(Clearwisdom.net) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1995. To me, cultivation is a process of regularly removing human notions and attachments. As Master stated in the book, Zhuan Falun, "The entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments." Every step forward has been guided by Master. To this very day, I have not been stopped by the old forces. Instead, I am able to get rid of the shackles in my mind, because I have been diligently studying the Fa.
Through Fa study, I have understood that the old forces have made detailed arrangements to interfere with all activities of Dafa practitioners. It is critical that each practitioner has a thorough understanding of the Fa. Otherwise, the old forces will take every opportunity to persecute and bring harm to the practitioner. In fact, some practitioners end up being persecuted continually or even giving up their practice.
By studying the Fa, I have understood the real meaning of looking inward, and by applying the Fa to practical situations, I know how to overcome tribulations by holding on to my righteous thoughts.
In April of 2009, I was illegally arrested and imprisoned in a local detention center, because I explained the facts about Dafa in my workplace. I was able to overcome the persecution by holding on to righteous thoughts. I had a positive attitude throughout the entire incident. When I was first arrested, I did not know what I should do and was using human notions to deal with the situation. However, I adjusted my attitude very quickly and began to see how I should deal with the situation based on the Fa.
As a Dafa disciple during the Fa rectification period, we have the obligation to do the three things regardless of where we are. We must follow the arrangements set forth by Master instead of the old forces. Anything I did not do well, I just have to redo it. I must not allow the old forces to hurt sentient beings by setting up tests for me and I should be a positive example to all my friends, relatives, and fellow practitioners. First of all, I did not cooperate with officers in the detention center. I did not sign any statements, work as a slave, wear prisoner's clothes or go on hunger strike. I concentrated on sending forth righteous thoughts and reciting the Fa. I watched myself carefully to make sure that I did not use human notions in regard to whatever I did.
During this incident I began to understand the power of compassion. While being taken to the detention center, I looked inward and realized that it was a lack of compassion on my part that had led to this incident. The old forces were using this lack to mislead sentient beings into committing crimes against Dafa. Hence, when I refused to cooperate with the demands of the police officers, I explained to them that it was not that I didn't want to cooperate, but rather I did not want them to commit crimes against Dafa. They sensed that I was sincere in trying to help them, although they did not quite understand what I said. For this reason no one wanted to rough me up. When the director of the detention center saw that I did not wear prisoner's clothing, he did not say anything. When they asked me to write down what I thought, I used the opportunity to clarify the facts about Dafa and tell them why it was important to say "Falun Dafa is good", because it could bring them a bright future. They noticed that I was sincerely wishing them to have a bright future and they appreciated what I did.
While in the detention center, I realized that for a practitioner, there was always a path to follow regardless of where we were. The main path was to look within ourselves as stated in the book, Hong Yin, under "Falun Dafa"
"Cultivating gong has a path
mind is the way"
We must locate the cause of our problems within ourselves, then apply the Fa to correct it.
During this period of tribulation, I understood the importance of aligning every thought with the Fa. Any worrying thought concerning friends or family members was removed as soon as it appeared. Then, I looked inward for possible causes as to why I had ended up at the detention center. I needed to remove all these unhealthy thoughts.
A variety of thoughts showed up such as " Did I shout Falun Dafa is good or did I sing Falun Dafa is good? This time I know how to use righteous thoughts to deal with evil, etc." Then, on the twenty first day at the detention center, I suddenly realized that my serious mistake was to accept that the detention center existed and that it was a terrible place. I needed to disintegrate these thoughts and remove them completely from my own space. As this righteous thought appeared, my mind opened up.
Another point I noticed at the detention center was that I was not happy in there. I knew that the smile and peaceful countenance I portrayed were not real. A practitioner should be happy. So, what was it that stopped me from being happy? I started reciting the following words in Hong Yin under "Salvation Far and Wide",
"Lay down your human, mundane mind,
The Fa gained, you now stand divine."
On the twenty second day I found the answer. It was the detention center. Everything in here affected me, the guards, the handcuffs, the loss of freedom, the isolation from friends, fellow practitioners, and family members, etc. They were the source of my unhappiness. I paid too much attention to these human notions which were false and misleading. My mistake was to believe that all these human notions were real and represented reality. Actually, I should let go of all these false notions. The detention center was set up to trigger human notions and expose them. As a practitioner my thoughts should be above this falsehood. I was laughing out loud when I understood this truth. People who heard me said that it was a joy to hear me laugh. On the twenty third day, I walked out of the detention center. It was set up for men and it could not keep a divine being in it. I experienced personally Master's teaching as stated in Hong Yin II under "Don't Be Sad",
"Imprisoned as you are, don't be sorrowful or sad
Carry on with righteous thoughts and actions,
and the Fa is with you
Calmly reflect on the attachments you have
Remove your human thoughts
and evil will naturally die out."
All painful experiences come from human notions. There is no way to be happy when you hold on to human notions. That is why gods have no human notions and are totally free. I saw some practitioners appearing tired and stressed. That is not the proper state for practitioners. I understand that if one is serious in Fa study, in looking inward for human notions, and in willingness to let go of human notions, it would not matter where he is or what tribulation he is facing, freedom is waiting for him and he will be a happy practitioner.
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