Determination  

With Teacher here, you are full of confidence. Without Teacher here, you have no interest in cultivation, as though you cultivate yourself for Teacher and have taken up this path out of some interest. This is a major weakness of an average person. Sakyamuni, Jesus, Lao Zi,[1] and Confucius have been gone for over two thousand years, yet their disciples have never felt that they couldn’t practice cultivation without their masters around. Cultivation is your own affair, and nobody else can do it for you. The teacher can only tell you the laws and principles on the surface. It is your own responsibility to cultivate your heart and mind, let go of your desires, attain wisdom, and eliminate confusion. If you take up this path out of some interest, your mind will definitely not be firm and you will definitely forget the fundamentals while living in human society. If you don’t firmly hold to your faith you will gain nothing in this life. No one knows when there will be another chance. It’s very hard! 

Li Hongzhi

October 6, 1995