Pay Attention to the Attachment to Taking Advantage of Petty Gains

(Minghui.org) Because many Chinese either grew up in China under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or they are influenced by it, they are accustomed to taking advantage of petty gains. Unfortunately, this may have become a stereotype. For example: If there’s a large group of Chinese tourists on a cruise ship, the food at the buffet often quickly disappears. In the U.S. some Chinese line up wherever there is free food—some take large amounts not only for themselves but also for their relatives. Some took more than they could eat and it spoiled.

In a city’s mayoral election most Chinese voted for a candidate who had an extreme political platform simply because he proposed welfare policies such as free public transportation. Behind this behavior is a mentality formed by generations of Chinese people who grew up in an environment of social turmoil and material scarcity which went on for decades. Practitioners behave like ordinary people if they do not seriously cultivate themselves and remove this behavior.

During our recent group Fa study a practitioner mentioned an incident that recently happened in their area. During a one-day meeting for a media project, the project team ordered boxed meals for the participants. At the end of the meeting, a practitioner took one box for a single practitioner they knew so that he would not have to cook that night. Others then followed suit and packed up several boxes for themselves. The speed at which they emptied the refrigerator surprised everyone.

Similar situations occurred during the Shen Yun performances in that area. Before the staff had time to eat, some practitioners already packed boxes of food and took them home. This resulted in insufficient food for the Shen Yun staff. Although this was an isolated incident, this behavior wasn’t right.

When it comes to food, most practitioners are very considerate of others. The local volunteers usually take ordinary homemade dishes and leave the more expensive food such as beef and seafood for the performers.

The panic buying and haggling in the Chinese community are attributable to several factors. One is the Chinese mindset: “It’s a waste if you don’t take it.” The insecure environment caused by poverty in China, and becoming numb to the looting and destruction of ancient relics during the CCP’s Cultural Revolution and its advocacy of “The law of the jungle.” Those Chinese people with high morals disdain this behavior and distance themselves from it. Practitioners need to look inward to see if we haven’t yet removed our attachments of selfishness and seeking petty gain.

Events to tell people about the persecution that began July 20, 1999 are about to be held. The weather is hot and outdoor activities can be exhausting. So practitioners sometimes prepare food and beverages for participants who hold these outdoor events. I hope we practitioners don’t snatch up the food, leave trash laying around, or shout or engage in any behavior that is disrespectful.

Our mission of assisting Master to save people is in the final phase of Fa-rectification, so we must be more strict with ourselves. Any unkindness or attachment may be exploited by the old forces and may become obstacles on our cultivation paths.