After attending a group Fa study with practitioners, all of whom were seniors, I deliberately read slowly to be considerate of others. After I got home I was able to reflect on the study session and recalled that a fellow practitioner once said, "You usually do not feel any improvement after reading through Zhuan Falun once; nor does it help to improve one's level to be reading quickly through Zhuan Falun over and over again. Even if you can come to understand certain issues, you are not able to see the Fa at higher levels. But, when it seems we have been able to be enlightened to some aspect of the Fa by reading Teacher's other lectures, we could reach tranquillity in our hearts, with our minds free of bad thoughts." Why is it like this? I was not able to understand it. During the Fa study I was able to achieve a higher level of understanding and would like to share my understanding with fellow practitioners. If there is anything inappropriate in my thinking, please kindly point it out.
I have come to realize that we usually read Zhuan Falun much faster than we read Teacher's other lectures. Thus, we cannot have every word in Zhuan Falun appear before our eyes and be imprinted on our brain. As I have read Zhuan Falun many times, I am able to recite a majority of the text, and as my mouth is so used uttering the words, I am able to read through sentences very quickly, without really concentrating, which allows my thoughts to stray. By this action, I felt I was actually being disrespectful to the Fa. How can the Fa be revealed to me under such conditions? Teacher said:
"When one chants the Buddha's name, one must do it single-mindedly with nothing else in mind until other portions of the brain become numb and one becomes unaware of anything, with one thought replacing thousands of others, or until each word of "Buddha Amitabha" shows up before one's eyes. Isn't this an ability? Can one do this at the very beginning? One cannot. If one cannot do it, one will certainly be unable to achieve tranquillity. If you do not believe it, you can give it a try. " ("A Clear and Clean Mind", Zhuan Falun).
I personally think that whenever we read Teacher's Fa, we should make sure every word and every sentence are read thoroughly, and we should not rush it. If we rush through Zhuan Falun, it also reveals an individuals pursuit of quantity, not quality. I have this problem within myself. I hope fellow practitioners with the same problem can take note of this issue.
* * *
You are welcome to print and circulate all articles published on Clearharmony and their content, but please quote the source.