(Minghui.org) I wanted to share some new understandings that I have come to enlighten to.
One day, my aunt (also a cultivator) and I invited my mom to have breakfast with us. We made sausages, and my aunt said, “Oh, right, your mom hates sausage.” At first, I was confused until I remembered my mom getting a wrong order at a restaurant that included sausage in her sandwich.
I told my aunt I was certain my mom was upset because the order was wrong, not because she hates sausage. My aunt insisted she did not like sausage, since my mom did say, “If it was any other meat, I’d be fine.” I firmly disagreed, since I had seen my mom eat sausages before, but I did not keep arguing because I realized I had to look within and see what was happening with my xinxing.
For all I knew, she could dislike sausage now. I still felt annoyed, as though I was in the right to claim that my reasoning was the correct one, but I realized this was not right. I asked myself a deep question: Can I accept others’ understanding and perspectives?
This hit me hard because I saw that neither my aunt nor I were wrong; we just came to our own understandings from a situation we witnessed. I told myself that if my mom ate the sausages we made, I would not gloat in my heart, because I do not care or wish to be right.
And in the end, she did eat some of the sausages we made, and I didn’t feel one way or the other about it. Instead of seeing the situation as one in which I could claim to be right, I saw it as a test for me to see the bigger picture.
The next day I shared this with my mom, and she said it was funny because though it’s true she disliked getting the wrong order, she also disliked fast food sausages because the meat from those establishments doesn’t seem healthy.
After seeing the whole picture, I came to the significant realization that I needed to understand others’ perspectives. I saw how this issue blocked my ability to clarify the truth to others, as I have met people who had vastly different understandings of Dafa, Shen Yun, etc. Some of these people had been misled by corrupt reporting, propaganda, or other influences.
I saw that having a mindset that clashes with others’ understandings isn’t going to help me or help others learn the truth of the situation. This realization has changed how I approach people, both practitioners and non-practitioners.
I also realized that when I work with other practitioners on projects, the desire to protect my reputation and prove that I am right is a big hurdle I have to overcome. I also saw where I got this mindset from, as I grew up in a society where debate is encouraged and I felt a need to argue my points and prove others wrong.
But from a higher perspective, this is not in line with the Fa. To understand others with a compassionate heart, I must let go of the mindset that I am right or that my method is right, when in reality it is not always right and it’s only from a small part of my understanding.
I’m grateful for this experience because it showed me a big attachment I have that has gotten in the way of many things, and how I can approach things differently when it comes to others.
I also came to see another incorrect notion in my thinking: I would lament my inability to let go of attachments, such as the occasional hobbies I do. I realized that overdoing these hobbies can be addicting, yet my level of frustration was starting to have me become attached to the attachment itself. I needed to treat it more lightly.
I saw that I was holding myself back with my fear of failure and thinking about previous failed tests, and this fear had even gotten in the way of sending righteous thoughts with a clear mind. After studying the Fa, it finally hit me that I mustn’t let these things stop me from improving. I should remember that as long as I study the Fa well and improve my character, I’ll come to new understandings, and any attachments or incorrect notions will be removed.
Master said in Lecture Nine in Zhuan Falun:
“Meanwhile, a cultivator should also be able to make sacrifices, abandoning different attachments and desires of everyday people. It is impossible to be able to do it right away, so we can do it gradually. If you could make it today, you would now be a Buddha. Cultivation takes time, but you should not slack off. You may say, “Teacher has said that cultivation takes time—let’s do it slowly.” That will not do! You must be strict with yourself. In cultivation of the Buddha Fa, you should strive forward vigorously.”
I finally came to understand what it means to gradually improve but also to be strict with oneself. When I discover attachments, instead of going to extremes, forcing change, or lamenting failures, I should figure out what the root cause is, measure it against the Fa, and work on eliminating it. For me, this can be a gradual process, as some attachments are deeply rooted; but it’s a matter of diligence.
While I walk the path of removing attachments, whether it’s a big process or a small one, or whether it seems fast or slow, I mustn’t let up and need to endure through it while doing the things I should as a cultivator in this historic period. I also must not let these attachments get in the way of my Fa study, sending righteous thoughts, doing the exercises, or talking to people who are not aware or have misunderstandings about the persecution.
I also came to see that it can be a matter of perspective when facing tribulations and attachments. Instead of viewing them as a mountainous journey that will be hard, I should try and peer at it in a detached manner and with a light heart. I’ve often found my frustrations stemming from viewing the attachments or hardships as a tough spot that I can’t overcome, but this mindset is one of an average person. A cultivator should see it as an opportunity and not a burden, and approach these tests with a light heart, not being attached to the struggle or attachment, nor fearing that it’s unbearable. It is possible to overcome, but I also keep in mind that everyone handles hardships differently, and tests can come in all sorts of situations that differ from person to person.
This brings me back to my first understanding about being open to others’ perspectives and understandings. There have been times where I failed in certain areas, but instead of letting failures hold me back, I can only strive to move forward and learn while being diligent.
Please kindly point out anything in my current understanding that is not in line with the Fa. Thank you, Master and fellow practitioners! I hope we will keep improving together as one body and not let ourselves be held back.