(Minghui.org) Even though I am a Falun Dafa practitioner, I have many shortcomings, and I feel ashamed of my attachments when I compare myself with many other practitioners. I am writing this article in hopes that people will see the power of Falun Dafa in improving a person’s character.
As a tenured math teacher in a prestigious high school, I have earned an excellent reputation at the national level. I could make a lot of money given my skills and the opportunities that have been offered to me. Despite numerous temptations, I follow the principles of Falun Dafa [also known as Falun Gong].
Cultivation Is Most Important
Shortly after a freshman class started, a parent offered me 300,000 yuan to give his son special attention. I turned down the money but agreed to take care of his son as best I could. This boy turned out to be one of the top students in my class. After some additional training, he won a top prize in China’s high school math competition.
A private school that runs a college entrance preparation business called me every year for three years, asking me to join them. My pay rate would have been twice that of other teachers, as much as 5,000 yuan per hour. I turned them down. The next year they came back with a better offer. But as a Dafa practitioner, money is never a high priority. Cultivating xinxing [moral character] is the most important.
Unlike other teachers, I never accept money from students for after-class tutoring, even though I spend many hours helping students. I treat all students equally, from struggling students to academic whizzes, and they all benefit from my personalized tutoring.
Many parents want to show their appreciation by giving me gifts. One parent wanted to give me a watch worth several tens of thousands of yuan, and another tried to give me an expensive painting. I told them, “Helping the children is my job. As a Falun Gong practitioner, I cannot accept your gifts. Please understand.”
Today's Failure Might Be a Stepping Stone to the Future
People assume that as a highly accomplished teacher, I should be super rich. People often ask me how many houses I have. When I tell them that I have only one house, they shake their heads in disbelief.
In addition to helping students improve their math skills, I also give them other guidance, and encourage them to follow upright principles.
One day a student told me that he was having trouble in his relationship with a girl in his class. He was one of the best students and a good person. He was too shy to tell his parents or his designated class teacher. I told him some stories about ancient men of honor that related to his situation, and he understood the principles behind the stories. After our conversation, he quickly regained his balance. He later attended Tsinghua University.
Another student who loved math failed a test during his sophomore year. He was very upset, and his parents panicked. I asked him about his study habits, analyzed them, and suggested some different approaches. I also told him to focus on the future, reminding him that today’s failure might be a stepping stone for tomorrow. He quickly calmed down and found his confidence. He also attended Tsinghua University the following year.
A student from another city told me that his parents needed several thousand yuan for emergency medical treatment. Despite financial difficulties, his parents still wanted him to get a good education. I decided to give him the money. He felt very bad about accepting money from his teacher, but he had no other choice. I told him not to worry about the money, but that I expected him to help others in the future, and that it would be the best reward he could ever give me. He was deeply touched.
As a Dafa disciple, I have not yet reached the cultivation level of many of my fellow practitioners. My stories are nothing special, but I decided to share them as proof of Falun Dafa’s power. I just want to let people know that Falun Dafa is great.
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