(Minghui.org) Greetings, esteemed Master, and greetings fellow practitioners!
1. Stepping Into Falun Dafa Practice
Before I began practicing Falun Dafa, I smoked cigarettes, drank excessively, did drugs, and was a fighting gang member. I was sentenced to a four-year prison term because I severely injured someone.
In the prison, I met a Falun Dafa practitioner. He had been on a hunger strike for a long time. Watching him, I saw the miracle of Falun Dafa. I admired his ability to forbear. He was on a hunger strike to stop the persecution and to prevent the guards from committing crimes against Falun Dafa so that they could be saved.
I saw the pureness, sincerity, and care between practitioners. They are a pure land. Despite my being a stranger, the practitioner brought me daily necessities and nutritious goods. From then on I treated him well and took care of him when he needed it most.
I was later transferred to another ward and my health deteriorated. I had prostatitis, insomnia, and cholecystitis, and I was anxious all the time. Medicine didn't help. Tortured by illness, I remembered Falun Dafa. With the help of practitioners, I read the book Zhuan Falun for the first time. I changed and was no longer filled with anxiety. Later, I read the book again and learned a lot. I then experienced what it means to be healthy.
I subsequently lived by the Falun Dafa principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. By the end of 2010, with the help of a practitioner, I had all the Falun Dafa books and the exercise music.
2. Becoming a True Practitioner
I found a job in a mine in July 2011. It was very dusty work, and I sometimes had to carry over 100 pounds of equipment. Most people took days off, but I never did. One coworker was mean to me because I was new and made a lot of mistakes. I tried to be a practitioner and studied the Fa. I felt that I should do the work well. I tried to be the first to do the work and do it well. My coworker's attitude eventually changed.
Several coal-carrying carts derailed and hit ours in September 2011. It was a very dangerous incident, but nothing happened to me. In October, two carts rolled down a hill and hit me. I was sandwiched between them. My legs were bruised and swollen, however my bones were intact and I did not feel much pain. I insisted on going to work and soon recovered. I knew that Master had saved my life.
With Master's help, I quit doing drugs. It was very difficult, and I couldn't have done it without the teachings of Falun Dafa. After I quit all my bad habits, I also learned to be honest, kind, and tolerant.
In April 2011, a friend, “A,” called me and talked to me about “B,” who had injured me ten years before and then skipped town. He hadn't dared to return home since. B wanted to settle the old score and asked A to give me some money. I agreed, and B than wired A the money. Master said,
“Your xinxing cultivation has already made progress if, for instance, when someone swears at you among everyday people, you do not say a word and feel very calm; or when someone throws a fist at you, you do not say a word and let it go with a smile. Your xinxing level is already very high.” (Zhuan Falun)
After reading this section, I understood that I should not accept the money. I called B and clarified the truth about Falun Dafa and the persecution to him. He was convinced that Falun Dafa was good. I told him that I would not take the money. Still, a few days later A gave the money to me. I clarified the truth to A as well. That day I sat in the full lotus position for over 40 minutes and my legs didn't hurt. Normally my legs hurt after 10 minutes.
C was released from prison in June 2012. He came to see me and apologized. He asked me if he could pay me back. I clarified the truth to him and told him about the preciousness of Falun Dafa. I did not asked him for anything. I lost 30,000 yuan and was in prison for years because of him. However, I wanted to be a true practitioner and had to let go of the attachment to personal gain.
3. Clarifying the Truth Face to Face
I understood that Master wanted us to do well the three things, so I began distributing truth clarification materials about Falun Dafa. At work, I sent righteous thoughts before I clarified the truth. I helped many people quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliates. I once gave a person a Falun Gong CD, and he thanked me and said, “Yesterday I dreamed that something good would happen today and it did!” Many people knew that I practiced Falun Dafa and asked me to help them quit the CCP and its affiliates. They also asked me for copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.
Master protected me from danger many times. One day I saw someone on the street. I sent righteous thoughts first and then caught up with him. He was a police officer I had known from before. I hesitated, but then thought that I must save him. I clarified the truth to him and he quit the CCP and its affiliates. Another day I met a man who initially agreed to quit the Communist Youth League after I clarified the facts of the persecution to him. He later changed his mind and punched me in the stomach, then tried to call the police to come and arrest me, but I escaped. Another time a man took my cell phone after I clarified the truth to him. I then learned that he was a police officer. I continued to clarify the truth to him. He asked me my name, but I didn't tell him. Another police officer came who knew me. He told the officer to give back my cell phone and let me go.
A few days ago the local practitioners gathered to send righteous thoughts intensively to rescue imprisoned practitioners. My hand, which had been injured, shook when I put my hands into the proper position. I also was unable to sit in the lotus position for a long time and had to stretch my legs sometimes. However, I did not stop sending righteous thoughts. Such activities provide a great opportunity to compare myself to other practitioners and learn from them. Several days later, a practitioner was released. He told me that the night we sent righteous thoughts intensively, the power in the detention center went out for two hours. A practitioner suddenly got sick and the detention center released him.
I once helped a senile practitioner clean his computer screen, which he used to read Falun Dafa books and articles. I deleted the additional bookmarks that had been added to the book. Because I respect the Fa, I had a different experience when I meditated that night.
It was just like Master said,
“There is another state in which as one sits for a while, one finds that the legs are gone, and cannot think where the legs went; the body is also gone; the arms are also gone; the hands are also gone—only the head is left.” (Zhuan Falun)
4. Looking Within and Finding Shortcomings to Progress Diligently
My wife did not like my practicing Falun Dafa, and we fought a lot. One time I was studying and she would not let me turn the light on. I got upset and hit myself to release my anger.
Master said,
“One’s demon-nature is viciousness, and it manifests as killing, stealing and robbing, selfishness, wicked thoughts, sowing discord, stirring up troubles by spreading rumors, jealousy, wickedness, anger, laziness, incest and so on.” (“Buddha-Nature and Demon-Nature” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
I realized that my anger was of demon nature and I had to eliminate it.
Before I practiced Falun Dafa, I beat my wife, but I no longer do so. My wife once burned me with cigarette butts, and I did not fight back. A while ago, she asked for a divorce.
Master said,
“Let's take the matter of the family, or the affection between husband and wife, or any of a number of other things. Have you looked at these things based on the Fa? Have you truly treated him as if you were being compassionate to a sentient being? If you really had, perhaps things wouldn't be as they are today. If on the home front your conduct looks completely like that of an ordinary person, then it's possible you will encounter this sort of thing. Nothing is simple. If you can truly let go of your attachments, and if attachments have no sway over you, then the conflicts will vanish like a wisp of smoke.” (“Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005”)
I began to look within and found many attachments, including attachments to fighting, jealousy, comfort, showing off, going to the extreme, and so on. I also did not care for my wife. I have tried to eliminate my notions and not be an ordinary person. I will do my best to will cherish this unprecedented opportunity Master gave me. I want to be a true practitioner, do well the three things, and save more people.
Thank you, Master!
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