(Minghui.org) I became a Falun Dafa practitioner in the summer of 1998. Before that, I was narrowminded, hot-tempered, and fought with anyone who tried to take advantage of me. Not a day went by without a fight.
Given my feisty character, I came down with many health problems, including insufficient blood flow to the brain, inflammation of the gallbladder, stomachaches, severe muscle strain, and gynecological disorders. I weighed a little more than 40 kilograms in my 40s. Given all the physical and mental pain, I was pessimistic.
Zhuan Falun Changed My Life
When I felt rather sick one day, I went to the village clinic. The doctor’s wife gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa cultivation practice. I felt very good as I read it, but since I had only gone to school for three years, I could not understand everything I read.
Still, as I read Zhuan Falun, the characters in the book turned golden, shining in different colors, and pulsating. This let me know that Zhuan Falun was a book given to us by gods and that I was among those fortunate enough to read it.
After I read Zhuan Falun, I changed completely. My moral standard improved, and, in turn, I returned to good health. From then on, I studied the book diligently and used it to guide my behavior.
One time a customer gave me 1,380 yuan by accident. I returned the money in full, and the customer was very moved. I told her that my teacher, Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Dafa, taught me to be a good person at all times. She expressed her gratitude and said that it would benefit the entire world if everyone would be like Falun Dafa practitioners.
A Different Person
Before I started to cultivate, I demanded that my family obey me at all times. Even my husband, a carpenter, had to turn all his earnings over to me. Yet, I often mistreated him and he dared not disobey me.
After I became a practitioner, I completely changed. I did all the household chores without complaint. I no longer argued with my husband when he spent money. Instead, I often handed my earnings over to him. I began to live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and I changed into a different person.
Master said:
“If you are always compassionate and friendly to others, if you always consider other people when you do things, and whenever you have issues with other people you first think about whether they can take it or whether it will cause them harm, then you won’t have any problem.” (Zhuan Falun)
Our neighbors said that I changed completely after I began to practice Falun Dafa. I became kind and open-minded, and tried to think of the needs of others first.
I had only just began to study the Fa, and my understandings were very limited. There were no other practitioners in my village, so I had no one with whom I could discuss cultivation issues. However, Master found ways to guide me.
Living by the Dafa Principles
Shortly after I began the practice, my nephew caught a bird. It seemed as if this bird was calling out to me. I remembered that Master talked about the issue of killing, so I offered him candy for the bird, which he took. I freed the bird.
Now I always remind myself of Master's teachings and try to live by them:
“We should treat everyone the same, be good to our parents and our kids, and always be considerate of others. Then your heart isn’t a selfish one when you do that, but a compassionate one—it’s compassion.” (Zhuan Falun)
“I also want to tell you that your nature in the past was actually based on egotism and selfishness. From now on, whatever you do, you should consider others first, so as to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
As a practitioner, I will always remember what Master has taught. His words guide my behavior, and they are essential for my assimilating to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the principles of Falun Dafa.
I thank revered Master for allowing me to cultivate, because it let me understand the purpose of life and changed me into a virtuous person.
Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
Category: Improving Oneself
