Shared at the 2005 New York Falun Dafa Conference
(Clearwisdom.net) On September 14, 2004 our group of 15 people left Taiwan for Manhattan to clarify the truth for three months. Here, we would like to share with everyone our experiences in truth clarification during those three months. 1. In every aspect -- food, clothing, housing and transportation -- we worked together as one body
The fifteen of us were of different ages and professions. Some were young and strong and able to speak English; some were elderly retirees; some had been prominent government officials; and some were successful businessmen or homemakers. For three months, fifteen of us from different backgrounds were going to live together. With these differences, in order to do the best possible job in clarifying the truth, we studied the Fa and shared our thoughts with each other. Our Fa study group helped advance our understandings of the Fa. Meanwhile, we corrected our shortcomings. Through learning from the good virtues we saw in one another and accepting our differences, we were able to utilize the different capabilities of each of us. That yielded the greatest results because we worked as a team, coordinating and cooperating with one another.
We were one of the earliest groups from Taiwan to come to New York City to clarify the truth, and we encountered numerous difficulties at the beginning of our stay. All these obstacles provided us with opportunities to upgrade our xinxing. For example, we were not familiar with the living environment and the local life styles. Most of the elderly practitioners in our group did not know how to speak English and were not accustomed to the English-speaking environment. The younger practitioners who spoke English fluently took on more duties. The younger peers led the group when taking subways, buying train tickets, taking care of our accommodations, and coordinating many other projects. The older practitioners took on the role of "parents," taking care of everyone's housing, food, and other daily needs. Initially, we met with some challenges. For example, upon arrival in Manhattan, the toilet at our boarding house was broken. After clarifying the truth on the streets for a whole day, we had to share the same bathroom amenities in the evening with another group of 15 Dafa disciples. If one wanted to go to the lavatory, he or she had to wait in a long line. If one wanted to take a shower, it could be long after midnight before one's turn came. The next day, we resumed our truth-clarification activities. On one occasion, after Dafa group study in the evening, we got off the subway at the wrong station. We hurried back to our dormitory in the rain, and it was already 2 o'clock in the morning. Regardless of the black circles around the eyes caused by the lack of sleep, the next day we reported on time and started once again clarifying the truth on the streets. In addition, we spent a lot of unnecessary time traveling places. About a month into our stay in Manhattan, we realized we could have saved about 40 minutes commuting time every day by switching to different subway lines.
We woke up at five o'clock every morning. After sending forth righteous thoughts, we did the tranquil cultivation exercise for an hour and then we read Zhuan Falun. It was usually ten o'clock in the morning by the time we had breakfast and cleaned the house. Then, we went to the assigned locations to participate in clarifying the truth or anti-torture exhibits. The activities ended at 6 o'clock in the evening. Some practitioners continued to distribute flyers at subway stations to people who had just gotten off work. Some practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy to send forth righteous thoughts. Towards the end of our stay in Manhattan, we even joined the efforts in distributing truth-clarifying newspapers in the early morning at subway stations. We devoted ourselves to clarifying the truth from dawn till dusk.
With the little remaining time, we were able to take care of our personal lives, like buying groceries, cooking meals, taking showers, doing laundry, cleaning house, etc. With 15 people living together, it became necessary to adjust personal lifestyles to fit the group living space. We all needed to overcome our shortcomings in everyday life despite the fact that we all had different positive points in us. At times, conflicts would arise over trivial things. Therefore, having Dafa group study and exchanging experiences became very important in order to achieve harmony and agreement among us. In such a busy and fast-paced living environment, it was indeed easy to expose the insufficiencies in our cultivation. Besides, we felt at times that it was very exhausting to live and work with other practitioners. However, such an environment helped us become better persons.
"Learning and cultivating under guidance,
Referring to the Fa in doing everything,
Compliance is cultivation."(from "Solid Cultivation," HongYin, unofficial translation)
Also, it was a good way to eliminate our attachment to comfort. If we could really look inward at ourselves every time a conflict arose, if we could cultivate ourselves at all times according to the standards for practitioners, and if we could endure suffering and not be afraid of hardship and obstacles, our xinxing would be holistically elevated in such a difficult environments and we would become a particle of this great Dafa.
2. Stories of clarifying the truth on the subways
One day, a practitioner carried a truth-clarification display board onto the subway. Another practitioner observed a Westerner looking at the board. Despite the fact that this practitioner was not good at English, she wanted to let this Westerner hear the truth. She started reading the truth-clarification article from the English flyer out loud to the Westerner. However, he really did not understand what she was talking about. Another Westerner sitting beside him said, "I have heard about this persecution. Let me read it to you."
At the beginning of our stay in Manhattan, we observed one thing through studying the Fa and sharing experiences. Most of our practitioners clarified the truth in Manhattan wearing Dafa clothing. When our group of practitioners boarded the subway, nearly the entire train was occupied by us. If we took up all the seats, then what would the New Yorkers think of Dafa disciples? Therefore, one practitioner proposed that we should give up our seats so that we would leave a good impression.
On one occasion, after a practitioner was seated he thought about giving up his seat as we had discussed during Fa study. So, he rose up and gave his seat to an American. This provided him with an opportunity to clarify the truth to that man. By the end of their conversation, his whole family and seven friends of his all understood the truth.
As for myself, I was accustomed to distributing truth-clarifying materials to people while sitting on a subway train or while waiting for it to come. I thought, they are all beings coming for Dafa and they need to know the truth. Wouldn't this be a great opportunity for them to read the materials while riding the subway train or waiting for the subway? One time, I distributed a flyer to a gentleman who said he had already read over the truth-clarifying newspapers. Then, he sincerely told us that what we were doing was very great and most respectful, and he thanked us and wished us victory and success.
One day, on the subway, I was handing out some flyers related to the "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" art exhibit to a group of teenagers. Originally, they were playing with one another and causing a big disturbance on the train. After I gave them the flyers, they all began to quietly read the materials. In no time, I saw the quick transformation in these kids. The intense and pure energy emitted from the pictures in the flyers changed those kids' behavior from rebellious and rambunctious behavior to peaceful and harmonious. I couldn't help but think how powerful the "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" paintings were!
3. Stories of clarifying the truth on the streets
At the beginning, we were responsible for distributing flyers at the intersection of 8th Avenue and 34th Street, and for sending forth righteous thoughts in front of the Chinese Consulate. Often, we were subdivided into groups of 3 or 4 people. Some of us had the job of finding the locations on the street and setting up the display boards. The elderly practitioners in our group were responsible for doing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts; practitioners who were capable of speaking English were responsible for talking to passersby and giving out flyers. One time, a practitioner happened to see a movie producer come to see our display board. After he finished listening to the truth, he showed interest in making a movie with our stories, so that more people would know about the truth of Falun Dafa and the persecution. He very enthusiastically inquired as to where he could obtain more information.
Another time, a gentleman passing by walked back and forth looking at our display board, and then he shouted with anger, "That's unbelievable!. These people are so peaceful and kindhearted, how could they be beaten to such extent? Please tell me a website where I can get more information. My friend is a news program producer and I must tell him about this situation."
Once, two elderly ladies passed by and saw us doing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts. They came to us and asked what we were practicing. They both said our exercise movements looked so peaceful and graceful, and that it made people feel really good. We told them that this was Falun Gong and how millions of people from more than 60 countries had been helped to obtain a healthy body and mind through the practice. We told them that teaching the exercises is always free and they asked if we were willing to come and teach in their community.
Another touching story occurred when a gentleman came and browsed through our display board and flyers, and did not leave for a long time. He told us he had a very wonderful and peaceful feeling while watching us practice the exercises and hand out flyers. The gentleman then was very happy and immediately learned the exercises. He said that what we were doing was a very extraordinary undertaking. He felt very proud of us, and hoped one day he could also join us and be a part of this extraordinary work.
4. Stories on participating in anti-torture exhibitions
Sending forth righteous thoughts needs to be emphasized when organizing an anti-torture exhibit. The impact of clarifying the truth with an anti-torture exhibit is enormous. Just because of this reason, the evil and dark minions find every way to disrupt our truth-clarification efforts. For example, on several occasions while clarifying the truth to some gentlemen in front of the anti-torture exhibit site, I immediately experienced an excruciating headache. It felt like my head was capped under a big cover. After I endured the pain and finished clarifying the truth, the headache immediately disappeared. In August 2004, large numbers of evil beings and dark minions started to concentrate in Beijing and Manhattan, and this was also about the time we first arrived in Manhattan and started fighting off the evil. We encountered numerous tribulations. For example, as passers-by stopped and watched us sending forth righteous thoughts, our practitioners' hand gestures suddenly became weak and out of place. Not until passersby walked away did the hand gestures return to the original forms. Or, Westerners with very indifferent facial expressions did not want to receive practitioners' flyers. At the anti-torture exhibit site, there were disturbances from many areas. Gusty winds all of a sudden came out of nowhere and blew away big display boards, desks, chairs and flyers. Or, the evil took advantage of human attachments, causing conflicts and arguments among practitioners. All these tribulations were the evil and minions' doings, trying to hinder our truth clarification efforts. At that time, we recognized those were disturbances caused by the evil. We also realized the necessity to have practitioners calmly deal with tribulations, never compromise with the evil, and persistently eliminate the evil with our righteous thoughts.
We also encountered tribulations during anti-torture exhibits. Sometimes when tribulations came, they were quite serious and difficult. With continuous Fa study, experience sharing, and organizing more anti-torture exhibits, those tribulations rapidly disappeared into nothing. What emerged instead were deeper mutual respect and consideration among our practitioners, as well as a more elegant virtue. I think that's primarily because our xinxing, in the process of staging the anti-torture exhibits, was quickly and continuously upgraded and becoming more in accordance with Dafa. Our shortcomings were replaced by real compassion.
I had a clear view of the results of annihilating a large quantity of dark minions through sending forth righteous thoughts at set times around the world. I recalled that one day I was trying hard to distribute flyers at the anti-torture exhibit sites, but not too many were given out. However, at six o'clock, after practitioners around the world sent forth righteous thoughts, a large number of people started coming up to us ask for materials and to ask us questions. It was a completely different situation, compared to not being able to give out many materials earlier on.
During our anti-torture exhibitions in the freezing cold weather of New York City streets, we stood with both hands cuffed, and knelt or sat in the cage for 2 or 3 hours in a role as persecuted victim. It is not something that could be done by an ordinary person. Only Dafa Disciples with compassion to offer salvation to all human beings can do this. We had to clearly understand that the goal was to offer salvation to humankind. Several practitioners said that they didn't feel tired as they played the role of a victim and were able to endure the cold, gusty wind. They had feelings of being weightless, like flying in the clouds. They could accomplish this as long as they maintained righteous thoughts and actions, recited teachers lectures and Lunyu and sent forth righteous thoughts. During experience sharing, one practitioner said she realized her coming to New York City was for offering salvation to humankind, not simply sitting in the cage for two to three hours as a pitiful victim. When she deeply understood this meaning, she could not help but have tears of compassion streaming down her face while she played the role of a victim in the cage.
Several times while clarifying the truth in front of anti-torture exhibit sites, sorrow arose from the bottom of my heart. It was as if the imprisonment and persecution of our fellow practitioners from Mainland China were happening in front of my eyes. When New Yorkers came to see the display and understood the truth, their sense of justice, benevolent thoughts and conscience were revealed without their being aware of it. It's very touching, especially when they yelled out, "How come no news media ever comes out to report such persecution? Why on earth is there such cruel persecution? What could we do to help you?" Sometimes people seriously looked at our display and walked away with tears in their eyes.
One day, when Manhattan practitioners had other activities planned, no anti-torture exhibits were held. I went to Wall Street and set up the display boards and started clarifying the truth. Soon, a practitioner from Canada joined me. She was responsible for handing out flyers and talking to people, and I was responsible for practicing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts. That day when I practiced the exercises, I felt especially tranquil. The practitioner from Canada said that more people came to get our truth-clarification materials and ask questions on that day. When I closed my eyes while sending forth righteous thoughts that afternoon, I suddenly saw my surroundings become blurry. It was as if a scene from a science fiction movie were playing right in front of my eyes. At that moment, I saw a crack in the sky, out from which stepped out a huge Buddha's enormous foot. The huge Buddha's enormous foot was just hanging in the air, over all of Wall Street. When I saw this scene, immediately, tears welled up in my eyes. I felt immensely touched because, sometimes at the superficial level our truth-clarification activities seem no different from those of ordinary people. However, our truth-clarifying project was a much more spectacular event in another dimension. I deeply felt that it is incomparably great to be able to validate the Fa and clarify the truth alongside Teacher rectifying the cosmos with the Fa.
Looking back on those three months in Manhattan, because every practitioner wanted to do well in clarifying the truth and offering salvation to people, they endured numerous tribulations. Also, in order to validate the Fa, offer salvation, and leave no regrets in our great wish, we went out clarifying the truth and setting up anti-torture exhibits regardless of rain or shine or how little sleep we had. Some fellow practitioners quietly worked hard and continued to contribute great efforts to make up for any shortcomings in our group. One practitioner, who was a homemaker, even studied English in the evenings so as to better clarify the truth. Originally, we were practitioners scattered in various parts of Taiwan. Each of us had ordinary people's thoughts and various attachments. Through this truth-clarifying project, we went from not knowing each other to developing valuable friendships. Especially during these three months, I sensed that every practitioner in our group was rapidly elevating their xinxing levels and bringing about transformation within themselves. When our coordinator, who was in her fifties, smiled, she looked like a pure and happy eighteen-year-old girl. The homemaker who took responsibility for clarifying the truth displayed a face naturally radiant with great compassion. The elderly practitioners playing roles in anti-torture exhibitions experienced their skin become as smooth as a baby's. As for fellow practitioners who worked all day long, they became younger and younger, radiating with elegance. I felt that everyone's xinxing levels were continuously elevated through our ongoing efforts to clarify the truth. As a result of immersing ourselves in the Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance of Dafa, we have all become more compassionate and capable of thinking of others before ourselves.
I would like to end by citing Teacher's poem, "Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions," to encourage all fellow practitioners:
"A Great Enlightened Being does not fear hardship
Having forged an adamantine will
And with no attachment to living or dying
He walks his path of Fa-rectification openly and nobly"
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