Editor's note: In the following two accounts, people discover the value of Dafa through the high moral standards of practitioners and their refusal to accept bribes.
By a practitioner in China
A middle-aged female customer came to my office before the Chinese New Year and said, “People give bribes to get what they want, but you refuse them. I made a special trip to see you. Thank you very much for your help.”
I'm a government employee in charge of enforcing the law. For many years my duties have included inspecting discipline and supervising work. One aspect of my job is handling consumer complaints. The customer mentioned above spent tens of thousands of yuan to buy a locally produced, famous brand central heating unit. It leaked. She tried to return it, but the manufacturer refused to take it back. He would only agree to repair it. I thought about how difficult it is for people to afford such items on such limited budgets. Costs are high yet the quality isn't guaranteed. I communicated with the manufacturer about the regulatory guidelines. He finally agreed to refund her money.
The customer gave me an ordinary diary and said, “You need to accept this.” I looked at her with a quizzical expression on my face. She said, “You definitely need to accept this.” She placed it on my desk. There was a pile of hundred-yuan notes inside when I opened it. There was over 1,000 yuan. I immediately gave the diary back to her and said, “I practice Falun Gong according to the principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance. We don't seek kickbacks.”
The quality of many goods in China are not up to standard. Businessmen often seek profit without paying attention to their reputations or ethical standards. False advertising is the norm and government officials receive kickbacks and support businesses behind the scenes. Many conflicts between consumers and manufacturers go unresolved. I initially advise consumers not to get angry and that solutions can be found. I tell them that there are many rules and regulations, so let's begin by contacting upper level authorities according to those regulations. I say, “If upper level departments aren't willing to help you, then I would suggest contacting the next department below them.” This way I have helped many consumers and manufacturers communicate and resolve issues. Many consumers have thanked me personally for settling these disputes.
By Xi Bin, a practitioner from Liaoning Province
In 2001 I worked at a Chinese-Japanese joint capital venture enterprise that was established in 1995. I did cost accounting. They produced extra high voltage cable. They accumulated a mountain of waste cable, and each month it just grew bigger. The manager decided to commission an outside processing plant to handle the waste and assigned me as the project manager. He suggested that I have multiple companies bid on the job and to work closely with the company selected over the long haul. Factories that were interested in getting the contract visited me, offered me gifts, and wanted to entertain me. Most people would think this was a plum job.
My family's finances were strained. My husband's employer wasn't doing well, and wages were reduced 40% although the employees worked full time. He only brought in 400 yuan a month. My son had graduated from university but hadn't found suitable employment. My daughter was still in high school. My salary kept the family going.
In the past I would have welcomed this opportunity and accepted all the special favors, but now I practice Falun Dafa according to the principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance and am trying to be a better and more honest person. According to the principles of Dafa, if something is not yours then you shouldn't seek it. I needed to be responsible to my company and to the needs of the factory that we commissioned. How else would they be able to see the value of Dafa? I politely refuse each gift and explained the reasons for my refusal from the perspective of the Fa.
There was one person who was particularly stubborn. When I didn't accept his invitations, he tried to stuff money in my pocket. When I refused to take it, he tried to give me pearl rice, soybean oil, and other things that I didn't accept. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He was originally from the countryside and was pretty honest, kind, and sincere, but he seemed unable to resist the practice of offering bribes when he got into the present market economy. I said to him, “You just follow our company's requirements and do a good job. Whether or not I select you won't be based on the presents you try to give me. I've heard your family isn't well off. Your daughter is still in high school and your wife is unemployed. Our Master teaches that we should think of others first. In any situation we need to consider whether what we do will harm another person. Why do still try to give me gifts when you are in financial difficulty? Just think how would I feel if I accepted special favors from you.”
This really moved him. He said, “Where in this world can you find someone that desn't want something from you? Only Falun Gong! Not only do you not want anything, you even think of others first. I've met a truly good person!”
Afterwards I clarified the truth about Falun Gong and the persecution in great detail. He kept the promises that he made to me. He worked very hard and my manager was very pleased with his performance. He and his factory collaborated with our company for a long time.