Click on the below-mentioned, numbered subjects:
- Welcome
- What�s Happening?
- The use of The Olympics to Persecute Dafa is an External Factor; Remain Unaffected and Dissolve it with Righteous Thoughts
- Letting Go of Selfishness and Melting Into the Fa
- My Understanding Regarding "Respect Our Teacher, Respect the Fa"
- How to Look at Other Practitioners' Shortcomings with Righteous Thoughts
- In A Few Words: Belief and Disbelief
- My Understanding of "A Spontaneous Thought"
- 1. Welcome
Welcome to the May 2008 Falun Dafa India Newsletter.
It is time to celebrate the sixteenth anniversary of the World Falun Dafa day. Let us look inwards and see how we can do better and show Master how we value and treasure what he has given us. In the present scenario let us make it clear to the world that we are not against the Olympics or the Chinese people. We only want the world to know that the Human Rights abuses in China goes against what the Olympic Torch stands for- peace, friendship, brotherhood and respect for humanity. So our message to the world is that the Olympic Torch and crimes against humanity should not coexist. The whole world has woken up to the turmoil in Tibet. China is using its economic might to quell the media reports. It is important for us to keep our righteous thoughts and clarify the truth to the world.
Please visit this site and fill in the Support the Relay Form.http://www.humanrightstorch.org/join.php
Please forward it to as many people possible to create awareness.
This issue has a compilation of experience-sharing Articles gleaned from Clearwisdom that always shine through because of their insights and fine quality of sharing. It is important to read the Clearwisdom, Pureinsight and other Dafa sites. We make an effort to select Articles from the Archives which people don�t go back to and are relevant even today. Contributions are welcome from practitioners.
Heshi! Hope, you like the selection of Articles and gain some new insights!
Note: "All the contents in this newsletter - except for quotations and excerpts of writings of the founder Mr. Li Hongzhi - are only ideas and experiences of� practitioners and do not represent Falun Dafa in itself."
Top
- 2. What�s Happening?
The major event in April was the arrival of the Olympic Torch in Delhi.
Practitioners from Delhi and other cities sent truth clarification materials to the Media and VIP�s. A tent was put up at the Jantar Mantar where the Tibetans in large numbers were staging their protest. The local practitioners conducted a peaceful protest and distributed truth clarifying materials to the public. The Press and the public were invited and a candlelight vigil was held.
Top
- 3. The use of The Olympics to Persecute Dafa is an External Factor; Remain Unaffected and Dissolve it with Righteous Thoughts
By a Falun Dafa practitioner
(Clearwisdom.net) Sending righteous thoughts recently, I realized that evil forces in other dimensions are making a desperate last-ditch effort. This effort is reflected here in our dimension through the use of the Olympic Games in China as an excuse to create an atmosphere of terror affecting every corner of every city across China where practitioners of Dafa live. We must clearly realize that we absolutely shouldn't accept or cooperate with any old force arrangements to test Dafa practitioners. They are the leftovers of the old universe, unwilling to be weeded out as Fa-rectification moves forward.
Truth clarification materials recently received tell us that practitioners considered "important" and those on CCP blacklists can expect to be attacked or harassed in April 2008. I was asked to send more righteous thoughts. My first reaction was that we should not accept this persecution! Dafa needs each of us and saving sentient beings is primary. Teacher does not recognize these arrangements; neither should we.
Such tensions in human society are a direct test of every Dafa practitioner's character as Fa-rectification moves forward and more evil is eliminated. This also means fewer opportunities for practitioners who are not doing well, to do the right things using righteous thoughts. Every time we pass through a difficult time or face a difficult situation, it is a direct reflection of our character at that moment. How will you behave? Your character is very clear at those critical moments.
We must not recognize the arrangements of evil beings. This is not just talk; this is a requirement of our characters for us to reach the highest realms. We must only follow Teacher's arrangements. We must continue to do well the three things Teacher tells us to do. We clarify the truth by exemplifying the principles of Fa in everything we do and say, exposing the actions of evil beings everywhere. Ultimately, it does not matter what evil beings want to do, they are doomed to fail. Teacher tells us,
"Fa-rectification is sure to succeed, and Dafa disciples are sure to achieve Consummation." ("Greetings")
"Even if the sky were to fall, a cultivator's righteous thoughts would stay unshaken--that is cultivation, and that is remarkable. A cultivator is not attached to anything in this world." ("Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asian-Pacific Students")
Everything that has happened in human society exists due to the impact of Teacher's Fa-rectification. Good and bad both mold our characters. No matter how the lives of the old universe behave, Teacher's Fa-rectification is sure to succeed. We are steadfastly walking toward the great Consummation under Teacher's guidance and compassion.
Teacher can give up everything for the sentient beings in the universe, even his own precious life. If we can give up any thoughts of life/death under any circumstances; what is there to fear? When we do not fear life/death, what attachment can we not give up? Is there anything that we are afraid of? We do not necessarily have to face a test of life/death, but we should reach that level of being. A Dafa practitioner gives up fear, remains confident and unaffected by the things of this human society. He does this for the sake of sentient beings going into the future of the universe, for the security of countless celestial bodies and the colossal firmament, and to defend truth. If we can all have a clear understanding of the Fa, we will not be affected by anything in this human society, and the persecution would cease to exist.
Let's all send strong righteous thoughts, completely eliminating the evil factors surrounding the use of the Olympics as an excuse to persecute Falun Gong. Let's do the three things well. Do not let any external situations affect us. Let's form an impregnable one-body. Let's use righteous thoughts to eliminate evil interference and actions. Let's save sentient beings by enlightening them.
The above is a personal understanding. Let's help each other improve together.
Top
- 4. Letting Go of Selfishness and Melting Into the Fa
By a Dafa practitioner in China
(Clearwisdom.net)
When I read what practitioners have written about selfishness on the Clearwisdom website, I can't help but ask myself: Have I devoted myself completely when validating the Fa? In looking inward, I found that I really needed to dig out my attachments at their roots.
I recalled this story about a poor elderly woman: One day, Sakyamuni was to give a Fa lecture. Many believers had brought oil for lighting lamps at night. This poor woman had heard about the lecture and she had only a penny with her. The vendor refused to sell her oil for such a small amount of money. The woman then offered to trade her jacket for the oil; but the vendor still refused. She then cut a lock of her hair in exchange for the oil. Reluctantly, the seller gave her a small amount of oil and told her that eating oil wouldn't fill her stomach and she would still be hungry. She told the man, "I'll be alright. I am fortunate to be born at the same time as Sakyamuni and bringing this oil is my small way of honoring him."
As Sakyamuni was about to give the Fa lecture in the hall, the old woman lit her oil lamp and sat down to listen. A sorcerer came to disrupt the event and used his might to extinguish all of the lamps. Suddenly, the wind blew fiercely, kicking up sand and pebbles. Sakyamuni continued to lecture, but the believers were frightened. The old woman knelt down and prayed silently. All the lanterns were extinguished except one -- the old woman's lamp was still shining brightly. The sorcerer knew he couldn't get his way and left. Although the old woman was destitute, her righteous mind was pure and without selfishness.
Today, Falun Dafa is being spread around the world to save sentient beings. Many practitioners in Mainland China find work to make some money; after they pay for the bare necessities of living, there is not much left. They live frugally to save money and pay for the materials for making Dafa banners, printing fact sheets about Dafa, and to validate Dafa. They are truly melted into the Fa. Their righteous minds and actions, and their inspiring feats are enough to frighten the evil.
My wife and child also practice Falun Dafa. Compared with our fellow practitioners, our income is quite good. However, our tendency is still to put more money into our savings and use less money for validating Dafa. We hope to lead a comfortable lifestyle and to cultivate Dafa at the same time. We address the solemn responsibility of Dafa practitioners with the mentality of ordinary people. This is like wanting to become enlightened without letting go of our attachments. Of course we should do our best in the ordinary human society without going to the extreme. However, the basis of this mindset is selfishness. All kinds of selfish thoughts corrode my righteous beliefs; they stop me from letting go of sentimentality towards my family, and prevent me from being compassionate. Doesn't this basically show that I don't firmly believe in Dafa? Isn't this not letting go of the attachment of life and death?
To be a Dafa practitioner during the Fa rectification period is both honorable and magnificent. I ponder these thoughts: "Have I reached Dafa's standards? Can I face our Teacher without shame? Can I face the countless sentient beings who are looking forward to being saved, without regret?" I can't be insensitive any longer; I mustn't disappoint Teacher's compassionate efforts to save us. From now on, I need to be strict with myself, to truly purify myself, and to melt into the Fa with my words, my deeds, and my thoughts.
Top
- 5. My Understanding Regarding "Respect Our Teacher, Respect the Fa"
By a Chinese practitioner
(Clearwisdom.net) For a long time I have been in the following state: I can stay focused when reading Teacher's new articles and new Clearwisdom stories, yet I often lose my concentration, skip over words or phrases, and become stymied without remaining alert when reading Zhuan Falun. I have tried to strengthen my concentration, purge the evil that interferes with my Fa study, even practiced "reading out loud" as recommended by fellow practitioners. Each of these methods helped for only a short while, and then I would revert back to my old condition. I felt really miserable and became distressed in my failure to improve my understanding of the Fa, and I did not know how to break through this state.
One day another practitioner recited what Teacher said in his article "Fa Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.": "When you study the Fa and your mind isn't on the Fa, it's not only a problem of just going through the motions, but also that the person studying the Fa is actually not being very respectful of the Fa. How could the Fa reveal itself, then?" This was really a wake up call for me. I remembered reading Teacher's "Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference." Teacher deeply regretted those practitioners who fit the category as "some people are already half way out into thin air," as well as those practitioners who did not respect Teacher. I was startled, this section of the Fa was sounding the same alarm to me. How could I detach myself from this issue? Teacher said, "Usually your Master doesn't teach you the Fa on an individual basis. That's because if I were to point out someone's problem to him individually, his mind would be hit really hard, and this might in fact affect him. That's why I rarely speak to someone individually that way. But when I bring up these problems in a large forum, don't think I'm not referring to you." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston")
We usually maintain eye contact with others during a conversation to show our courtesy and respect. When we are reading Zhuan Falun, we are facing the Fa of the universe and our compassionate Teacher, who provides salvation to all; what kind of mentality should we have? Teacher had stated over and over that we must study the Fa with a rational and sober mind. Teacher also told us, "If you don't even listen to what I say, then why do you still call me Master?" ("Lecture at the Australia Fa Conference") Wasn't the state that I was in when reading Zhuan Falun a serious manifestation of not respecting Teacher? How dangerous, serious, and solemn it is? I could feel a shock in my heart as I thought about this, and suddenly my body felt as light as air. I was no longer muddled when reading, and I could calm down when sending forth righteous thoughts.
Previously I had merely copied Fa study approaches from others because of my attachment to seeking new things, but I ignored and overlooked the connotation behind the methodology -- truly seek from within our heart, sincerely respect and solemnly face Teacher and Fa from the deepest part of our life.
What I said earlier was only my own understanding and I hope it will be of value to my fellow practitioners. Because I am limited by my understanding, please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Top
- 6. How to Look at Other Practitioners' Shortcomings with Righteous Thoughts
By a Dafa practitioner from Taiwan
(Clearwisdom.net)
Teacher said in Lecture Four of Zhuan Falun, "How should we deal with this issue? Upon running into this conflict, we should, first of all, keep a cool head, and we should not behave the same as that person. Of course, we can explain the matter kindly, and it is not a problem if we clarify the issue. But you should not become too attached to it."
I was attached to something a practitioner had said to me, and I thought that the practitioner had formed a misconception about me. I decided not to worry or imagine what was behind his words. Instead, I told him what I felt about his words; I thought that this was based on my compassion, kindness and consideration. As Teacher has said, "we can explain the matter kindly, and it is not a problem if we clarify the issue." "But you should not become too attached to it." I failed to follow this, because when I did it, I did not have a calm heart and was attached.
I was grateful that the practitioner shared his understanding with me from his heart and based on the Fa. From his response, I improved a lot. I want to share this with everyone. He said, "If we take other practitioners' shortcomings too heavily in our hearts, the problem is actually within ourselves. Isn't it because the other practitioner's shortcomings disturbed our own state and touched on our attachments to the shortcoming? Instead of looking inside, we focused on others."
Sometimes, I did burden myself with other's shortcomings, but why did I do this? Maybe because some aspect of me that was not cultivated well had been affected, and this made me become attached to others' shortcomings. Why could I not let it go? At this point, what we should do is look within and face our attachment that was taken advantage of with righteous thoughts.
Teacher said that whenever a conflict occurs, everyone involved should look within, even a third party that witnessed the conflict. However, I was annoyed even when I was the third party. Even though every practitioner does have aspects that need to be improved, we cannot forget to look within with righteous thoughts. Doing this, we can treat other practitioner's shortcomings with a cultivator's pure field of compassion and tolerance, and naturally strengthen Dafa's whole body.
Teacher says in "The Issue of Treating Illness" of Zhuan Falun, " There is no constraint between this qi and that qi." I understand that if we temporarily can't understand another practitioner's intentions, or if we lack compassion in treating the other practitioner and only emphasize the other practitioner's attachments, this causes a tribulation for oneself and creates a barrier in our own cultivation. Furthermore, this could negatively affect Dafa work and even damage Dafa. Negative elements will use the loophole to cause interference. Doesn't our behavior during those times have the old forces' traits? The old forces only want to change others, not themselves. Also, we should make sure not to lose righteous thoughts in creating harmony on the surface. Looking inside, and kindly and openly bringing up one's own perspective are key points for our whole body's improvement.
Master said: "and the more it's toward the end the bigger the disparities. So there are bound to be differences in people's understandings." (Lecturing on and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference) I often hear practitioners quoting these words, but most of the time it's due to disappointment in the communication among practitioners. In fact, the practitioner who cultivates well will not quote these words to comment on other practitioners who seem to not have a high understanding of the Fa, because nobody knows which level other practitioners are on. So if we quote Teacher's words just because we cannot solve a problem, our xinxing is lacking. In this state, we lack pure compassion and a cultivator's humble character.
Master said, "The key is how to cooperate better and coordinate better with one other." (Lecturing on and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference) My understanding is whenever we are doing something, if we always put cooperating and coordinating better with others, as well as saving more people first and not allow the thought of "disparities are big" to come between us and other practitioners, the communication, cooperation and coordination will come easier. When we are strongly attached to our own ideas and understandings and think they are better, we actually give the old forces an opportunity to interfere.
Teacher said in "Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference," "What's stored in Master's heart are all the people there are." What mighty compassion! If other practitioner's suggestions and speech can improve and push the whole body forward, why can't we let go of our own egos? We should not be attached to our own ideas and view others' opinions from our attached state. If we are, it is not only a barrier in our own cultivation, but also a barrier that severely affects the whole body's improvement and saving of sentient beings.
If we can cherish, respect and be honest in our communication, we will find "After passing the shady willow trees, there will be bright flowers and another village ahead." (from Zhuan Falun, Lecture Nine) The above is my personal understanding.
Any suggestions and comments are welcome.
Top
- 7. In A Few Words: Belief and Disbelief
By Tong Zhen
(Clearwisdom.net) During the entire course of practicing cultivation in this mundane world, we are always facing the issue of belief and disbelief in the principles of the Fa. It is not we that achieve certain accomplishments -- it's not about how good we are. Instead, it is because when we believe in the Fa, Teacher arranges the accomplishment of everything for us. When we are truly enlightened to the principles of the Fa, it is because we believe in the Fa and hold a determined mind in the Fa, then the Fa will manifest its principles at that particular level to us. If we are not firm in our belief in the Fa and have doubts, we will not be enlightened to any principles. Teacher said,
"Your own enlightening only refers to your continuing cultivation after overcoming difficulties while practicing cultivation. This is what we refer to as your own enlightening. As for truly enlightening to something from the principles, if this Fa doesn't let you know it, you can't enlighten to it no matter how you try. So you have to meet one condition: You must genuinely practice cultivation." (Falun Buddha Law- Lecture at the Conference in Europe, Frankfurt, Germany, 1998, un-official translation)
As a matter of fact, the issue of belief and disbelief in the Fa manifests itself as a process of constantly making choices. Teacher said,
"The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts." ("Drive Out Interference," Essentials For Further Advancement II)
When we are determined to choose to believe in the Fa, we can then do a good job in all three tasks Teacher has been asking us to do. When we are dealing with the fact that the evil is persecuting Dafa and we choose to believe in the Fa, we are choosing to rectify the Fa with Teacher and to save all sentient beings as well. On the path of practicing cultivation, we are to continuously eliminate disbelief and choose to believe in the Fa. When we are able to always believe in the Fa wholeheartedly, we have made the choice to attain consummation and return to our true and original home.
Top
- 8. My Understanding of "A Spontaneous Thought"
By a Chinese practitioner
Throughout my cultivation I had been bothered by a question, that is, why I did not do well in certain areas? I was working hard at that time, wasn't I? I did not give up, did I? Why did I not overcome the obstacle? Only until recently did I understand why. I wrote it down in order to share my cultivation experience with all of you.
We all have a habit of forming a definition and conclusion about things in our society. Whenever a situation develops, we would first try to either approve or disapprove, whether it is a person, an object or some issue. After we have affirmed our thoughts then we would pursue the situation based on this understanding. In fact we have confined and limited ourselves by such a mentality. Even if we try harder later on, we would have already been framed by this "spontaneous thought" and unable to transcend it (because we could not realize early on that we could rise above it), ending up unable to perform well in some areas. More seriously, many of us could not recognize that the failure was the result of this "spontaneous thought," and could not realize it. On the contrary, we would make the excuse that the tribulations were very immense and the persecution was severe. This is very misleading and confusing, with devastating effects.
Once I was detained at the county detention center and a policeman coerced me to sign a "repentance paper." What was my "spontaneous thought" at that moment? "If I do not sign it, chances are they will detain me." Yet the Fa had clearly told us and I also knew from my heart, never to cooperate with the evil. I also tried to reason with them and asked them to be fair. Yet being influenced by this "spontaneous thought" my strength was not adequate. I even felt that my own will to stand up against them was lacking. Yet afterwards I comforted myself that I had clarified the truth to them, and I stood up against the persecution... and it was over just like that.
Later on I repeatedly pondered it and suddenly realized that all the tribulations were caused by that "spontaneous thought." At that moment I recalled Teacher's words in "Zhuan Falun," "We have said that good or evil comes from a person's spontaneous thought, and the thought at that moment can bring about different consequences."
Therefore, it is critical that our "spontaneous thought" is always based on the Fa. Especially as we are at the final phase of the Fa- rectification, we are constantly facing the final resistance from the evil old forces, as well as interference from the human elements of practitioners. Thus, it is crucial to purify our thoughts.
We must measure everything with the standard set by Dafa, because we are beings created by Dafa. Whether it's now or in the future, safeguarding Dafa and maintaining Dafa's standards is our sacred mission and obligation. "No matter what happens, one must maintain good xinxing. Only through adhering to Dafa can one be truly right." (Zhuan Falun). Teacher also said, "How was the cosmos created? It was created just by a Great Fa Enlightened Being's one thought." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.") Hence, we must seize the time that we have now to cultivate ourselves to be pure, to be noble, and to reach Consummation.
What I have written here was only my own understanding and I hope it will be of value to my fellow practitioners. Because I am limited by my level of understanding, please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Top
|