(Clearwisdom.Net) Before I started cultivation, my family's income had always been low, so I regarded money as very important. To save money, I never buy things casually. After I started to practice Falun Dafa in 1996, I gradually got rid of my attachment to profit. On the contrary, my work situation and standard of living have continuously improved. This made it possible for my family and me to set up a production site for truth clarification materials to validate Dafa.
In China, bribing government officials and their staff is a common practice. At work, I am in charge of approving various projects and it is very difficult for me not to become corrupt, especially around the holidays. Companies whose projects are approved by my office always give gifts to the officials and their staff. As far as I know, an average gift given to a staff member is generally between 300 to 500 yuan. Such gifts can add up to between 3,000 to 6,000 Yuan a year, which is two to four times my monthly salary. If I accept them, I could collect 10,000 yuan in a three to four year period. Despite my busy work schedule, I spend a lot of time explaining why I do not want to accept such gifts.
Before 2002, I was not in a position where I had approval authority, so no one gave me any gifts. Then in 2002, I was appointed to a position with approval authority. Every time around the Chinese New Year, there were always a few companies who wanted to give me gifts. I refused most of them. One time, a company's executive put a cash card (a kind of prepaid card) on my desk and left without a word. The card held a value of 500 Yuan. I know as a practitioner I should not have accepted it, but it was not easy to return it. I spent the money on the card, and then decided to return it to the executive as soon as I had a chance. The following year, not one of the companies who I had refused gifts from the previous year tried to give me a gift again. Yet the companies from which I had accepted a gift before brought me gifts again. Teacher is very strict. The old forces were glaring at me like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. Not long after that, my family's glasses started to break three times in a row. Each pair of new glasses cost me between 200 and 300 yuan. It is true what I had gained previously was not worth the loss. I know I was punished for taking money and things that I should not have taken.
When I read what Teacher says in "Cultivator's Avoidances":
"Those who are attached to money seek wealth and feign their cultivation. Undermining the practice and the Fa, they waste their lifetimes instead of cultivating Buddhahood." (Essentials For Further Advancement)
I knew that it was my attachment to money which caused those companies to give me money. I never asked for this money. I know I must return the money.
Once I made that decision, Teacher gave me a chance to visit the company. I returned the 1,000 yuan they had given to me the past two years. The company executives did not expect anyone to return such money and did not want to take it back. I said: "I can't keep this money because it is not mine. It would bring bad luck to me if I kept it." They asked me if I wanted to stop supporting them. I said: "It does not matter whether you give me money or not, I will always support your work projects." However, they still did not want to take it back. Therefore, I told them that I would send it to them through the postal service if I had to. When they realized that I was determined, they took it back and never gave me money again.
Before the 2005 Chinese New Year, a food corporation executive gave me a 300-yuan gift card. I opened the envelope in his presence. He told me that the corporation's CEO wanted to express his gratitude for my support to their project. He told me to use the card to shop in grocery stores. I thanked him and told him that I would gladly accept their gratitude but not the gift card. He told me that he could not return to the CEO with this response. I told him even if I were to accept it now I would send it back later. He replied that the CEO would not like that either. He knows that I practice Falun Gong, so he asked me if I refused for that reason. I said to him: "That is correct. Falun Dafa practitioners cultivate 'Truthfulness - Compassion - Tolerance' not just by saying that, but also by really doing it. Some people made up slanders accusing my Teacher of collecting money. When his disciples behave righteously, it becomes obvious to people that the slanders were fabricated. If your CEO doesn't understand this, tell him that I practice Falun Gong therefore I can not accept it." This executive often goes abroad. Once an overseas practitioner offered him a copy of Zhuan Falun but he did not dare to keep it. I told him he must look at Zhuan Falun if he has a chance.
At the end of 2005, I was sent to another city for training. I thought if I am not in the office and do not work on approving projects; people who were trying to give me money would not bother me. However as long as I still hold this position, people will continue and try to give me money. Several people sent money to my office. I told them I could not accept it. I also told my coworker, a new practitioner, that I refuse gifts and money.
Before the 2006 Chinese New Year, a company's top executives gave money to every director and their staff attending a conference. They asked me to their room and locked the door, giving me the impression that I was not able to leave until I accepted the things they wanted to give me. They handed me an envelope and said: "New Year is coming. This is just a little something to show our gratitude." I knew it was money without even looking inside the envelope. I said: "I am grateful, however I can't accept it." They said: "Does that mean you look down on us?" I replied: "No. Many companies try to give me gifts. I return all of them. It is because I do not want to have bad fortune. If I take something that is not rightfully mine, bad things will happen to me. You don't wish me bad luck, do you?" They said: "Then we won't force you anymore since you put it this way."
When I am at work, I love serving companies and people. Many of these companies want to express their gratitude for my support by giving me gifts and money at New Year. I refuse all of them.
A few days later, a company vice president who holds a Masters degree in law gave me a gift card to thank me for supporting his project. Without looking at it, I told him that I could not accept it. The new practitioner who works with me left the office knowing that we could not and would not accept the gift. The vice president told me that many people either directly told him or implied that he should give these gifts. Otherwise, they would make it difficult for him to take care of his business matters. I said: "No matter whether you give me gifts or not, I will support whatever needs your have. I do even better if you do not offer any gifts." He thought that I was picking at him when I said I refuse to take small gifts. To completely clear away his worries, I told him I could not accept anything because I practice "Truthfulness - Compassion - Tolerance". He asked: "Doesn't the government prohibit practicing Truthfulness - Compassion - Tolerance?" I sent forth righteous thoughts and asked at the same time: "Is there anything wrong with 'Truthfulness - Compassion - Tolerance'? I will always think that it is right." He finally understood that I could not accept any gifts or money because I practice Falun Dafa. He said: "Cultivating self, harmonizing ones home, governing the nation and pacifying the world."
He said: "Your standards are really high! Although I am a CCP member, I can't do that. I used to loathe things like giving gifts. I used to work in government offices and I knew one could not get a promotion without giving supervisors gifts. It did not matter whether one did a good job. That is why I pursued a Masters degree so I could work in private owned companies after graduation. Now no matter where you go, you cannot achieve anything if you do not give people gifts. It is like this in all kinds of departments. However, you work long hours for us. I really feel uneasy about it." I told him: "Serving society and the people is my responsibility. I should do it well. I know that society's standard is low and many officials ask for bribes. However, things will turn around once they reach the extreme. Good luck will arrive after bad luck becomes extreme. If each one of us does the right thing from now on, we will be able to resolve bad karmic relationships. All around me, many people are trying to become good people. If everyone can be kind to others and pass the compassion from one to another, and to people afar, the society will improve." He was happy and anxious when he took back the gift card and left.
Watching him leave, I remembered Teacher's words:
"The pure lotus is born from the Fa. Mercy spreads fragrant scent. And sprinkles sweet dew on the human world. The lotus blooms throughout the court of heaven." ("Fragrant Lotus" draft translation)
Our great Teacher who lets me, a person who used to love money but lacked money, cultivate and become a person who now has both money and virtue. Our great Teacher lets me clarify the truth to people and establish my mighty virtue by refusing gifts and money. I again want to thank Teacher for his merciful salvation.
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Category: Improving Oneself
