(Minghui.org) (Continued from Part 1)
A Particle of Dafa
As Dafa practitioners, everyone is doing their part to assist Master based on their abilities. After the persecution began, we needed practitioners who were technically proficient, so I started to help out in that area.
The CCP began blocking the Internet as soon as the persecution started. Under Master’s arrangement, another practitioner showed me how to use email to receive articles from the Minghui website, and then I taught local practitioners who were producing truth-clarification materials to do it. During that difficult period, email was a reliable means of communication with the Minghui website.
I later learned how to use software to overcome online censorship and shared it with other practitioners. It's sometimes very difficult to go online because we have to use several methods to circumvent the Communist Party's firewalls to reach the Minghui website. We've been able to do that over the years, so local practitioners have been able to get Master’s latest lectures. Through Minghui Weekly, they were able to catch up with the progress of Fa-rectification and establish a separate mode of contact with Minghui.
Computer security is very important. The earlier systems were troublesome to install, many of the technical terms were in English, and many drivers had to be installed, so very few practitioners knew how to do that. I didn't know either.
One practitioner said, “You should learn how.” I thought, “Why not? If I don't learn it, who will?” I asked a practitioner to teach me and carefully wrote down the entire process. The first time I installed a computer was not as easy as I thought it would be. The practitioner’s computer broke down because of me. I borrowed a laptop to practice on and spent an entire night repeatedly installing and uninstalling the system. Afterward, I was able to help install the other practitioners' computer systems and safety precautions.
Communication platforms provided us with very good technical support, and everything became less difficult. As I helped the others install their systems and maintain their safety, I also learned along the way. Many practitioners who use computers are elderly, so I tried to make the system simple to use and maintain. If any problems came up, they were able to resolve them. I made simple pictorial instructions that would be easy for them to use.
Whenever the communication platform sent out upgrade reminders, I helped practitioners with them. I helped one elderly practitioner install a Windows 7 system a few years ago. I contacted her when I learned the system was about to be abandoned. She was very happy. While upgrading her system, I discovered that her computer memory was too low, making the data transfer very slow. Every step of the installation was difficult, and even the initial startup could not be completed.
I calmed down and looked inward for shortcomings. I realized that I had many attachments, such as being impatient and wanting to show off. I felt that since I had installed operating systems on so many computers, I could handle all types of problems. I felt that I was very capable. After I identified this notion, I thought, “Master, I'm wrong. I will get rid of ego.” Master gave me a hint as to where the problem was, and the installation was completed without a hitch.
When I returned home, I thought about the difficulties that practitioner must have had using such a slow computer. I set up my other computer (a high-end model that I’d assembled a few years back) and gave it to her. She was very happy.
Cultivation opportunities are everywhere. I worked with another practitioner on a truth-clarification activity. As I had little experience, I mostly did research and learned the technical skills that were needed. With Master’s help, I learned them easily. Gradually, my attachment to showing off surfaced. When the other practitioner pointed them out, I felt ashamed. During this activity, every problem was a good opportunity to examine myself. I discovered that many attachments I had were related to selfishness and ego. When I'm able to let go of ego, the wisdom keeps coming, and my efficiency improves.
When others have problems and come to me for help, I always try my best to resolve them. Sometimes, I work through the night. Because I'm doing what Master has arranged for me, I do not feel it is a hardship. Some practitioners said, “No matter what we ask you to help with, you always agree. You've never turned us down.” I said, “This is my responsibility.” The ability that Master gave me helped me expand my technical skills. I will do my part wherever I'm needed.
Amid Persecution, My Thoughts Are on Saving People
The persecution was at its peak when I was hired at my current job. I told my department manager that I practice Falun Gong. Since my talent was needed, the manager decided to hire me anyway. I think that my image and behavior are the best way to validate the Fa. I've never treated myself as a victim of persecution. I always smiled and was open and broad-minded. I never competed for personal gain or reputation, so my manager and colleagues all praised me.
Because I filed a criminal complaint against the former CCP leader Jiang Zemin for initiating the persecution of Falun Gong, the local police came to my work, and the department manager wanted to punish me. I felt a suffocating fear. I knew that this fear was an attachment, but what was motivating it? I realized that I was afraid of being arrested, afraid that my family would be implicated, afraid that I would lose my job, afraid that my colleagues would look at me strangely. There were also many other attachments, such as seeking comfort and showing off. Behind those attachments was a very big attachment to selfishness and ego.
Master said,
“The basis before was self-serving, whereas everything forged by Dafa is not attached to self.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IV)
Master wants us to become beings of the new universe, someone who lives totally for others. I must get rid of this ego. When I understood this Fa, my thoughts suddenly became clear, and I kept sending forth righteous thoughts to disintegrate this selfishness. I forgot about protecting myself. Instead, I felt great compassion for people and wished to save them.
With a wish to save my department manager, I wrote a letter to tell him how good Falun Dafa is and the facts about the persecution. I also pointed out that people have to make a choice between kindness and going along with evil. I ended my letter with, “If the department still insists on punishing me, I can leave—not because I want to leave but because I do not want you to help them do something wrong. Your agreeing to this may later be used as evidence that you helped persecute innocent people.” The department manager decided not to punish me. I later learned that the city wanted to use my case to claim credits from higher authorities, but my company protected me. I knew very well that Master was protecting me.
Later, security personnel came to look for me, and I explained the persecution to them. The city’s 610 Office wanted to have a “closed door talk” with me. I later learned it was actually a brainwashing session. This time, I really had no fear. Initially, they tried to trick me by saying, “Let’s see which of you is more capable. If you're able to convince the 610 Office personnel, then you are really impressive.” When I heard that, I thought, “Is this because I have the attachment of competing with others? I suddenly remembered Master’s lecture, “I don’t have any interest in contesting with others, and there was no need to.” (The Fifth Talk, “The Blessing of Sacred Images,” Zhuan Falun)
I thought about what happened. Where did I need to improve in my cultivation? Master hinted that, in order to totally let go of ego, I needed to see beyond life and death.
Master said:
“Divine beings go through a cyclical process as well; it’s not that they never perish. But they know when they are to die, and know when they are to be born. It’s only that they will not bring with them their memories from before.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference”)
I understood that all lives reincarnate, so there is nothing to be happy about when someone is born or to be sad about when someone dies. True happiness comes from obtaining the Fa and walking a righteous path.
When I was able to set aside the attachment to life and death, everything changed.
Master said:
“But as a practitioner you want to develop a kind of altruism that extends to others and the greater good, and change your very being such that you are one with the true Fa and have attained true and virtuous enlightenment.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given In Washington, D.C.”)
I felt that, as a Dafa practitioner, I needed to behave in an open and upright manner. I needed to save all the people involved in this matter. Local practitioners also helped me by sending forth righteous thoughts.
Master helped untie the knot that kept our company secretary from being saved. He was not able to see the difference between love for China and loyalty to the CCP. I did not really talk about the depth of the persecution in my previous letters because I did not want him to have any negative feelings. Since saving someone means having to eliminate the problem at its root, I knew that I had to thoroughly explain the true situation. I wrote him a very long letter and clarified the facts very clearly. I also gave him a DVD with software to circumvent the Internet firewall as well as many truth-clarification videos. In addition, I wrote a letter to the company security leader. The “610 matter” was never brought up again. I knew that Master had disintegrated all the negative elements.
The department secretary’s attitude changed, too. He was impressed that a woman could withstand so much pressure and not give up her belief. I did my work well, behaved in an upright manner, and dealt with everything above board.
The department secretary recently said, “The CCP’s 70th anniversary is coming up. The police invited you for a chat.” I told him that I was very busy so it would be good if he would refuse the invitation for me. If they really insisted, I would talk to them. In my heart, I told Master, “It's not that I'm afraid of interacting with the police. If it's someone I have an affinity with, then let him come. If not, then I will not meet him.” In the end, the secretary excused me.
I thought that, since the police knew about me, we must have a predestined relationship, so I wrote them a truth-clarification letter.
Cherishing Fellow Practitioners
Through projects, we interact with some practitioners frequently. When the activity is over, it's almost impossible to run into them again. I really cherish the time that I've spent with every practitioner. We all came to this world to save people. We must encourage one another and improve in our cultivation together.
I seemed to have a deep connection with one practitioner. When she was sending forth righteous thoughts, another practitioner saw that she was in a very dangerous situation. I went to look for her. I discovered that she was in an inappropriate relationship. I exchanged cultivation experiences and thoughts with her, and she tried hard to correct her behavior.
Her health began declining two years ago. Her uterine fibroids became worse. Her face was pale and she had no energy.
One day she told me about what she'd been going through. Only then did I understand that her situation was really dangerous and that she might lose her life. I could feel her helplessness and that she was sincerely seeking help. I continued to send righteous thoughts. The other practitioners also helped by sending righteous thoughts. My whole body ached and felt cold. I knew that the bad elements were being disintegrated.
After returning home, I started to run a high fever and ached all over. I continued to send righteous thoughts for the next four days. I refused to accept the old forces' arrangements for this practitioner.
I never thought about the discomfort I felt. It was as though she and I were one body and we were destroying the evil together. On the fifth day, the pain gradually lessened, but my head ached so much it felt as though it were cracking open. I was not deterred and continued to send righteous thoughts, even in my dreams.
Afterward, my body no longer ached. I knew the evil was completely eliminated.
I told the other practitioners about my experience of this fight between good and evil. I asked that practitioner, “Master helped you change your path. Are you still going to continue practicing?” She said firmly that she would. Just as she finished saying that, she stood up to go to the restroom and passed two fibroids.
In the year that followed, that practitioner’s cultivation state went up and down. She was not very diligent in her cultivation, so the uterine fibroids grew again, and this time they were bigger. One day not long ago, she contacted me. She sounded as if she were preparing to die. Looking at her, I felt sad. I knew everyone had to walk their own cultivation path, but I kept wondering what else I could do. I felt a bit lost.
Master hinted to me that Dafa practitioners are one body. Master’s greeting, “To The Canada Fa Conference” was published, and the first sentence shook me deeply: “The old forces never intended for Dafa to survive the evil they forged with fire and blood.” (“To The Canada Fa Conference”) This time, Master did not use the term “Dafa disciples.” He used “Dafa.”
I immediately understood what I should do. We are all lives chosen by Master. Every Dafa practitioner is unique and indispensable. The path that every Dafa practitioner takes and everything that they learn from the Fa, when put together, is an integral part of Dafa. All of us are one body. The old forces persecute practitioners by distancing them from each other. Then they persecute them individually.
I immediately went to look for that practitioner. Before I could say anything, she told me that she felt a force pulling her away from the main body of practitioners and she felt increasingly reluctant to interact with anyone. I knew the negative elements were trying to isolate her and kill her.
I began sending forth righteous thoughts at her house every hour for three days. The old forces arranged for her to become entangled in an inappropriate relationship as an excuse to destroy her. We completely rejected everything related to this matter. Three days later, she felt relaxed. She was willing to read the teachings and do the exercises.
Entangled by Emotion
Another practitioner went to look after her grandchildren but returned after a huge fight with her daughter. Her cultivation state was not good. When I saw her, she had difficulty walking. I could see the hardship she was experiencing: Lost in emotion, but wanting to cultivate diligently. I exchanged understandings about cultivation with her and helped her to regain her confidence in practicing. I also sent righteous thoughts with her to eliminate the old forces' arrangements that were disrupting her ability to cultivate.
I suggested that she go online and read the Minghui website. I helped her buy a computer, installed the system, and taught her how to use it. During the process, my back felt as though it had been cleaved by an ax. It was so painful that I could not even turn over when I slept. Even raising my arm to send righteous thoughts took a lot of effort. I knew very clearly that the old forces did not want to let this practitioner improve, so I persisted in sending righteous thoughts to disintegrate the negative things controlling her.
Before long, she became very diligent. She now studies the Fa, sends forth righteous thoughts, and clarifies the truth every day. Last month, her daughter returned with her children. No matter how difficult the situation became, she was able to maintain her cultivation state and did not have any conflicts with her. She said, “For so many years, I did not know how to look inward. I blamed others for everything. Now that I understand how to look inward. I know that everything is due to my own problems. As soon as I identify my attachments, I immediately eliminate them.” I'm happy for her from the bottom of my heart.
There are many elderly practitioners in our Fa study group. They do the three things steadfastly and have had many moving experiences. I encouraged them to write them down and send them to the Minghui website. I also encouraged them to participate in the China Fahui on Minghui.
After editing their articles, I submit them to the Minghui website. Sometimes, it takes a few days to edit an article, but I am very happy to help. I feel that even short stories are the result of our fellow practitioners' cultivation, so they are precious. Some of these articles were published quickly, and the practitioners felt encouraged.
Every step that I’ve taken in my twenty years of cultivation is precious. Every step was a result of Master’s infinite compassion.
Master said:
“In fact, I treasure you more than you treasure yourselves, for you exist together with Master. You are the most magnificent gods of the future, the exemplary models of the new cosmos, and mankind’s hope for the future.” (Teaching the Fa at the Fa Conference in Australia)
We can only understand a small portion of the infinite content of the Fa when we truly cultivate ourselves. There is no way I can repay Master for all He has done. I can only spend the time left saving sentient beings.
These are my cultivation experiences. Please kindly correct anything inappropriate in my understanding.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
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