Looking Inward Should be our First Action

I have noticed that whenever I feel uneasy or angry because of another practitioner's behaviour, I have always started venting at them, resulting in a heated and negative outcome. I can now see that this is all caused by my attachments and notions.

In the "Lecture to Australian Practitioners", Master suggests that we calm down first and look inward before we propose our own ideas. I realised that only by looking inward can we compassionately understand the other party. After we understand the other party, our words will be closer to the truth, our opinions will show more tolerance, and so they will be more willing to listen.

I thought of my daughter. Once, she did not do so well, so I scolded her in a hurtful tone. Thinking back I said some really bad words to her. Later, after I calmed down and looked inward, I found that I hadn't been totally truthful. I came to realise that if we do things without compassion or tolerance, what we say is no longer truthful. Although it may sound truthful and valid on the surface, the words won't have a good effect because they are coming from a feeling of anger. If I judged her based on the results shown, it was unfair to her. Shouldn't I, as her mother, be responsible for this kind of behaviour? Shouldn't I understand that I need to treasure her and be responsible for her life?

After thinking this way, my forbearance increased, and I was able to tolerate her shortcomings. They were built up due to many reasons: some were because of her, and some not. No matter what the cause, I still needed to be more tolerant and compassionate with her so as to really educate her and to also find my faults.

We should treat fellow practitioners the same way and increase our forbearance when dealing with co-ordinators. When I went to Manhattan, New York to take part in some activities, it was the the first time I had co-ordinated a group. It was a torture re-enactment to expose the persecution to those passing-by. The role didn't last long, but to my surprise, I actually generated the attachment of placing myself higher than other practitioners. This in turn gave me the chance to see the extra pressures and difficulties that long-term co-ordinators experience. They volunteer to do a lot of things and put in a lot of effort. I should be thankful to them. However, some co-ordinators do so much work that they have no time to study the Falun Gong teachings and cultivate themselves. Moreover, some practitioners blindly admire the co-ordinators. When this happens, they listen to too much praise and gradually begin to place themselves above other practitioners. They start to think what they have enlightened to is higher than others and so they are unable to listen to either advice or criticism.

We need to be tolerant and look at things from other people's perspective. We should let them feel our sincerity, and exchange ideas based on the Falun Gong teachings. Then the results will speak for themselves.

This is my own understanding, please point out any shortcomings.