A Brief Discussion of the Need for More Tolerance

If there were more tolerance in the human world, there would be fewer tragedies. If there were more tolerance among Falun Gong practitioners, more losses could be avoided. If practitioners cannot tolerate others, then it is meaningless to talk about compassion. I remember reading an article on a Falun Gong website, about two practitioners who were forced into homelessness together and later had conflicts with each other over the issue of whether or not to eat green onions. In the end they had to part company. If they could have been more tolerant, such an incident might not have happened.

Recently, an incident happened that helped me see the importance of tolerance. Practitioners A and B (a man and a woman who were not married) lived together, developed an emotional relationship and behaved inappropriately as Falun Gong practitioners. But both of them realised that they were wrong and made up for it in a timely manner. At that time, Master¹ published his lecture "Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference," in which He pointed out,

"Let me put it this way, what I said just now is for all of those who have done things that are undeserving of the status of Dafa disciples. You'd better tell people about those things openly. That way, many things of yours will be eliminated, and at the same time it will make you really strengthen your resolve [to correct your behaviour]."

Practitioner A followed Master Li's words and told his local practitioners about his affair. Unexpectedly, it was like a stone generating a thousand ripples. Most practitioners' responses included accusations, spitefulness, complaints and repulsion and only a few practitioners said that as long as these two practitioners realised what they had done was wrong and tried to make up for it as soon as possible, they could still do well in the future. Practitioner A had a difficult time with regret and the complaints from fellow practitioners, and in the end he felt there was too much pressure and left his hometown. Later when he saw me again, he told me about what had happened. He asked me, "Was it wrong for me to tell them?" Even everyday people have a saying that those who realise their mistake and correct it are good people. Why couldn't these practitioners have given this practitioner a chance to correct his mistake?

There were also many practitioners who didn't care about rescuing their fellow practitioners who had been arrested. Instead, they talked about their many shortcomings and attachments, and that they didn't do well in this or that aspect, etc. They didn't have tolerance and compassion.

We should have tolerance, whether it is among practitioners or between practitioners and everyday people. It is just like when you see a person about to fall into a river: will you pull him back or push him one step further. We should discard our human notions and look at questions from the perspective of Dafa. Don't dwell on others' past misconduct, but instead give them a chance to correct their mistakes. This also give us an opportunity to develop our tolerance and compassion.