How I Understand Time

By a Falun Dafa practitioner in Mainland China

(Clearwisdom.net) For a long time, many Dafa practitioners, while cultivating, have a certain attachment to time, especially when tribulations occur. When they suffer long-term hardships, their human side would want to "finish cultivation as soon as possible" and wish that "the Fa-rectification would arrive on earth soon." Master has told us that this is also an attachment, and is to be relinquished. Here are my thoughts about time from another angle.

Master said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Manhattan International Fa Conference,"

"At one point I said that one day now passes in what used to be the passage of a second, and later I told you that one year now passes in what used to be the passage of a minute. But even though the pace has been so fast, the beings in here can't detect it. And that is because the objects inside this place and all of this place's factors are, accordingly, going at a faster pace."

Think about what this means. If things had followed the original time in the Three Realms, the Fa-rectification would have finished long ago, but Master has changed the last instance into one year and several years of our time. In fact, there is no concept of the finish-time at all. So we should not use our minds to guess at it. Some overseas websites published time-line speculations based on prophecies. Actually, all these are examples of human mentalities. Dafa practitioners should not be attached to such issues that are discussed among everyday people.

From the angle of letting go of attachments and cultivating ourselves, even if we are taking the last step in our cultivation, on the last day, we will still cultivate. Then how can we know what will happen in our cultivation the next day? If we don't encounter sudden conflicts, how can we improve ourselves? If anyone were to know the end of cultivation, such a person might make specific arrangements for what he is going to do. How can this be? This would be like asking someone to foretell your future. This analogy may not be very appropriate but gives rise to the same attachment, creating another tribulation for ourselves. Master also mentioned if a Buddha were to appear in real life, then everyone would come to cultivate; even those with unforgivable sins would cultivate to the end. That would not work, because there would be nothing left for people to be enlightened to in the maze. If Dafa practitioners truly get to know the end-time, wouldn't it be the same as there not being anything to enlighten to, to a certain extent?

I have an understanding about this issue. I'm not sure if it is correct, but would like to share it with other practitioners. No being ought to know when the Fa-rectification comes to an end, especially the beings in the Three Realms. If entities in the Three Realms knew about it, then the whole universe would know about it. Beings are given an opportunity [to be saved] right up until the last minute, so that they can choose between life and death. If a Lord is saved in one second after he understands the truth, then countless beings are saved along with him.

Master said that in the future 70-80% of the people would obtain the Fa. Each of us should think about it and see if we have lived up to Master's requirements. There are still so many people who do not know the facts and have not quit the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. The attachment to time is a reflection of one's ego. Wanting to get out of the abyss of misery and caring less about others, isn't it the reflection of old forces' xinxing? Isn't this what the old forces are doing? Hasn't this persecution been created by them to protect themselves? How can beings with such xinxing be allowed to enter the new universe?

As I understand Master's teachings about consummation, true Dafa practitioners will definitely reach consummation, because that is Master's choice, and it is also the choice for the future. All beings Master wants to save will be saved, because Dafa has created the universe, and everything is under Master's control. The results are inevitable. As I understand from the Fa, if any of the Dafa practitioners Master has chosen should fail to reach consummation, wouldn't there be a vacancy in the new universe?

We should not be attached to ourselves any more. If we are not confident about ourselves, it is actually that we do not have a strong righteous belief in Master and Dafa. The current time is also a being of the old universe. If you are attached to it, wouldn't you be attached to the old Fa?

Currently we just need to do the three things well. The result is inevitable, but we should do well during the process. We should even let go of the concept of time. If we truly do well and reach Master's requirements and if we fulfill our prehistoric pledge and consummate the needs of the future universe, we will then have a grand consummation.

This is just my personal understanding. Please point out anything improper.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2008/9/11/185623.html

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