(Minghui.org) It was an easy choice for me to cultivate in a practice as genuine and beneficial as Falun Dafa when I was introduced to it in the spring of 1997. It hasn't been easy to measure up to the high standards of the Fa but, looking back, I am truly amazed at how it has transformed me into a kind, selfless person.
When My Performance Pay Was Calculated Incorrectly
The wage structure of my company was changed in 2005. The employees' base salaries were cut, but an annual performance-based bonus was promised. In most cases, the bonus should have been larger than the amount of the pay cut, but because of a calculation error I was given a very small bonus the first year.
I worked very hard that year and thought that I deserved more. Even though the manager realized later that he had made a mistake, he didn't do anything to make it up. He jokingly said to me, “Hey aren't we friends? Just think of it as I took a few hundred yuan from you.”
I knew he didn't want to admit that he made a mistake, because he didn't want his supervisor to think that he was incompetent. He was afraid to lose face. I was very upset. I had done nothing but support and help him.
Though it was not a huge amount, I felt it was unfair that I didn't get what I deserved for the hard work that I had done. As I was overcome with resentment toward my manager, Master's Fa came to mind.
“How should we deal with this issue? Upon running into this kind of conflict, we should, first of all, keep a cool head, and we should not behave the same way as that person. Of course, we can explain the matter kindly, and it is not a problem if we clarify the issue. But you should not become too attached to it. If we encounter these problems, we should not compete and fight like others. If you do what that person did, aren’t you an ordinary person? Not only should you not compete and fight like him, but also you should not resent that person in your heart. Really, you should not hate that person. If you hate that person, aren’t you upset? You have not followed forbearance. We practice Zhen-Shan-Ren, and you would have even less compassion to speak of.” (“Transformation of Karma” from Zhuan Falun)
“You should always be benevolent and kind to others and consider others when doing anything. Whenever you encounter a problem, you should first consider whether others can put up with this matter or if it will hurt anyone. In doing so, there will not be any problems. Therefore, in cultivation you should follow a higher and higher standard for yourself.” (“Improving Xinxing” from Zhuan Falun)
I gradually calmed down. I am not an ordinary person, but a cultivator. I needed to meet the standard of the Fa and take personal gain lightly. My manager was young and had only recently been promoted to his position. I'm sure he wanted to do a good job, but mistakes do happen. If I made a big deal out of this, it would make him look bad. To be considerate of him, I decided to forget about it.
My manager was touched by my actions, and became very friendly with me. The interesting thing is that in the following years, my bonuses were the biggest of all in my department. Just as Master said,
“Thus, even less should our cultivators be like this, as a cultivator should follow the course of nature. If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (“Jealousy” from Zhuan Falun)
Giving Up an Apartment Unit
My father-in-law used to live in a family compound that had been passed down through several generations. He had specified in his will that the property should be divided into two, and my husband and his brother would each inherit half. When the compound was demolished by the government, the family was offered two apartment units, and the two brothers would each get one.
Since we lived in the city at the time and were far away from our hometown, we asked my husband's brother to help with the paperwork, and we'd pay him all the processing fees so that we only had to travel back one time to sign the deed.
A few months passed and we didn't get any updates from my brother-in-law. When we asked him how the paperwork was coming, he told us that he was still waiting on one thing or another. It wasn't until his family had moved into the new unit that we found out from a neighbor that the transfer of properties had been completed long ago. Both apartment units had been transferred under his name.
I just couldn't believe it when I heard this: How could he do this to his own brother? We traveled back home and confronted him. He gave us various reasons why both units should be his, but none of them were valid. When we pointed it out to him, he became downright hostile.
My father-in-law realized what his younger son had done, and wrote a note to clarify that the old property belonged to both brothers, so each should get an apartment unit.
I felt betrayed. My husband and I had been nothing but nice to him and his family all these years. Though we lived far away, we had never try to shirk our responsibility in taking care of my father-in-law. How could he be so selfish? I was very upset.
Our relatives all sided with us and wanted to help us get the apartment back. My husband and I consulted a lawyer and were told that my father-in-law's written note was the best evidence. The lawyer said that if we wanted to bring him to court, the sooner we did this, the better the chance we had in winning the case.
We agonized over what to do. Sure, taking him to court would likely get our apartment back. The new unit was a good size and worth at least a few hundred thousand yuan, a big sum for a working class. With that money, we could help our son with his down payment on his first apartment.
However, if we did bring him to court, it would mean that my 80-year-old father-in-law would be a witness in court. How sad would it be for an elderly father to testify against his own son? That would completely destroy their relationship.
I studied a great amount of Fa during that time and slowly became clear minded. I felt like I had risen beyond the matter and was able to look at it in a different light.
The family compound belonged to my father-in-law, and it was never ours to begin with. If my father-in-law had given the entire property to his younger son, which he had every right to do, then we wouldn't be getting any of the apartment units anyways.
We had a good home and didn't really need the apartment. I decided to just pretend that we were never included in my father-in-law's will.
I decided to not to take my brother-in-law to court and just forget about the whole thing. Our dispute was thus settled. When I mentioned this to my son three years later, he said, “Mom, you are a Dafa practitioner and you did the right thing. Hasn't Teacher lectured on ‘no loss no gain?’
“Though we lost the unit, we've gained in many other ways. For example, my father retired only a few months later than his co-worker, but was given a big raise right before he retired. I have also landed a really good job right after I graduated from college. Aren't these blessings from Dafa?”
I was very touched and impressed by what my son said. He had become so wise and mature. They are indeed all Dafa's blessings. My resentment toward my brother-in-law was gone and I finally got over it.
Practitioners Are Protected
I have truly witnessed in the past 19 years that practitioners of Dafa are protected by Master and believing in Dafa will turn dangerous situations around.
I attended a meeting in the downtown area of the city in the summer of 2005. On my way home during lunch break one day, it started drizzling and the roads became muddy. When crossing an intersection, a speeding motorcycle slammed into me as I rode my bicycle.
My bicycle and I were pushed to the other side of the road while I remained in the riding position. The motorcycle fell down and one of the front lights broke. The driver was very upset when he stood up and started cursing, but when he saw that I was a woman and was riding a bike, he stopped and quickly left.
I moved the handlebars on my bike back into position, got back on it and went home. On my ride home, I just couldn't help but cry. It was so dangerous. The heavy motorcycle charged toward me at such a high speed, but I was not injured at all. It must have been Master who protected me. Master saved me.
I feel truly lucky to have been able to cultivate in Dafa and to always have Master there to protect and guide me. It was the best choice I have ever made in my life.
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