(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings to Respected Teacher! Greetings to fellow practitioners new and veteran!
I am a practitioner from Changchun in Northeast China. I gave myself the nickname, "Buchi" (meaning "not late"), because I learned Falun Dafa pretty late and I wanted to use the name to remind me to be more diligent. This is to make sure I will not be late when Teacher comes to take us back home. I am grateful to Teacher for giving me this opportunity to share with fellow practitioners on the website. I really feel very happy. The following are some of my experiences obtained in the last year or so, since I learned Falun Dafa. Since I have a lot to talk about, I only picked the important ones.
1) Genuine Cultivation Practice After Learning Falun Dafa
Falun Dafa began to spread widely in my hometown in 1992. However, I simply ignored it. I had no idea whatsoever what Falun Dafa was. Even after the persecution started and the evildoers had staged the "self-immolation" at Tiananmen Square, I still had no impression about Falun Dafa. I really do not know what kept me so preoccupied during these years.
I went to Jinan City in Shandong Province in 2000 and stayed in the residential area of a large state-run enterprise. Later, I learned that it was the place where the largest number of practitioners were in Jinan City. Regretfully, I missed the opportunity again. I moved to a new place in October of 2004, where Practitioner A gave me the book, Zhuan Falun. By this time I had no barriers to understanding Falun Dafa. After obtaining this treasured book, I felt as if a bright light went on and it brought bright sparks instantly. To my delight, Practitioner A had all the lectures Teacher delivered in various places. I read all the Falun Dafa books one by one. I knew it was what I wanted as I read the clear and profound Fa principles. I began my cultivation under the guidance of Falun Dafa, with the help of fellow practitioners and my own enlightenment. The inner meanings of the Fa have constantly been revealed to me through constant Fa study. A new me was born. My colleagues, friends and relatives have all said that I have been totally changed. I knew in my heart that all this was the result of Teacher's compassionate hints.
2) Letting Go of Attachments
The failure of my marriage did not make me bow to fate, but inspired new hope for life. I said to myself that next time I would find a good husband with money and a car, and who was considerate and loving. Keeping this wish in mind, I began to search very hard through a vast sea of people. My criterion was to be "happy" no matter whether I became a wife or a lover. (After cultivation, I realized how terrible this warped idea was.) However, I failed to find anyone, but instead created a lot of karma without realizing it.
I always remembered the Fa principles, after having learned them. Everything of the human world became clear to me at a glance after I knew the true purpose and meaning of being an upright person. Falun Dafa made me realize that happiness was being an upright person, who acts nobly and righteously. This was not all. What I had always been pursuing came not long after I learned Falun Dafa. I met a fairly rich and quite handsome man of about 40 years of age at work. He told me frankly that he was looking for a lover and I was what he had in mind. This was a real test for me. Remembering to uphold the standards of a Falun Dafa practitioner, I told him, "It is wrong for you to do that. Your warped thinking will bring you tribulations." He left, not quite understanding what I had said. He came back two days later and said it would be his greatest regret if I would not be his girlfriend. I told him about the relationship between "Loss and Gain" and the "Transformation of Karma." I told him that his wealth came from his virtue, so he should be an upright person from now on. He listened attentively.
He came to see me again two days later. He said listening to me talk was much more beneficial than studying for ten years. He also asked not to be misunderstood, since he had already given up his original intentions. His purpose in coming to see me now was to listen to me talk a bit more. I learned he was a Chinese Communist Party member during our conversation. I told him, "If a person has no future then it is useless to have more money and a car. I can help you to quit the CCP." He happily agreed. On leaving he said, "Over all these years, you are the only good person I have met. Falun Gong is wonderful! Thank you! I will not disturb you ever again." A life has been saved and the celestial body he represents has been saved. Of course those bad elements hidden deep in my mind have also been eliminated. "Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master." (Zhuan Falun) I then had a vision of Teacher smiling at me.
3) Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts at Midnight, Teacher Gave Me a Hint Twice
I had just learned Falun Dafa. I felt my palms get hot and energy flow upward whenever I sent forth righteous thoughts. However, later on the mentality of seeking comfort emerged. I did not want to get up at midnight, therefore, sometimes I would miss sending forth righteous thoughts at midnight. Suddenly I heard the sound of knocking at the door "Bang, bang," one evening when I was sound asleep. I complained to myself, "Who would come to knock on the door at this hour?" I called out twice, asking who was at the door, but there was no answer. I looked at my watch and saw that it was 5 minutes to midnight. Since it was time for sending forth righteous thoughts, I began to do so. The same thing happened the following evening because I had such poor enlightenment quality. I finally enlightened that it was Teacher who woke me up. I did Heshi and asked Teacher to rest assured that I would not let this happen again. I have never missed sending forth righteous thoughts, even once since. I realized the importance of sending forth righteous thoughts.
4) Teacher Helps Me to Overcome Seeking Comfort
One day, at noon about 6 months ago, my laziness emerged and I tried to take a nap after lunch. However, just as I lay down, I clearly felt that I was whipped twice. As I sat up, I heard a voice saying, "There is no time left, why can't you read the books more!" I enlightened that Teacher was worried about me. So I got up and began to study the Fa with a calm mind. I never napped thereafter. "Buchi" would follow Teacher's teachings "to study the Fa a lot." Since I studied the Fa a lot and did things in accordance with the Fa, my fellow practitioners all said that I made rapid progress.
5) Sitting in Lotus Position with Both Legs Crossed
My first dream, after I learned Falun Dafa, was about sitting in double lotus, with both legs crossed. Compassionate Teacher appeared in my dream and taught me how to sit in the double lotus position. Teacher demonstrated once and then asked me to repeat after him. I did it very well in my dream. I did it very poorly in reality. I got a headache and my legs were very stiff and hard to press them down, whenever I tried to do the sitting meditation. One day, I begged Teacher quietly, "Teacher, please let me eliminate karma in some other way, for example a toothache, as long as I don't need to sit with both legs crossed." Guess what? In the afternoon I began to get a toothache. I thought I could endure it because Teacher was helping me to eliminate karma. However, the pain got worse and worse, until I was rolling in bed and sweating all over. I remembered what I had said that morning and realized that my thought was wrong. I said, "Teacher, I was wrong. Please let me sit with both legs crossed." Even before I finished my words the toothache had stopped. Teacher said,
"This is caused by your pursuit, and others cannot intervene." (Zhuan Falun)
Teacher still came to teach me sitting with both legs crossed later in my dream. I thought Teacher went to a lot of trouble for me. If I still could not sit with both legs crossed, I would be letting Teacher down. So I was determined to practice sitting with both legs crossed. With help and encouragement from Teacher and fellow practitioners, "Buchi" is able to sit with both legs crossed for more than one hour now.
6) A Dozen Square Meters Is a Good Place for Me to Save Sentient Beings
As a Fa rectification period, Falun Dafa practitioner it's my duty to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. In the evening I went to hand out truth clarification pamphlets with other practitioners. Usually, we would climb the stairs of several buildings and encounter no troubles. This was due to Teacher's compassionate care and sending forth righteous thoughts continuously. Teacher said,
"If you are not afraid, the factor that would make you afraid will cease to exist." (Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s) from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
My work also helped me a lot. My job is to make clothing. Teacher arranged for me to be given a small house, about a dozen square meters in size. I have lost count of the number of lives that had been saved there. My neighbors and every customer who came to this house all had predestined relationships with me. All were people for me to save. They quit the Chinese Communist Youth League or the Chinese Communist Party. Some customer said when entering the house, "How lovely this small house is!" As a matter of fact, in the eyes of everyday people, it's a very ordinary house. The house is full of bits and pieces of clothes and threads because I make clothing. Although I tried to keep the house tidy, I could tell it was from their heart when they said the house was lovely. I had a better understanding of the saying,
"...the Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities." (Lecture Six of Zhuan Falun)
Teacher said,
"One can be a good person at different strata, and one can practice cultivation at one's own social level. " (Lecture Four of Zhuan Falun)
7) Our Truth-clarification Materials Processing Site
There was a proposal by Minghui/Clearwisdom Website of having printing sites spring up everywhere and blossom all over the place. Several other fellow practitioners and I, after consultation, set up a local materials site. I was in charge of the production of the truth-clarification materials, pamphlets, posters and weekly articles. Those practitioners who are well off said to me, "If you need any money just let me know and I will not delay your work." I was really moved. When we had time, we would study the Fa, share our experiences and discuss related issues together. Teacher said,
"We stress holistic improvement and holistic upgrade. " (Lecture Two of Zhuan Falun)
When we really become one body, which is perfectly all-encompassing, the evil would be scared and when we do things, we would be able to get twice the result with half the effort.
8) Memorizing the Fa
Teacher said,
"Innate base is cultivation's foundation,
From righteous understanding stems
a superior man's wisdom.
Cherish Zhen Shan Ren,
keep the Way in heart,
And Falun Dafa can bring Consummation." ("Studying Dafa" from Hongyin II)
I was wondering how we could reach the state of "keeping the way in heart." There is no other way than filling our minds with all the Fa, so that we can measure every thought of ours with the Fa, all the time.
I began to memorize the Fa in October 2005, with the help of fellow practitioners . It took me more than a month to recite Zhuan Falun for the very first time. The second time it only took me 28 days, the third time 20 days and the fourth time half a month. Beginning from the fifth time, I recited one lecture a day. Now I am reciting Zhuan Falun for the sixth time. This time I recited Zhuan Falun continuously (previously I recited paragraph by paragraph). I experienced the whole of me melt into the Fa, the profound Fa principles and the broad inner meanings unfolded in front of me, from memorizing the Fa. The degree of profoundness was beyond what words can describe. Teacher said,
"A human body's transformation process in other dimensions is quite intricate and complex." (Lecture One of Zhuan Falun)
I realized that only when one memorizes the Fa can one realize this. During the process of memorizing the Fa, the changes to my body were enormous. I found that I liked to look at myself in the mirror (this could become an attachment). The difference between my age and appearance makes people want to check my ID. Therefore, I tell them, Falun Dafa is a cultivation practice of mind and body. If you want to remain forever young, you should practice Falun Dafa. I thought of monks reciting the scriptures in Buddhism, while writing to this point. Since Zhuan Falun is the Great Fa of the cosmos, it would be really a big loss if we failed to memorize it. Memorizing the Fa takes perseverance and willpower. I hope every practitioner can reach the state of "keeping the way in heart". One elderly practitioner of 70 years old memorized Zhuan Falun in four months. She said, "There is nothing you cannot accomplish as long as you have the spirit of the "Foolish Old Man who removed the mountains" or "ants gnawing at a bone." "Plod away at a big job, bit by bit."
9) My Thoughts on the Cultivation State of Fellow Practitioners
The practitioners around me displayed various states. Some only studied the Fa, but did not do exercises; some only practice the exercises, but did not study the Fa; some were worried about failing to enlighten to the Fa principles; some failed to put into practice the Fa principles they had enlightened to and still others dared not step forward to clarify the truth, but only studied the Fa and practiced the exercises at home.
Recently, I have been urging fellow practitioners to memorize the Fa. I often hear practitioners chatter when I bring this up. Some said their mind is not up to par, some said their memory isn't good, some said the environment they were in was not good and others said there were too many people at their home so the conditions do not allow it. All these are nothing but negative thoughts. What I want to say to these practitioners is: "When these excuses come out of your mouth, haven't you admitted that you cannot do it? When the evil forces hear it, they will say, 'Listen, he himself admitted that he cannot do this and cannot do that. Can he still be able to reach consummation?' Then whose path are you taking?"
Teacher said,
"In the past, the Tao School held that a master selects a disciple instead of a disciple choosing a master." (Lecture One of Zhuan Falun)
As a practitioner today, don't you believe that you were chosen by Teacher? Teacher said,
"In fact, everything you have been experiencing was planned in remote, ancient times." ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles")
Then, since we are selected by Teacher, how can we say "I cannot do this or that."? Where do we position ourselves? Of course when you say you are poor in this aspect or that aspect, maybe it is because you want to be modest. As for my understanding, as long as we are not showing off, we really cannot say "I can't do it." Since we are students of our Teacher and Fa-rectification period Falun Dafa practitioners, the lives that all the sentient beings in the cosmos are so envious of, we must say, "Yes, I can. I can do whatever others can and I can do whatever others cannot." In the mighty current of Fa-rectification we should do whatever we are needed for. We have our responsibility, our mission and our final aim; so we must do it even if we seem unable to do it!
10) The Journey Ahead
It has been nearly two years since I began to practice cultivation. Under the compassionate care of Teacher and the loving care of fellow practitioners, I have come this far. There was happiness amidst sufferings and worries amidst enjoyment. I felt happy because I finally found my journey home after thousands of years of waiting. I worried because there are still countless sentient beings who have been deceived by lies and are yet to be saved. I know there are still journeys ahead and I still have a lot of bad things to let go. Recalling the short, but happy two years, I left firm and righteous footsteps on my path, that advanced bravely. I will continue to do that. As practitioners, Teacher only wants us to have a heart of advancement. The numerous sentient beings of our paradises are anticipating our return! Let's be diligent together and return to the place that belongs to us, righteously and nobly.
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