(Clearwisdom.net) I would like to thank Master for not giving up on me and for helping me, a disciple who had gone astray for many years, to return to Dafa and thus rectify myself.
My return to the practice of Dafa
I started practicing Falun Dafa at the end of 1994. However, due to a job relocation and a change in environment, as well as a superficial understanding of the Fa principles, I gradually slipped into the ways of an everyday person. Ten years went by in a flash. In the spring of this year, I met a former colleague and inquired about her mother, who is a practitioner. My colleague said that her mother is very well. Then a thought came to my mind - I should go and visit her. When I went to see her mother, she gave me all the articles and conference lectures that Master has published during these past years. She also gave me a DVD of the 2009 Shen Yun Performing Arts show.
When I returned home, I eagerly watched the Shen Yun DVD and read Master's articles and lectures. My eyes streamed with tears. I was deeply regretful and wept bitterly after reading this passage from Master's article:
"You fell here from a holy, pure, and incomparably splendid world because you had developed attachments at that level. After falling into a world that is, by comparison, most filthy, instead of cultivating yourself to go back in a hurry, you don't let go of those filthy things that you cling to in this filthy world, and you even agonize over the most trivial losses. Did you know that in order to save you the Buddha once begged for food among everyday people? Today, I once again make the door wide open, and teach this Dafa to save you. I have never felt bitter for the numerous hardships I have suffered. Then what do you have that still can't be abandoned? Can you bring to heaven the things deep down inside that you cannot let go of?" ("True Cultivation" in Essentials for Further Advancement)
I have been separated from the Fa for so long. Wasn't it because I could not let go of the filthy things that an everyday person is attached to? During this period of time, Master has braved great hardships to offer salvation to sentient beings and to enable them return to the pure and holy land. So what is there for us to hold on to?
Clarifying the truth to my family and others
My husband is a government official, and his superior was illegally sentenced for practicing Falun Dafa. My daughter is going to graduate from university soon and faces the problem of getting a job. With these things in mind, my husband was afraid of our family being persecuted by the regime because of me. When he saw that there were a lot of Dafa books, truth clarifying DVDs and other materials at home, he forbade me from getting in touch with other practitioners, and I could only study the Fa and practice the exercises at home. I was not allowed to distribute any truth clarification materials outside of my home. He later warned me, "If you get into trouble, I will seek a divorce so that our daughter and I will not be implicated." I said to him: "I became healthy through practicing Falun Dafa, and you have spent the money that has been saved from the reduced medical expenses. What have I done wrong? At home, I am always considerate of others and have no complaints. Isn't that good?"
I continually informed him about the situation of Dafa overseas. I said that if everyone abided by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, then this society would not be like it is today. At first, when I sent righteous thoughts at midnight, he would complain that it was disturbing his sleep, but now he puts a watch on my bedside table and even reminds me to send righteous thoughts.
During the summer holidays this year, my daughter came home and was very surprised to see me studying the Fa and doing the exercises. She said to her father, "The authorities are keeping a close look out for practitioners; why aren't you stopping her? If something happens, what should we do?" I said to her: "Your mother is a good person in the eyes of the family, the workplace, and amongst friends. I take fame and personal interest lightly and do not take these issues to heart. You know that your father has a bad temper. If I did not practice Falun Dafa, I definitely would not be able to tolerate him. Your health is not good, if you often sincerely recite 'Falun Dafa is good' and 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,' you will benefit too." My daughter did not say anything.
Both my husband and daughter have now quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I also took the opportunity to tell about 20 of my relatives the facts about Falun Dafa at a birthday gathering. They have also withdrawn from the party and its affiliated organizations.
Strengthening righteous thoughts and saving predestined people
As I studied the Fa in greater depth, I deeply understood the responsibilities of a practitioner during this period of time. However, in order to do well in fulfilling these responsibilities, one must have a strong foundation in cultivation. As I had only started to truly cultivate for a short period of time, I was worried that my righteous thoughts were not strong enough when I clarified the truth to people. While sharing experiences with a veteran practitioner, I revealed my fear of not having enough time to cultivate myself. This fellow practitioner said: "Don't worry, because worry is an attachment too. Just study the Fa well and do the exercises. Since Master has brought you back to the Fa, then you don't have to think about anything else. As long as you cultivate and do the three things well, Master will not forsake any practitioner who truly cultivates."
I let go of my attachment to "not having enough time" and diligently studied and memorized the Fa. Every week, I went to collect Minghui Weekly from a veteran practitioner. I even found a practitioner who had computer skills, and with her help, I was able to easily access the Clearwisdom website.
I gradually started to clarify the truth, save sentient beings, and assist Master in Fa-rectification. The first person I spoke to about Falun Dafa was a good friend, a senior official. I first gave her a DVD of Shen Yun and other truth clarification materials. I later told her about quitting the CCP, but she could not understand and did not agree to it. I spoke to her about this on many occasions, and told her that Dafa disciples in China print truth clarification materials at their own expense and that they brave the dangers of being arrested, sent to labor camps, and even the loss of their life, all for the sake of saving sentient beings. She was very touched and asked me to help her and her family members to quit the CCP.
When I met my former superior, I began to silently send forth righteous thoughts again and again to eliminate the old force elements that were trying to stop him from being saved. I also asked Master for help. When he was alone, I took the opportunity to clarify the truth to him, and spoke to him about atheism, the natural disasters that have taken place over the past few years, and the rampant corruption that is in society today. He looked at me in puzzlement and said: "You are very brazen to dare to tell me about this." He thought that disasters were just natural phenomena and that corruption was only restricted to a few cases. I told him that all of these things have occurred because human beings' moral values have degenerated and people no longer believe that good will be rewarded with good and evil will meet with retribution. I said: "You are a good man, and you know what is right and wrong. That's why I am telling you all this. Only when you withdraw from the party, will you be safe." He did not quit this time, but from his expression I could tell that he understood what I had said. When I found another opportunity to give him some truth clarifying materials and a copy of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, he, his wife and children all quit the CCP.
A friend who had worked in the police department for many years phoned me one day, saying that he wanted to organize a get-together with several friends. I did not turn down his offer. After sending righteous thoughts at home, I set off for the appointment. At the gathering, someone talked about a specific incident and said angrily that nowadays the police are like thugs. I went along with this topic and said that it is not only the police who are like this, but those in a lot of occupations. I then spoke to them about the persecution of Falun Dafa and about quitting the CCP. All of them renounced their party membership.
The friend who had worked in the police department later sent me a text message saying: "You disregarded your own safety and the safety of others. As your friend, I was terribly worried for you. Heed my advice: be very careful!"
Every day around 200 people walk in and out of the building where I work, but it is often difficult to clarify the truth to them. So for a period of time, I would send righteous thoughts every day: "I am a Dafa disciple. Thoroughly eliminate all the old force elements controlling the people in the building so that these sentient beings can be saved." I have recently started to clarify the truth to the colleagues around me and have helped some of them to quit the CCP.
Within half a year, I have helped around 300 people quit the party. I am not attached to time and have let go of my human notions. I constantly remind myself that I am a Fa-rectification Dafa practitioner and that saving sentient beings is my responsibility. At the same time, I also deeply understand that without our great Master's mighty saving grace and compassion, I would not be able to accomplish anything. I can only cultivate myself steadily and attain the true state of compassion and righteous enlightenment. Only then am I able to better assist Master in Fa-rectification.
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