(Minghui.org) In 1996, I learned that Falun Dafa practitioners in Changchun were starting to memorize the Fa, so I felt that I should also do it.

I didn't find it difficult to memorize assignments at school, but it was very different when it came to the Fa. Just the first paragraph of “On Dafa” Lunyu took me the whole morning to memorize it.

I didn't give up, and knew that with persistence I could memorize the entire book of Zhuan Falun.

Only when I could memorize a paragraph well would I move on to the next one. Thus, my mind was always filled with a sentence or a paragraph from the Fa.

Although I had to work, look after my four-year-old, and do the household chores, which occupied most of my time, it didn't stop me from finding time to memorize the Fa.

It took me about eight months to memorize all of Zhuan Falun. Then I started to memorize it again. This time it was much easier.

I had memorized Zhuan Falun about eight or nine times, Essentials for Further Advancement several times, and had hand written copies of Zhuan Falun twice before July 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party launched the persecution against Falun Dafa.

All of this helped me to set a strong foundation on my cultivation path.

Steadfast and Diligent

I was taken to a forced labor camp for a year-and-a-half in early 2001 because I went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Dafa.

I learned the importance of being able to recite the Fa from memory after being locked up in the camp.

Master said,

“When one chants the Buddha's name, one must do it single-mindedly with nothing else in mind until other portions of the brain become numb and one becomes unaware of anything, with one thought replacing thousands of others, or until each word of “Buddha Amitabha” appears before one's eyes. (“A Clear and Clean Mind,” Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

It wasn't easy to calm my mind and recite the Fa in the labor camp, so I tried to enlarge every word as I was saying it in my mind. Eventually, I was able to calm down and immerse myself in the Fa.

The guards seemed to frightened of me and dare not look at me when my mind was calm and my thoughts were righteous. However, there were times when I did not have righteous thoughts. The guards would then treat me badly.

All of the Dafa practitioners went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution one time. However, a few days after starting the hunger strike, I couldn't calm my mind to recite the Fa in my mind, no matter how hard I tried. I felt that my righteous thoughts were getting weaker and weaker, which allowed for many attachments to surface.

I had been in the labor camp for two years when I came down with scabies. I was only supposed to be there for one-and-a-half-years but the officials there extended my time because I still refused to give up my belief.

A group of inmates was sent to try and “transform” me. They surrounded me and started verbally abusing me. I calmed myself down and concentrated on reciting the Fa in my mind. So I was not paying attention to what they said.

These people were assigned to me for many days, so I started to talk to them about Dafa and I would recite Master's Fa to them.

Eventually, they calmed down, started to talk to me rationally, and ask me many questions about Dafa. I always answered them as best I could. Some of them even asked me to recite the Fa for them.

“Just Like a Photocopier”

Time passed very quickly in the labor camp knowing that Master was watching over me. I never even had a longing to leave, as I felt that I could help other practitioners in there.

I would write out Master's lectures at night while lying on the top bunk in the cell. When I had finished a section, I would pass it on to other practitioners. When practitioners got hold Master's new lectures they would get them straight to me. I would copy them down several times to distribute among other practitioners.

I continued to copy Master's lectures at night and memorize them during the day, as though the physical pain that I was feeling had nothing to do with me.

The times when we didn't have paper, I would copy the lectures on tissue paper. One time, a practitioner tore a plain light yellow blanket into small pieces and passed them to me so that I could copy the lectures on the cloth. We managed to make sure that every practitioner was able to receive a copy of Master's lectures.

After a drug addict from my district was released from the labor camp she told a practitioner that I was just like a photocopier.

This shocked me. How did she know? My actions must have been spread around the labor camp. Maybe the guards never knew, or they knew and just left me alone.

Strengthened Righteous Thoughts

Now I am at home, I study the Fa in the afternoon, then memorize Zhuan Falun until its time for sending forth righteous thoughts. I feel that this helps to strengthen my righteous thoughts.

I sit up very straight when doing the hand gestures for righteous thoughts, and it feels as though I really have the power to split a mountain.

When I am sending forth righteous thoughts I also recite parts from Master's lectures, which further helps to strengthen my righteous thoughts.

Master said,

“If it is given to you, it is yours, and it is dictated by your mind.” (“Characteristics of Falun Dafa,” Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

The Fa has great powers, so when we effectively use our gong and Falun that Master has given us, we can use it to clear out all of the old force elements in other dimensions.

Master's Fa has increased my confidence and it makes me feel that the old forces are nothing. Just like Master said, “...a little finger will be more than enough to crush it.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)

Progressing Steadily On My Cultivation Path

I realized that when the old forces are causing interference, it always starts from interfering with our Fa-study. When we are not able to study the Fa with a calm mind or we don't have time to study the Fa, our thoughts will start to deviate from the Fa and our attachments will increase more and more. Then, the old forces will take this opportunity to persecute us. Persecution could be in the form of sickness karma, family problems, arrest, and so on.

The fundamental problem seems to be related to our lack of Fa study. When we are not able to recognize the fundamental cause of a tribulation and are unable to overcome a problem based on the Fa, we have to increase our Fa study.

I became busy with work and household chores after I was released from the labor camp, and didn't give enough time to Fa study. I no longer memorized the Fa, and read the Fa with distracting thoughts. I was studying the Fa for the sake of doing so and did not assimilate into the Fa.

During that time, I also experienced more serious interference, such as family problems, the 610 Office staff harassing and threatening me at my workplace and at home. They also tried to take me to a brainwashing center.

I believe all his happened because I had a problem with my Fa study. Thus, I decided to start memorizing the Fa again.

Master said,

“The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts.” (“Drive Out Interference,” Essentials of Further Advancement II)

A manager at my workplace later told me that when the police came to our office, he persuaded them to leave, saying, “You'd better not look for her because you won't be able to win if you try to reason with her. If that happens, you all will really lose face.”

I have been practicing Falun Dafa for over 20 years. The Fa principles that I have learned by memorizing the Fa has enabled me to persist in my belief.

I sincerely hope that those practitioners who have yet to start memorizing the Fa, especially those who find it hard to study the Fa with a calm mind, can try to start memorizing the Fa.

Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.

Category: Improving Oneself