(Minghui.org) I attended a phone team experience sharing conference in Taichung, Taiwan, in the summer of 2020. I was touched by a practitioner in Keelung, who shared her experience of calling police stations in China to clarify the truth. Later that year I took the training and joined the rescue platform team, a truth-clarification project to call people in China to talk to them about Falun Dafa.
One morning, I attempted to make truth clarification phone calls and found that the phone line was not working. I contacted the telecommunications office and made an appointment for phone line repair the next day. However, such a small thing as this caused my father to become unhappy with me.
That afternoon, when I was planning to use the computer to make phone calls, my father asked me to go to the market to buy bread. I said that I needed to finish some phone calls first and then I would go out to buy bread around 5 o’clock, as fresh bread would be available at that time anyway. Suddenly my father raised his voice and said, “Why are you making these phone calls and doing such boring things!” I was not comfortable when I heard the word “boring.” I raised my voice as well and talked back, “How could making these calls be a boring thing?” My father responded even louder, “It’s OK for you to promote the Shen Yun shows and work for the media, but why are you making phone calls to China?” My father and I argued back and forth, and at that time I totally forgot that I am a practitioner.
My father followed the army to Taiwan when he was young and by the time he retired, he had become the supervisor of the Political Warfare Department of the Presidential Palace. He said, “Don’t you know how many spies there are in Taiwan? Have you even considered the safety of our family? Your son travels to mainland China for business trips quite often. As his mother are you not worried about him? How could you make such phone calls?” I knew that my father thought that the local phone line failure was because of me. So I cried and shouted, “Fine, I will leave then!” I could not believe that my kindhearted father even asked me to leave immediately!
After I walked out the door, I started calling some fellow practitioners to share about my experience with my father. However, those phone calls were either not answered or their lines were busy. I then sat in the car and sent righteous thoughts. I calmed down and thought about why no fellow practitioners answered my phone calls. A thought flashed through my mind: It’s a test that I must pass by myself.
Since I obtained the Fa in the summer of 2010, I have overcome various tests. My husband had once threatened to divorce me and my parents tried to force me to give up practicing Falun Dafa. I endured these situations resentfully! I spent four years working for Dafa media projects. At one point, project supervisors asked me to apologize to several practitioners after I insinuated at an experience sharing that they had many shortcomings. I endured while feeling aggrieved in my heart and had to leave the media team when I couldn’t endure it any more.
The words from my elderly father triggered all these past grievances in my heart.
I remembered that Master said,
“Forbearance is the key to improving one’s xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is the forbearance of a cultivator.” (“What is Forbearance (Ren)?,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
I often recite this Fa but I still forgot about it at that moment when I argued with my father. My attachments to self, losing face, fame and seeking profit all surfaced.
When I gradually calmed down, I told myself not to hide anymore. I must face it bravely without relying on fellow practitioners. I should let go of my attachments rather than repress them. I went back home and apologized to my father. My father also apologized to me.
After I explained to my father about the safety features of the phone, he promised not to interfere with me about making phone calls. The next day, the repair technician came and fixed the phone line after replacing the bad signal card.
Master said,
“The issue of cultivation is not child’s play, and neither is it a technique of everyday people—it is a very serious matter. Whether you want to cultivate or are able to cultivate depends completely upon how your xinxing is improved.” (Lecture Two, Zhuan Falun)
Every night, when we share on the rescue platform, I can always feel that fellow practitioners cherish every phone number. They talk to the sentient beings with solid facts in an orderly manner. They clarify the truth peacefully and reasonably, even facing the insults of people who don’t understand the truth. Their hearts are not moved when many people hang up. I understand this is cultivation! This is treating sentient beings compassionately. This is not child’s play. However, I had acted really terribly in front of my parents!
I am grateful to Master for making such wonderful cultivation arrangements for me! I also thank fellow practitioners for selflessly sharing their experiences about clarifying the truth on the rescue platform.
I would like to conclude by sharing Master’s poem with all practitioners:
“The awakened esteem what is beyond this worldThe devout cultivator sets his heart on ConsummationWhen great is the ordeal, keep steadfastThe will to be diligent never bowed(“Steadfast,” Hong Yin II)
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
