(Minghui.org) At some point in our lives, we inevitably begin to ask ourselves: What is the meaning of life? Yet even when we become aware of this question, the answer often seems out of reach, and a long and lonely journey of discovery still lies ahead. Xiangfu, too, wandered through such a quest for many years.
Born in 1967, Zeng Xiangfu had been cautious and disciplined since childhood. As an adult, he worked at a magazine publisher and ran a tutoring center; his life seemed steady and orderly. Yet, during his college years, an indescribable drive constantly stirred within him, as if a force were relentlessly urging him to seek some answers.
To resolve his inner confusion, he transferred from the Department of Mathematics to the Department of Chinese at Central University, hoping to find direction in life through the lens of the humanities and philosophy.
A Chance Encounter in a Bookstore
One day in January 2001, 33-year-old Xiangfu walked into a bookstore.
Amid the dazzling array of books on the shelves, his gaze was drawn to a book with a golden cover, Zhuan Falun. He picked it up, flipped through a few pages, then put it back and continued looking for other books. However, the outcome was unexpected: he didn’t pick up a single one of the books he had originally intended to buy; instead, he picked up Zhuan Falun again.
Standing at the entrance to the bookstore, he looked at the book in his hands, his mind filled with confusion and astonishment: “I can hardly remember how I paid for it; the whole process felt as if I’d been driven to do it by some unseen force.”
After returning home, he spent three days reading through the entire book.
He described his feelings at the time as “shocking”, an experience that was both overwhelming and exhilarating. “I’ve read many difficult books in the past, but being profound doesn’t necessarily mean it touches the heart. Zhuan Falun is different; the content discussed in the book is thorough and clear. Much of it addresses questions I had pondered but never truly understood, as well as topics I had never considered, but which are of critical importance.”
Xiangfu stated that from the day he first picked up Zhuan Falun, he has not put it down.
Transformations of Body and Mind: From Experience to Realization
After finishing Zhuan Falun, Xiangfu began continuously reading other scriptures. Imperceptibly, his body underwent noticeable changes.
He had long suffered from severe hemorrhoids and had originally planned to have surgery after the New Year. But one day, when he suddenly thought about it, he realized that his symptoms had actually improved significantly, and surgery was no longer necessary. He recalled, “I never expected my body to change, but when it actually happened, I realized that what the book described wasn’t just abstract theory.”
At the same time, his experiences during meditation left a deep impression on him. “I often feel a subtle yet powerful energy sweeping over me in waves, like the wind, as if it were clearing away some kind of substance around my body.”
He described it thus: “On another occasion, I felt a multitude of bubbles constantly rising, each one seemingly encapsulating a thought that had yet to take shape, whisked away before it could fully develop. These bubbles, initially countless, grew fewer and fewer until they vanished completely; eventually, everything gradually settled into stillness.”
These experiences occur not only on a physical level, but also extend to emotional changes.
After doing the exercises, Xiangfu experienced significant changes in both body and mind.
These experiences occurred not only on a physical level, but also extended to emotional shifts. “In the past, whenever I encountered something unpleasant, it would linger in my mind for a long time,” he said. “But later, I discovered that by the very next day, that sense of aversion and dissatisfaction had vanished without a trace. I realized that this might correspond precisely to the concept described in the book: that ‘mind and matter are one.’”
Transformation in Conflict: Looking Inward
The real test took place in the work environment. On one occasion, a colleague misrepresented his words, causing his boss to misunderstand him. For someone who had always valued his reputation, this sense of injustice and the pressure were almost unbearable. The stares and whispers of his colleagues loomed larger and larger in his mind, and every day at work felt like torture. Yet, rather than running away, he chose to stay and study the Fa every day.
A month later, his state of mind underwent a dramatic change. “That sense of oppression and pain suddenly vanished, replaced by a deep sense of joy that made me want to laugh,” he said. “My colleagues kept asking me if something good had happened.”
The external circumstances haven’t changed, but his inner state is now completely different. He reflected, “If it weren’t for my cultivation, I would have quit long ago, I wouldn’t have even made it through this past month.”
More importantly, he began to look inward and reflect on himself. From then on, whenever he encountered similar conflicts, Xiangfu was able to remain calm and examine his own words and actions first.
“Sometimes I feel hurt by what others say, but then I quickly recall times when I’ve treated others the same way,” he said. “It’s only in that moment that I truly realize the problem isn’t with others, but with myself—and I learn to look inward and reflect on my own behavior.”
Expanding Horizons
As his cultivation deepened, Xiangfu’s understanding of “God” underwent a fundamental transformation.
“When ‘God’ ceases to be merely a concept and becomes a tangible reality, your understanding of the universe, and your judgment of good and evil, will undergo a complete transformation,” he said. “The old saying, ‘Deities watch from just three feet above your head,’ has taken on a whole new meaning for me.”
A man of meticulous character, he has never been one to take things at face value, but ever since the day he picked up Zhuan Falun, the book has never left his side. “The more I read, the more I realize my own shortcomings, and the more I come to appreciate the book’s unfathomable depth.”
He said, “Many people have read it hundreds or even thousands of times and still keep going. Why? Because it contains truths that can never be fully explored; as one’s understanding deepens, the text continues to reveal new layers of meaning. This is precisely the wonder of Dafa!”
Where Do We Come From? And Where Are We Headed?
These questions have plagued countless people throughout their lives, yet they may never find the answers.
After a long journey of seeking and reflection, Xiangfu finally found a path in Zhuan Falun that he is willing to dedicate his life to practicing.
Perhaps the answer isn’t far away, but lies in that fleeting moment when you casually open the book, the moment you truly begin to read, reflect, and are willing to change yourself.
Articles in which cultivators share their understandings typically reflect an individual's perception at a point in time based on their cultivation state, and they are offered in the spirit of enabling mutual elevation.
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Category: Cultivation Insights
