(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings Master, Greetings fellow practitioners,
Several fellow practitioners told me to write something about my own experience in studying the Fa. I always think that my cultivation practice is far from what Master requires because I still have many ill thoughts, such as being afraid of enduring hardships, jealousy and some other attachments I can't find out. I have always seen that other fellow practitioners are more diligent. From them, I have found out my own shortcomings. Sometimes, when fellow practitioners are telling each other their own experiences in cultivation practice, I often feel that I have nothing to say and just think, "I'm working hard in Fa study, and that's all." I often read articles of fellow practitioners from mainland China on the Clearwisdom website. Their experience in cultivation practice has benefited me greatly. I think, "Why can't I be in harmony with the cultivation environment? How selfish am I when I just want to ask for something good without giving out anything in return?" Now, I would like to briefly tell my own experience in studying the Fa.
In the article "Drive Out Interference", Master says, "The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts." I am firm in believing that Dafa is omnipotent.
I came to the UK to visit my son who has studied in a university here since July 2004. When reading Clearwisdom articles, I came across an article "Memorizing the Fa". There is a paragraph in it: "I am not sure if fellow practitioners have ever thought about this question: If Fa-rectification ends one day, our cultivation will also end, then will there be an end to our time of studying the Fa? Will it be cut off on a certain day as well? Are we losing one day every day? Sometimes when I see fellow practitioners spending their thoughts and energy on unnecessary things, I really feel distressed. We should really have a good idea of what we are here for, and what the most precious, greatest, most ultimate happiness for a living being is. We should repeatedly and clearly think about these questions!"
I recommend fellow practitioners read the article. Yes, I was asking myself if I concentrated on studying the Fa; I studied the Fa every day; how much Fa I learned and if I just read very fast without knowing what I was reading. When taking part in group Fa study, I often lost focus. Although I knew quite well that I should concentrate on Fa study, I couldn't keep a clear mind and couldn't stop myself from thinking of other things. Of course, the results were not good at all. From then on, I made up my mind to recite the Fa and to learn Zhuan Falun by heart no matter how difficult it was. The Fa can break all my attachments and thought karma. Those who are now memorizing the Fa have the same feeling- the benefit of reciting the Fa is that one must memorize the Fa with a single-hearted devotion; if one is absentminded, one can't remember it. At the beginning, I progressed very slowly. It took me nearly two hours to recite a section of a lecture. Later on, I progressed faster. Even though I had read through Zhuan Falun hundreds of times in China, when I repeated each sentence, I found as if I had never read it book before. Each sentence, even each word seemed new to me. I felt so regretful at that time that why hadn't I thought of memorizing the Fa earlier in China? When I was trying to remember the Fa, I could see bright, sky-blue flashes appearing from the book many times. I knew that it was Master encouraging me. Sometimes, I suddenly comprehended the principles of a sentence but I felt it difficult to describe.
I still remember when I just arrived in the UK, I had many attachments. Because of the dangerous situation in China, we Dafa disciples can only contact each other separately, we are deprived of the environment of "focusing on how we study and cultivate". Although I didn't slacken in my efforts of studying the Fa in China, my attachments were growing. When my son (a fellow practitioner) pointed out my shortcomings, I would talk back at once, being unwilling to listen to him. After that, I felt regret for what I had done. Yet I still couldn't look inward and cultivate myself, or felt wrong and resentful when I was criticized. Through memorizing the Fa for such a long time, I have found that my attachments gradually disappeared and my mind was getting clearer. If my son pointed out my weak points now, I just feel a little bit of resentment. Sometimes, I can't help explaining for myself but I clearly feel that the factor of not looking inward, the bad substance already has no roots and has become very weak. This change makes me even firmer in continuing to recite the Fa.
I would like to give you an example. In November 2004, I applied for asylum in the UK. It was then that I had already recited half of Zhuan Falun. What I had remembered best was Lunyu and Lecture 1. I was put on a Fast Track and suddenly detained in an asylum seeker's centre, which was not what I had expected. Before that, I had thought that I would submit my application first and then wait for the results just like those fellow practitioners who applied for asylum. I could still do what I should do. During the first two days when I was detained, I had no Dafa books with me and my mp3 player that I often used to listen to Master's lectures was kept by the officers in the centre. What was to be done then? While waiting for meals or staying in my dormitory, I was repeatedly reciting Lunyu and the first lecture. I was reciting and reciting, feeling that I was melting into the Fa. The feeling was so wonderful that words failed me. I have studied the Fa for such a long time and I only had the feeling of melting into the Fa for the first time. I was so deep into the Fa that I couldn't hear the dialogue on TV and loud noises in the dormitory. Nor did I wake up from the wonderful state until the officer who was in charge of us called us to have meals.
As a result of reciting the Fa, I could teach several people to practice Falun Gong in the refugee centre; I could clarify the truth to both Chinese people who applied for asylum and the people working there. I was told several times by my solicitor, an interpreter and some other officers there, "You are very unlucky to be detained here. Those who are detained here are all to be refused by the Home Office." I was quite sure that it was Master that used everyday people's mouths to tell me this to see whether I was truly able of letting go of the thoughts of life and death. At that time, what I only thought about was to clarify the truth no matter what anybody said. As I had translated many truth clarifying articles into English, I could clearly remember what methods the Chinese Communist Party used to torture Dafa disciples in China. While telling my solicitor about Dafa disciples being cruelly persecuted in China, I was crying. And my solicitor also had tears in his eyes. During the period of over 10 days in the centre, my fellow practitioners brought me many Dafa books such as Zhuan Falun, some articles of Master, together with some truth clarifying materials and leaflets. I had never expected that so many fellow practitioners would write reference letters to support my application. Because I had stayed in the UK for less than half a year, many practitioners didn't know me. I felt very warm in my heart- Dafa disciples are really a whole body! During this period of time, all Dafa disciples sent forth righteous thoughts to support me. Some practitioners made phone calls and told me, "As a Dafa disciple, you should always keep righteous thoughts, clarify the truth in order to save sentient beings, and send forth righteous thoughts persistently. All of these made my application be granted quickly. This is the power of Dafa and the power of all disciples in the UK. I realized, "When disciples have ample righteous thoughts, Master has the power to turn the tide." Although it is already one year since this time, I would still like to take the opportunity to thank all fellow practitioners for their great help.
What I am now thinking about is how to study the Fa efficiently. Only by being diligent in Fa study, can we Dafa disciples do what we should do well. Before doing anything every day (I am retired), I often memorize the Fa first (for about two hours). I think, "No matter how much time I spend on reciting the Fa, even if I spend only 30 minutes and learn a paragraph by heart, I indeed obtain the Fa I have learned today because I do concentrate on studying the Fa. If I read the Fa with an absent-mindedness, though I sit there reading for two hours, I will learn nothing." I am sure that all of us have the same feelings. Studying the Fa efficiently can get twice the results with half the effort. I have now recited Zhuan Falun six times but I still can't remember all of it. I will keep on memorizing it until I completely melt into the Fa. At the moment, I first recite every paragraph of a lecture, then the English version of the same paragraph, then I read each sentence three times. When I was an everyday person, I often worked from dawn until night learning English. Why shouldn't I now make as great an effort in reciting the Fa, in order to guide me to cultivate all the time? I have confidence in myself. I will bear the Fa in mind. The English version of the book has helped me a great deal in translating Fahui articles. Sometimes, when I go somewhere or wait for buses, I often try to think about how much Fa I can remember today. In this way, I can study the Fa wherever I go and I can enlighten to things at anytime.
While studying Teacher's new articles, I usually read each sentence ten times. When I finish reading the whole article, I am very clear what Master requires us to do. When I repeat every sentence, I concentrate on it so much that I feel it is impossible to think of something else. I think it is a good way to study the Fa. When I take part in group Fa study now, I seldom lose focus.
It is already two years since my starting to memorize the Fa. During this period of time, whenever I can't let go of my attachments, I just remember "Light are the boats, quick the travel with attachments cast aside. But the ocean proves hard to cross if human thoughts weigh one down", said by Master in his poem "Self-Evident is the Heart".
Thus my attachments are all gone immediately. I often ask myself this question: Why must I memorize the Fa? And what is the purpose of doing that?" Memorizing the Fa can make me assimilate to the Fa better and guide me in my cultivation better. The moment I think of this, I am clearer about the mission of Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period.
There are many articles about memorizing the Fa on the Clearwisdom website. I think that learning the Fa by heart is one of the best methods to melt into the Fa. As far as I know, many fellow practitioners in the UK are memorizing the Fa now. Does the evil dare to interfere with us if our thoughts are dominated by the Fa?
Master says in his poem "Solid Cultivation":
Study the Fa and gain the Fa,
Focus on how you study and cultivate,
Let each and every thing
be measured against the Fa.
Only then, with that,
is it actually cultivation.
My son and I often exchange our experiences in studying the Fa. Studying the Fa is important and doing everything according to the Fa is even more important.
The above is my experience in studying the Fa. If there is anything inappropriate, please point it out. Thank you.
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