(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1994. When I started writing this article, many miraculous moments from my cultivation path came to mind. They made me realize how fortunate I was to find Falun Dafa.
Master Li Hongzhi said:
“Pause for a moment of self-reflection,and increase your righteous thoughtsThoroughly analyze your shortcomings,and progress with renewed diligence”(“Rational and Awake” from Hong Yin Vol. II)
Laying the Foundation
I was a sickly and sentimental person before taking up cultivation in Dafa. Although I received more care as the youngest child in my family, I often felt unhappy due to my illnesses and the many medications I had to take.
Then, I came down with rheumatoid arthritis and stomach problems and could not fall asleep due to swelling in my knee joints. I had to rely on anti-inflammatory medicine to ease the pain. During those years, I felt guilty for burdening my parents.
As I grew older, I often wondered about the true meaning of life. Although I read books on Buddhist and Taoist philosophies, I could not find the answer. Then, qigong became popular, and some of my family members practiced it. I believed that qigong could bring people health, but I felt that I should only practice in a school that would let me reach the highest realm.
I approached Buddhism in 1992. Although I was very devoted, I did not know how to cultivate and simply thought that I could improve by becoming a vegetarian. I vowed to become a monk and read many scriptures. However, the only thing I remembered was two sentences from the Diamond Sutra: The “Holy King Who Turns the Wheel” and how “the Falun of the Holy King is extremely powerful.”
Attending Master’s Seventh Class in Changchun
A strong sense of dissatisfaction filled my heart in April 1994. I wanted no more of this world, and the thought of becoming a monk grew stronger. At that point, I heard that Falun Gong lectures were being held in a conference hall at Jilin University and decided to attend. I also bought the book Falun Gong. I finished reading it in one go. I also did the exercises as described in the book and experienced signs of body purification as mentioned by Master Li.
When I was learning the second exercise, I felt a very warm, rotating source of energy spinning between my arms. I had a dream that night–I was walking around in the Classical Gardens of Suzhou. The scenic garden was surrounded by red walls, ponds, and bridges. When I looked up, a pair of golden dragons and phoenixes danced harmoniously and peacefully in the sky. A compassionate and kind-looking nun approached me, and I said, “Master, take me away!” She smiled and replied, “We will meet again if fate allows it.”
The class started on April 29. Some religious ideologies obstructed my mind during Master’s first lecture, but the more I listened, the more I felt that Master’s words made sense. I was aware of terms such as “prehistoric culture” and “the celestial eye,” so I could understand what he was saying. On the next day, the obstructing thoughts disappeared.
During Master's lectures, I saw golden light beaming from his left shoulder. Master also let us feel the existence of a Falun in our palms. I felt big gusts of wind blowing from the platform toward the audience. I realized that Master was purifying our bodies. I also realized that Master is the “Holy King Who Turns the Wheel” and that this was the Fa I have been waiting for all my life!
There was one unforgettable moment during the class. After Master concluded the lecture, we had a short break before the exercise instruction session. Master came down from the stage and approached the practitioners in the back rows, asking them if they could hear him clearly. I was shocked–although I could not see through my celestial eye, I felt that Master was really great, transcendental and compassionate. This is something that could never be seen again in human beings!
My mind went blank, and only one sentence repeated itself in my mind: “Isn’t this the Buddha? Isn’t this the Buddha?” I stared at Master as he walked past me to the back of the hall. Somehow I mumbled, “This is as Master said, 'Broadly shines a Buddha’s light, Justly setting all things right.'” (“One With the Fa” from Hong Yin)
After attending the class, I realized that the nun who appeared in my dreams was Master! The part about “meeting again if fate allows”–isn’t that referring to the affinity I have with Dafa?
I was fortunate enough to see Master again during a Dafa assistants' meeting. Master was very close to where I was. I saw radiant light beaming from his face, right down to each particle. When I entered the conference room, I sat in a spot close to Master and thought, “Master, now you have seen me. You finally know about this disciple!”
Improving While Spreading the Fa
To have the Fa ingrained in our hearts, some practitioners and I began to memorize Falun Gong. We also memorized each of Master’s articles. Despite the harsh weather conditions, we went to the park daily to study the Fa and do the exercises.
As I was one of the younger ones in the group, the Dafa assistant assigned me to teach the exercises at the exercise sites.
More people, including some from rural areas, came to learn Dafa. The scenario was as Master said: “The number of cultivators is increasing daily and becoming countless.” (“Seeking Discipleship with Teacher” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
Since I was teaching the exercises almost every morning, I had very little time to practice them myself. I started to blame the Dafa assistant for putting me in charge. As I was teaching the exercises, I thought: “If I am teaching every day, what is the use of being a Dafa assistant?”
On my way back home, I asked myself, "What is my aim of cultivating Dafa? It is to assimilate myself to the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and be someone that thinks first of others’ needs. I should be willing even to sacrifice my life for the truth of the universe. If that is so, then am I not helping others by teaching the exercises?”
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