Like winds starting and clouds forming, the celestial phenomena are changing rapidly. On May 22, Teacher's article The Knowing Heart was published. From Teachers' rich and compassionate teachings in Serious Teaching -- On a Recent Talk by the Teacher, released recently by the Minghui Editorial Department, and a series of new articles, we have clearly felt and realized that cultivation has entered an important and great new phase! In this glorious historic period of "advancement towards consummation through cultivation within Fa Rectification", it is an urgent duty and a divine mission of every Dafa practitioner to understand how to "play the role of a Dafa particle in addition to studying the Fa" (Serious Teaching), and how to "validate the Fa with reason, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and offer people salvation with benevolence" (Rationality).
Based on this understanding, a special group study was organized in Central Taiwan from the evening of October 13 (Friday) to the afternoon of October 15. 130 Dafa staff and assistants form all over Taiwan attended this activity. It was hoped that through studying the Fa and sharing experiences over the two days and one night, we could form and strengthen a consensus on the current situation of Dafa spreading, as well as share practical experiences on spreading the Fa at different places. Because all participants have rich experiences, the discussions were the best of this kind so far.
The Buddha Law is Perfectly Harmonious
This experience sharing is very different from those in the past. Teacher said in Serious Teaching: "This is different from the state of mind of veteran disciples prior to April 25, 1999, when how to study the Fa well and how to obtain the Fa [were key]. That time was about studying and obtaining the Fa; now, in addition to studying the Fa, it's about playing a Fa-validating role when evil persecutes the Fa. He who comes through with determination is a member, a particle of Dafa, and is one who has taken part in the Fa-rectification. He should know how to handle things, and he shines with pure radiance no matter what environment he's in."
In order to help local assistants rapidly understand and absorb the pressing new situation of Dafa, reading materials were selected to coordinate with "clearly explaining the truth about Falun Gong to people in the world" and to achieve the purpose of "Assisting the Teacher in the Earthly World" more effectively. Materials chosen included Essences for Further Advancement, Lectures at the Conference for Assistants in Changchun, Lectures at the Conference of Eastern Region of the United States, Lectures at the Conference of Western Region of the United States, Hong Yin, and other Dafa books. Extensive discussions were held on a numerous topics including the following:
1. "Validating the Fa with reason, clarifying the truth with wisdom, spreading the Fa and offering people salvation with benevolence- this is establishing the mighty virtue of an enlightened being." (Rationality)
2. Old evil force/ cherishing the cultivation opportunity/ connection of cultivation and Fa rectification/ giving opportunities to all people to reposition themselves
3. How to play the role of an assistant, so as to be responsible to practitioners and to Dafa
4. "... while studying the Fa, he should at the same time play the role of a Dafa particle. Doing something for Dafa is the same as doing something for himself. This is the true state, at this time, of disciples who have come through this tribulation." (Serious Teachings). How can an individual be able to do this?
5. Small group discussions on specific HongFa styles in various places and recommendations by large groups.
After the two days of discussions, all participants experienced the power in that after "all benevolent ideas coming out", "gathered force is able to break a mountain". Those who had doubts and had insisted on cultivating at home put down their original mentality; and those who have already acted following the Celestial Phenomena became even more confident and more ready to strive forward.
Solidly Moving Forward
In the experience sharing process, there were many specific examples of HongFa activities. These examples greatly encouraged practitioners. To wit:
1. Practitioners in Daoyuan area have systematically planned their various activities. On every second Wednesday of the month, practitioners coordinate according to regions to disseminate Dafa materials to every street. Every third week of the month is used to spread the Fa to remote areas in the countryside. This is continued for several weeks in order to implement Fa-studying activities and to let Dafa truly take roots. Furthermore, a number of secondary practice sites have been created, for example relocating the regular Saturday and Sunday practices to scenic spots, in order to spread the Fa simultaneously.
In addition, HongFa activities are conducted in grass-root units, for example, to involve all residents in a building to practice, and to utilize broadcasting stations in working units and broadcasting buses to attract people in various activity centers to participate in free classes.
2. After studying new articles by the Teacher and articles on the Minghui net in June, Mr. Zhang understood the insufficiency of the closed-door cultivation style he had practiced in the past. He started quietly to catch up in Clarifying the truth about Falun Gong and helping more people to know about Dafa and to reposition themselves. First of all, he recognized the importance of HongFa via media. After preparing appropriate Dafa materials, he contacted the general manager of a certain cable TV station, whom he knew through a previous career relationship. After only a 10 minute explanation that Falun Gong practitioners offer free classes, do not collect fees, and Falun Gong practice can help people to become compassionate and increase moral standards, he received on the spot free time slots to broadcast Dafa videos three times a day over a month. Mr. Zhang could not help but be moved to tears by achieving such important results so easily.
3. Practitioners in Gaoxiong area actively went out and obtained the use of Ever-Green Center (University for Seniors) of two hours per week for eight weeks to introduce Dafa and to teach the exercises. Since the person in charge of Gaoxiong assistance center, Mr. Ao, is an editor-in-chief of a newspaper, he published moving news stories to coordinate with these activities. These classes had full attendance every time. In addition, through the connection of a participant in these classes, practitioners obtained the opportunity to teach exercises at Gaoxiong Customs.
Official organizations and schools are also possible places for HongFa (Promoting Fa). For example, practitioners visited the president of the famous 4-Dimensional National Elementary, and were happily surprised to hear the president saying, "my son asked me to practice Falun Gong and I was looking for you, and now you come!"
In addition to the three examples above, practitioners from various places shared many Hong Fa stories. These stories are seemingly simple, yet actually earth-shaking. For examples, stories about practitioners going to two prisons in South and North Taiwan, and spreading the Fa in the National Day Firework Festival all provided warmth and encouragement to other practitioners. Most importantly, every one has realized strongly that all the miracles exhibited during HongFa activities are entirely due to the mighty virtues of the Dafa and the arrangement of Teacher's Fashen. Teacher said in the article of Eliminating Last Attachments: "At present, the evil in the cosmic body has already been completely eliminated, and the Fa has finished rectifying the Three Realms. Only the most surface level of matter's shell is still being broken through." As a result, the reason for the smooth and rapid progression of the current HongFa activities is indeed the inevitable changing of celestial phenomena. How compassionate is our Teacher, to give us the opportunity to cultivate within Fa rectification, and to complete our future limitlessly beautiful and divine Fruit Status. How can this matchless glory and fortune be described by the small fraction stated in "difficult to encounter in hundreds of years, thousands of years". It is stated in Zhuan Falun that "Without human activities under the cosmic changes, such conditions would not have been brought to ordinary human society, nor would they be called the cosmic changes".
How can we not cherish this rare opportunity to live up to the solemn promises we made long ago? At this time, when Fa will soon rectify the human world, we should contribute all we have, "have the heart to save people, and assist the Teacher in the earthly world." Teacher is waiting for us to "assisting him in rotating the Law Wheel so to travel between heaven and earth when completed".
Specific Recommendations
Throughout discussions, practitioners proposed many feasible and effective methods.
1. Some assistants or practitioners still cannot understand that the emphasis of the current cultivation is on "clearly explaining the truth about Falun Gong". The following suggestions are made accordingly:
(1) The disjoining of some practitioners from Dafa is mostly because they did not read articles on the Minghui net, and did not understand the instruction on "observing the attitude of Minghui on important matters". It is therefore suggested that local internet material groups be formed for practitioners to study articles on Minghui, and to pass on timely information to practice sites. Practitioners should be encouraged to communicate with one another using email. Those who don't use computers can use fax machines to stay in touch and receive the latest news.
(2) Strengthen the functions of reading clubs. In addition to new articles by the Teacher, we should often list, print, and pass articles by the Minghui Editorial Department and about practitioners' moving experiences of cultivation. During experience sharing, we should purposely direct discussions toward the theme of "clearly explaining the truth about Falun Gong" in order to establish consensus rapidly.
(3) Try to assist and encourage new and veteran practitioners to participate in HongFa activities. In "comparing study and comparing cultivation", one can naturally experience the changes of celestial phenomena and the power of compassionate intention radiated in the activities of "saving people in the world". Practitioners will be influenced subtly.
(4) Design a "talent survey table" for practitioners to fill in with what kind of HongFa activities one is capable of conducting. On one hand, doing so can induce practitioners to come out. On the other, this survey can discover a great amount of manpower needed later.
2. Extensively utilize various advertisements and media to spread the Dafa.
(1) Encourage practitioners to provide written materials on various cultivation experiences and HongFa activities, for use in radio broadcasting, TV programs, internet sites, or conferences. Special material collections should be for made various needs.
(2) Continue to contact cable TV and broadcasting stations to broadcast Dafa programs.
(3) Continue to contact public bus lines about placing advertisement.
(4) Rent billboards for Dafa advertisements.
(5) Contact electronic bulletin boards to propagate Dafa (Gaoxiong area already has some).
(6) Use self-owned store walls and other convenient locations to post Dafa slogans (Yilan area already has this).
(7) Make stands for free Dafa materials and provide them to area stores.
8) Try to broadcast Dafa music or videotapes in restaurants or markets.
(9) Post Dafa materials in regional bulletin boards.
(10) Purchase simple TV equipment and place them in cars for conveniently broadcasting Dafa programs (The Central Taiwan Assistance Center can provide detailed information).
(11) Make Dafa bookmarks, cards, and calendars for free gifts.
(12) Make stickers that can be used on cars.
The Heart for Ascending Together
This especially important experience sharing conference came to a successful end with lively large group discussions and reports on the last day. Many nearby practitioners in the Central Taiwan area came to attend. Like all Dafa activities, Teacher always arranges practitioners to ascend rapidly through comparison of study and comparison of cultivation. As usual, we cannot use words to express our enormous gratitude and respect toward the Teacher.
Practitioner in Central Taiwan: Zhong Gulan
October 18, 2000