(Minghui.org) Greetings, revered Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I started practicing Falun Dafa in March 1995, and I have been diligent in my personal cultivation. I remained steadfast in cultivation after the persecution started, but out of fear and self protection, I only did limited things to validate the Fa, such as distributing truth clarification materials, and persuading my family, friends, and colleagues to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliates. I fell far behind the Fa's requirement for a diligent practitioner.
After I retired last year, I systematically studied all of Master's lectures after 1999, and understood that the responsibility of Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples was to do the three things well and save sentient beings. I realized that I had not kept up with the progress of Fa-rectification.
The nature of lives in the old cosmos was based on egotism, but Falun Dafa disciples are altruistic. Saving sentient beings is Dafa disciples' sacred responsibility and mission. I kept thinking of Master's words, “The vows of Gods in history are being fulfilled.” (“Further Comments on Superstition,” from Essentials for Further Advancement II) I knew I should step forward to clarify the facts and save people.
With Attachments Too Strong It's Difficult to Start
I was always introverted and shy, and reluctant to talk to strangers. I didn't even say much to people I knew. At work, I stammered reading a manuscript. My work place was very strictly controlled by the Communist Party. Over the years, my mind had also been polluted by the Party culture.
Especially in Beijing there are plainclothes police and spies everywhere. I was afraid of running into one of them while talking to people about the facts of Falun Dafa, or being reported by those who would not accept the truth. Every time I tried to go out and talk to people, I found it too difficult to step out the door. So I always thought I should first study the Fa more and improve my cultivation state before going out.
A few times when I made up my mind to talk to others, I became so nervous that my words were stiff, as if I were reciting a script. The response I usually got was, “Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying.” Even if someone understood what I was saying, they didn't want to quit the CCP and replied coldly, “Thank you. I'm safe. You'd better mind you own business.”
After retuning home I felt very upset, as I wasn't able to save people and had let Master down.
Last winter I met an older lady in the park. When I talked from the angle of environmental pollution and then about the CCP's corruption she agreed with me. I developed complacency and thought she would surely accept the facts of Falun Dafa. However when I told her that heaven would eliminate the CCP, she cursed at me in a very loud voice.
I have a good status in society, and have never been cursed at with such vicious language before. My pride was deeply hurt, and I became reluctant to clarify the facts face to face and persuade people to quit the CCP. I thought I'd just distribute truth clarification pamphlets like before.
One day I read the following Fa,
“After the instruction, the master will again tell it: 'You still have many attachments to remove. You should go out to wander about.' Wandering around in society is rather torturous. It must beg for food and meet different kinds of people who will scold, insult, or take advantage of it. It might encounter all kinds of things. It will treat itself as a practitioner and balance well relations with others, always maintaining and upgrading xinxing. It will not be moved by the temptations of different benefits among everyday people. After many years, it will return from wandering around. The master will say: 'You’ve already attained the Tao and have completed cultivation.'” (Zhuan Falun)
I burst into tears and understood Master's painstaking arrangements. Master suffers countless tribulations in order to save us, yet no matter how difficult it is, Master is always in a good mood when he teaches the Fa. After encountering a small setback I wanted to back up. Master told us to save sentient beings. If I don't listen to Master, am I still a practitioner?
I told myself that I must make a breakthrough. I read many articles on the Minghui website about practitioners clarifying the facts face to face, and I wrote down the good talking points. In the meantime I studied the Fa intensively, and sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the fear and the attachment of self-protection.
Let Go of Attachments and Find the Way Out
The next day when I left home, my mood was very different from before. There was no fear, and I was calm and determined.
It was winter and I walked quite a while before I saw someone. It was a woman in her fifties. Before I even said, “Hello” she came straight to me.
We chatted. She came from a village in Shandong Province and had joined the Youth League before (an affiliate of the CCP). I said, “The CCP advocates atheism and fighting with heaven and earth. But farmers rely on the weather and can't fight with heaven. Please quit the Youth League and you'll be blessed by heaven.” She agreed and told me her name. I clarified the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution, and advised her to say “Falun Dafa is good.” She accepted everything I said.
I then saw a peddler couple. I saw them the day before but I hadn't clarified the facts. Today I met them again so we must have had a predestined relationship. I greeted them, and in a few words I helped them to quit the CCP. I asked them to say “Falun Dafa is good.” The wife kept saying, “You are so kind! Thank you!”
Next I ran into a young man with his child. He had come from another city to work in Beijing. I said it's not easy to make a living and raise a family, and he agreed. I then talked about the CCP's corruption and the movement to quit the CCP. He agreed to quit the Youth League.
That day went surprisingly smooth. I talked with five people within an hour and four of them agreed to quit the Party. It was just as fellow practitioners said. As long as one can eliminate human thoughts and follow Master's requirements, it's not difficult to save people.
Cooperating with Fellow Practitioners to Clarify the Facts
I later joined a local Fa study group and started to go out with an elderly practitioner named Dajie to clarify the facts. At the beginning she talked while I sent forth righteous thoughts. We took turns clarifying the facts and it worked very well.
Here are a few stories.
1. Persuading an Army Commander to Quit the CCP
Dajie and I met an older couple in the park. The man was 88 years old, and retired from the army. Dajie chatted with them while I sent forth righteous thoughts. The man talked about his past experiences endlessly and I became impatient. I asked, “You are a veteran Party member. How do you like the current CCP?” He immediately said, “Don't say bad words about the Party. If I had a gun I'd shoot you. Without the Party, how could I have a good life?” I thought, “This person has followed the CCP his entire life and he must be hard to save.” So I stood up and motioned Dajie to leave.
Dajie sat still and smiled, “Don't be upset. From village officers to CCP Politburo Standing Committee members, corruption is everywhere. In particular, after the last leader took power, what a mess he has turned China into. Everybody is cursing him.” Hearing Dajie's words, the older man seemed to turn into a different person. He accused that man for ruining the country with corruption and immorality. Dajie then clarified the facts to him and he accepted all of it.
I sat down and chatted with the older lady, who had a pale complexion. She said she was suffering from high blood sugar and high blood pressure. I told her that Falun Dafa has miraculous healing effects. She started to repeat the Party's propaganda, and I told her that Falun Dafa has spread around the world, and a former leader had launched the persecution out of jealousy.
She understood what I was saying. She told me that her relative was a very good person who practices Falun Dafa, but was imprisoned and dismissed from work. The persecution is so bad, she said. I also told her about the CCP's heinous crime of organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners. She agreed to quit.
Dajie also persuaded the man to withdraw from the CCP. He agreed and even used his real name to quit. This was really beyond my imagination. In just 20 minutes he changed completely. Isn't it amazing?
I enlightened from this that we should not be fooled by illusion, nor should we give up easily or be driven by everyday people. We need to find a proper starting point and untie the knots in their hearts. Then we'll be able to save people. On the other hand, Dajie's compassionate heart to save the man conformed to the Fa, so Master helped us.
2. Patient with a Stroke Saved
One day Dajie and I helped a few people quit the CCP at a tourist site. When we were about to leave, we saw a middle aged man sitting on a bench alone with his head bowed, and it seemed that something was wrong. Dajie went over and asked, “You look like you don't feel well. Are you OK?” He said, “Thank you! Even my family members don't care about me. You are so kind.” He told us he was a hydraulic engineer and was always healthy until one day he suddenly had a stroke. Dajie said, “That's how fleeting life is. People never know when disaster will suddenly come.”
Both of us clarified the facts about Falun Gong, and advised him not to listen to the Party's propaganda. We also explained in detail why quitting the CCP would bring peace and protection. He said, “Yes, I will quit the CCP!” Dajie gave him a Falun Dafa symbol and asked him to say “Falun Dafa is good.” He folded both his hands in front of his chest to show respect, and bowed to us deeply several times, then accepted the symbol with both hands. He kept saying, “Thank you! Thank you. I will treasure this.” We were moved by his sincerity and told him it was Dafa's Master who asked us to save him.
Another time when I gave a lady a Shen Yun DVD, I told her that the show promotes divine culture. When the curtain rises, you'll see beautiful scenes like heaven. As soon as I said this she stood up and bowed respectfully and thanked me. She accepted the DVD with both hands and bowed again.
Seeing that people are so respectful, I truly feel as though they have been waiting for thousands of years. I also realize the big responsibility to save sentient beings.
3. Story in the Rain
It was raining the other day, but Dajie and I still went out to clarify the facts. When the rain turned heavy however, we hurried over to a gazebo.
There were people in the gazebo, including three young people. We chatted, and they said they had come from out of town to visit relatives. Dajie and I clarified the facts and persuaded them to quit the CCP. Right after we finished, their relatives came to pick them up.
When the rain lessened we walked to another gazebo and talked to two older men. They knew how bad the CCP was. When we talked about its history and how it harms people, they both agreed with us. We further clarified the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution. One said, “The CCP is an evil cult.” He happily agreed to quit the Party. The other person hadn't joined the CCP or its affiliated organizations, and he also got to know the facts about Falun Gong.
That morning we helped six people quit the Party and it's affiliated organizations. On our way back we both thought that had we stayed home due to the rain, wouldn't we have let down those who were waiting in the rain to be saved?
Epilogue
There have been many touching stories in the past six months, and my cultivation state has greatly changed. From not knowing how to and daring not to clarify the facts face to face, to actively talking to anyone I met, my righteous thoughts are getting stronger and my fear is diminishing. Saving people is not that difficult, and it is a very good thing to do. Seeing people getting to know the truth and making the right choices, I truly feel happy for them.
I know I still have to do a lot of catching up. I will learn from diligent practitioners and do the three things better, and be worthy of Master's grand mercy.
Thank you Master! Thank you all fellow practitioners who have helped me!
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