One day a fellow practitioner and I talked about another practitioner. We both had the opinion that he was not a true cultivator, just a lazy bum who distracted others in the group. However, I immediately realized that it was inappropriate to talk about someone behind his back. After returning home, I studied Teacher's article "A Dialogue with Time":
"Divine Being: Some of them have come looking for the aspect of the Fa that they consider good, but they are unable to let go of the aspect that prevents them from having a complete understanding of the Fa.
Master: There are also such people among veteran disciples. And the most outstanding evidence of that is that they always compare themselves with humans and with their own past, but fail to examine themselves with the requirements of the Fa at different levels.
Divine Being: These problems have already become very serious. It would be good if they could manage to search within themselves for the things that they have been able to find in others.
Master: It's time for them to become clearheaded so that their environment can turn into one for true cultivation practice, and thus they will be able to become real gods." (Essentials for Further Advancement)
After talking about the other practitioner, I conversely looked at myself and sensed that I was also muddling along in the Fa. Although I had been studying the Fa and doing the exercises, I did it because I understood that I could obtain beauty and happiness when being in the Fa. This illustrated my attachment to wanting to enjoy life, which is totally different from the realm of selfless beauty, which Teacher requires of us.
In addition, when I went out to distribute truth-clarification materials, I set out to finish safely and quickly, which was actually bargaining with Teacher's requirements. The aim of distributing these materials is to save sentient beings, and we should send forth righteous thoughts in order to eliminate and dismantle the evil persecution. When I felt tired, I even wished that the Fa-rectification could end soon, and then I could be comfortable. What a strong attachment that was! The crucial point is not about when the Fa-validating process ends, it is about when we practitioners qualify and reach the standard for consummation.
Now, I have realized that I should not run away from hardships and arduousness like before. I should do everything according to what Teacher said to us in Zhuan Falun, "When it's difficult to endure, you can endure it. When it's impossible to do, you can do it."
I must cultivate diligently to rectify myself and resolve all difficulties. Then reach the true beauty and happiness of an enlightened being.
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