PureInsight | May 2, 2022
[PureInsight.org] When I achieve something in my cultivation, I normally think it is due to Master's help, not my own ability. However, if I'm not vigilant enough with my thoughts, I will start to inadvertently validate myself. It is especially easy to happen in some minor matters.
Just before the Chinese New Year, I went to a practitioner's house, this practitioner told me, "The nanny is going to leave, she asked me to find someone else, but I have yet to find a suitable nanny." The practitioner looked a little bit anxious. The nanny in this practitioner's house is also a practitioner. I said, "Let me see if I can persuade her to stay." So, I took the time to share my thoughts with the nanny, hoping she could stay.
After the Chinese New Year, when I went to this practitioner's house, the nanny was still there. Turns out, she had decided against leaving, and stayed. This practitioner asked me quietly: "Is this because you persuaded her to stay?" I replied, "Yes." I was quite happy that I could solve this practitioner's predicament. But after returning home, this incident replayed in my mind a few times. It was a small matter, which was all over. But why did it keep replaying in my head? Did I do anything wrong? So, I carefully thought about it again and suddenly realized: I was validating myself, not validating Dafa. Master has arranged every Dafa disciple's path, such as who should get rid of what attachment; who should improve; who should cultivate in which environment ... the arrangements are meticulous. On the surface, the nanny decided to stay due to my persuading her to stay, when in fact it was Master's arrangement. Perhaps Master hoped she would stay. I only completed the action on the surface. How could I have the ability to arrange another person's path?
When I thought about the matter this way, I immediately found lots of my attachments:
Firstly, I took Master's credit for myself. No matter what a Dafa disciple does, no matter how big or small the matter is, the achievements are Master's. It is Master who helps disciples to complete things. This is the foundation. If there is no Master, what can we do? If we have achievements, then we shouldn't take them to be the result of our own efforts. We must develop a habit to validate Dafa, and not to position ourselves as more important. When a cultivator helps others and accomplishes something, it is Master's arrangement. Don't mistakenly think otherwise. Otherwise, wouldn't it be the same as the old forces?
Secondly, I had the showing off mentality and zealotry. Regardless of a matter being minor or major, so long as one is complacent, even just a little, it is likely to be the showing off mentality. It is easy to neglect this type of impure mindset.
I also realized that I was actually validating myself with many things in the past, such as: whenever someone praised me on how well I did a certain thing. I felt elated. When I helped others do something, or cooperated well with others, I started to think, "Look at me." When people appreciated me after I clarified the truth to them, I would feel proud, and I neglected to tell them, "You don't need to thank me, thank my Master and Dafa." The question of placing oneself first, or Master first, is a fundamental issue.
After realizing this, I told fellow practitioners in the Fa-study group that I was wrong.
To wrap up, I would like to share with practitioners what Master said in “Don’t Make Wild Statements,” from Essentials for Further Advancement," Actually, it is the Fa that saves people, and only Master can do this thing. You merely help people with predestined relationships to obtain the Fa. Whether they can truly be saved still depends on whether they can reach Consummation through cultivation. Be careful: A Buddha will be shocked by such wild statements, intentional or not. Don’t create obstacles for your own cultivation practice. You must also cultivate your speech in this regard. I hope you can understand. ”
Above is my little enlightenment on this issue.
Chinese version: http://big5.zhengjian.org/node/274199
