(Minghui.org) I started to practice Falun Dafa in July 1997 and opened a small cafeteria that became my cultivation environment. Sometimes I passed a test well and at other times, I didn’t. The most difficult test for me to overcome was dealing with a couple selling scones outside my business.
Without my permission, they occupied space in front of my cafeteria. I took what they did lightly as long as it didn’t affect my business. Seeing that I didn’t object or complain, the couple then occupied more space. That made me angry, and I wanted to pick a fight with them. When I studied the Falun Dafa teachings, Master Li (the founder) enlightened me,
“Forbearance is the key to improving one’s xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is the forbearance of a cultivator.” (“What is Forbearance (Ren)?” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
After enlightening to this, I was tested again when they used even more of my space to sell their scones. I felt that I had reached the limit of my endurance. The only thing that could calm me down was to recite Master’s teachings. After some time, I was able to gradually eliminate my anger and the attachment to fighting. This couple later told me, “We’ve done business for so many years and have never met a good neighbor like you.”
Eliminating the Attachment to Saving Face
After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started the persecution on July 20, 1999, all of the practitioners in my area went to the provincial department to appeal for the right to practice Dafa. I also went for three days.
I later went to Beijing to appeal in November 1999. We were arrested on Tiananmen Square and detained at the provincial office in Beijing. We talked to the officials there about how Dafa teaches people to be good and how our illnesses were cured.
I was arrested for the second time in October 2002 and interrogated in the police department for 18 days in a row. The officers tried to force me to tell them the whereabouts of two other practitioners. With righteous thoughts, I refused to cooperate, even if it meant my life. It was the height of the persecution and three practitioners had recently been persecuted to death.
When the deputy chief asked me about Falun Dafa, I replied, “Falun Dafa is good!” I was later taken to a brainwashing center. Fortunately, Master Li protected me the whole time until my release.
Due to the persecution, I lost my business and had to scramble to find a job in sales. Initially, I felt life was unfair as I used to be my own boss, but now I had to work for someone else. I gradually realized this was my attachment to saving face. I also understood that my attachments were trivial compared to my responsibility as a practitioner—to save sentient beings.
I eliminated my attachments and began to clarify the truth to every person I met, whether they bought my products or not. I told them about the goodness of Falun Dafa and encouraged them to withdraw from the CCP and its youth organizations. Three shop owners withdrew from the Party after I told them the facts about the persecution.
Over time, I met a lot of other people in sales. One of them told me when we first met, “A peer is an enemy.” I disagreed. I later persuaded him to quit the CCP and we eventually became good friends. He helped me out both professionally and with Dafa projects.
Another salesperson was very proud of himself and looked down on everyone else. I lost some sales because of him, but I didn’t let that stop me from telling him about Dafa and quitting the CCP. He said, “I have long wanted to withdraw from the CCP after I read the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.”
