(Minghui.org) I began to truly practice Falun Dafa in March 2009. Although I have stumbled during the past five years, I continue to improve on my cultivation path.
Profound Principles
A colleague gave me the Falun Dafa introductory book in April 1995, and I read it once or twice during the next couple of years. I thought at the time that this cultivation practice was no more than any other qigong school, just for healing illnesses.
Falun Dafa came to my mind again in 2009 because I was bothered by several ailments. I borrowed Dafa books from a practitioner and read them, and I was shocked by the profound principles of this cultivation practice. I came to realize that Dafa was not an ordinary qigong school, but a genuine cultivation practice.
Nothing Could Stop My Cultivation
After realizing that the Falun Dafa principles were very profound, I studied the Dafa books with great respect.
When my husband realized that I was reading Dafa books and doing the exercises, he tried to stop me, and warned me that I would lose my good reputation, and could affect our child's future.
I often told him about Dafa, why Jiang Zemin persecuted practitioners, the staged self-immolation on Tiananmen Square, and more. My physical changes for the better were also there for him to see firsthand.
But he was afraid, because of the persecution of Dafa. Sometimes he came home drunk, and cursed and beat me. I decided to tolerate him, but still felt wronged, and suffered quietly.
Master said,
“Your spouse would not care if you were to do something else. Qigong practice should actually be a good thing, but she always finds fault with you.” (Zhuan Falun)
Nothing Is Accidental On One's Cultivation Path
After he complained that I only focused on what I wanted to do, and thus his life with me was boring, I looked within and found that I was being selfish and looking down on him. I no longer took care of him as I did before I practiced Dafa. I handed him a cup of water and admitted my mistakes.
When he cursed my maternal family members, from the oldest to the youngest, I was no longer moved. Yet, I realized that I must still have attachments that I should let go, because nothing is accidental in cultivation.
Master said,
“If you live very well among everyday people, how can you practice cultivation? How can your karma be transformed? How will you have an environment to upgrade your xinxing and transform your karma? ” (Zhuan Falun)
Teacher explained to us the Dafa principles very clearly. As long as we follow Master's teachings, our xinxing will improve, and our gong will increase.
As I studied the Fa, my realm elevated. I tried my best to follow the Dafa principles. Master said, “... not fight back when being punched or insulted” (Zhuan Falun)
When I let go of my attachments, my husband's attitude toward Dafa changed. When I was too busy to purchase fruit to put in front of Master's photo, he went out and purchased the best quality fruit. He said, “To pay respects to Master, it has to be the best fruit.”
I took my filial duties seriously, and my mother-in-law's relatives and neighbors recognized that I was a considerate daughter-in-law who practiced Falun Dafa.
Every time we met with relatives, I told everyone the facts about Falun Dafa. Almost all of my many family members quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations, and four have read the Dafa books. They all know that Falun Dafa is good, that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.
Deeply Hidden Attachments
Once I began practicing Dafa, I was no longer bothered by the various ailments that I suffered in the past, something no Chinese medicine doctors, western medicine hospital, or experts could achieve.
I did, however, have a stomachache in March 2012, which moved to my entire belly and back. Fellow practitioners suggested that I recite the Fa, study the Fa diligently, send forth righteous thoughts, and assimilate into the Fa. But there were attachments I had not found yet, so my efforts were in vain.
Master said,
“Whenever a tribulation comes, you do not see it with the side of your original nature but view it completely with your human side. Evil demons then capitalize on this point and inflict endless interference and damage, leaving students in long-term tribulations.” (“Expounding on the Fa” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
I did not understand this paragraph, and was not quite clear about illness karma. The evil took advantage of my loopholes and my condition worsened. I lost 20 pounds and my husband was very worried. I put up a brave front and said I would be all right soon, but I was very worried.
Master said,
“If the righteous thoughts of somebody are not strong during his cultivation, he won't be able to pass his tests well and they will drag on. Also, when he's not able to achieve strong righteous thoughts, his confidence will be weakened.” (“Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles”)
This situation continued for six moths. My husband lost his patience and took me to the provincial hospital. Doctors advised surgery, but were not sure if it would help. So my husband took me to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
While lying in bed in the hospital, I looked inside and found several fundamental attachments. When I started cultivating, I thought that I would no longer come down with any illnesses. I relied too much on fellow practitioners sending forth righteous thoughts for me, and thought that they weren't making their utmost efforts for me. Besides, thoughts karma controlled my mind, and I just could not stop thinking of my illnesses.
After identifying all these attachments, I sent righteous thoughts to eliminate them.
Putting My Life in Master's Hands
Before I had a physical exam, I asked Master to help me eliminate the old forces' arrangements. I put my life in Master’s hands. My health improved, and I think it was because I improved in my cultivation.
I read my patient card, which said, “Primary Duodenal Cancer.” I was not moved, and immediately negated this as a false phenomenon.
One elderly lady at the hospital, who had stomach surgery, was in great pain. Tears covered my face as I watched her. But seeing this made me more determined to cultivate diligently.
Most of the time I sat on my bed, did the meditation exercises, and recited the Fa. Master's Fa encouraged me and helped me strengthen my righteous thoughts. Master said, “Your mind must be right.” (Zhuan Falun)
In life, nothing sought,In death, regretting naught;Washing away all wrong thought,Buddhahood, with lessadversity, is wrought.(“Nothing Kept” from Hong Yin)
When great is the ordeal, keep steadfastThe will to be diligent never bowed(“Steadfast” from Hong Yin Vol. II)
Taking Every Opportunity to Talk about Dafa
Everyone in the hospital needed to hear the facts about Dafa and quit the CCP. I took every opportunity to help people quit. I knew that all of the patients, nurses, doctors, and everyone I met in the hospital were waiting to hear the facts about Dafa. I asked everyone to recite “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” when experiencing problems.
The elderly lady quit the CCP and recited the Dafa phrases over and over again. By the time she left the hospital, she was in remission.
My hospital stay came to an end after 35 days, without having the surgery. I left with a list of 17 people who quit the CCP.
Once home, I recovered, and because of that, my sister started to practice Falun Dafa.
Fulfilling My Mission
Master said,
“For a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, personal liberation is not the goal of cultivation: when you came, saving sentient beings was your great aspiration, and that is the responsibility and mission history has bestowed upon you in Fa-rectification.” (“Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World’s People,” from The Essentials of Diligent Progress, VOL. III)
People were waiting to hear the facts about Dafa. One week after I was released from the hospital, I asked another practitioner for Dafa materials. I studied the materials first, and then distributed them.
When I'm in doubt about how to proceed, I read the Minghui Weekly, which provides me with many ideas on how to tell people the facts about Dafa.
Another practitioner helped me set up a Dafa materials production site at my home. I focused on burning Shen Yun DVDs, and then distributed them on my way to and from work.
Refusing to Give Up Dafa
At my work, we had a live broadcast about the celebrations and fireworks in our city during the Lantern Festival 2010. I was appointed the master of ceremonies. It was a program presented by the municipal propaganda department, which was a great opportunity to distribute Shen Yun DVDs at their building.
Most people were off work because it was Sunday. I put Shen Yun DVDs under the doors of several offices.
Well, I was a little too proud about my accomplishments, and thus opened a loophole, which was exploited by the old forces.
Our bureau chief called me into his office after about a month. After some chit chat, he told me to bring him my Dafa books because he had promised the municipal top officials that he would talk to me.
To make a long story short, I was caught by the video security system putting Dafa materials under the doors. They were shocked. I was well known in the media field in our city. They did not want to lose me, and asked that I just turn in my Dafa books and give up cultivation. That would be the end of the story, from their perspective.
I said, “If you want to read the book and learn the facts about Falun Dafa, I can lend you the books, otherwise it amounts to harming you.” I explained why I persist in practicing Falun Dafa, and why many people practice it worldwide.
Another practitioner and I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil elements around the city building that prevented people from hearing the facts about Dafa.
Topics Based on a Person's Background
A friend invited me to his restaurant because he wanted me to meet his friends, including the former principal of the Municipal CCP School, the general manager of a real estate company affiliated with the provincial government, a professor of the CCP school, a district government official, and a banker.
At dinner, I sent forth righteous thoughts and asked Master to help me. I told them about Falun Dafa, persuaded them to quit the CCP, and gave all of them the Dafa materials and software for breaking through the Internet blockade.
I chose a different topic for each person, based on their background. With the general manager of a real estate company, I explained why China’s real estate industry is the biggest bubble economy, and he agreed. I then asked him how he viewed the Chinese top officials' fall. He said it’s a period of political change, so he dared not do anything, and that everyone was watching.
I explained to him the principles of “good is rewarded with good, and evil with evil,” while China is undergoing a big change, and every Chinese has to make a choice at such a critical moment. Such a choice also determines their fate. I talked about the movement to quit the CCP, and convinced him to quit.
My targets for clarifying the truth about Dafa come from all walks of life, from local and municipal officials to ordinary government servants, and from laborers to villagers and vendors. Every business event and seminar is an opportunity to talk about Dafa.
Throughout my cultivation, I saw myself as a baby under Master’s protection. Master held my hand, guided me on the path of returning to my true origin, and finally tempered me to become a Dafa disciple in the Fa-rectification period.
I will never know how much Master has suffered for me, but I know one thing clearly... Without Master’s protection, hints and suffering, it would be impossible for me to be here today. There are no words in the human language that can describe my feelings and gratitude for Master and Dafa.