Why We Fail to Look Inward

Looking inward has been a requirement since the very beginning of our cultivation, and has been emphasized time and again. I think it is a way to find out whether we are real cultivators. When there is a conflict, we should always look within ourselves for a reason regardless of who is right or wrong based on appearance. You are a real practitioner when you are not fooled by appearances. Every practitioner knows about this method, and when it affects others, the picture is clear. However, when it affects ourselves, the tendency is to look at the other person for a reason.

I know of a couple who are cultivators. They have held an opinion of their mothers-in-law ever since they began cultivation practice. Both are confident that the other side is wrong. Thus, there are many unhappy occasions leading to a negative impact on Dafa. It is true that based on human reasoning it appears that the other side is wrong, but practitioners should not use human notions. He should look within for an attachment that may have caused this unhappy event. Why is it that these conflicts continue to exist? Is my level of consciousness high enough on this particular issue? Is it a karmic debt that I should pay back and then let go? The point is that we need to consider a problem from the viewpoint of a practitioner, not an everyday human being. This is the only way to resolve a problem.

Master told us to look within. This precious method is a problem solving tool. When there is a conflict, it is an opportunity to use this tool, find the real cause, and resolve the conflict. Once the conflict is gone our character automatically improves. We are cultivating in this secular society, so we must balance our actions in our families, our jobs, and our dealings with society. We are in fact applying the Fa to balance our actions and improve our character. A successful improvement in our character is a true validation of the Fa. It also adds to our virtue. Such improvements in our character will also earn the respect of everyday people.

When I face a problem in my practice, it takes time to work out the right solution. It may take several trials. A case in point is while doing the sitting exercise, fellow practitioners often told me that my hands were too low. Although I didn't respond negatively, and exercised patience, my mind remained disturbed. I felt that my hands were usually in the right position and I wondered how they knew about my hands since their eyes were supposed to be closed. How could they be practicing with their eyes open and watching someone else? I finally realized that all this was irrelevant. The situation unfolded this way because I didn't like to hear criticism. Master wanted to remove this negative attachment from me so that my character could be improved. When I reached this understanding my entire body warmed up and I felt very much relaxed.

In short, conflicts present themselves to help us move forward. Why don't we like it? Master explains in "Cautionary Advice" from Essentials for Further Advancement,

"If you do not change the human logic that you, as an ordinary human, have formed deep in your bones over thousands of years, you will be unable to break away from this superficial human shell and reach Consummation."

Master told us that the logic used by human beings is the opposite of what it should be. Hence, in any given conflict we should not use human logic to judge which is the correct way. Actually, cultivating involves letting go of all human notions. Holding on to human notions blocks our cultivation. Things will improve for us when we let go of our human notions.