(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings, dear great, benevolent Teacher.
Greetings, fellow practitioners.
I was introduced to Falun Dafa in August, 2002. I have lived through the past few years of this Fa-rectification period under Teacher's constant care and support. From an ordinary person loaded with karma, I became a devoted Dafa disciple who is steadfast in helping Teacher rectify the Fa and save sentient beings. So much was done by Teacher for me, that I now understand the principle of:
"Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master."(Lecture One in Zhuan Falun)
We are all enormously indebted to Teacher. I cannot find enough words to describe my appreciation for Teacher's saving me. Here, I "Heshi" to the great Teacher.
Obtaining the Fa
One day in August, 2002, I was taking pills (a dozen or so altogether) in my store for all sorts of illnesses that I had. One of the two customers seeing this said, "How come you take so many pills?" I replied helplessly, "I can't help it. I have so many illnesses." She said, "Look at me. I haven't taken a single pill in six years." I looked at her enviably, seeing that her pretty face radiated a pink glow and displayed both kindness and health. How could a forty-year-old lady (actually she was fifty already), be in such good shape? I eagerly asked what her secret was. She cautiously took a look around, and then told me with a smile in a soft voice, "I practice Falun Gong." "Falun Gong?" The two words quickly flashed in my head. What surprised me was that the person in front of me was entirely different from what the TV and newspaper propaganda had described. As a very curious person, I was even more eager to find out what was going on. Therefore, two things led to my involvement with Falun Gong: one was to get healthy, and the other was to find out exactly what it was. I thought that if I read a Falun Gong book, I would discover the truth. So, with the lady practitioner's help, I began my cultivation.
My change after cultivation
The first time I picked up Zhuan Falun, I didn't know why, but I felt an indescribable affinity with it. I thirstily read it as fast as I could, like a fish just finding water. When I finished reading it the first time, it was indeed like what Teacher had said in Lecture 8 of Zhuan Falun:
"Once they learn our Falun Dafa, they will understand at once many questions in life that they have wished to understand but could not answer."
In Zhuan Falun, there is nothing at all like what was described in the TV and newspaper propaganda. It is all about teaching people to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and to be good. Then why did the Communist Party engage in such propaganda? Weren't they lying and slandering Dafa? Now everything was clear to me and my view changed dramatically.
I thought that I needed to do the exercises to get rid of my illnesses. But Teacher had already started to cleanse my body when I studied the Fa. Without my awareness, many of my illnesses were alleviated. This was just miraculous. Later I read The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa and learned the principles of the exercises. My illnesses such as heart disease, sinus problems, and neurasthenia all went away. This is totally inexplicable for an ordinary person. Dafa let me truly experience the feeling of being illness-free. Being too thin in the past, I gained weight and became normal.
My view of life also changed dramatically. I know now the reason I'm alive, and know what I should do. In the past, I always felt indignant and frustrated when I saw the chaos and injustices in society. Teacher said in Lecture Nine of Zhuan Falun:
"When human society has developed to this step today, think about it: What will happen if it goes on like this? Can it be allowed to exist like this forever? If humankind does not do something about it, heaven will. Whenever humankind experiences catastrophes, it is always under such conditions."
Learning this, I felt indeed that the Fa can get rid of all attachments. Now I know that everything in this world has a reason. Having learned the truth, my short and bad temper became much calmer. I felt that I was reborn. From then on, I cultivated in Dafa and was immersed in Teacher's light. My life has been happy and fulfilling. I have also effectively validated the Fa with my change-people around me say that I am an entirely new person.
Teacher cautioned and inspired me in a dream. I was playing cards, but found that it was not cards but rather a book in my hands. The first page of the book had three pictures of lotus hands holding a precious pearl. Below was a line, "State what you saw in the book." When I woke up, I clearly sensed that it was Teacher's inspiration, wanting me to spread Dafa and clarify the facts.
Because I was a new practitioner, fellow practitioners did not ask me to participate in clarifying the facts and validating Dafa. I knew, though, that this cultivation method was so good. If everyone followed Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to be a good person, then there would be no fighting, competition, or cheating among people, and people would always think of others before themselves. How marvelous this society and country would be! But many people were prevented from practicing Dafa because of the media's lies and slander. The evil party and its regime were just crazy. No, I had to let these people, who had been deceived, know the facts. I myself had been such a person; I was in the maze. Dafa practitioners used their wisdom to guide me to learn the facts and to begin my cultivation. I knew what I should do. I began telling my friends, colleagues, relatives, and family members around me the facts about Dafa. I also produced some materials about Falun Dafa myself. Later I learned that indeed quite a few people got to know the facts about Dafa this way. Some of them began to cultivate in Dafa. Some searched for Falun Gong books. Some approached Dafa practitioners themselves to learn more. I felt happy for them from the bottom of my heart. Indeed it is like Teacher said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston":
"We're doing these things with our hearts, while they're doing things with money--they could never compare."
Later, with fellow practitioner's guidance and help, I joined them in the Fa-study group. Together we sent forth righteous thoughts, distributed the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, urged people to quit the CCP, and helped Teacher rectify the Fa and save sentient beings. I was doing everything a Dafa disciple needed to do in the Fa-rectification period. I myself kept improving and was elevated during the process.
Teacher's "stick warning"
I was operating a business at first, but since I had another stipend, and was financially secure, I decided to close it. I thought that I would have more time to do the three things that a Dafa disciple needs to do. But with interference from friends, I indulged in playing games such as cards and chess. At first I thought that it was no big deal since I was just having some fun occasionally. Then gradually, I found that I reduced my time doing the exercises and Fa study, fell asleep while sending forth righteous thoughts, and did less in telling people the facts about Falun Dafa and saving people. Sometimes my behavior was not even becoming of a practitioner.
Then one day, when I was lying on the bed, a solemn and forceful voice said: "You have the treasure already. Why don't you practice?" It immediately woke me up and I sat up swiftly. The voice was still resounding in my ear. I sensed that Teacher was solemnly warning me of something. I suddenly enlightened. My face blushed and my heart pounded. I felt nervous, self-blaming, and sorry, just like when I was young and did something wrong and was scolded by the teacher.
The images of my recent experiences passed in front of my eyes like a movie. My behavior had not been like a practitioner's. I was lost among ordinary people and forgot myself. Teacher's words clearly appeared in my mind:
"I've given my utmost concern not just to you, but to all lives. I have almost depleted everything of mine for all lives." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Switzerland")
To rectify the Fa of the cosmos and to save it, our Teacher worked so hard in the cosmos and in the human world alike. He has done so much for us while we have caused Him so much concern. I felt deeply ashamed facing Him. I knelt down in front of His picture. My hands pressed together in Heshi, while my tears fell. I kept saying to Teacher in my mind: "I am sorry, Teacher. I did not do well when interference came. I am not worthy of all that you have done for me. Thank you for whacking me with the stick and waking me up from the maze."
Great and benevolent Teacher is watching His disciples at all times. From then on, I made up a schedule for myself and made sure that I did the exercises and studied the Fa accordingly and everything was rectified. As I studied the Fa well, doing other things became much easier.
There were quite a few practitioners in our area a few years ago, but after July 20, 1999, due to the CCP's evil persecution, they developed fear and some of them gave up their cultivation. Some others secretly cultivated at home and did not come out to clarify the facts and validate Dafa. I was quite concerned seeing this. Using excuses such as borrowing Zhuan Falun or asking about movements in the exercises, I approached them and studied Teacher's article, "For Whom Do You Practice Cultivation" from Essentials for Further Advancement, with them. When we read,
"Regardless of who or what social forces tell you not to practice cultivation anymore, you then give up your cultivation. Do you practice cultivation for them? Will they give you Righteous Attainment?"
and
"Isn't fear an attachment? Cultivation practice is like great waves sifting the sand: What remains is gold",
tears appeared in their eyes. Teacher's Fa inspired the righteous thoughts buried in them, and aroused their desire to cultivate and be good. Through my persistent effort, some fellow practitioners eventually rejoined cultivation. Some stepped forward and told people the facts and validated Dafa with me. They are all doing the three things now. I am happy for them that they did not miss this opportunity that comes once in a million years. This incident also validated the Fa that Teacher taught in Lecture Two of Zhuan Falun:
"These things are arranged by the master and performed by the master. Therefore, it is said that cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while transforming gong is done by one's master. You can only have such a wish and think about it like that, but it is the master who actually does these things."
This is because Teacher does not want to leave behind a single disciple. I truly appreciated that in Dafa cultivation, as long as you base yourself correctly and have strong righteous thoughts, then with Teacher's help and Dafa's power, everything will go well.
In the past six years of rectifying the Fa and cultivation, I devotedly kept Teacher's words in mind and always took the Fa as my guide. With Teacher's benevolent care and support, I strictly require myself to adhere to the standard of a practitioner and always look inward and think of others. I firmly believe that nothing happening on our path of cultivation is an accident. I treat all these things as opportunities to improve my xinxing. I have overcome repeated tribulations and passed numerous tests. I keep improving my understanding of the principles of Dafa and elevating my xinxing.
No matter whether the path of cultivation that remains is long or short, I will always take validating Dafa and saving sentient beings as my duty. I will do the three things well and accomplish my mission. I will be a genuine Dafa disciple and follow Teacher home.
Please point out my deficiencies if you see any.
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