(Minghui.org) Greetings esteemed Master, and fellow practitioners.
I obtained the Fa with my mother, younger brother, and younger sister in 1999, the year the persecution against Falun Dafa was launched. I was in my third year of elementary school, and I was muddle-headed in my cultivation, as I was young and couldn’t grasp the ultimate goal of cultivation, I had already deeply felt the goodness of cultivating in Dafa. We were still helping spread Dafa, and whenever there was an event, I would be there with my brother and sister. When I was young, I had a very pure thought that, “Falun Dafa is Good,” and I wanted everyone to know it so that they would come and study Dafa.
My mother would take me on her bicycle to group Fa-study and sharing. On the way home, a car was suddenly very close to us, and the rear tire of the car scraped my left leg. At that moment I only felt the pain and my mother did not know that I was hit by the car. Only after that car had driven off did I tell my mother that I was hit. She asked me if I was hurt, and I answered, “Nothing is wrong!”
Although it was a car accident, I didn’t feel that anything was strange so we left the scene. Little did I know that my foot was actually caught in the wheel, the skin on the top of my foot was gone, and the scar can still be seen clearly today. At the time I was not scared, nor did I cry out in pain. I told my mother that I would not put any medication on it, and neither would I go to the hospital, because I knew that Master was by my side watching over me. While I was injured, we still attended that event to help spread Dafa. As a kid I felt Master Li’s (the founder) compassion, and the power of Dafa.
Interfered With the Big Dye Vat of Ordinary Human Society
I kept this kind of cultivation state up until high school. In the big dye vat of ordinary human society, I gradually forgot about my mission, and that we came to this human world for cultivation. One day my mother was reminding me to study the Fa and do the exercises like she always does. I suddenly yelled back “Why do I have to study the Fa and do exercises every day? Why can’t I watch television and movies with my classmates? Why can’t I walk around with my friends?” I followed with, “I don’t ever want to study the Fa again, and I don’t want to do the exercises. I only want the comfortable life of an ordinary person.” The frightening thought karma was interfering, and I sunk into the comforts of ordinary human society, unknowingly walking the path arranged by the old forces. This continued until I entered society.
The longer I was a part of the regular society, the attachment to fame and power, the competitive attachment, being zealous, and all sorts of other attachments became part of my life. I was being controlled by my attachment to fame and power. My life was no longer smooth, as it had been during my student years. My life was filled with confusion and restlessness. Negative emotions like suffering, anxiety, depression all interfered with me. I was struggling in the bottomless abyss and every day was filled with suffering.
Master said,
“He who is for fame resents throughout his lifeHe who is for profit does not know his kin He who is for passion looks for trouble for himself Bitter, fighting, making karma in his life...”(“Being Human,” Hong Yin)
My attachment to losing face, and attachment to winning, has always prevented me from talking to my mother about the stress I felt. Often I would cry late at night, wondering what the meaning of my life was. I knew that I have always had the answer, but it was being buried by my attachments, as I had not studied the Fa for a long time. All of my judgments were not based on the Fa. I knew that I should cultivate it again! But, for a while, I could not pick up the heavenly book Zhuan Falun! Under the influence of countless attachments, I used any means to make money.
Awakening to the Truth
One day someone anonymously reported on my office and I was punished under the law. When I found out how serious this was, I did not break down and cry, but rather my first thought was that I should talk to a practitioner about this. In the past, my lost self would have broken down and cried, not knowing what to do! I would even look for friends around me, and complain to them. After sharing with fellow practitioners, I realized that this situation was definitely not a coincidence.
I knew that if I still did not pick up Zhuan Falun, I would not be able to hold on anymore. I would collapse. I was in too much delusion and compassionate Master used this situation to help me cultivate again. Master had to use the stick warning. I began to study large amounts of the Fa. When seeing Master’s familiar Fa image, I awakened to having already obtained the Fa 20 years ago, yet some of the things that have happened filled me with regret. My face was covered in tears.
I am a Dafa disciple who has obtained the Fa 20 years ago! How could I get lost in ordinary human society and forget my vow. How could I let Master endure so much? Yet I was lost in an ordinary person’s life!
Upon understanding, I began to increase my Fa-study, and participate in Dafa events. Through this process, I corrected my interaction with work, and with ordinary human society. Through Fa-study, I gradually looked inward and asked myself to let go of my pursuits in the human world – fame, power and sentimentality.
Master said,
“In social interactions one will come across all kinds of conflicts. For those who practice cultivation among everyday persons, what type of business you are in does not matter. Regardless of how much money you have, how high your position ranks, or what kind of private enterprise or company you run, it makes no difference, as you should trade fairly and maintain a righteous mind. ” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
I would see the decision made concerning my situation as a good thing. My non-practitioner friends often said, “Wow, how are you able to stay so calm? If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.” I replied, “This is Master’s best arrangement for me. In the past when I made an unreasonable profit, it was not supposed to me mine. Now, I am only returning it.”
I am grateful for Master’s arrangements. Everything that a practitioner encounters is a good thing. It is to see how I would handle everything. Every little thing, every test, and all the big and small tribulations during the test, will be spoiled by a small thought that is off, a small thought that is incorrect. Every thought of a cultivator is important, and it is a test of how much we believe in Master and the Fa.
Facing Interference When Leaving for the Experience Sharing Conference
In May of this year, I attended the New York Fa Conference with my mother and sister. Prior to this, practitioners had shared with me the importance of attending experience sharing conferences, but I paid no attention to it. I already arranged my personal work schedule before the conference. I started caring about whether my work schedule had been arranged perfectly, but ignored the importance of the upcoming Fa conference. I was not strict enough with my own cultivation state and when I was about to board the plane, I realized that my passport number was not printed correctly on my boarding pass. At the same time, my mother realized that the American dollars for this trip had been left at our home in southern Taiwan! We had to board the plane at Taoyuan International Airport.
We could not board the airplane, and we did not have the money needed for the trip. My insides were flipping. I felt restless and sad. I watched my mother and sister head for New York, while I stayed at the airport because I had a loophole. The evil does not let go of a chance to interfere with my cultivation. Such a sacred Fa conference, yet I was interfered with because I did not look at it with enough respect.
Two days later there was another flight and I discovered two other practitioners were taking the same flight. With one of the practitioners I had a conflict with during the 2017 New York Fa Conference. The practitioner was working hard to lead us when we were overseas, but I was being ungrateful, thinking that the rules set by this practitioner did not make sense, and I could not understand them. I thought that running into this practitioner again on the way to New York could not be a coincidence. I had to resolve this conflict, and really thank this practitioner. With their help, I was able to arrive in New York, and attend the Fa Conference.
Prioritizing Cultivation Over Work
In July of this year, I utilized the days before the 7/20 parade to travel to the Hong Kong truth-clarification sights to clarify the truth about Dafa. Any of my work plans before the flight were given a low priority. I freed up the majority of my time to clarify the truth with other practitioners, Although I lost work time, I was able to complete my work beautifully in a time frame that I even felt was unbelievable.
At the tourist sight, an evil person asked a Hong Kong practitioner, “This girl is so pretty, why is she standing on this side?” The practitioner replied, “She is pretty and she has also obtained the Fa, and that is her blessing.” The practitioner turned around and told me what just happened.
That sentence from the practitioner immediately reminded me that in the past I often complained about my lack of good fortune. How come I was not like the manager of a successful business? If I had good fortune, the company would do better day by day! But I didn’t know that I already had such good fortune. I was greatly blessed, because I am a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple. I have great fortune, so I am able to hold up this display board, and tell the passing tourists from mainland China to remember that, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
Later, I began to appropriately manage my work time, correcting all the incorrect ways to operate. Everything was measured by the Dafa principles Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. In the past, because I placed importance on fame and power, the shop would always be open until quite late every day. So I adjusted the shop’s hours to allow myself more time for Fa-study, doing the exercises and participate in Dafa events and projects. In the past two years I have even been able to help with Shen Yun promotion, as well as being in charge of the tea parties and merchandise sales.
Although during this time I still met with tribulations and tests at times, such as going back and forth to court, I would remember that there is the cultivation factor when these situations arise. Time and time again I would look inward. I would ask myself if it was only the surface attachments that I could not let go of. Did I have the attachment to pursuit? Did I pursue fame and power? My attachments were very stubborn and strong.
Master said,
“Its broad and immense, profound inner meaning can only manifest itself to, and be experienced and understood by, practitioners who are at different levels of true cultivation.” (“Broad and Immense,”Essentials for Further Advancement)
I must let go of my attachments again and again. I also realized that one tribulation followed by another is already interference from the old forces. I must negate walking the path of the old forces.
I know that at this time I have already walked back on the path of Dafa cultivation. From the day I obtained the Fa, I have been under Master’s care. Any old forces, demons, are not worthy of testing me, but we must do what Master said about looking inwards when we meet with a problem while negating the plans of the old forces. When I meet with these tests, I know that I will not be lost. Dafa has purified my mind and body, while looking inward when facing difficulties. Such an attitude can only be obtained through true cultivation in Dafa. It is what comes with upgrading xinxing and solid cultivation. It is the greatness of Dafa.
Master said,
“…you should just do what you are supposed to do, going about it in a composed manner. When you encounter things that don’t sound so good or that aren’t what you hoped for, don’t take it to heart, and just nobly and confidently do what you are supposed to.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. X)
Master’s great compassion has pulled me back to the path towards becoming a divinity again. Fellow practitioners. Let us steadfastly walk our path and help Master rectify the Fa.
Thank you Master, Thank you everyone.
(Presented at the 2019 Taiwan Fa Conference)
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