(Minghui.org) I’m sad to have heard recently that some older fellow practitioners have passed away. I would like to share my understanding of sickness karma.
Master said,
“Except for newer students, from July 20 of 1999 on, Master hasn’t created any personal cultivation tests for you, and that’s because overall your personal cultivation has changed in every respect so that it’s in the direction of saving sentient beings and validating Dafa.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)
Since Master hasn’t created any sickness karma tests for us, the “sickness karma” is an illusion, a false appearance, and an opportunity for us to improve our xinxing. However, if we linger on improving, it may give the old forces a handle to pile up tribulations to a damaging level, which may even cost lives of some practitioners. I would like to share the following points about my understanding of the appearance of illusions.
First of all, the most important thing is persisting in doing all the three things, especially truth clarification. Studying the Fa, the prerequisite to making improvements, coupled with looking within, is the only way to identify our loopholes, and leave no excuses for the old forces. Most practitioners have realized that the illusion was due to arrangements by the old forces, but they didn’t know how to deny the arrangements.
It’s relatively easy for practitioners facing tribulations to study the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts, but truth clarification is often neglected. However, we must not give up.
Based on my experience, there must be something we can do to help clarify the truth despite various symptoms of sickness karma. For example, printing truth-clarification messages on notes. Studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts won’t be enough. We have to think of some projects these fellow practitioners can help with. It certainly takes endurance when suffering. As long as they continue to improve themselves during the process of truth clarification, the illusion of sickness karma will probably disappear before we know it.
Master said,
“In this delusion, in this state, they’re left with this chance. And since they’re in this delusion it’s the most trying. They give them this body to suffer with.” (The Second Talk, Zhuan Falun)
One of the things I have learned from Master’s above teaching is that the purpose of having this body is to suffer. When I was released from the labor camp on medical parole, I couldn’t walk due to damaged nerves in my legs. You can image how bad my condition had to be before the labor camp would release a Falun Dafa practitioner who refused to give up. However, I didn’t slack off in doing the exercises because of my disability. As I persisted, my exercise movements became closer and closer to normal, and I was eventually able to walk better and better.
I once needed to move something heavier than 110 pounds to the fifth floor. I could barely walk without carrying anything at that time, but leaning against the wall of the stairway, I managed to drag the heavy item up to the fifth floor, one step at a time. My body continued to shake, and tears and sweat ran down my face. You can easily say that my body wasn’t under my control. It was my righteous thoughts that directed my body to do it like a healthy person would.
Secondly, we have to hold strong faith in Master and the Fa, and firmly believe we will reach consummation when we do benevolent resolution with the beings causing the abnormality. We also need to look within for any resentment in our minds.
A fellow practitioner in my family used to have a lump on her neck for years. It didn’t hurt, but kept growing. Although she had often sent forth righteous thoughts about it and communicated with the being behind it about benevolent resolution, it didn’t help. The lump grew as big as a ping-pong ball.
She read an article one day on the Minghui website in which a practitioners reached benevolent resolution by quoting a paragraph of Master’s teaching.
Master said,
“You can have this thought: ‘During the Fa-rectification of the cosmos, I can make a reasonable arrangement for those of you who don’t interfere with my validating the Fa; I can have you become beings in the future. Those of you who seek a benevolent resolution should leave me and wait in my surroundings. If you really cannot leave me, then don’t have any part in interfering with me. In the future I will be able to achieve Consummation, and I will offer you a benevolent resolution. Those who are completely bad, who still interfere with me and who cannot remain will, according to the standards, have to be eliminated. Even if I don’t eliminate you, the Law of the cosmos won’t let you remain.’” (Teachings at the 2004 International Conference in New York)
It dawned on the fellow practitioner in my family that the reason she couldn’t reach benevolent resolution was that she had no confidence in her own Consummation. She often thought of the time when she had gone astray and when she had attachments. Wasn’t it an empty promise if she wasn’t sure whether she would reach Consummation?
She seized the time to study the Fa and found her resentments in family affairs and during her collaborations with fellow practitioners. As a matter of fact, resentment is also a reflection of jealousy. No one with jealousy can reach Consummation
She experienced improvement in her xinxing after identifying and eliminating her attachments. Again, she tried to communicate with the being behind the lump on her neck, “You have been there for years, but you haven’t caused any pain. That means you aren’t bad. The size of the lump has affected my image and my truth clarification. As a disciple of Falun Dafa during the Fa-rectification period, I will be able to reach Consummation. Please leave me in a week. You will be paid back. If you are willing to leave, I promise to publish my experience on the Minghui website, which will play a role in validating the Fa. Your contribution counts. If you continue to interfere with me, you don’t belong to the group of good beings according to the principles of the Universe and will be eliminated. Even if I don’t eliminate you, the Law of the cosmos won’t let you remain.”
Her communication worked amazingly. On the eighth day, she felt something in her throat. She coughed hard and spit out a lot of blood. Nasty mucus, blood, and mess continued to come out of her nose and mouth. She touched the lump on her neck and found it much smaller and softer. She is still in the process of cleansing as I write this article.
Thirdly, practitioners experiencing tribulations should read experience-sharing articles and listen to Minghui Radio. It’s a reflection of our faith in our collective power. Don’t get isolated from others. We will achieve improvements together.
The Fa-rectification period is approaching the end. Let’s seize the fleeting opportunities to cultivate ourselves well. Comfort moments will vanish, but the sentient beings in our world will become our eternal wealth. Let’s cultivate diligently, save more sentient beings, and fulfill our vows!