Lesson

[PureInsight.org] Every time I came across the words "enlightened along an evil path" when I studied the Fa, I would think it only refered to practitioners who have strong attachments or whose xinxing (mind nature) is flawed. I saw myself as being fairly diligent in my cultivation practice and fairly active in validating Dafa. Therefore, I reasoned that those who enlightened along an evil path could absolutely not include me. However, a few things happened recently that made me realize the importance of reconsidering this issue.

The anti-torture exhibit is a very good way to clarify the truth. When reenacted by real people, it has a tremendous ability to shock and move people. But at the beginning, I had some doubts whether it was a good idea to hold such exhibits. I was afraid displaying such graphic and bloody scenes might turn people off and have a negative effect on people. I was worried that it might harm people instead of saving people. After discussing my understanding with fellow practitioners, I realized I felt the way I did because my state of mind was not righteous. Teacher has said, "As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts."(From "Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.") If we, the practitioners ourselves, are concerned about the effect of the exhibit, we will create a loophole for the evil to take advantage of, and therefore everyday people will get turned off by it.

In his New York lecture, Teacher praised the effect of the torture exhibit. But even after I heard that, I still felt apprehensive about holding the anti-torture exhibit when it began to rain. I worried that doing so might make everyday people think we are zealots because of their lack of understanding of us. Later, I realized again that I had the thoughts I did because of my lack of righteous thoughts. Raining is a form of interference. How could the rain affect Dafa practitioners? As soon as our righteous thoughts as a group became strong, the rain went away and the sun came out again.

When I thought things over, I realized that these incidents had one thing in common. I worried about harming people instead of saving people. Why did I feel that way? I didn't consider the issue from the Fa's point of view. I have to see that as long as we do not block the sidewalk, do not block the traffic, and maximally conform to the human society, no matter how we do it or what we do in our efforts to clarify the truth, the effect will be good. Worrying about the torture scenes we display as being too graphic or fearing people will not understand us when we hold exhibits in the rain were all acts that condone depraved human thoughts, or those people who have bad thoughts. I had forgotten that the purpose of our truth-clarification was to bring out a being's Buddha nature and wake up his/her sense of justice. In fact, the convincing reenactment of the anti-torture exhibit as well as persistence of continuing it in the rain could make one think deeply, and as long as he/she has a little bit of conscience, he/she will be moved.

"Where does a wicked understanding, or 'enlightening" along an evil path, come from? Isn't it now very clear as to that where this comes from? The evil takes advantage of one's attachments and creates illusory, fake thoughts in his/her mind, which he/she considers real and thinks that such thoughts are quite reasonable. He/she thinks, "None of you understand me, and when all is said and done your cultivation levels aren't as high as mine, and none of you understand the Fa as well as I do." (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York (Questions & Answers Section, Part II))

Isn't it true that when we develop an attachment, change our way of doing things based on everyday people's response, or are being controlled by everyday people's attitude, we forget our responsibility. We can clarify the truth by using their attachments, but we should be clear in our mind about this fact. We should not forget that we are Dafa practitioners, and we have the power to change the worlds' people, not the other way around.

In saving sentient beings, Teacher wants to save every being. As long as there is the slightest hope, Teacher will find ways to save him/her. Yes, there are some beings indeed not worthy of being saved, but this cannot deter us from [helping to] save those who are. It is not an issue of having no mercy, because the Fa-rectification has a time factor by which it proceeds. We have to be above human emotions, view the entire picture from without, and think of the universe's future and the future of sentient beings.

The above shares my thoughts on the subject with you. Please kindly point to anything inappropriate.

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2005/1/18/30755.html