Falun Buddha
Fa
Teaching the Fa
at the Conference in Switzerland
(September
4–5, 1998, Geneva)
English
Translation Version
Good day to
you!
Among those seated here,
there are people who just rushed here from the Singapore Fa conference,
people who rushed here from other
countries and regions, and new students. The main purpose of our holding a Fa
conference is for everyone to draw upon each other’s experiences to discover
their own shortcomings so that they might improve together
in cultivation.
At the same time, this event itself is an occasion for spreading the
Fa.[1] Everything we wish
to do is for
enabling
us to cultivate
and improve—it’s by no means about formalities. So any time in the future when
we hold a Fa conference, we have to adhere to this principle so as to truly help
our students make
progress. We
have to ensure that before we can hold such conferences. Too many
experience-sharing conferences too often will easily bring about a kind of
competition, where you run one way, I do it another, etc., while everybody holds tight to
the human mindset. That won’t do. All of us have to proceed from the Fa and hold
conferences like this entirely for students’
cultivation.
Quite a few of you in the
audience are
veteran
students. I’m really happy to see all of you. You are really improving
yourselves by leaps and bounds on the path of cultivation. You can’t see the
changes in yourselves as of yet, but the changes are tremendous. You’ll be able
to confirm and see
it in the
not-too-distant future.
So
I’m really pleased.
During this period in which
you cultivate, by listening to the Fa that
I teach at Fa conferences and continually studying Zhuan Falun in depth, you can see many different
manifestations of the truth, and you have gained a different
and deeper
understanding of the Fa. Along with this, I’d like to discuss further with you
the process of your cultivation and the concept of another type of cosmic
structure. I’ll first talk about another type of cosmic structure. There’s
something here I’ve got to explain first: The cosmos was actually constructed by
the Fa. So the purpose of my talking about the cosmos definitely isn’t to propel
contemporary science to some
higher realm,
and it’s not told
to you as some
kind of knowledge. It’s to allow you to cultivate. That’s
because it goes
hand-in-hand with the Fa. The goal is to have you reach different realms through
cultivation. That is, you are
to return to
the places in different realms
where
you were
created, to return to different levels and realms of the cosmos. This Fa is
as immense as the cosmos is large, and
that’s still a concept unknown to your mind. Today I’ll speak from another angle
and see whether your thinking can keep up.
I’ll first talk about the
cosmos. To talk about the cosmos is, to put it another way, to actually discuss
matter
or the
understanding of matter. Regardless of how advanced modern science
is, its
understanding of matter is still extremely shallow.
It’s just not even worth mentioning when
compared with the entire cosmos—they can’t be compared. You know that I’ve
said
that
the cosmos is
composed of elementary particles. And what are the elementary particles composed
of, then? It has to be explained in a specific way. In the concept of different layers
of cosmic bodies (not the different layers of universes), how large
are the cosmic bodies? The expanse of just one cosmic body alone is extremely
large. Yet it’s not like there
is regularity whereby one cosmic body consists of some average number of
layers of
universes. Some consist
of upwards of
ten thousand layers of universes. And there are ones that
consist of upwards of 100 million layers of universes. This concept is extremely
vast. So every cosmic body is an unimaginably vast cosmic
expanse.
When people talk about the
concept of the universe, they
are basically
talking within the expanse of the number of galaxies that people can recognize.
The expanse that modern science can observe is just the small universe that
people talk about. Let me take Earth as a standpoint. Starting from this small
universe, three thousand small universes of our size constitute the
second-layer universe. Then, three
thousand universes each as large as the second-layer universe constitute the
third-layer universe. Think about it,
everyone: The magnification is quite large. Nevertheless,
this is to talk
about an
expansion from
one standpoint.
But there’s
not just one particle the size
of Earth in this universe. Particles roughly the size of our Earth are spread
throughout the universe, and they’re countless. I just spoke of the universes’
magnification from the standpoint of a single particle. In fact, particles of
that size are spread throughout the entire cosmos. They are in anything and
everything. They all have that kind of expansion system, spanning from large to
small, from small to large. To mankind, even just this layer of small universes
is enormous. The number of planetary particles of different sizes within it is
immeasurable. Why? Because although Buddhas,
Gods, and Daos at very high levels have insight into everything, no one has
thought about counting the specks of dust. A planet within a vast
cosmic body is really just like a speck of dust drifting in the
cosmos.
So three thousand universes
of this size continually multiply and expand the
range; they
continually multiply and expand the system. At roughly the one-thousandth layer, the boundary of this first
cosmic body
system is
reached. But
even that expanse is
not the only one: In the vast
cosmos it is still a particle, and particles of that level, too, pervade the
immense cosmos. Beyond the expanse is a state of complete
emptiness. And just how empty? If any substance in this system were to enter
it, it would be the same as
self-disintegration. That’s
because any
substance within the range of this system has life, characteristic features,
and
thought. To
enter into a microscopic emptiness of that kind would be as if the particle
could no longer sustain thought and life. It would instantly disintegrate. In
other words, anything that fell into it would disintegrate. Explaining the
concept this way makes it
easy for
us to understand. Beyond that expanse of
emptiness, however, there are actually yet
other cosmic bodies of even larger expanses. But all the same, the lives in this
realm can’t possibly move a single step toward going there, since factors of an
even more microscopic nature exist at more, and even still more, microscopic
levels. Over in the even larger expanses, however, the concepts of matter and
life are different in that cosmic body—the concept of matter no longer exists.
Within the range of cosmic bodies, the number of layers of universes is not the same, but each
and every cosmic body is composed
of the most
microscopic and elementary particles. And all of the elementary particles are
formed from the nature of the cosmos, Zhen, Shan,
Ren.
The concepts
I’m talking about here are really complex. You need to pay attention
since human
language is truly limited. For
instance, the largest particulate matter of a certain cosmic body is, as well,
made into a
layer of particles of that size from the infinitesimal particles in its own
system. It’s called a horizontal particle-composition system. That is, the particles of a
substance aren’t only assembled from a vertical microscopic system, but are
themselves at the same time also composed of substances—from microscopic to
larger and even larger—in a system of their own. In
other words,
the different-sized particles in every level of that system are themselves
systems composed of microscopic substances. And particles of different sizes
at
each level
of that system pervade
everything. So its particles of different sizes form horizontal compositional
schemes as well. Its most elementary particles and its level of largest
particles are quite far
apart from each other.
Then what, ultimately, is
the most original matter? It’s water. But the water I’m talking about
is not the water of our
ordinary human
society. Nor is it the water of the rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans that
exist at different levels. This water is what creates all matter and lives of
a cosmic body at a given level. You can call
it “original matter”…
[actually,] you
can only call it original matter. And this kind of water
differs from the concept of water that we understand in the dimension of
ordinary human beings. To be precise, it should be called “still water,” as it
doesn’t move. It’s completely still and motionless. It wouldn’t ripple or splash
if you were to toss something into it.
Now that we’re talking about
water, let’s first talk about the water
of the human world. We can take an example from secular science. As you know, in
our society of ordinary people, contemporary scientists say that there are
organic and inorganic substances. Those are in fact just understandings limited
to this dimension. Matter isn’t only composed of substances of this surface
dimension. Usually scientists classify as “organic substances” the things
considered in this dimension alive—trees, flowers, grass, plants, animals, and
human beings. They’re made of this dimension’s water, in fact. You know that
water comprises more than ninety percent of the body. That is, we humans are composed
of this dimension’s water. I mentioned before that water can create all things.
It’s just that contemporary scientists can’t figure it out. Yet [as you know]
the water of this physical dimension can grow
vegetables. When a vegetable is squeezed again and again in the hands,
eventually nothing will be left but some chlorophyll. And if the chlorophyll is
specially treated, nothing but water will remain. In other words, everything of
this dimension that people consider to be organic substances actually originate
from the water of this dimension. That
means that
water forms and creates everything.
So let me tell you:
So-called inorganic substances are in fact created by water of a higher level.
But modern science can’t recognize this, and so it thinks that those substances
aren’t alive.
But they are
in fact alive. Their form of existence is quite different from what modern
science can recognize. People will never recognize their form if modern science
continues to evolve with its current concepts. There was a saying in Chinese
cultivation circles of ancient times: “Immortals are so powerful they can toss a
rock into a wok and extract water from it.” It sounds like a joke, but in
reality it’s no joke. Throughout
the entire expanse of this cosmic body that this
universe belongs to, the most fundamental
origin of any object is water. What’s the
more
microscopic water like? And what’s the
even more
microscopic water like? It’s inconceivable, unimaginable. So I’ve
said
that it can
only remain an idea to you.
What I just said was that
particles of different levels all have one most fundamental, most original
element. But those particles as a whole have both vertical and horizontal
arrangements. It’s just like starting from the Earth we’re on: Such and such a
number of galaxies constitute one universe, and then such and such a number of
universes compose a universe of a larger expanse. We take Earth as a starting
point because we human beings are here, and I’m here teaching the Fa. So I take
Earth as a starting point. But Earth isn’t the starting point for all substances
in this universe. We think that all of the substances we see around us are the
most material ones. When I taught the Fa in the past, in order not to confuse
everyone, I said that they were the lowest-level substances. But in reality,
they can’t be regarded as the only kind of material substances. You could call
them “elementary matter.” We can use other terms to refer to them. There is
still super-matter, super super-matter, even more super super-matter…
Earth occupies the central
position in the dimensions of these Three Realms. It’s in the center vertically,
horizontally, and in terms of granular size. Then there also exist substances
whose masses are even larger than our Earth. It’s
not the kind of
mass I’ve discussed before, whereby atoms or atomic nuclei form things of great
mass, it’s not that
concept.
Those are all substances that
humankind can recognize. What I’m talking about is super-matter, something
that’s not a substance of the human dimension whatsoever. It surpasses the
substances of this dimension in terms of its
particles and
its surface compositional state. So the base point of the largest super-matter
is the edge of the Three Realms, and likewise, the base point of the smallest
matter is at the edge of the Three Realms. The human dimension, or the base
point of matter that humankind knows, lies between the large and small
substances. If you were to call everything of this human dimension “matter,”
then the things in the Three Realms that are smaller than substances of the
human world could only be said to be non-matter, and those even smaller
substances would be called non-non-matter, and so on until the smallest
particles in the Three Realms
were reached.
That’s
what I meant
when I said before that the concept of large and small in the universe isn’t
like what ordinary people understand.
And the cosmos as a whole is
the same. All particles are alive—they have life. So think about it, everyone:
The universe is alive, too, no matter how large its expanse. But within the boundary of a
cosmic body, there are numerous, countless particles of different sizes, each
existing as an individual living entity. How many layers of heavens are there in this cosmos?
How many layers of universes does it have? How many layers of cosmic
bodies
are there? No
being inside it can assess how vast and complex the cosmos is. The concept of
the cosmic body that I spoke of includes tens of millions of layers of
universes, yet it’s still merely a speck of dust in the
immense body of the infinite cosmos. It too is a tiny particle. If you could
dash off to a very, very far away place and take a look back, you would see that
it’s smaller than what a grain of sand looks to a human being. Looking at it
from further away, it would seem smaller than a speck of
dust. Looking
from even
further away, you couldn’t see it
anymore. Just now I was explaining it over and over, but to put it plainly, the
whole cosmos appears to be
constructed with particles composed of particles, and particles composed of
particles. But actually, to look at it from an even broader perspective, it’s
not composed of particles. There is no language for it, and it can’t be told to
human beings.
The human way of thinking is
always limited. When I said that particles comprise particles, you were led into
a simplistic logic, which
actually is not
appropriate. The complexity of the structure of the cosmos can’t be clearly
explained using human language. Moreover, thoughts, time, dimensions,
life-forms… everything changes upon leaving our dimension. Especially when the
space-times become different, there are great differences among particles. For
example, we know that between
planets there
are distances which are quite
far.
But
did you know
that our bodies, wood, air, water, etc., are all composed of molecules, that
molecules are also a level of particles, and that this level of particles is
right next
to
planets? That is, molecules are the
largest particles that are smaller than planets. Atoms are the largest particles
smaller than molecules. When the distance between molecules and atoms is viewed
with human concepts, we
think that they’re quite close
together, almost without distance between them. But if you were to enter into
that realm, you would find that dimension
to have its own time and state, too, and that it’s an extremely
vast
and extensive
dimension as well. Every level is like that. Positioned between molecules and
planets, we feel that the cosmos is huge. But if you were to stand in-between
atoms and molecules, you would feel that that cosmic expanse is even larger than
this one. In
other words,
you have to conform to the way of its time and space in order to understand
it.
By discussing this issue
just now, I was telling everyone that while you see great distances between planets,
the distances between molecules—which are close
when viewed with our human notions—are in fact really far.
Particles can
form countless beings, including us human beings, various kinds of animals,
various plants, wood, cement, steel and iron, as well as the air in which we
live. I’ve
mentioned
that human beings are actually
living in a mound of soil. We’re aware that worms crawl around in soil.
But
did you
know
that gods look
upon us humans in the same way—that
human beings
are
burrowing around in soil? Why
is that?
We humans deem soil
to be soil, but
gods see all molecules—that is,
the molecules in the Three Realms—as soil, and as the coarsest and dirtiest substance. They
take them to be soil, and
they are indeed soil. So think
about it, everyone: How do those gods view this
universe
and the world?
The air is composed of molecules, and the whole environment that exists around
you is composed of molecules. The water of this dimension is composed of
molecules, too, and so is even the air. Gods
see molecules
as soil, so you are completely buried in soil, and human beings are burrowing
around in soil—human beings just live in that kind of environment. By explaining
it this way, maybe you can see why in the Western religious tradition Yahweh or
Jesus taught that God created man from clay, right?! Actually, in the
East
it’s said that
Nü Wa[2]
created human beings from clay. This explanation should make it easier for you
to understand. Gods
in fact see all
particles made of the matter of this dimension as soil dust, or soil. It’s
really true.
Just now I said that
particles can form everything in a dimension. The cosmic bodies are extensive
and flourishing. The more microscopic the particles that compose a world, the
more beautiful and
glorious the
world. Actually, even larger particles can form even larger cosmic expanses or
even larger lives. While these planets appear to us human beings to be pretty
far from one another, they seem quite close to one another in the eyes of larger
beings; it’s much the same way human beings perceive the distances among molecules. Then could what
human
beings see
between planets
be part
of
a
being’s
body? In other
words, could it make up an even larger life?! It’s really the same
idea. In the
past it was said that there were giants and dwarves. Whether ordinary people say
they existed or not doesn’t matter, I’m teaching in terms of principles. It’s
just that times have changed. With history’s progression to this stage, it had
to conform to the historical and cultural requirements of this time period. So
that caused today’s society to become how it
is. People no longer believe in what they can’t see or experience. And the more
they disbelieve, the less
they are allowed to know the truth. That’s because human
beings have become foolish. And human beings’ disbelief was actually something
arranged. I often say that human beings want to be in charge but they never,
ever have been.
As for the matter of
human
beings wanting
to be in charge and
desiring
democracy, in reality, human beings have never truly been in charge, for it is
gods that control the world. For instance, when persons have many blessings in
their lives and great talent, it was certainly arranged that way, or that they
become high-ranking officials. Those who have
minor blessings and those who
aren’t all that capable, conversely, definitely can’t become high-ranking officials. The Paris
Commune overturned the monarchy.
But let me tell
you, all of the presidents elected generation after generation in France were
emperors before, it’s just that the arrangement has changed. What I mean by
that, is that everything is arranged by gods. So the rivalries that have
developed between political parties in today’s human society are just the state
of affairs amidst which today’s humankind exists. In ancient
times—and I think you’ll all
believe this point—there was no such thing.
Today, humankind is actually
a rather warped
humankind with a warped
society. For now that’s all I’ll say about this topic.
I just mentioned that the
different particles of the universe can make up beings of different sizes. Lives
exist on every planet. It’s just that they don’t appear in this dimension of
human beings, so we human beings can’t comprehend them. Today’s science doesn’t understand
this since it’s underdeveloped and can only crawl around within this dimension.
Actually, it’s quite easy to see into other dimensions. As
long as you
have a huge microscopic observation system you can see the form of existence of those
objects composed of particles smaller than molecules. Human
beings can’t
see their true existence because humans have all kinds of obstacles—they have
mental obstacles that prevent them from believing. They don’t dare to do it,
and
they
don’t
see the point of doing that. But regardless of whether
you want to see them or not, they will reveal their true appearances
from time to time. Some people just suddenly
see them. Under a strange combination of circumstances, substances that are in
motion might suddenly reveal themselves. It’s something that happens every now
and then. People always explain mirages as a kind of refraction of the
atmosphere.
That is a
self-justifying theory adopted to explain
what modern
science cannot,
it makes no
sense. In reality, they
are the true
manifestations of other dimensions. You can grasp the concept
of the universe that I just
discussed, right? (Applause)
All matter in the universe
is composed of Zhen, Shan, Ren. At
different levels Zhen, Shan, Ren has
different manifestations and is displayed in different
ways. It has created different living environments for the beings of different
levels. When it comes to human beings’ level, the manifestation of this Fa is
extremely vast and extremely complicated, cultivation ways are abundant,
and the truths
that people enlighten to are numerous. If one wants to be a good person, the
criteria that exist in this dimension are: benevolence, loyalty, propriety,
learning, trustworthiness, and so on and so forth. They are all derived from
Zhen, Shan, Ren, and are incredibly
many. And that’s not all. Elements that constitute women are delicateness and
gentleness, while men need to be strong and
upright, and so
on. Those are all manifestations of the Fa. How material beings appear and how material
forms of existence are,
those are all
manifestations of the Fa. The Fa has created everything.
Next, let me talk about
cultivation. In cultivation, why do you have to meet a realm’s criteria in order
to go over there? Because there is Fa for that particular level. In that realm
there is a required standard for those beings, as well as a standard for the
environment of those beings. A karma-laden body
that
doesn’t conform
to that dimension’s environment is
unacceptable. A
filthy body absolutely cannot enter a dimension that high. So you have to
conform to the bodily state of that higher realm—namely, a karma-free state. Not
only do you need to be free of karma,
but your body’s substances need to be microscopic and fine in that way. That’s
something people who don’t truly cultivate cannot attain, even if they wanted to and
pursued it—it can only be cultivated. It’s attained by enduring hardship
and going
through grueling cultivation.
Moreover, the
living side of you has to conform to the
standards of that realm. Or in other words, your mind, your thoughts, and all of
the spiritual properties of your existence have to conform to the standards of
that level.
Of course, there’s also a
standard for the form of existence of that dimension’s lives. You can’t go there
as a human being like this. You have to assume the appearance of the beings in
that dimension when you are about to Consummate. The higher the level, the more
youthful and beautiful the appearance of those beings. The lower the realm, the
less beautiful. As one goes higher, not only is the appearance more beautiful,
but also the thoughts have to be more pure and refined. One’s way of existence, speech, demeanor, and
movement will
all undergo changes. Their speech is like poetry, and that’s just the way of
things at one certain level. Higher levels are even more splendid. It definitely
wouldn’t work if you didn’t conform to the requirements of that realm. I often
say that “cultivation is
up to you, gong is up to the master.” In other
words, though you want to reach that kind of realm, how could you reach it when
you don’t even know about it? How could you do
that? You
yourself can’t do it. I only look at the heart you have for cultivation. Master
will take care of the other side if you’re determined to keep
cultivating. What’s critical is whether
you can be steadfast and
whether you can
finish
your cultivation.
I haven’t discussed the
specific way in which gong is evolved,
and I don’t
want people to focus on it. Doing it this way keeps attachments from springing
up and it spares people from letting their imaginations run wild. As you know,
the higher one goes, the more tranquil one’s mind. Yet it’s not right for you
to insist on seeking tranquility without raising your xinxing. Some people are bent on seeking
tranquility when they do the exercises. They insist on trying to attain
tranquility, and it develops into an attachment. But I can say that as low-level
cultivation ways see it, it is a method, whereas when viewed from high levels,
it’s intention-filled
conduct. Why?
Tranquility can only be achieved through cultivation and gradually eliminating
attachments. If someone wants to will himself into total tranquility and part
with all attachments just like that, in general that can’t be done. (Of
course, there are special
circumstances that we won’t discuss.) Being able to achieve that kind of
tranquility means that your mind has become pure to that extent.
What I call “special circumstances” refers to cultivation ways that cultivate
the assistant soul (fu yuanshen),
whereby a person can will himself to be tranquil from the very start.
But that’s not
our Dafa’s way of
cultivating.
This is no minor thing.
As I mentioned before, when
you speak to others with your own goals in mind, wanting to change or persuade
them, no matter how reasonable your words are, other people will have a hard
time completely accepting them. Nor can the words move people’s hearts. Why? Let me tell
you: It’s actually because the words you say contain all of your thoughts. Your
sentences have complicated thoughts included in them, such as your human
emotions and desires, and even those many attachments of yours. That makes your
words not so powerful and rather diluted. Also, people often look at things from
their own viewpoints when they say things to others, and those might not conform
to the Fa of the universe. So in this respect
they lack the
power of Truth. Moreover, when speaking to others, people add things to protect
themselves so that they won’t get
hurt. In other words, the intention behind your words is no longer pure, then.
And as a result your words get really frivolous. But when your mind can
truly become tranquil, when your attachments get less and less, or when the
distracting thoughts get less and less, then you’ll find that your words have
power. Why was it that when I spoke about
non-action I mentioned that you
shouldn’t interfere with things that shouldn’t be interfered with? That’s
because your words already have power, and words with power can change people.
It doesn’t matter if your changing someone seems right, you might be doing
something wrong. You don’t know the truth since what your eyes see is
superficial, and since you can’t perceive karmic[3]
reasons from
the past. Your
mind will become increasingly
pure as you reach higher levels. What your thinking
brings forth then, and what you say, will be
extremely pure. The purer and simpler they are, the more they conform to the
principles of that level of the universe. The words you speak then can instantly
pierce people’s hearts, strike the depths
of people’s thoughts, and strike the
more microscopic part of their existences. Now isn’t that going to be
powerful?! So if you can become tranquil, that ability signifies that you have
reached a certain realm.
In our cultivation we need
to meet the requirements of a given realm in order to reach that realm. Otherwise you
can’t go there. That’s why in our cultivation human attachments have to be
discarded, why karma has to be eliminated, why the requirements of the Fa have to be
met, and why I ask you to read
the book a lot and understand the Fa well.
I’ve only discussed the
topic briefly. This is a Fa conference. You don’t have a lot of opportunities to
meet me, and you’ve had lots of questions brewing which you have wanted a chance
to ask me.
So I will use
the time that’s left to answer your questions. But there is one thing you
should pay attention to: Some
people (of course, they are all new students) have a brash attitude when
they ask questions, and don’t show due respect for their master. Of course, it’s
not so much that I’m demanding respect for a teacher by upholding old-fashioned
formalities, but I am your master after all, and will save you to a high realm.
What I’m giving you is something that you can never repay in the eternity of
your lives. So I hope your tone will be
that of a disciple. All right, you can pass your question
slips
up.
Question: After Shakyamuni, Lao Zi, and
Jesus, how many people have attained the Tathagata Righteous
Attainment
through cultivation?
Teacher: All in all there have been
a lot. Many people did after Shakyamuni attained the Way; they cultivated
successfully in the Buddhist religion. And there were people among Jesus’ later
disciples and monks whose cultivation met with success. Of course, in China
there
are lots of cultivation ways.
Since cultivation ways aren’t
geographically restricted, in ancient times there were also
those in
Western society who practiced cultivation, and quite a few of them succeeded. It
wasn’t by way of religions that they succeeded. But in recent times
there have been
few who Consummated.
In contemporary society the number is almost
zero.
Question: It’s mentioned in
Zhuan Falun [(Volume II)] that
the moon was constructed by the humankind of a remote age. Could Teacher tell us
a little about the reason and purpose back then for constructing
it?
Teacher: Everyone here is
laughing,
because
that’s so far from why I teach the
Fa. You are seeking knowledge and letting your imagination run wild. And when
your imagination runs wild, your thinking becomes less pure and tranquil. But
instead of letting go of those things you’re attached to among ordinary people,
you’re asking me about them and even mixing them together with the Fa.
That’s
precisely what I’m worried about with you
all. Put your mind
to cultivation.
Of course, I can answer, since the question has been
raised.
In the past, the situation
never resembled that of today’s science. So the mankinds of different time
periods were of course developing in the ways of those times. People at one time
recognized the trouble that the dark of night caused people, so they constructed
a moon up there to bring light to Earth during the night. That has nothing to do
with cultivation. It’s not that I’m unwilling to tell you about it. It’s that
whatever I say will materialize something, as the things I say become Fa. So
don’t ask me to casually talk about human interest things.
Question: Is the speed of
one’s intention faster than the speed of light?
Teacher: That’s for sure. The speed
of human thoughts is quite fast. As your level rises you will penetrate every
dimension in the levels below you. Listen carefully to what I’m saying: As your
level gets higher, when your gong
penetrates any of the dimensions in the levels below you, it isn’t subject to
the time restraints of those dimensions. Gong is directed by intention. Since you
live in this environment, your walking speed, the speed of your car, and so on,
every single thing is limited by the time of this dimension. The intention that
people emanate is rapid in this human dimension. If a person is a cultivator, he
transcends the restrictions of this dimension and his intention is extremely
fast. Meanwhile, we’ve said that a person’s gong and all of the abilities carried in
his body are controlled by his thoughts. So that means, when his intention
arises, his gong arrives—that’s how
powerful he is. I’ve said that if the abilities of those of you who have
cultivated to very high realms were not locked up for you, you might really turn
the Heaven and Earth upside down in just an instant. So before a person has
reached complete Enlightenment, he is absolutely prohibited from being
unrestricted while he cultivates on the earth, it’s absolutely prohibited. It is
all right for those people with minor abilities, since this dimension is watched
over by the gods of this dimension, and
those gods can control all of this so
that a person can’t topple Heaven or overturn Earth. But if a person’s abilities
are greater it won’t be allowed. Master also has to watch over
this.
Question: In this universe
of ours, what type of matter has the greatest speed?
Teacher: You’re asking about science. To tell you would be to satisfy your pursuing mind, and that’d be the same as expanding your attachment. Yet if I don’t tell you, well, you’ve raised the question.
In regards to the speed in
this dimension that people nowadays know of, it has even greater energy that
people haven’t discovered and can’t utilize. The ideas of what’s the largest and
smallest all come from the perspective of human understanding; they are
understandings within the range of the human dimension and time field. Size, as
conceptualized by humans,
doesn’t exist
in
this universe. So in the universe, what is
fast—as referred to by you—depends
on the level.
For example, the rate at which a very high-level god speaks is still faster than
the speed of your mind—even when that
god is speaking very, very slowly. The words I’m saying here and what I just
said about your being attached have just taken place, but in a specific
dimension they actually occurred hundreds of years ago. That’s how big the difference is.
The universe is just incredibly vast. The differences in time fields have formed
the universe’s complicated dimensions.
Actually, not
being subject to the restrictions
of time,
that’s what is most rapid.
But
human
beings will
never really understand the real meaning of that sentence. Your idea, “what type
of matter has the greatest speed,”
is a human
notion
and a human
understanding. Time is not absolute, even in this present dimension of ours. As
you know, I mentioned in Zhuan Falun
that a certain star is seen to be 150 thousand light years away from us. But in
fact, I was only discussing it by using what human beings can understand with contemporary
science.
That’s not really how it is. Then
how is it? Let’s think about it: There exist different times in different
dimensions. Within the expanse of our Earth there is a time field, and
everything is confined within the boundaries of
that time. As soon as a man-made satellite
goes beyond our atmosphere it
is
in another time
field,
which is
definitely not the same as Earth’s. So there are also the time
fields of other planets when it passes by those planets.
The
larger the cosmic body, the
greater the
time and speed differences within it.
It’s
said that it
takes 150 thousand light years for
us to see the
things that occur in the Milky
Way system.
Actually, let me tell you that perhaps you can see them in just two or three
years. Why? Because the speed of light, too, is subject to the restrictions of time fields. When
light penetrates through
different time fields, its speed,
“shwa—, shwa—, shwa—,” suddenly becomes fast
or slow. When it gets here to our Earth, it then conforms to Earth’s time field
and becomes extremely slow. There is simply no way to
assess
the time in the
universe using this time field that
Earth’s inhabitants can comprehend. Humankind’s understanding of
truth, of matter, life, the
universe, and many things, including the development of human beings, is
wrong.
Question: How do the great enlightened beings
of the Buddha system explain the light of this universe?
Teacher: What’s so great about just seeing
light?! There are many kinds of light, and they’re different at different
levels. And how, as well as for what purpose, light is emitted is different.
Don’t use human thoughts to think
about things that are higher than man. I’d say that if you want to cultivate,
you need to read the book more and study the Fa a lot. What you can’t enlighten
to and what you don’t know will, in the future, all be visible in the Fa. Think
about it: I’ve said that every object has
energy—even molecules have energy. People can’t sense that
molecules have energy because man himself is composed of molecules. That’s why
people can’t sense it. Things that have energy have light and power.
Don’t make a mountain out of a
molehill or inflate the significance of every little thing. When Dafa disciples’
mighty virtue is displayed, now that will be glorious and
brilliant.
Question: Can we publish
Master’s articles in newspapers in
order to spread the Fa? On the other hand, I’m concerned
that people might
misinterpret the meaning of
the articles.
Teacher: They will, they all will.
So it’s best not to
do that. Why?
Let me tell you: Our best method for spreading the Fa is for everybody to do the
exercises in groups. We’re only saying that we don’t want to leave out people
who have a predestined relationship. When I talk about spreading
the Fa, I’m not
asking the entire humankind to come obtain the Fa—that’s not the idea
at all. I’m talking about getting people with a predestined relationship to come
obtain the Fa. Today I might as
well tell everyone clearly: The Fa-spreading method we’ve adopted all along is
that you do the exercises outdoors. Another one is to have our Dafa books for
sale in public bookstores. My Law Bodies will direct people with a predestined
relationship to buy the book, and as soon as they read it they will come and
learn. Also, we’re doing the exercises outdoors, so the Law Bodies will arrange
for them to find the practice sites and obtain the Fa. Through a strange
combination of circumstances they will be led over here to do the exercises, or
they will find our students. That’s how we’ve arranged
it.
You want more people to know
about it and you’ve used many, many methods. It’s the students’
good intention,
I can see that. And you’ve done well. But all of it is self-initiated,
individual action, so I don’t
approve or disapprove. In
the Fa,
however,
the
Fa-spreading methods that I’ve left behind for Dafa are these: We do the
exercises outside in groups,
hold Fa
conferences, and have books for sale in bookstores. People with a predestined
relationship will go buy the book, and they’ll want to cultivate after
they read it. And then they will find us of their own initiative and learn.
That’s how it is. Of course,
sometimes students will, as a personal act, put announcements in newspapers to
inform other
people about
it. That too can allow a lot of people to obtain the Fa. I don’t
disapprove
of that
approach,
for it can
help
the predestined
ones become
aware of it.
I’m just saying that the best forms I leave for you for spreading the Fa are group exercises
and Fa conferences.
Question: I’ve made
spreading the Fa an integral part of my cultivation, but Master has
said that spreading the Fa has
nothing to do with reaching Consummation.
Teacher: Spreading the Fa and reaching Consummation are of course two different terms and concepts. But there’s one point to be made: For those who work to spread the Fa, if you treat it as a job and, although you often work hard and make a great effort to do it, if you normally don’t read the book much and you don’t have time to do the exercises, this kind of work will inevitably depart from the Fa. In other words, you won’t have integrated your cultivation with your work. You’re really attached when doing the work, and you don’t think about whether the troubles you encounter are related to your xinxing or whether the way you do things conforms to the Fa or to the standards of a cultivator. If you don’t look inside yourself in this manner, if you don’t look at it this way, then your work