Cultivation and Work 

With the exception of professional cultivators in temples, the vast majority of our Falun Dafa disciples are practicing cultivation in the society of everyday people. By studying and practicing Dafa, you are now able to take fame and self-interest lightly. Yet, a lack of in-depth understanding of the Fa has given rise to a problem: A small number of disciples have given up their jobs among everyday people or refuse to be promoted to leadership positions. This has incurred much unnecessary interference in their work and lives, directly affecting their cultivation. Some decent business people think that they have taken money lightly and, at the same time, that doing business may harm others and affect their own cultivation. They have also given up their businesses. 

In fact, Dafa’s content is profound. Abandoning ordinary human attachments does not mean giving up an everyday person’s job. Giving up fame and self-interest is not to distance yourself from the society of everyday people. I have repeatedly pointed out that those who practice cultivation in the society of everyday people must conform to the ways of everyday people’s society.

Viewed from another angle, if all leadership positions in the society of everyday people were filled by people like us who can let go of the concern for their own reputation and self-interest, what great benefits would it bring to people? And what would be brought to society if greedy people were to assume power? If all business people were cultivators of Dafa, what would society’s morality be like?

The Dafa of the universe (the Buddha Fa) is coherent and complete, from the highest level to the lowest level. You should know that ordinary human society also comprises a level of the Fa. If everyone were to study Dafa and give up their jobs in society, ordinary human society would cease to exist, and so would this level of the Fa. Ordinary human society is the manifestation of the Fa at the lowest level, and it is also the form of existence of life and matter for the Buddha Fa at this level.  

Li Hongzhi

April 26, 1996