Click on the below-mentioned, numbered subjects:
- Welcome
- What’s Happening?
- The Experience of Downloading Files
- “Do You Do the Exercises?”
- Realms of Enlightenment—Purposeful and Non-Purposeful
- Eliminating the Attachment to Sleep and Becoming More Diligent
- Not Going to Extremes Is a Part of Becoming Mature
- Do Not Be Attached to Eloquence
- 1. Welcome
Welcome to the September 2010 Falun Dafa India Newsletter.
We have to go all out to make Shen Yun a grand success. It is important to keep human notions away and have strong righteous thoughts so that we do not acknowledge any kind of interference.
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."
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- 2. What’s Happening?
The Bangalore practitioners have been visiting schools to encourage Fa study. Some of the schools Principals are taking the initiative to introduce Fa study. Falun Dafa was also introduced to the cloistered nuns at Fatima Convent.
Practitioners have been trying their best to correct the exercise movements and help each other. They have discovered more benefits also with a better understanding of Master’s verses before each exercise.
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- 3. The Experience of Downloading Files
A Dafa practitioner in China
(PureInsight.org)
The DVD of “Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra Concert” was available on the Internet. After dinner, my husband and I began to download it. The file consisted of many small fragments and it would take us a long time to download all of them. My husband thus suggested that we study the Fa when downloading the file. This way, we would be able to make good use of the time.
As the download started, we began to read Lecture 3 of Zhuan Falun. After reading several paragraphs, my husband wanted to check if the download was smooth. I told him, “Please do not worry about it. It will be okay since we are studying the Fa as we download the file.” He nodded and we continued to read. After a while, however, he was still thinking about it. Looking at the computer, he said the download speed was a little slow. I smiled at him and said, “Since you are so worried about it, how can it not be slow?” As we continued to read, I found myself also thinking about whether or not the download was smooth. I also heard a clicking sound indicating the download of one fragment was completed. Then I realized that instead of being distracted, I should focus on studying the Fa. So I calmed my mind and focused all my attention on studying the Fa. By then, I could still hear the clicking sound indicating completion of a fragment and it appeared much more frequently. My mind was clear and the Fa-study quality was very good. Suddenly, my husband said, “This is strange. The download still continues although the connection to the server has stopped.” I told him not to worry about it and things will be okay as long as we concentrate on our Fa-study. Upon finishing Fa-study, we found the download took less time than we originally thought. My husband said he had witnessed a miracle today.
From this incident, I realized that our cultivation is similar to downloading a big file. It can be done in a very short period of time in other dimensions. Having faith in Master and the Fa is critical throughout the process, and it can lead us to our destination successfully. Any human notion, hesitation or suspicion will slow down the process. It is our human notions that have prolonged the Fa-rectification. If we are able to let go of our human attachments and, with faith in Master and the Fa, do the three things well, the persecution may stop immediately.
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- 4. “Do You Do the Exercises?”
Fei Yue
(PureInsight.org)
Yesterday morning a fellow practitioner came to visit us. He said that he had not been cultivating diligently for a while, and he even watched TV with his ordinary family members instead of studying the Fa or doing the exercises. He asked my mother and I, “Do you do the exercises?” We told him that we were quite busy these days, and thus we didn’t do the exercises. Although we still studied the Fa every day, we read it absentmindedly. Sometimes we lost our temper over household affairs, totally forgetting that we were Dafa practitioners.
In the afternoon, another practitioner came over to pick up the weekly edition of Minghui and other truth clarification materials. He said that recently he had slacked off. His family was building a house, and at the same time there was endless farm work. He didn’t do the exercises. He also couldn’t get up to send forth righteous thoughts at 12AM. He asked us the same question, “Do you do the exercises?” It wasn’t until that time that I realized Master was using fellow practitioners’ mouths to enlighten me to “do the exercises!”
We live in the countryside. From the busy spring plowing season until now, we seldom studied the Fa at home. After the day’s farm work, we were so tired that we got sleepy soon after we started to study the Fa, let alone clarify the truth and save sentient beings. When I think about it, Dafa disciples in the countryside have always been busy throughout the whole year. On sunny days they have certain work, and on rainy days they have other work. Some fellow practitioners make their daily work schedules very tight, but they put their cultivation in an expendable position. They were able to get up at 3AM or 4AM to run their business to make money but they feel it is difficult to get up at 3AM or 4AM to do the exercises.
I wrote this down to remind fellow practitioners who also live in the countryside that we need to “do the exercises” and “cultivate diligently.” We can’t use being “busy” as an excuse to ignore our cultivation or to waste precious Dafa resources, which is the time extended by Master’s enormous endurance.
Cultivation is serious. The standard won’t be lowered just because we are “busy.” Master’s compassion is equal for all sentient beings. The standard of Dafa cultivation is equally serious to each one of us! I hope all fellow practitioners in the countryside can let go of their human attachments and treasure this cultivation opportunity. Don’t take Master’s compassion for granted. Fulfill our prehistoric vows! Valuing the time for cultivation highly is valuing one’s own life!
Thank you Master for compassionately using other practitioner’s mouths to help me enlighten to this!
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- 5. Realms of Enlightenment—Purposeful and Non-Purposeful
A Dafa Practitioner
(PureInsight.org)
I heard a story a couple of days ago. A practitioner came home after shopping and found out that he was given less than what he paid for. When talking to other practitioners about how to handle this matter, there were three answers from practitioners. The first answer was to go back to the seller and ask for what he deserved. The second answer was to not go back to ask for what he was not given because the seller had already lost his/her virtue by giving less than what should have been given, and the virtue had already been transferred to the practitioner who suffered by receiving less than what he paid for. The third answer was that the practitioner must go back and explain the situation kindly to the seller, and also tell the seller about the principle that doing good things results in good rewards and doing bad deeds results in bad rewards; the practitioner must wisely take this opportunity to clarify the truth to save the seller.
The three answers reflect three different realms of enlightenment. The first answer reveals personal attachments of everyday people, which are selfish. The second answer reflects some understanding of Dafa principles about not arguing over loss and gain. The enlightenment level of the second answer is higher than the first answer, but still contains selfishness; it is a proper understanding from cultivation ways in the past. However, the third answer is much higher and contains no selfishness at all. It is really being responsible to Dafa and other sentient beings. This is really an outstanding behavior and realm.
Upon hearing this story, I related it to something from Master’s book Zhuan Falun. In the third lecture of the book, Master mentions having connected his mind with some very high level Great Enlightened Beings. Master felt that those Great Enlightened Beings’ minds were as tranquil as still water, which was completely still and empty. But Master has been doing something purposeful, which is to save sentient beings, and was uncomfortable in the presence of such stillness and emptiness. When I read this paragraph in the past, I did not really understand the meaning. I thought that those Great Enlightened Beings were so great and pure that they are not attached to anything. Now I’ve come to understand that their tranquility is only a reflection of a certain realm. Non-attachment and emptiness is really outstanding and is what a practitioner must reach. This could be a realm that reflects the Truth. This realm is reached at the level of non-attachment. I’ve come to realize that the highest level requires not only emptiness but also something purposeful rather than non-purposeful or empty. For example, when coming across a circumstance where someone is facing a life-threatening situation, a practitioner must bravely stand up and act without selfishness. My understanding is that maintaining the attachment of nothingness and emptiness in such a dangerous situation is a kind of numbness and coldness that ignores the lives of sentient beings.
I understand that the real realm of emptiness is doing something but not pursuing anything. This is what the real realm of emptiness is. One must do something when he ought to do so. Dafa practitioners must try with a single-minded effort to do the three things that Master has asked us to do. This is not something that is purposeful, but rather, it is our duty and mission.
I thought that no attachment to everyday people’s things and maintaining a tranquil mind was the Truth. But now I’ve understood further from the Fa that we should do whatever we must do and do it to our utmost.
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- 6. Eliminating the Attachment to Sleep and Becoming More Diligent
(Clearwisdom.net)
Master says,
"Right now every minute and every second is crucial. If you
miss out during this period of time, you miss out on everything. History won't
recur. The history of the cosmos and the Three Realms have gone through so
many, long, long years--what have all the beings been waiting for? What are
they all here for? For exactly these few years! Yet there are [Dafa] students
who are squandering their lives during these few years, not seizing the time.
And yet you are shouldering such huge responsibilities for all beings and for
history!" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference")
For a long time, due to studying the Fa and doing the three
things, I have not practiced the exercises. I even tried to find excuses
for myself in Master's Fa. I sleep for eight hours every day. During this
critical historical moment of saving sentient beings in the universe, I was
obviously being irresponsible in for sentient beings and myself. Continuing in
this behavior was damaging to myself and sentient beings.
Until one day, when I read a fellow practitioner's article on the Minghui
website (Chinese version of Clearwisdom), in which she mentioned that she only
sleeps for two hours every day and she still feels that there isn't enough time.
I was suddenly awakened. I absolutely believe the fellow practitioner's state.
But how could she do it and I could not? I shared my thoughts with my mother
(also a practitioner). Her direct answer was that I was not diligent enough in
practicing the exercises, so my body could not be fully refined.
Later I read this:
"Question: Is it that as you cultivate to higher levels, you sleep
less?
Teacher: That's not the case. It's related to the changes and elevation
of the particles intrinsic to your thoughts. But it does happen periodically.
The matter I just talked about also involves this factor. At the surface you
will return to the normal state when the well-cultivated part of you is
separated from you. That's what you will experience all the way until you
Consummate. All of this allows you to live like regular people. Yet your human
side will become weaker and weaker. And if you hold yourself to high
standards, perhaps you will conduct yourself among ordinary people better and
better. That's the way it is." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference
in Switzerland," 1998)
I tried to understand what Master meant by "related to the changes and
elevation of the particles intrinsic to your thoughts." I recalled my
deeply rooted human notion that one has to sleep for eight hours per day. But
even after I tried to eliminate this attachment, I still was not able to reach a
perfect state in doing the exercises. Continuing to examine myself, I found that
I have too many things on my mind when practicing the exercises. I cannot reach
the state of "Shenshen Heyi" (Join the Mind and Body Together)
as Master requires. My thought was that: as long as I practice the exercises, it
should be good enough.
Master says, "Gong is the Law, and the Law is gong, for
mind itself is matter." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in
Houston") It's just like when we study the Fa: if we have other thoughts on
our minds, how can we study the Fa well? How would the Fa manifest its greatness
to us and help us improve? After I realized this, every time I practice the
exercises now, I strictly follow Master's requirement of "Shenshen Heyi"
(Join the Mind and Body Together), eliminate human notions and thoughts
and stay focused. After doing this for two days, my state improved greatly!
In this process, I also clearly realized that in fact, sleeping is also a
desire and an attachment. Sleep makes a person's body relax, and also can help
people escape the troublesome things in the human world. But laziness can
destroy sentient beings and ourselves. Therefore, we should cherish this
greatest opportunity and this historical moment that will never come again, to
successfully fulfill our prehistoric vows.
Now, I have arranged my time this way to practice the exercises. In the
morning, at 4:50 to 5:50 I practice the first four exercises; at 5:55, I send
forth righteous thoughts for 35 minutes and wash up. At night, at 10:50 to
11:50, I practice the fifth exercise; at 11:55, I send forth righteous thoughts
for 35 minutes and I then go to bed. I only sleep for about four hours per day
and I feel great. I will continue to be more diligent and spend more time and
effort on validating the Fa and saving sentient beings. I will cherish this
great historic moment--every minute and every second of it! I will do well the
"three things" Dafa practitioners are supposed to do so I can be
worthy of the title of "Fa-rectification Period Dafa Disciple."
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- 7. Not Going to Extremes Is a Part of Becoming Mature
By a Dafa practitioner from China
(Clearwisdom.net)
In "Take the Middle Way" from Essentials for Further Advancement, Master said: "Because of disciples' differences in understanding, some disciples always go from one extreme to the other. Whenever they read the Fa I have written they take extreme actions, thereby causing new problems."
In his teachings recently, Master has placed great emphasis on the importance of looking within. Some fellow practitioners have taken extreme actions, believing that when faced with problems, they should only look within and it is not necessary for them to point out other practitioners' weaknesses. Whenever they hear other practitioners talk about or disagree with them or discuss the reasons for many practitioners being , they believe that those practitioners who talk about those things are only looking outward and not cultivating themselves. Even worse, they refuse to discuss anything with other practitioners, which makes some practitioners not want to speak anymore.
To cultivate in Dafa, it is right to look within. However, "to look within" is not the same as simply not pointing out others' shortcomings nor is it the same as becoming enlightened all by oneself (without asking questions, receiving help from others, or discussing with others) as in Zen Buddhism. For practitioners to upgrade themselves to a higher level by attending experience sharing conferences and exchanging ideas with fellow practitioners is the cultivation way that Master has left for us, so we should follow it. We can exchange ideas, such as our experiences in "looking within," our thoughts on other practitioners' shortcomings, understandings of incidents that occur among practitioners, and offer advice to fellow practitioners to correct their defects. The purpose of exchanging ideas is not to find soul mates, but to heed advice in order to correct our faults and elevate to a higher level together.
From the Fa, we know that to point out fellow practitioners' shortcomings is both Master's requirement and practitioners' responsibility to harmonize Dafa. It is also the benevolence cultivated by Dafa practitioners. There is an old saying: "The onlookers see most clearly." When a practitioner faces a problem, the practitioners closest to him or her should judge the problem based on the Fa and give their opinions truthfully. This can help the practitioner facing a problem become more clearheaded. At the same time, it is also a cultivation process for fellow practitioners to recognize their own faults by "looking within" and learning from this problem to understand things more clearly according to the Fa principles.
To kindly point out whatever is improper conforms to the Fa principles. The human mentalities that get uncovered during the process of pointing out improper aspects are those we should get rid of. As Dafa practitioners we should trust one another and kindly forgive each other. We should also let go of the attachments to being self protective and of being cautious towards others. Instead, we should exchange ideas in a completely honest way and elevate towards higher levels together. Perhaps this will help Dafa practitioners as a whole become more mature.
This is my understanding. I hope fellow practitioners will kindly point out whatever is improper.
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- 8. Do Not Be Attached to Eloquence
By a practitioner in Mainland China
(Clearwisdom.net)
Some fellow practitioners do not dare to clarify the truth face-to-face, not entirely because of fear, but because of the feeling that they are not eloquent enough to explain things clearly. They are usually practitioners who are introverted and not good at socializing with strangers. They envy practitioners who can talk well. However, they themselves are blocked by their mentality and cannot break through.
People's eloquence probably has something to with their temperament and the scope of their knowledge. I have seen that some practitioners have failed to clarify the truth effectively because they had poor logic and were not to the point.
While clarifying the truth, some practitioners are so easily affected by ordinary people that they lose their train of thought; they follow ordinary people's lead and forget their main subject.
Nevertheless, does an eloquent person clarify the truth more effectively? Not necessarily. For example, I have read an article written by a practitioner who used to be an elite intellectual in ordinary society and was able to talk sharply. When he started practicing cultivation and clarifying the truth, no one could defeat his points. However, those who were speechless after engaging in an argument with him not only would not understand the truth, but they also became furious. The practitioner later realized that he was very selfish and had vied for supremacy, lacked compassion, and simply indulged in talking sharply without caring about whether people could accept what he said. This example shows that being eloquent does not guarantee that one can clarify the truth well.
Mr. Zhong Quichun, who used to follow Teacher to practice cultivation in the early days, shared his experience in the CD entitled "Those Days When We Were with Teacher." When he started practicing cultivation, he had a rift with his wife and he felt wronged. He went to Teacher to complain. Teacher smiled and said this to him after listening to his complaint, "You must treat your spouse nicely after going home." Zhong immediately realized that he was wrong and felt ashamed.
We all know about Teacher's eloquence. Yet, Teacher did not use his eloquence in this matter. He just said something very simple. Think about it. Would the practitioner change if an ordinary person said the same thing to him? Obviously not. What about if an eloquent person gave him a long lecture, would it have the same effect? I think not even a psychiatrist could guarantee it. What then can change people's mind? I think it is Teacher's energy field with immense compassion and selflessness that is capable of rectifying anything that is not right and fundamentally changing disciples. It is "the Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities." ("Harmonizing with Fa," Hong Yin)
Teacher said,
"I often say that if all a person wants is the well-being of others and if this is without the slightest personal motivation or personal understanding, what he says will move the listener to tears."("Clearheadedness" in Essentials for Further Advancement)
If we reach this realm and have compassionate and selfless hearts that persist in saving people, their bad sides will be restricted in our energy field. How can people's knowing sides not be moved and not accept the truth? At that time perhaps just saying one sentence is enough to save a person, and it doesn't matter if you are eloquent or not.
Therefore, being able to clarify the truth well has nothing to do with being eloquent or not. It actually has something to do with whether one has an upright mentality. If we over-emphasize people's superficial eloquence and neglect our state of mind, we have gone too far. Teacher has left us the most righteous path with his words and his actions to guide us to do well. As long as we do what Teacher has told us to do, we will certainly do well.
I hope fellow practitioners who are blocked by concerns over being eloquent or not will be encouraged to break through this superficial situation, let go of all attachments, assist Teacher in the Fa-rectification, save people, and fulfill their prehistoric vows.
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