Correctly Viewing the Relationship Between Eliminating Attachments and "Whether to Watch TV and Read Newspapers"

Recently, during some cultivation experience sharing with other Falun Gong practitioners, we discussed about the environment of the human society being a big dye vat and that what we see and hear are tests for cultivators. Thus, in order to eliminate the attachment to political parties through cultivation, some practitioners suggested that we simply do not watch TV or read newspapers.

According to the Fa that Teacher has taught us, we should temper our minds in the environment of everyday people. As long as we are diligent, we are certainly able to succeed in cultivation. In Zhuan Falun, Teacher said,

"Only by being among the most complex group of people and in the most complex environment can one cultivate the high-level gong."

Thus, as for the issue of whether or not we should watch TV and read newspapers, we must "take the middle way" and not go to extremes. We should not intentionally avoid a conflict, but we also should not develop a new attachment in order to get rid of an old one, because "the Fa with action is just like an image on a bubble." The attachment will not be eliminated because we do not watch TV and do not read newspapers. An attachment can only be eliminated when we cultivate ourselves from the bottoms of our hearts, but not rely on avoiding it.

Teacher said in Zhuan Falun,

"Eating meat or not is not itself the purpose--the key is to give up that attachment."

"When you can eat meat again, both your attachment and desire for meat will have already been given up. A big change will occur, however, as meat will no longer be tasty to you. If it is cooked at home, you will eat it with your family. If it is not cooked at home, you will not miss it. If you eat it, it will not taste delicious. This scenario will occur."

When we cultivators adjust our minds to a correct state, we will understand that people and things we encounter are no coincidence. We will see if our hearts are moved at that very moment while we are provoked by them. It is really precious when we have the state of "Seeing but seeing not--Not lost, not tempted," and " Hearing but hearing not--A mind hard to disturb."("In Dao" from Hong Yin)

Just like the lotus flower which grows from the mud and yet still bears the most beautiful flower!

Whether or not we watch TV and read newspapers has something to do with the basis. If we, based on a curious and meddlesome mindset, intentionally get in contact with the media of ordinary people, we will be contaminated by its content and it will provoke our human thoughts. However, we can not deliberately avoid cultivating in the environment of human society and to mingle with other people, for example, practitioners doing media work have to compare reports from other media in order to improve their professional skills. Freeing our minds from and taking lightly the environment in which our physical bodies live will play an important role. If we go to extremes in order to eliminate the attachment to a political party, we are "with action." Teacher said,

"Human society is a good place for cultivation, since everything here can lead to attachments. Precisely because of this, a person who is able to step out of it and get rid of all his attachments to human society is magnificent and is able to reach Consummation."("No Politics" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)