(Clearwisdom.net) Born in the period of the Cosmos's Last Havoc and laden with karma, it is my extraordinary predestined good fortune to encounter Dafa and bask in the luminance of Buddha's infinite grace while Master is promoting the Dafa of the Cosmos. Whenever I recollect these fleeting moments of my life, I realize they priceless and incomparably precious, and I feel so blessed.
I cried the moment I saw Master
In April 1994, I was fortunate to have attended the 7th “Fa” Lecture in Changchun City, Jilin Province. My first impression of Master was that he was so different from the rest of us. He was amiable and approachable. He had a smile all the time, and he was so incomparably gentle, considerate and kind. He thought about his disciples all the time. His attire was simple, yet he was elegantly noble.
Master often sacrificed his own time off in order to help disciples learn the Fa well and advance in their cultivation. He always arrived early to the class, and tirelessly answered questions for everybody. I was like everyone else, always wanted to hang around Master a little longer and listen to him expounding on the Fa more, so I also got to the class early every time. Once, I sat up in the balcony and watched as practitioners started to arrive one after another. Just then I saw Master enter the lecture hall, talking to a practitioner. As soon as I saw Master, my tears welled up all of a sudden. I thought to myself, how come I cried the moment I saw Master? It so happened that day during the lecture, Master mentioned that some of us did not know why we cried the moment we saw Him, and that it was because our knowing sides knew what Teacher had given us. I suddenly realized why I cried when I saw Master: Master had given me so much, so very much, that my knowing side felt it and was moved and cried. Could my human side not cry as well? Later, through Master's lectures on the Fa, I learned that Master gave us a lot; he scooped us up from hell and purified us, he then passed on the Fa of the Cosmos to us – the Fa that one might not come across in eons. He gave us a ladder to ascend to Heaven.
Master said in “Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles” (Feb 25, 2006),
“This Fa-rectification is to effect fundamental changes throughout the entire cosmos. That is why during Dafa disciples' cultivation things are being adjusted for them anew, starting from the microcosmic level, and whatever isn't needed is removed directly. It changes the state of a being at a fundamental level. It's different from how things were when people cultivated before.”
Just think of what Master has done for us! Master has bestowed upon us the title, “Fa-rectification Period Dafa Disciples,” and has given us the sacred mission to save sentient beings, validate Dafa, and safeguard the Cosmos. Master has given us the opportunity to establish our mighty virtue. As Dafa disciples existing side by side with Master during the Fa-rectification period, we are the envy of all the beings in the Cosmos. These are honors that will never be presented in the Cosmos again.
Some practitioners understand it well: “It is not easy for Master to spread the Fa; all these years from the outset, He has not paused for one moment. There are many issues we will never know, or be able to understand.”
Now that Fa-rectification has reached the final stage, and we have emerged from countless difficulties and perils under Master's guidance, I can feel Master's grandness and Buddha's infinite grace. They so magnificent that I could not even begin to describe them with human language.
Master’s boundless compassion
Some people came to the class cursing the whole time. There were indeed people like this. One such person enrolled in the class at the same time as me. He showed no respect for Master. On the way home after each class, everyone was so excited and touched, and recounted the compassion and wonderful time during Master’s lecture, yet this person was constantly interrupting with comments that were very disrespectful to Master. We tried to persuade him otherwise, but he did not take heed. I was upset with him and never joined him again after class.
This person often sat in the first eight rows, right in front of Master’s podium. How could Master not be aware of his bad thoughts? Yet from what I could see each time, when Master finished his lecture and came down from the podium to correct disciples’ exercise movements, as he walked back and forth between the first couple of rows, he had a smile on his face and was full of compassion while watching over each practitioner. When Master came to this person, he also looked at him compassionately the same way, without any difference. This incident really touched me. I felt that Master was not an ordinary person, that he is a saint. I had attended classes by other Qigong masters before. They were crowded around by their followers amidst a plethora of constant flattery. If any students had any suggestion of veiled criticism, the master would immediately explode in the class, and would even retaliate. But our Master’s heart was not moved by this disrespectful person, instead he showed great compassion and tolerance, and took no notice whatsoever of the impertinence. Later, Master said during his lecture, “There were people who were cursing at me even while at my classes. I don't mind. I just want to save you.” (“Fa-Lecture during the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference”) Such enormous capacity of tolerance and boundless compassion! Who can even come close?
During my cultivation later on, whenever I encountered conflicts in “xinxing” and tribulations difficult to overcome, I often thought of Master’s great compassion, tolerance, and his heart that encompasses everyone. Who is Master? He is the creator of the boundless cosmos and countless sentient beings. He is also the arbiter of the cosmos. For the people who cursed at him, He is able to be so forgiving and still want to save them. What a capacity of tolerance and compassion! And I am but a tiny little being, a microcosmic life form on a speck of dust in the cosmos. Whenever I encounter problems, I still argue endlessly for what is right and wrong, and from inside out. Aren't I pitiful? Each time I think of this, Master’s compassion and tolerance give me the needed courage, strength and motivation to raise my xinxing.
Teaching by words and deeds, a role model for the disciples
Master teaches disciples, “He is full of great aspirations while minding minor details.” (“Essentials for Further Advancement”) All disciples know what great aspirations are, but what is the standard for “minding minor details?” In the article published on Clearwisdom, “Recollection of Master with Gratitude,” practitioners recalled that Master always held a proper and dignified posture while walking, resting, sitting or reclining. In all the years, they never saw Master sit cross-legged on the chair or sofa, or stretch out. For elderly practitioners, Master took good care of them; and when seeing guests off, Master stood at the door until they were out of sight. Reflecting on myself, have I been able to do that? I am far away from this standard.
Master was very frugal. During the class, we saw that Master's clothes were not new but they fit well and were clean. Other practitioners mentioned that the wool sweater Master wore had been carefully mended in places. I was shocked. In today’s society, who wears clothes with mended patches? Yet our most revered Master wore such clothes. Master once bought a $2 pair of shoes for his daughter. Master would pick up the discarded outer leaves of vegetables and take them home, Master picked up and ate the rice grains off the table and floor, and Master ate the half-bowls of noodles left behind by some practitioners. I cried after reading these accounts. Compared to Master’s behavior, I was so ashamed of myself. Since ancient times, it was always the disciples who provided for the master, yet our Master bought meals for his disciples and never wanted a penny from his disciples. During the classes, Master shed tears when he heard that some disciples had instant noodles for meals. Yet Master Himself ate instant noodles all year long when He held classes. Since ancient times, who has seen such benevolence towards disciples by a master? Even the Dafa books that save sentient beings were given free by Master.
Each and every incident and story of Master teaching the Fa touched people's hearts, and moved people to tears. Even so, after the persecution began on July 20, 1999, evil authorities fabricated stories such as Master was “amassing a fortune,” and “living in luxury in a mansion,” to attack and defame Master. With irrefutable evidence, aren't such false stories shown to be lies? This reminded me that shortly after July 20, CCTV defamed Master for “amassing a fortune.” I said to the wicked people on CCTV, “What fortune to amass? This whole cosmos was created by Master. The whole cosmos is Master’s, and he is the wealthiest. What fortune does he need to amass?”
Master' greatness and noble manner, and Master’s teaching, “He is full of great aspirations while minding minor details” will always be the role model for the disciples.
[Editor's comment: Master’s frugal life style has earned the disciples’ deep respect. But we must not mistakenly think that the Great Enlightened Beings who save people must endure the same hardship and poverty as those whose lives are being saved, and that this is the only way to save people. Such misguided belief has been an area of confusion for some people amidst the wicked Party's lies after the persecution started.]