(Minghui.org) Greetings, compassionate Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998, and I’m now almost 80 years old. I have been living in Master’s immense grace for the past 20-plus years.
Before I took up Dafa, I suffered from severe bronchitis, arthritis, hepatitis B, cervical spondylitis, and other health problems. After three months of practice, all my illnesses disappeared and I felt light-footed. My changes amazed all my relatives and friends. Many expressed great admiration for Falun Dafa when hearing about my rapid recovery.
I would like to share some of my experiences in saving sentient beings over the years. Please kindly point out anything improper in my sharing.
I often had the same dream in 2003, in which I was attending a national college entrance examination, and I walked into the examination room each time with full confidence. However, I always got stuck after answering a few questions. I could hear the sound of others writing their answers. I became very worried and woke up. Sometimes, I could even vaguely remember the questions, and thought: I know how to answer these questions. Why was I getting stuck in the examination?
I was sometimes so worried in my dream that I was sweating all over. When I woke up, I sat up and thought, “Why is it that I always have the same dream? Why is it that I was unable to answer so many questions? I’m already in my 60s, so why am I still taking college entrance exams in my dreams? What is the hint to me?”
Due to my poor enlightenment, I kept having the same dream for a long time without understanding why.
I had a lot of interference to Fa study at that time. I had to take care of the elderly family members during the day, with heaps of house chores to do. I usually studied the Fa in the evening, but there were always relatives or friends coming for chats, and they would stay until after around 9:00 p.m. Only then could I study the Fa, and very often my mind was not calm and focused, so I didn’t take in much of what I was reading. Such situations went on for about two years, until one day I suddenly thought, “Isn’t this interference? I’d better send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate it.” Soon after I started sending forth righteous thoughts, those who came for chats stopped coming and I began to have more time for Fa study.
I suddenly understood one day why I kept having the same dream and was unable to answer questions in the dream. Wasn’t it a hint from Master that I have failed to fulfill my vows? I should save more sentient beings!
Master has told us many times about Dafa disciples’ mission, but I didn’t have the courage to step out to clarify the truth to people except for my relatives and a few neighbors. I must save more people, and I must step out to clarify the truth to more people.
I recalled that a few years earlier, before I retired, Master had already arranged for me to do a job which required me to communicate with people. This helped pave the way for me to clarify the truth to people later on. However, I had a strong attachment to self-consciousness and found it very hard to initially step forward to clarify the truth to strangers. If I fell behind in saving sentient beings, I would fail to fulfill the vows I had made. I must let go of my attachments and take the first step.
Once I made up my mind to improve myself, Master made arrangements for me.
It was around 2005. One day I went to my younger brother’s house and saw my nephew making CDs for his work. I thought, “Since I’m not very good at talking with strangers, I could always distribute CDs for people to learn the truth.” So I learned how to make CDs from my nephew that day.
I had a computer at that time and was able to log onto the Minghui.org website. So I bought some CDs and a burner and started to create CDs containing truth-clarification materials from Minghui.org. I then started to put the CDs in mailboxes in various residential communities.
In the first few years, there were no surveillance cameras near mailboxes, so it was pretty safe to put CDs in people’s mailboxes as long as I kept away from residents going up and down the stairs. Still, I felt rather nervous at the beginning, and my heart was beating fast and my hands were trembling.
I still remember the first time I put a CD into a mailbox, a line of Fa came to my mind: “Gods walk the earth, validating the Fa.” (“What’s to Fear,” Hong Yin II) I was greatly encouraged.
I became more confident after distributing CDs a few times, and I kept encouraging myself: “I am doing a good deed and I have Master’s protection. Don’t be afraid.”
I carried about 40 or 50 CDs each time. I would walk into a residential community in a dignified manner and say to the residents in my heart: “Master has told us Dafa disciples to bring you the truth about Falun Dafa. Please wait at home and do not walk around until I finish distributing. Please watch them and tell more people about it. This way, you are also doing good deeds.”
I experienced interference occasionally. For example, once, as I was about to leave home, I began to have loose bowels. I didn’t want to change my plan, and thought of the article “In Fa-Rectification Your Thoughts Have to Be Righteous, Not Human” in The Essentials of Diligent Progress III.
I asked Master to strengthen me: “Master, I want to go out to distribute CDs. Please help me.” Miraculously, as soon as I decided to go out to do righteous things, my bowel movement became normal.
Master said,
“...as long as you practice cultivation, I’m actually right by your side. And as long as you practice cultivation, I can be responsible for you all the way to the end; what’s more, I’m looking after you every single moment.” (“Fa Teaching Given in New York City,” Teachings at Conferences in the United States)
Master’s words touched my heart deeply and helped me a lot in those years when I was distributing CDs, from feeling nervous and scared, to being calm and confident. I let go of my fear. I also stopped having the dream of not being able to answer questions in college entrance exams.
A few years later, the security guards at the residential communities became stricter, and sometimes you had to swipe a card to enter. Surveillance cameras also became widely used, and people watched fewer CDs as well. I felt that many projects we do have a time limit and once that time-period is gone, those who stepped out later would have missed the opportunity to participate.
In the past, I clarified the truth to people face to face only occasionally, but I decided to take on the new challenge.
When I first started, although the streets were crowded with people, I found it hard to start a conversation with anyone, for fear of being rejected. Sometimes I could not find even a single person “suitable” to talk to after walking for more than an hour. Occasionally, I would say “Hello” to someone, but they ignored me. I felt very uncomfortable and tears of grievance filled my eyes. I felt like going back home. Sometimes I was also a bit scared. But then I thought of Dafa disciples’ mission to save sentient beings, and encouraged myself to keep going.
I forced myself to go out more often to temper myself, and gradually I made a breakthrough and began to feel more comfortable talking with strangers.
Now, each time before I leave home, I recite “On Dafa” three times, and a few other paragraphs of Fa teachings, to strengthen my righteous thoughts. I then ask Master to protect me, give me wisdom, and arrange for me to meet people who have predestined relationships with Dafa.
I often imagined that I was in the palm of Master. While walking on the street, I reminded myself that evil beings could not see me; when I started talking to someone, I would say in my heart: “The Creator has sent me to save you. Wake up quickly.” I then sent forth the word “eliminate” to wipe out interference and any attachment of fear on my part. While walking, I often called out to people in my heart: Sentient beings, please say “hello” to me if you want to be saved!
I did a lot of practice at home about starting conversations with strangers, and I always reminded myself to send forth righteous thoughts so that I would do better and be able to save more people. I would like to share a few stories about how I clarified the truth.
One day, I saw a man fall down to the ground with his bike on a sloppy road, and the groceries he had purchased were scattered all over the place. Quite a number of people gathered around, but nobody lent him a helping hand. These days, most people in China do not want to get involved in things like this for fear of trouble.
I rushed over and helped him. Seeing what I was doing, a few other passersby also came over to help out. He was very grateful and thanked everyone. “Can you still ride your bike?” I asked him kindly. He said he could and moved on. But I could see that he was struggling, as his right arm was injured. I offered to help him push his bike home. He agreed and thanked me.
He told me that he worked as a chef in Germany and was back home for a visit. I started to clarify the truth to him. He said that he had seen a lot of truth-clarification display-boards in Germany and knew some truth already. So I directly urged him to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organizations.
“I joined the Youth League and the Young Pioneers many years ago when I was young,” he told me, “But I have long stopped paying dues to those organizations as I grew older.”
“Well, you haven’t really severed ties with them yet,” I explained to him, “When you joined those organizations, you raised your hand and vowed to fight for communism till the end. In order to dissolve the vow, you need to make a statement to quit the organizations.”
“Oh, is that so!” he understood all of a sudden, “We’ve all been trapped by the CCP.” I then gave him an alias and he agreed to quit the CCP organizations very happily.
He kept thanking me. “Please thank the Master of Falun Dafa,” I said to him, “It’s our Master who is saving people. I am also a beneficiary myself.” We kept walking and the bike felt so light that I only needed to put my hands on the handlebar and it went along smoothly. Half an hour later, we arrived at his house and said goodbye.
One day, I saw two women sitting on a bench on the lawn by the roadside. The older lady looked to be in her 60s with very dull eyes, but dressed nice and clean; the other one looked in her 30s and appeared to be a nanny. I walked up and greeted the older lady. She didn’t respond and I noticed that the expression in her eyes was not quite right, so I greeted and chatted with the nanny.
“Hello, little sister! It’s a nice place here, quiet and peaceful,” I said to her. She told me that they often came here, and said that her family didn’t know what happened to the older lady, but for the last three years she seemed to be suffering from dementia, could not speak, and was in a daze all day long.
I thought since the older lady had lost her memory, I could clarify the truth to the nanny. I told her that Falun Dafa is a cultivation practice of the Buddha school and teaches people to be good according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and that it has miraculous healing power as well. I also told her that Falun Dafa has now spread to over 100 countries and regions around the world. She listened attentively.
I also told her about the “Tiananmen Square Self-immolation hoax” and how the CCP demonized kind-hearted Falun Dafa practitioners. After she learned the truth, I gave her an alias and helped her quit the Young Pioneers. She was very happy.
Suddenly, I heard a crying sound, and turned around. I saw tears running down the older lady’s face, and suddenly I realized that she also understood what I was saying to the nanny, and she wanted to quit the CCP, too.
I took out a piece of tissue, wiped away her tears and asked if she had joined the CCP organizations earlier. She nodded her head. So I gave her an alias and helped her quit the organizations as well. Tears were running down her face again and she kept nodding her head to thank me. I knew that her knowing side was very clear, and this was the day that she had been waiting for all along.
The nanny was very surprised to see what happened. I urged her to recite the auspicious phrases “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” to the older lady. “As long as you keep doing this sincerely, it will bring you benefits and positive energy,” I said. “If she gets better, it will also be easier for you.” The nanny was very pleased and kept thanking me.
I was once waiting at an intersection where there were many people waiting for a green light. A few of them became impatient and started crossing the road before the light turned green. “They were too impatient. What if they get hit?” I murmured to myself.
Hearing what I said, a woman around 40 years old with a suitcase smiled at me. I felt we were connected and asked her not to run a red light. She told me she had just come back from her hometown and was on her way to her workplace.
Then, the green light was on, so I walked with her and told her about the “Self-immolation hoax.”
“When a person is on fire, do you think the hair gets burned first or the face?” I asked her.
“Of course the hair,” she replied as a matter of fact. “That’s right, but on TV, the face of the alleged self-immolator appeared burned while his hair remained intact. It’s fake, isn’t it?”
She seemed to suddenly understand. I then helped her quit the CCP organizations with no problem.
From this experience, I found that it was a pretty good way to start a conversation while waiting at traffic lights. I then started having frequent conversations with people at intersections, and the outcome was quite good.
One day, while I was waiting to cross a road after shopping in a supermarket, I saw a man in his 50s picking up recyclable materials.
“Happy New Year!” I greeted him happily, “You’re so hardworking. It’s a good thing that you’re making money from collecting recyclable materials as they can be reused.”
He smiled and we started a little chat. I clarified the facts to him and helped him quit the Young Pioneers. I also urged him to help his family quit the CCP. “Yes, I will,” he said happily.
Upon leaving, I took out a big bag of fried dough twists and gave it to him as a New Year’s gift. He refused to take it. So I gave him a smaller packet of fried dough twists and said, “If you don’t want to take the big bag, you can take the small packet. It’s only a gift.” Seeing I was very sincere, he accepted the small packet and thanked me. I wished him luck and said goodbye. I felt really happy and was very grateful for Master’s arrangement.
There were also occasions when things did not go as smoothly. Sometimes, when I greeted someone, they didn’t even respond. Some others were rather arrogant and simply ignored me, and there were also people who walked away before I finished talking.
Once in a park, I got into a conversation with a man who looked to be in his 50s. We greeted each other and it was a pretty friendly start. While I was clarifying the truth to him, he listened quietly, but when I encouraged him to quit the CCP, he stood up suddenly and said, “You are still talking like this? I think your life is probably too comfortable. Do you want to go to a place where you can eat for free (the prison)?” He then left without looking back.
I was shocked and felt a bit fearful afterwards, thinking, could he have been a plainclothes police officer? Maybe someone in his family works at the 610 Office?
I then thought that it does not matter who he is. At least he heard the truth. I hope he has another opportunity to learn the truth in the future and be saved.
Nowadays when I go out, even if I can only help two or three people quit the CCP, I still feel happy for them. When I help five, six, seven, or eight people quit the CCP, I remind myself not to harbor any zealotry. I know that everything is done by Master. It’s our great Master who has saved all these sentient beings and given Dafa disciples everything we need to be successful in cultivation. I feel extremely grateful to Master.
Master said,
“Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are what you need to accomplish. There is nothing else for you to accomplish. There is nothing else in this world that you need to accomplish.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIII)
I have always paid attention to how to start a conversation with people more effectively, and have worked out a set of ways to break the ice. I have clarified the truth to many people over the years and helped many of them quit the CCP organizations. During the process, I have also let go of many human attachments, especially those to fear, to self-consciousness, self-protection, high self-esteem, impatience, etc.
I know deeply that all our paths are arranged by Master, and every bit of my improvement involves huge sacrifices by Master. The Fa-rectification cultivation period is approaching its end. I am determined to cherish the precious time (extended at the cost of enormous sacrifice by Master) even more. I will study the Fa more earnestly and work harder to let go of my human attachments so I can cultivate myself well, fulfill my vows, and save more people who are waiting earnestly for salvation.
Thank you, Master! Thank you for your most compassionate protection all along!