(Minghui.org) I am a young Vietnamese Falun Dafa practitioner who is residing in London, England. I started my cultivation in 2016 and have been participating in activities to promote the Fa since 2017.
Coming Across Falun Dafa
Before I began to cultivate, I did not know anything about Falun Dafa and the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). However, at the start of 2016, I passed by some practitioners who were doing the second set of Falun Dafa exercises in Chinatown, and a thought suddenly flashed through my mind: I want to learn this practice. After that, a friend told me that it is called Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong).
Master arranged for my brother to call me and tell me about Falun Dafa. However, my thought karma kept stopping me from listening to him. After hanging up the phone, I felt weird about my reaction since I had always believed deeply in Buddhas. Despite this, I did not dwell too much on it.
One day, I read an article from a Falun Dafa practitioner in China who did not hate the police officers who tortured him. Instead, he even wanted to save him. Even when the officers threaten to end his life, this practitioner still did not give up his belief. I was really full of respect for the courage and forbearance that this practitioner exhibited, and thus I told myself, “I want to cultivate in Falun Dafa.”
Therefore, I went to browse through the Dafa websites and started reading Zhuan Falun. However, when I finished reading the first sentence, “Dafa is the wisdom of the Creator.” (On Dafa (Lunyu),Essentials for Further Advancement), I pondered – I have heard about Shakyamuni, Bodhidharma, Bodhisattva, Jesus, etc, so Dafa is actually the creator of all religions! I was shocked. Thus, I told myself that I would not eat meat, nor have any bad thoughts, and not do any bad things that entire week. I would only continue reading this Book Zhuan Falun after that week was over.
After three days, however, I could not wait any longer. I picked up the book to read it again. While reading the book, my tears spilled out of my eyes. I tried to control my emotions, but nothing helped. I realized that all the problems and all my encounters could be answered by Zhuan Falun. At that very moment, I felt so happy and free.
Remembering But Not Following the Dafa Requirements
Two days after obtaining the Fa, a friend invited me out for a drink. I thought, “Master has talked about no drinking of alcohol so I should not drink that.” After that, I told my friend that I did not want to drink any alcohol, but he tried to convince me to drink. Then, I thought to myself that since I had only cultivated for two days, drinking one glass should be fine. Thus, I agreed to my friend’s persistent request despite feeling very uncomfortable about it.
That night, after returning home, I looked up at my ceiling and saw many Buddhas and Gods looking at me very solemnly. I was very ashamed and did not dare to look into their eyes. I just felt like digging a burrow to hide myself as it was really too embarrassing! Since then, I decided never to drink any alcohol ever again. Even if my friend threatened me to not go out with me anymore, I would still stick by this promise.
After that, I told him, “I have already made the promise not to drink alcohol. If one does not keep one’s word, one is a bad person. If you think that alcohol is more valuable than our friendship, then I will not go out with you anymore.” Seeing that I was so determined, my friend agreed to my request. After that, despite him still trying to ask me out for a drink sometimes, I still kept my promise. Therefore, he started to respect my decision and told his friends about me. Actually, this is not only just a test by Master, but also a chance for him to know the goodness about Dafa, so I am very happy for him.
Importance of Reading Master’s New Lectures
At that time, I did not know that Master’s new lecture had been published on the Minghui website. Luckily a practitioner told me about it. After reading it, I realized the importance of studying the new lectures or else I would never know what I need to do, and I would never be able to catch up with the Fa-rectification progress.
During that time, I wanted to go out to save sentient beings, but my condition did not allow me to do so. Therefore, I asked Master in my heart: what should I do? That night, I dreamed of Master. Master had just finished teaching a group of practitioners and I knelt in front of Master. I had wanted to ask him what I should do, but when I looked at Master, I already understood what I was supposed to do. Which means to say, I should follow the Fa principles to do what I think is correct.
Therefore, I spent about 6 months reading through the new lectures and cultivation exchange articles on the Minghui website. Usually, I read at least 10 articles a day.
Through the cultivation exchange sharing by fellow practitioners, I could look within myself and improve very quickly. About two years later, I read some articles about traditional culture and cultivation experiences. I also suggest fellow practitioners to spend some time reading them. If you can find attachments of your own, you can look up the articles that are related to these attachments and they might be able to help you resolve your problems.
Fa Promotion Activities
After reading through all the new lectures, I decided to join the Fa promotion activities. However, I needed to cross another hurdle first, which is a hurdle of life and death. In my heart, I told Master, “I will not think about anything and I will not want anything. I do not even need to think about my own consummation. I just want to save my sentient beings. Master, please help me save them!”
Suddenly, I felt a sort of calmness which I had never felt before. After that, all my thoughts disappeared. However, that night, I still sobbed in bed as my heart was aching badly for my sentient beings. I seemed to be able to see all my sentient beings and they were all crying together with me. They felt my heartache and that time was really a difficult period – which no words can describe! This hardship which continuously tormented me for more than a year, took me about three months to recover from. Every time when I recalled this matter, I could still feel the heartache. But now, that feeling has disappeared forever! Thank you Master!
Finally, I joined the Fa promotion activity in Chinatown. As I obtained the Fa in Chinatown, I wanted to promote the Fa in Chinatown. Furthermore, Chinatown is a very important place, as it is just like a small China in England.
Master has also mentioned about Chinatown in his lecture:
“Chinatown is precisely the kind of place that mainland Chinese patronize the most, so you can’t let up there and lose out on that place, a place where Dafa disciples stand to have a tremendous effect. For this reason you should all take pause and seriously ask yourselves: Had you been feeling that those places were a bit too evil and were you a little afraid? But think about it—who should actually be afraid of whom?” (Teachings at the 2005 Conference in San Francisco)
I remember that during the first two years, many people who had an affinity with me came looking for me, crying, saying that they did not dare to believe that such things were happening. I did not say much. I just looked into their eyes and told them that this was true. Some people even hugged me. I knew that they were my sentient beings and Master had brought them to me. They were all my family, friends, and even my enemies. However, I did not have hatred in my heart. Therefore, they just welcomed me like what we had promised each other in the past and they were being saved in the process.
I understood that our every thought is important. Our thoughts about others will really determine their fate. Therefore, whenever bad thoughts about others surface in my mind, I will immediately get rid of them and try to see their merits instead. Actually, the best method is not to think about anything.
Meaningful Encounter in Chinatown
I had a very meaningful encounter in Chinatown. I remember that day when I was doing the fifth exercise, someone threw some firecrackers at me. I did not show any reaction to it. I remember hearing that there were some practitioners who would continue their meditation when lightning struck beside them. Therefore, no matter what happened, I would continue the meditation and not open my eyes. Later, that person came back to look for me. He apologized to me and told me that he wanted to learn Dafa.
There was a period of time when a group of Hindus would pass by Chinatown frequently. Whenever they passed by our Fa promotion booth, they would be playing some noisy music. One day, one of the people in this group saw that I was doing the fifth exercise and walked over to touch my face. I did not react to it and continued meditating. There was another time, this person came over to touch my face again. However, I still continued meditating. Later, after I finished the meditation, this person returned and told me that I have a Buddha face. He said that I looked like a Buddha when I meditated, and thus he respected me and respected Dafa too. I was very happy for him when I heard that. Since then, whenever they passed by our booth, they would lower the volume of their music and would even take another route to bypass us, so as to avoid disturbing us promoting the Fa.
The practitioners who promote the Fa with me together in Chinatown are all great. Many of them have gone through difficult tests and tribulations in their lives just to make time to come to Chinatown to save lives.
Before the Covid lockdown, we would be able to distribute more than 3,000 brochures every Saturday and Sunday. During Chinese festivals, we would distribute more than 10,000 brochures, sometimes even 15,000 brochures within a day. This was the result of us forming a body when we were doing the three things. No matter what differences there are between us, we all hold the same thought: we hope to tell everyone in the world about Dafa and save sentient beings.
Facing Problems with Dignity
At the Fa promotion site, whenever we face problems, we will not retreat from it. We will still persist and be steadfast in our belief in Master. We will send forth righteous thoughts and {{clarify the truth} about Dafa. If there are police officers, parliament members or officials talking to us, we know that they are here to understand the truth. Therefore, we will clarify the truth to them, and send forth righteous thoughts at the same time. Thus, no matter what fight we encounter against the evil elements we will always win. This is because Master is right beside us. We are part of the new universe and we determine everything that happens at Chinatown, not the evil beings or the old forces.
Now, whenever I meditate at Chinatown, I can always see that the bodies of Dafa practitioners are very big, while the people traversing to and fro on the streets are all especially small. I just let the Fa fill my heart and walk on my path freely.
My cultivation level is limited so if there are any areas for improvement, kindly let me know.
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Category: Improving Oneself
