(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings revered Teacher! Greetings fellow practitioners!
I started practicing Falun Gong in 1995. In 2001, I began clarifying the truth about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong in front of the Chinese Consulate with other fellow practitioners. We have been doing this continuously for eight years. Looking back upon the years, we weathered many storms to get to where we are today. While saving sentient beings, I have also enhanced my xinxing. Here I am reporting my cultivation experience to our revered Teacher and to fellow practitioners.
1. Upholding Righteous Thoughts and Eliminating Interference
At first, when we began to create our truth clarification display at the Chinese consulate building, the police who were unaware of the conditions of the persecution would not allow us to display banners or truth-clarifying posters, nor would they allow us to do the exercises. They followed us wherever we went and they recorded our vehicle license plate numbers. They continued to monitor and question us. After we clarified the truth to them many times, the situation changed. The police were moved by our sacrificial efforts and persistent presence in front of the consulate, rain or shine. Gradually the police cars left us and fewer police officers remained present. The tension in the environment eased.
We put up display boards and banners and distributed our newspaper outside the consulate. To save the sentient beings inside the Chinese Consulate, we further clarified the truth to the police and eventually eliminated enough interference to obtain police permission to put our newspaper and truth-clarification materials in the consulate's mailbox.
2. Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions
Because I have been clarifying the truth in front of the Chinese Consulate for such a long time, the staff of the Chinese Consulate barred my actions and persecuted me. First, they would not return my passport to me when I applied for an extension. I thought, "I am a Dafa disciple. I did nothing wrong. My clarifying the truth in front of the Chinese Consulate is for the good of the people, and for saving sentient beings. It is a violation of the law if they don't give me my passport back." With the help of other practitioners, we made banners with large words to protest and sent forth righteous thoughts. Consular Zhao attempted to stop me with coercion and threats. He also called on my husband. I kept clarifying the truth to the consulate staff and warned them not to bother my family since this was my own personal matter.
The consulate subsequently dared not call my home any longer. I went to the consulate four times. But they still refused to return my passport to me. They said they would give it back to me only if I stopped sitting in front of the consulate. And they asked me to write a guarantee statement. I had no fear, only righteous thoughts and righteous actions. I mailed two letters to them, requesting that they return my passport and reminding them that withholding my passport was illegal. They finally returned my passport without any conditions. Teacher said,
"If thoughts are righteous, evil will collapse" (Hong Yin Volume II, "What's to Fear," Translation A)
I deeply saw the power of the Fa.
3. Distributing the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, Urging People to Quit the Chinese Communist Party, and Saving People
In late 2004, the Nine Commentaries was published. Dafa disciples began the next stage of truth-clarification and saving people, which included advising people to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Teacher said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York,"
"As a cultivator, and especially as a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, you shoulder enormous responsibility, and you have a great mission that history has bestowed upon you."
Teacher also said in "Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People" (September 1, 2004),
"For a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, personal liberation is not the goal of cultivation: when you came, saving sentient beings was your great aspiration, and that is the responsibility and mission history has bestowed upon you in Fa-rectification. Thus great numbers of beings are to be saved by you."
Via continuous Fa study, I deeply realized that I have a great responsibility for saving sentient beings. Not only should I validate the Fa in front of the Chinese Consulate, but I should also save the sentient beings there. Throughout these years, I have persuaded nearly four hundred people in front of the Chinese Consulate to quit the Party and its affiliated organizations.
Our persistence helped people to understand the truth and renounce the evil Party. To save sentient beings and to fulfill our responsibilities, we shall not miss any people who can be saved. Seeing our diligence, some people have been moved. A Japanese person wanted to give me a thousand Yen, and offered to buy me some iced tea or water. I thanked him politely, but did not take the money. People asked me what was wrong if I didn't show up for a few days. Staff people at a nearby gas station were moved by us. They often did the cleaning work for us. Some even said, "You are persisting here every day. Thank you. Keep the great work!" We realize that these were not only his words, but are also Teacher's words encouraging us!
4. Studying the Fa and Cultivating Myself While Clarifying the Truth
Teacher said in "Greetings,"
"Walk the last steps of your path well and with determination, study the Fa well, and, with a foundation laid by your having cultivated well, your righteous thoughts will naturally grow stronger and you will surely do well with what Dafa disciples are supposed to do."
To strengthen my righteous thoughts, every day I have studied two or three lectures and have practiced all five sets of exercises. I went to the Chinese Consulate every day. At first, my husband and relatives did not understand. I didn't know how to cultivate well on my own either. My eldest daughter, a non-practitioner, said, "Mom, since you started cultivation, our home has become cold." So, through continuous Fa study and cultivation practice, my xinxing improved. I realized that I did not have enough kindness and compassion towards my family members and I didn't think about my non-practitioner family members. After looking within, I realized that I was selfish, only focusing on my own things and rarely thinking about others, thus I neglected my family. I especially owe a great deal of appreciation to my husband. He gave me so much support and made a lot of effort. I spent between thirty and forty thousand Yen each month for commuting, applications and food. But my husband never complained. He also prepared cold water and warm food for me. But I was not considerate enough to him. I didn't want to have relatives visit us, because I didn't want to waste time. All of this was due to my selfishness. Having found the gaps, I felt sorry, and I realized that need to eliminate my selfishness and think about others in everything I do, and at all times.
Teacher said,
"I have talked with you about what shan is. Some will say that shan is when you smile at someone and come across as kind and genial. Yet that only amounts to a human being displaying friendliness. True shan is what a cultivator attains in the process of cultivation and cultivating goodness, and this is a genuine shan that is achieved by cultivation." ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference")
I suddenly understood that I didn't have true shan (compassion). Having improved with the Fa, I then knew what to do. I became truly kind to my husband and began thinking of his best interest all the time. He bought a good computer with a large screen for me. But he liked the large screen and also needed a replacement. I thought that I ought to think of him first, so I said, "Please take this one. I can just get one with a smaller screen." He was so happy that his attitude toward me changed. He supported me and thought of me in every occasion. Seeing his change, I came to truly appreciate Teacher's guidance in cultivating true shan to change my family. I remembered that once my son-in-law said, "Mom, if you do well we'll all follow you." Looking back, it was my not doing well that prevented my family members from coming to the Fa. Now, having found the gap, I can improve.
Teacher said, "For a cultivator, looking within is a magical tool." ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference"). I will take this magical tool and be more diligent, mature and reach consummation soon.
Thank you Teacher! Thank you fellow practitioners!
September 29, 2009
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