(Clearwisdom.net) I started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. I was physically handicapped prior to becoming a practitioner, but since then, Teacher has purified my body. I have completely recovered from my ailments, and my family life has become harmonious again.
- Continually Clarifying the Truth
The path of cultivation is eventful. On July 20, 1999, the old forces used the perpetrator in this human world, Jiang Zemin's regime, and the persecution against Falun Gong began.
Because I had only practiced for a short period of time, I did not have a clear understanding of the Fa's principles. At that time, I "clarified the truth" simply out of my gratitude toward Dafa. I spoke to the secretary of the village government's political committee about my experiences. I told him that Falun Gong teaches people to be kind and to always think about others, and that it is truly beneficial to the country.
I still remember one of our conversations. I said half jokingly, "Secretary, you have received a high level of education. I believe that you can judge this for yourself. When others tell you that the sun is black, you believe their words and say that you cannot see anything. When others tell you that the moon is square, you also agree. What do you really see? Are you not clear? I stand healed, right here before you - why can't you distinguish between the truth and lies?" He said that he was a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I said, "CCP members are also human beings and should think for themselves. Whether you treat others kindly or badly, they will never forget. It is better to give yourself some leeway. A handicapped person like me can become healthy after practicing Falun Gong, but now you don't allow me to continue practicing. You are backing me into a corner and doing a bad deed."
As all practitioners continually clarified the facts, our village suffered the least persecution in the entire city. In 1999, it was a truly vicious time when all the TV stations, newspapers, and radio stations blatantly slandered Falun Gong. Facing such ill-intentioned slandering, I wrote to our city's TV station, CCTV and the city government using my true name and address, and told them about my own experiences. I hoped that they would recognize that practicing Dafa could cure illnesses and improve people's morality. Afterwards, I wrote to the appeals office of the National Affairs Department, hoping that they would submit my letter to the premier, to help him understand that this persecution was a mistake.
Some practitioners told me not to use my true name and address. I said that I truly hoped that someone could come to visit me and investigate, yet no one replied. Every time that I clarified the truth or wrote letters, I was not very concerned about my safety. I felt only that Teacher and Dafa's names were damaged. I felt that slandering Teacher for tirelessly doing good deeds was unjustified.
In 2000, if someone went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, he would inevitably be illegally detained for one month. On May 1, our farm work was almost finished, so my wife and I decided to go to Beijing. Some practitioners said, "If both of you go, who is going to take care of the fruit farm if you are arrested?" I said, "We'll just let it be." Others said, "Nowadays they have heavy security at the train stations. Can you really make it to Beijing?" I said, "I will go wherever Teacher arranges me to go and clarify the truth."
With Teacher's compassionate protection, I arrived without incident at the appeals office of the Beijing National Affairs Department. Before I could see the staff, policemen surrounded me and asked, "What are you doing here?" I said, "I want to appeal for Falun Gong." I showed them my handicapped certificate and told them, "Today I can travel to Beijing and stand here before you. I attribute this to practicing Falun Gong." They checked my certificate. One policeman circled around me several times and asked, "Is it real?" I said, "Can the stamp be fake?" I told them that Dafa and Teacher were slandered, that Falun Gong taught people to be kind and not to harm others and society. After listening to me, they said politely, "You can go home. If you think it is good, you can practice at home. Don't come outside." I said, "My only request is to allow me to practice freely." Seeing that I refused to leave, they notified the Beijing office of my local area that was responsible for Falun Gong issues. When they took me to the Beijing office, I once again showed my handicapped certificate to the local policemen and told them about my experiences. They also notified my local village government. The secretary of the political committee from our village government then took me home. In the end, I was not taken to the public security bureau. The farm work was also not affected. I truly came to understand the meaning of "cultivation is up to you, gong is up to the master." (from Zhuan Falun)
- Clarifying the Truth with Wisdom
When we clarify the truth, we cannot speak at very high levels that people are unable to accept. We can choose the topics that others are willing to listen to, and pay attention not to offend them. Human beings have both compassionate and evil sides. Our truth clarification promotes their compassionate side, while inhibiting their evil side. Therefore, we can save sentient beings and stop the persecution.
In early November of 1999, one day after dinner, six policemen stormed through my door. I politely asked them to sit down, but they were stone-faced and asked me, "Do you still practice?" I did not answer them directly, and said, "Here is my situation." I then started telling them that I was previously handicapped. When I was initially sick, my youngest child was only five years old, and my wife had to shoulder all of the work. In order to make a living, my wife worked on the mountain, and my five-year-old daughter had to take care of me. Sometimes, she went out to play. When she came back, she would ask, "Dad, do you want to use the toilet?" It was truly miserable. My older daughter was ten. On Sundays, she would take her sister to pick through garbage to make some money. The first time my older daughter gave me twenty yuan, I held her and cried. One time my wife was ill, so my children had to cook for themselves. In order to relieve some of the pressure, I would sometimes go to the field with crutches and help her with the farm work. After listening to my experiences, they sat down. I told them that through practicing Falun Gong, I no longer needed the crutches, and that I had completely recovered. They all expressed sympathy, and were impressed by the miracle of Dafa. Before they left, the director said, "If you think it is good, you can practice at home. We will not watch over you all day long." They had come to arrest me, but the result was that I had the opportunity to clarify the truth. With Teacher's compassionate protection, I clarified truth with wisdom.
- Clarifying the Truth While Facing Persecution
In 2001, the evil rampantly conducted brainwashing activities in every region. Even though it was time for the fall harvest, they kept arresting practitioners and forced them to undergo brainwashing.
One morning while we were sending forth righteous thoughts, I heard a car approach. I told my wife that someone was coming and that we needed to eliminate the evil with our righteous thoughts. We finished sending forth righteous thoughts and opened the door. They told us that an official had asked me to go with them. I said, "You don't need to beat around the bush. We both know what it means. I will not go." Because it was still very early and many people were outside, I walked out to the street.
I said, "My fellow villagers, when I was handicapped and could not do any work, no one cared for me. After practicing Falun Gong, I am cured and I can work now. But they don't allow me to practice. I cannot do this or that. I can only lay in bed, right? They don't want me to practice Falun Gong as if I were harming them by practicing. My fellow villagers, do you know what they are here for? They want to take me to get brainwashed. If I still practice Falun Gong, they will detain me at the public security bureau." One of my neighbors said, "When he was ill, which one of you came and cared for him? Now he is recovered, but you come and make trouble for him. Do you wish him to die from illness? Don't listen to them and continue to practice!"
Because I refused to go and exposed them, the official said, "Let's go inside. Don't talk outside." I told them that I was not afraid. They then called their office to dispatch another car, motorcycles and more than ten officers. They all listened to me and my fellow villagers. Some were sitting, and others were talking in low voices, but no one came to take me into their car. This lasted for awhile, then I left. Later they all left. With Teacher's protection, I passed another tribulation.
If we want to stop the persecution and save sentient beings, we need to let them know the truth.
I have shared my experiences of clarifying the truth from the past several years. It is compassionate Teacher who helped me to pass these numerous tribulations along the way. I came to understand that as long as we calmly clarify the truth while not offending others, we can suppress and stop the persecution. Fellow practitioners, let's step forward and clarify the truth, as Teacher asks us to.
Due to my limited level, please point out anything that is inappropriate.
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