It is Time to Dig Out the Root

When I exchanged experiences with fellow practitioners, they mentioned that several practitioners in our area were far away from meeting the criterion of Dafa disciples. We really needed to dig out the root of our attachments. But how? Which root? I first looked inward. I have cultivated for twelve years, but my base is still at a human level, not on the Fa. I always focus on events in the human world, as if cultivation and saving sentient beings is on a part time basis, and I keep having human thoughts. '"How can I study the Fa well? How should I work for Dafa? How can I improve myself? How can I do better?" You always felt that you were learning Dafa, rather than that you were a part of Dafa. ' (Guiding the Voyage, Teaching the Fa at the Great Lakes Fa conference in North America) I was not truly submerged in the Fa. I used human logic to view and solve problems. I did not change my ordinary human notions from the very base. I participated in many Dafa related projects and my own elevation was slow. The main reason was that my thoughts were still stuck at the human level, my root was based in humanness.

Why had Master said that the students and disciples of Dafa are different? My understanding was this: Those who study Dafa among ordinary people are carrying out Dafa activities. They feel they are devoted to Dafa yet are doing Dafa projects with human hearts - like they are doing good deeds for Dafa. I don't think this rises to the requirements for Dafa disciples. Those who place their base in the Fa, always place the Fa in the first place, view the three things (clarify the truth about the persecution in China, senf forth righteous thoughts and study the Fa) as their priorities, and submerge themselves in the Fa at all times with their life and work, are cultivators who can be called Dafa disciples.

Master said, 'No matter what you do, you aren't thinking that you're doing something for Dafa, about how you should do things for Dafa, or "how can I do things well for this Fa." Instead, you are placing yourselves in Dafa. Like a particle of Dafa, [you feel that] no matter what it is, you should just do it.' (Guiding the Voyage, Teaching the Fa at the Great Lakes Fa conference in North America) It is sacred only if you do Dafa projects with a cultivator's state.

Why do I have such a hard time getting rid of so many human notions? It is because my base is among humans. I still pursue fame, profit and affection. Even though I am cultivating and getting rid of attachments, I only solved the problem at surface, not at its source. Confining the discussion to the matter at issue, the result solved one problem, but brought up another. It is just like a blind person who feels the elephant, not able to see the whole thing, and unable to find the source of their attachment. Even though the Fa is in my thoughts, as are doing the three things, the weight is more on the human side - this is the problem at the base. "If you were an everyday person I would have no objections--it is certainly a good thing to be a good person who safeguards human society. But now you are a cultivator. From what standpoint you view Dafa is fundamental--this is also what I want to point out to you." (Essentials for further advancement, Digging Out the Roots) We have to dig out this root. Otherwise, how can an ordinary person become a God with boundless radiance?

We have to jump from ordinary human thoughts, and not view problems with human thoughts. When they surface, we should immediately be aware that they are not ours. Let us stand on the basis of the Fa. We want Dafa disciples to do Dafa projects- not Dafa students doing Dafa things.