PureInsight | November 19, 2001
As lucky as we are, being able to become Dafa practitioners in the Fa rectification period, we all know the importance of studying the Fa. Teacher clearly told disciples in “Lecture at Washington D.C International Fa Conference”, “It has to be Dafa disciples who do Dafa work”. No matter what excuse is used, a practitioner who doesn’t work hard on studying the Fa can hardly take up the responsibility of being a “Dafa practitioner”.
How should we study the Fa? Teacher said in Essentials For Further Advancement that we need to read the books over and over again, and that we are changing as long as we are studying and reading. So why do some practitioners still have the feeling that they are “not learning the Fa deep enough”? Time constraints on Fa study are one side, however, in my practical cultivation, I found out that “not learning the Fa deep enough” is a matter of enlightenment/understanding.
The fundamental purpose of Fa study should be to understand what Teacher is saying, and that is an issue of enlightenment. “The enlightenment that we actually refer to is a matter of whether in the course of cultivation practice one can enlighten to and accept the Fa taught by the master or the Tao taught by the Taoist master, whether one can treat oneself as a practitioner upon encountering tribulations, and whether one can adhere to the Fa while practicing cultivation.” (Zhuan Falun) While studying the Fa, we can’t forget to compare ourselves against the requirements of the Fa to see how we are doing. Are we keeping up with the progress of Fa rectification? Some practitioners understand Teacher’s words one-sidedly, they read (the Fa) over and over but completely forget that the purpose of Fa study is to guide cultivation - they even use “time” as an excuse and do not consider the effect. They read the book even while their heads are numb and they are about to collapse due to drowsiness. Actually, this is an attachment of studying the Fa for the sake of Fa study itself. Reading Zhuan Falun once a day shows diligence. However, holding on to “reading” and forgetting about “studying” without self-reflection and comparison, without “understanding”, does not have a good effect.
“Not learning the Fa deep enough” is a matter of understanding and it is also shown by whether one can act according to the Fa. Ever since the publication of Teacher’s article “Path”, I suddenly felt enlightened: Teacher broke another layer of the human shell for disciples. I understood and felt the realm of the “invisible great Tao” and got rid of many of my former concerns. I also had a clear understanding of what “Fa-rectification Dafa disciples” should do. However, I found out some practitioners who used to actively participate in activities of promoting Dafa have loosened their requirements for themselves and are indifferent of fellow practitioners’ reminders, thinking they are walking their own path. In fact, I think one profound meaning of Teacher’s article is to ask us to inspect ourselves—why do I cultivate Dafa?! Teacher asks disciples to completely break through their fundamental human attachments and to walk out of humanness.
Fellow practitioners, I hope we can encourage each other and warn against our “pursuit of comfort” (“Fa Rectification Period Dafa Disciple”). At this great time, let’s become real Fa rectification disciples, Teacher’s great Fa-rectification disciples! Let’s “Study the Fa and obtain the Fa, Share in learning and share in cultivating, following [the Fa] in everything, Compliance is cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation” in Hong Yin).
The above is just my personal understanding. Fellow practitioners, please correct any wrong understanding.
Translated from:
http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2001/10/25/12190.html
