From March 20th to 24th 2000, I stayed with overseas Dafa practitioners for about one week. The benefit was unforgettable. Because my opinions were different from others, I doubted that my understanding might be wrong; therefore, I didn't share my thoughts with others at that time. After two months of thinking, I decided to share them with all of you in a casual manner and also to discover the shortcoming in my cultivation and ours.
We were told on March 19th that on March 20th (the next day), no one would be allowed to do the exercises in front of the United Nation (UN); on the 21st, we could only do the exercises in the parks in a group of less than 20 people. We were told that this was the current situation, informed to us by the Swiss police, and the local practitioners were still trying to persuade the police.
I then thought, what was it that Master wanted us to be enlightened to? My original intention was to demonstrate the five sets of exercises in front of the UN and let people in the meeting see how peaceful our field was. How could such a peaceful group of people have any interest in politics? Can people with very deep interest in politics be able to sit in meditation in such a tranquil state? Upon my arrival in Geneva, I knew that my original goals could not be reached. It was to see if we could still follow the teachings of Master Li in such a sudden change of situation. It was to see if we could treat it appropriately or not when personal goals and the group benefit were in conflict. It was really a sudden test for me. I didn't sleep well that night. I felt upset and useless. I felt so and so about the event-organizers. I recalled my effort to make this trip possible, not to affect my work and be able to arrive in Geneva on time. I just wanted to show Falun Gong to them. I also wanted to talk with practitioners from other countries. However, everything was not the same as I had wished. Finally, I thought, I should put down that mentality and go along with the situation naturally.
Once I had put down my attachment, on the morning of the 20th, surprisingly, the police gave us a permit to do the exercises in front of the UN. The media also reported the next day:" Can such a practice be a cult?"
Because we had passed the test when encountered with an unpleasant event for individuals to compromise for the group benefit, we got a good result that the media had reported on in a very positive manner. It responded to the teachings of Master Li that the Law of the universe is the most righteous. Because of our righteousness, everything that is not upright enough will reveal its own weakness....
In a wave of hands, Gods can resolve everything. Why didn't he do so? If he does it himself, nothing would be left for people to cultivate. It would be as if he placed the cultivators in a high level directly without their own effort. Without real cultivation to strengthen their morality, they will fall down again naturally. This year, I experienced many tests to see if I could position myself appropriately in the Great Law. An individual practitioner should also have a clear vision about the cultivation as a group especially in very critical moments. We are forever pupils of the Great Law.
All practitioners from different countries meeting here were comparing learning and cultivating of the Great Law. It was the cultivation process that promotes our upgrading of morality. The result was only the secondary. In this trip, we should let governments of all different countries know about Falun Gong. Secondly, we should bring back to our own country what we had shared here and our new thinking. Reshaping them to cope with the culture in different countries and promote global spreading of the Great Law.
On the 21st, we spread out to various parks in Geneva; I thought the Master wanted us to spread the Law throughout Geneva. Master would let predestinated people come to find us. Under such a situation, police followed the celestial phenomenon and the manifestation of the Great Law at its lowest level, which as the Law of the local government required, everything was arranged so well. The media also followed the situation and reported the view in every park that day. All of these, we obtained without pursuit. I thank the Great Law. I silently observed and tried to understand what happened in Geneva. I thought deeply over and over again about Master's words, for a practitioner, there is nothing accidental. I thank our teacher and the Great Law. They had made me calm to follow the natural course.
On the evening of the 21st, in four hours, practitioners from different countries shared what they could not think through clearly. It seemed that we all wished to speak our thoughts and hoped to see how others thought about it in order to have a better and fuller understanding of the Law. We were trying to compare and to cultivate. I came along with questions that accumulated in the past four months. That afternoon, I heard practitioners talking about their trip to Beijing. Their sincerity in cultivating themselves and always finding fault within themselves was so touching that people who heard them were all in tears. Before that, what I had heard were all about looking for fault in oneself and aiming at teaching others to looking for fault in themselves...
That evening, soon after the sharing started, the discussion deviated from its original topic. Most practitioners were concerned about whether we should do the exercise in front of UN or not on Wednesday. Some people borrowed money to make this trip possible. Some practitioners could not understand why we could not do the exercise in front of UN everyday. If we cannot do so, how could we face the practitioners in China? What then was the reason for us to come to Geneva? Etc. In the sharing, many speakers looked shy but their words were wild. Some of them even had the style of Hulan Liu. (To cultivate great compassion is not easy.) At the same time, I also felt the greatness of the Master, who let all practitioners to measure things with the Great Law. No one was able to show off there. Everyone was still cultivating and had their shortcomings. Master asks us to always look inside oneself. When two people were in conflict, the third person should also check inside for why he or she witnessed it. The most precious virtue for practitioners of Falun Dafa was treating the Great Law as the Master and upgrading one's morality unceasingly. Everyone would try to upgrade, harmonize, and perfect oneself when encountering conflicts.
I remembered Master Li once talked about choosing music for the exercise. The one that was not chosen was because of its tragically heroic tune. It would be hard for people to be calm. That evening, some speakers' tones were tragically heroic. They were too harsh; their speeches were not peaceful. Their hearts were not clean, therefore, they were not calm, pure, and compassionate. Not further to mention about the softness of women and gentleness of men. I was one of them too. I then thought, if we could learn together and read more often about the section of "A Clear and Clean Mind", it would be helpful. Master often said that do not seek outward, read Zhuan Falun and everything will be resolved. Once everyone has the heart to do things well, to read the Great Law firmly, and to communicate more, one could be in great balance and in perfect harmony. However, without reading the Law thoroughly, a piece of good heart and enthusiasm can be misused.
In Zhuan Falun, it is mentioned that some great-enlightened beings sit there with hearts as calm as still water and minds tranquil in an unimaginable state. Why cannot we be like that? Because our level is still very low and our realm is not there, we would have burning hearts. I think, if one day in the future, our Teacher attended our conferences and all practitioners could sincerely Heshi and stand where they were, it would be such a great scene in a very high realm. Deep in my heart, I have made up my mind to strive forward. Our Teacher often says you only need to cultivate and to read the book over and over again. It seems simple but it is very profound.
(Translated on May 30, 2000)