(Minghui.org) I was born into a very poor family and was dismayed about having to live in poverty. I was indoctrinated by the Chinese Communist Party's atheist education and did not believe in Gods or Buddhas. All my energy went into making money.
I moved from the countryside to the city after marrying my husband in 1990. My husband's income was not enough, so I had to watch our expenditures.
A month after our wedding, my husband was diagnosed with acute hepatitis and was on sick leave for nearly a year. After our first child was born, it came down with pneumonia, and the hospital bills were exorbitant. Life was so hard!
I established a small business as a street vendor, selling underwear and slippers. It was when China had just opened to the West and most people did not bargain. Thus, it was easy to make money, and our financial wherewithal improved.
I worked harder and hoped to make lots of money. I tried to save every penny. I would rather starve than spend even one yuan to have a simple lunch. I even made money off my good friend who asked me to help buy something when I went to Beijing to purchase my own goods.
Master said,
“He who acts for profit cold is he, knowing not his kin”(“An Upright Person” from Hong Yin)
I started practicing Falun Dafa in September 1998.
When I bought vegetables at a market, a vendor mistakenly refunded me 50 yuan instead of 10 yuan.
Master teaches us to follow the principles of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” and always think of others first. I returned the overpaid amount to the vendor. If I did not practice Falun Dafa I would have kept the money.
Because of my strong attachment to self-interest, I encountered such tests again and again.
I went to Beijing to buy some shirts in 2003. I chose a style and ordered some, and then looked around in other shops. I did not find anything I liked, so I bought another 20 shirts, but the shop assistant charged me 560 yuan less.
I told the shop assistant that she had not counted the money correctly. She didn't look pleased, so I told her that she had not charged me for the additional 20 shirts I just bought. I regretted not telling her that the reason I pointed out her mistake was that I practice Falun Dafa.
When I went back to the hostel that night, the receptionist gave me 10 yuan more when I paid for my stay. I didn't think about it and just put in my pocket. I thought that it was just a little money, and it was enough to pay for my meal.
I felt it was not right when I went into my room. The more I thought about it, the more I felt angry with myself. How could I let myself down and damage the image of Dafa? I felt ashamed that I had passed a big test and failed a small one.
Master said,
“Study the Fa and gain the Fa,Focus on how you study and cultivate,Let each and every thingbe measured against the Fa.Only then, with that,is it actually cultivation.”(“Solid Cultivation” from Hong Yin)
Such trivial tests could, in fact, reflect the true realm of one's cultivation. My attachment to personal interest is very strong. It is like a shadow that sticks to me all the time, and it shows up in everything I do. Large or small tests will show if we have not met the standard of Dafa.
I sometimes received a counterfeit 100-yuan note. I would just tear it up, as I did not want it to go into circulation again. But when buying things, I liked to bargain and didn't want to lose a bit. Is this not an attachment to personal gain?
I found a 100-yuan note on the ground a few times–my initial thought was of delight. Then, I thought about why I was allowed to see the money. It was a test of whether I could let go of my attachment to money.
I went to the bank to exchange around 3,000 yuan in 2016. The bank teller counted the money while talking to her colleagues and gave me 2,000 yuan extra by mistake. On my way home, I felt that she had overpaid me and checked the amount.
I thought that Master wanted me to let go of my attachment while also giving me an opportunity to talk about Dafa. I ran back to the bank. I thought that the bank assistant would be very worried if she found the money was short, and she'd have to make up for it with her own money.
At the bank, the assistant was not happy when I mentioned she had given me the wrong amount. When they checked, they found that they had given me 2,000 yuan extra. The bank manager said, “This is a good person!”
“It is Falun Dafa that's good!” I replied. “My teacher teaches me to behave this way. Falun Dafa teaches me to consider others first when doing things, to be a good person, and to follow the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Don't believe the lies they tell on TV about Falun Dafa.”
“Any Falun Dafa practitioner would bring the money back to you,” I continued. “You must remember that Falun Dafa is good and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
I am so fortunate that in this modern society of deteriorating moral values, Falun Dafa leads me to the right path.