Why One Cannot See

Seeing is believing, and what is not seen is disbelieved. This is the view of a low-level person. Humans are in delusion and have created a lot of karma, thereby obscuring their original nature: So how could they see? Enlightening comes before seeing. Cultivate your heart and eliminate your karma. Once your original nature comes forth you will be able to see. Yet, with or without seeing, an exceptional person can depend on his enlightening to complete cultivation. As to most people, they may or may not see, and this is determined by their levels or their inborn quality. A practitioner usually does not see because he is in pursuit of seeing—this is an attachment. Thus, until it is given up he will not see. This is mostly due to the obstacles from karma, an unsuitable environment, or one’s cultivation way. There are a multitude of reasons, varying from person to person. Even a person who is able to see may not see clearly, for only seeing unclearly can one enlighten to the Tao. When a person can see everything clearly as if he were personally on the scene, he has achieved kaigong and cannot practice cultivation any further since there is nothing for him to enlighten to.

Li Hongzhi
June 16, 1995