Cultivation [edit] Teachings of Falun Gong Falun Gong. Considered an introductory exposition of the principles of Falun Gong and the concept of 'cultivation practice' along with descriptions of the exercises of Falun Gong. First published in April, 1993. Nine Day Lectures on Falun Dafa. From 1992 to 1994, Li Hongzhi presented his teachings across China, the contents of which were ultimately edited and compiled into the book Zhuan Falun . The teachings entailed a one to two hour lecture on each of 8 to 10 consecutive days. Exercise instruction was offered thereafter. The final of these lecture series, delivered in Guangzhou, China, in 1994, were recorded live and they form a central part of Falun Gong's teachings. Zhuan Falun- Turning the Law Wheel . Considered the central and most comprehensive exposition of the teachings of Falun Gong. First published in January, 1995. Hong Yin - Grand Verses . A collection of short poems written by Li, often touching upon issues pertinent to the traditional Chinese concept of cultivation practice. Lectures and Writings. Transcripts of Lectures delivered by Li and articles periodically published by him also form a central part of Falun Gong's teachings. Li Hongzhi describes Falun Gong as a "high-level cultivation practice" which, in the past, "served as an intensive cultivation method that required practitioners with extremely high Xinxing (mind-nature) or great inborn quality"[13]; he teaches that practice will reveal the principles of the universe and life at different levels to those who dedicate themselves to its study. By cultivating xinxing (mind nature and moral quality) to assimilate to the nature of the universe, and by eliminating karma though enduring tribulations and hardships, one can return to the "original, true self", and understand the truth of human life.[14]. In Falun Dafa, Truthfulness (Zhen 真),Compassion (Shan 善) , Forbearance (Ren 忍) is seen as the seen as the fundamental characteristic of the cosmos, and the process of cultivation one of the practitioner assimilating himself to this by letting go of attachments and negative thoughts. In Zhuan Falun, Li Hongzhi says, "As a practitioner, if you assimilate yourself to this characteristic you are one that has attained the Tao—it's just such a simple principle." Falun Gong echoes traditional Chinese beliefs that humans are connected to the universe through mind and body, according to Danny Schechter. [15] Li challenges "conventional mentalities", and sets out to unveil myths of the universe, time-space, and the human body. The opening statement of Zhuan Falun includes the phrase "If human beings are able to take a fresh look at themselves as well as the universe and change their rigid mentalities, humankind will make a leap forward." Li says that raising one's xinxing is fundamental to cultivating oneself. Improving xinxing means relinquishing human attachments, which prevent people from awakening. The term attachments refer to: jealousy, competitiveness, fame, showing off, pursuit of material gain, anger, lust, etc.. In Zhuan Falun , he states "You must eliminate all ill thoughts among everyday people—only then can you move up. "[4]" "And for a cultivator,if you assimilate to this nature you are someone who has attained the Dao. The truth is really just that simple." Li argues that having material possessions itself is not a problem, but that the problem is with developing attachments to material things: "In our school of practice, those who practice cultivation among everyday people are required to practice cultivation precisely in ordinary human society, and to fit in among everyday people as much as possible. You are not really asked to lose anything materially. It does not matter how high your position ranks or how much wealth you own. The key is whether you can abandon that attachment. "[16] Ownby says that for Li Hongzhi, an attachment is "literally any desire, emotion, habit, or orientation which stands between a practitioner (or any human being for that matter) and the pursuit of truth and cultivation." At the beginning of Zhuan Falun Li says "the entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments. In ordinary human society, people compete with, deceive, and harm each other for a little personal gain. All of these mentalities must be given up." Li also says that loss and gain does not refer to the loss of money or the gain of comfort, rather the measure of how many human attachments one can lose, and how much one can enlighten in the course of cultivation practice. [16] Ownby regards as most difficult to practice Li's requirement for practitioners to reduce the attachment to sentimentality or qing(情). In Lecture Four of Zhuan Falun Li says: "Why can human beings be human? It is because human beings have sentimentality. They live just for this sentimentality. Affection among family members, love between a man and a woman, love for parents, feelings, friendship, doing things for friendship, and everything else all relate to this sentimentality. Whether a person likes to do something or not, is happy or unhappy, loves or hates something, and everything in the entire human society comes from this sentimentality. If this sentimentality is not relinquished, you will be unable to practice cultivation. If you are free from this sentimentality, nobody can affect you. An everyday person's mind will be unable to sway you. What takes over in its place is benevolence, which is something more noble. "[17] Ownby regards this as "quite Buddhist, as it is a way out of the web of human relations... and thus a step toward individual enlightenment. "[12] Ownby says that Li urges practitioners to abandon human attachments not for achieving selfish ends, but "quite the contrary. Practitioners are enjoined to treat others with compassion and benevolence in order to cultivate virtue and work off karma. "[12] He says that such compassion and benevolence should not be reserved to those with whom one had a prior attachment, nor should the goal be to inspire gratitude or love. "Instead, one should be good because this conforms to the nature of the universe, not for any ulterior motive, be it as innocuous as 'feeling good about oneself and others.'" Li also insists that practitioners do not withdraw from the world, and that they maintain interactions with nonpractitioners, including "even those who are hostile to practice. "[12] The point here, according to Ownby, is that before the practitioner cultivates to such a point that they are dispassionate in their compassion, the stress experienced in the secular environment "constitutes a form of suffering which will enable them to reduce their karma. "[12] Articles written by practitioners on their experiences with Falun Gong are regularly posted to the Clearwisdom website. [18] [edit] Looking within Li tells his students that the most important aspect of Falun Gong is not the exercises, but the focus on changing the heart and mind: "Only when you are studying the Fa and cultivating your heart and mind in addition to the means of reaching Consummation—the exercises, and truly changing yourself fundamentally while improving your xinxing and elevating your level—can it be called true cultivation practice. "[19] Li repeatedly emphasises the idea of searching internally when coming across problems; he says this is a key in the path of cultivation practice:[4] "If you can examine yourselves with every thing you come across, then I'd say you are really remarkable, and nothing can block you on your path to Consummation. Yet when we run into problems, we often look outwards—'Why are you treating me like that? '—and feel that we've been treated unfairly, instead of examining ourselves. That's the greatest and most fatal obstacle for all living beings." He says that when someone feels hurt or encounters misfortune, "it's really difficult for him to still examine himself and see if he's done something wrong." However, if a person can do that, Li says "on this path, on this path of cultivation, and for the eternity of his existence, nothing can stop him. It's truly the case. The key lies in how you understand yourself, and whether you can correctly examine yourself and find within yourself the cause of the problem. "[20] A group of people practicing the fourth exercise of Falun Dafa. Li also states that students should be thoughtful towards others in all circumstances: "You should always be benevolent and kind to others, and consider others when doing anything. Whenever you encounter a problem, you should first consider whether others can put up with this matter or if it will hurt anyone. In doing so, there will not be any problems. Therefore, in cultivation practice you should follow a higher and higher standard for yourself. "[17] [edit] Zhuan Falun, the main book The teachings of Falun Gong are captured in two main books: Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun . Falun Gong is an introductory book that discusses Li's views on qigong, introduces the principles of the practice, and provides illustrations and explanations of the exercises. Zhuan Falun is the main teaching and the most comprehensive work; it is an edited version of Li's nine-lecture series, 54 of which he taught across China between 1992 and 1994. Ownby regards Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun to be largely consistent in terms of content, though he says "important differences in nuance distinguish the two."[12]. The World Book encyclopedia describes the contents of Zhuan Falun as examining "evolution, the meaning of space and time, and the mysteries of the universe. "[21] Li says constant study will lead the practitioner to the final goal of "Consummation", or enlightenment. [4] He says that by reading Zhuan Falun repeatedly, and acting according to its principles, the practitioner is assimilating to the fundamental characteristic of the universe: Zhen 真, Shan 善 and Ren 忍, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." [22] Practitioners have subsequently taken these words as the basic slogan for Falun Gong.
Topics Zhuan Falun expounds on include: Zhen 真, Shan 善 Ren 忍 is the Sole Criterion to Discern Good and Bad People, the Celestial Eye, Buddha School Qigong and Buddhism, Supernormal Abilities, Loss and Gain, Transformation of Karma, Upgrading Xinxing (Mind nature and moral quality), Cultivation of Mind and Body, The Issue of Killing, Cultivation of Speech, The Issue of Eating Meat, The Issue of Treating Illness, Enlightenment etc.
Since 1992, Li has given lectures which are later edited and posted to the internet (called scriptures by students), addressing different aspects of the teachings of Falun Gong. He states periodically that only Zhuan Falun should be viewed as the main guide for cultivation practice. In 2007 he said: "What I've said recently in different periods is supplementary to Zhuan Falun . Just remember their relationship, and that what you should study frequently is Zhuan Falun . "[23] [edit] Zhen 真, Shan 善, Ren 忍 Falun Gong states that the fundamental characteristic of the universe is Zhen 真, Shan 善 Ren 忍, or "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." In Zhuan Falun Li says that the characteristic, Zhen-Shan-Ren, is in the microscopic particles of air, rock, wood, soil, iron and steel, the human body, as well as in all matter. "In ancient times it was said that the Five Elements constitute all things and matter in the universe; they also carry this characteristic, Zhen-Shan-Ren. "[22] Ownby refers to Li's discussion of the moral universe, where "The very structure of the universe, according to Li Hongzhi, is made up of moral qualities that cultivators are enjoined to practice in their own lives: truth, compassion and forbearance. The goal of cultivation, and hence of life itself, is spiritual elevation, achieved through eliminating negative karma... and accumulating virtue. "[12] Li teaches that practitioners are to assimilate their thoughts and actions to these principles, wherein higher aspects of the mysteries of the universe and life will be revealed: "A practitioner can only understand the specific manifestation of the Buddha Fa at the level that his or her cultivation has reached, which is his or her cultivation Fruit Status and level."
