[Minghui 05/01/2001]

"Validate the Fa with reason, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and offer people salvation with benevolence" (Rationality)

[Minghui] A few days ago, I was busy with hongfa (promoting Falun Dafa) activities and pushed back some of my everyday work. Recently, I was busy catching up with the delayed work as it was approaching the deadline. As time was very tight, I had to squeeze some time from my sleep, meals, and rest. Sometimes I could only have one meal and sleep for about one hour per day. I spent the rest of my time to do my work.

From such intensive schedule, I was enlightened to a few things:

I used to have a very strong attachment, as I have not been jailed, so my mind is not at rest. Other practitioners have suffered so much to protect Dafa [The great Law]. Under such a harsh environment, they have passed many critical tribulations, which target their fundamental attachments to the human world. They have built up enormous prestige. How could I get upgraded? Should I follow what they did? As I felt for my situation, I could contribute more if I use other methods. Furthermore, Dafa is most important and building prestige should be something gained without pursuit. I do not want to use the tribulations of Dafa as a chance to gain something or build up something for myself.

My recent busy schedule made me realize a lot. This can also be viewed as suffering from working outside of the detention centers or labor camps. The key point is whether you have put all your effort into it, whether you are diligent enough to advance forward. A person who does not run fast would not have the experience of being exhausted. When I was busy between promoting Dafa and everyday work, between practitioners and everyday people; when I was hungry for a day and still needed to ride my bike a great distance; when I have no time to eat, sleep, or sit for a while, many times I have chosen to relax and retreat. In fact, every time, it is a choice between being comfortable and contributing to Dafa. Every time, it is a trial to see whether you are seeking for everyday life or fulfilling your wish to go back home.

It is also like suffering but from outside of the detention centers or the labor camps. That is because there are lots of temptations. You can get comfortable if you want to, everything is in front of you, and you can enjoy it at will. And you would not feel that it is a pain when you do not want to give them up: this is the scariest thing.

When practitioners are appealing via hunger strikes inside, have you been able to validate Dafa even if you do not have a meal? When practitioners are suffering the vicious torture inside, have you been able to use the same strong will to surpass your own physical limitation, spiritual limitation, to surpass that laziness which is everywhere when you are in a comfortable condition?

It is the same whether you are inside or outside, the bottom line is whether you are diligent enough to advance forward.

The enemy they are facing inside is pain, while the enemy we are facing outside is comfort. The pain inside is pressing people to destroy their will; the comfort outside is to wear out people's will unnoticeably.

Cultivation can only be done in this maze to be steadfast to one's Buddha nature. No matter under what circumstance, whether it is to suffer or to have comfort in this human world, for a human being who swore to go up, the most painful thing is to be tied up here and not able to return back home.

Either return home, or drift away in the sea of bitterness.

The above is my personal experiences, just for your references.

(Translated on April 26, 2001 from an edited version of http://minghui.cc/mh/articles/2001/4/25/10299.html)