level.

Teacher repeatedly said that we should cultivate our heart and abolish our desires. We should not remain indifferent. A preoccupied human heart is the reason for lack of improvement. So, if we can let go of our human heart we will be able to upgrade ourselves. Everyone knows this and some can even recite it very well, but these practitioners do not associate it with their cultivation. When you weigh other people with the principles of the Fa you should actually look inside yourself quietly and check for attachments. You must let them go and compare yourself with others to see how far you are lagging behind and how you can catch up with the others. Only in this way can your thoughts and actions be righteous. If you can stick to this righteous thought and do not waver; will you still worry that you cannot upgrade yourself? Will you still worry and want to do something big? Isn't it improvement?

3. "Mouth free from attachment"(2)

Teacher specifically talks about the issue of cultivation of speech in Zhuan Falun(3). However, some of us are not doing well. Some practitioners say whatever is on their mind irresponsibly without considering the outcome, thereby causing great losses. In studying the Fa, they remember the cultivation of speech; however, in practice they lay it aside and neglect it. In other words, they will talk freely whenever they open their mouths. These practitioners failed to link the Fa principles with their deeds, therefore whenever they talk they it's about fighting and contending as everyday people do and sometimes they even make indiscreet remarks or criticism. Since this does not meet the criteria for a practitioner, they cannot upgrade their level.

In our cultivation we must cultivate our speech and weigh ourselves with the standards of the Fa. Those who still have not matured, cannot conform to the reality, and cannot understand and meet the criteria of the Fa would be better off saying nothing, otherwise you will create karma as soon as you open your mouth. Teacher says in "Further Elimination of Attachments" (Essentials for Further Advancement)

"Our students shouldn't think that this has nothing to do with them! I hope that everyone will examine himself, because you are all cultivators..." We must always bear in mind Teacher's instructions: "The next person's things are your things, and your things are his things." ("Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference.")

Falun Dafa practitioners are one body. Wherever there is something that hasn't been done well, others must make it up unconditionally and quietly to make it more harmonised. There is no allowance for us to weaken ourselves and to slander each other amongst our selves.

I hope our fellow practitioners can link the Fa study with their self-cultivation, eliminate self-doubt, cultivate in a down-to-earth manner, reach the standards step by step and strive to become mature as soon as possible. If we delay for a single day, then how many more fellow practitioners will suffer from persecution and how many more families will be ruined? If we delay for a single day, how many more sentient beings will be further degenerated and even eliminated. Teacher is waiting for us. Fellow practitioners, let's make concerted efforts to let go of human attachments. We should never again be controlled by the dark minions and rotten ghosts. We should have righteous thoughts, take righteous actions and have a righteous belief to strive forward during this Fa-rectification period of all times!

Note:

(1) Fa - The law and principles of Falun Dafa
(2) From the poem "In the Dao" from Hongyin, a book of Teacher Li's poem's (draft translation)
(3) Zhuan Falun - The main book of Falun Dafa