A Cultivator’s View Regarding Adversity

Adversity can mean an ordeal, a disaster, demonic interference, an ailment, or bodily suffering. The Chinese character for adversity also means “difficult.” Whether or not a task is easy depends on people’s attitude. There is no standard demarcation.

Different people dealing with the same thing affect the outcome differently, depending on these people, the place, timing and various other things. Let’s take the example of “ascending into the sky.” Due to differences in time and place, the event will have different outcomes. In ancient times, cultivators or people achieving high degrees of accomplishment in martial arts were able to ascend to the sky or delve under ground. In modern times, Neil Armstrong’s small step was “a giant step for the mankind.” Since the day Armstrong landed on the moon, many astronauts have flown into space. Today there are people making reservations for space travel. It won’t be too long when “ascending into the sky” won’t be difficult anymore.

Actually, the hardest thing in life is to let go. What to let go of? When to let go? How to let go? It’s quite difficult to truly understand how to let go. To purposely let go of one’s mind requires wisdom. Usually, with a mind of pursuit, we try so hard to grasp and find nothing. With a non-seeking mind, though, everything will be revealed [there for us]. Letting go doesn’t mean losing anything. More will be gained when one truly understands the meaning of letting go. Teacher had said, “But true improvements come from letting go, not from gaining.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.”)

I realise that the most crucial factor in cultivation during the Fa-rectification era is to have a firm main consciousness. True cultivation amounts to this, “When it’s hard to endure, try to endure it. When it seems impossible to do, or just hard to do, give it a try and see just what you can do.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Nine) Only in the most arduous environment can one temper oneself, wash away undesirable notions and continue to ascend to a higher level. To endure physical suffering is not hard; the hardest thing is to cultivate one’s mind.

Without the severe winter we won’t be able to smell the fragrance from the plum blossoms. A departed boat leaves no trace. Let us treasure each moment we have now and do well “the three things” during the Fa-rectification period.