(Minghui.org) After I began practicing Falun Dafa in December 2017 I learned how to look inward and be considerate of others. My temper improved and I learned to take a step back whenever there were conflicts. I also tell people about Dafa at my work.
Good or Evil Comes from One’s Initial Thought
I am a salesperson in a vegetable market. I’m always busy and have to move quickly so it’s easy to get injured at work. Last summer, when I picked up the goods, I didn’t pay attention and accidentally stuck my fingers into the electric fan which helps cool the hot air.
It was so painful that I immediately dropped what I was holding. I quickly said, “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” I kept reciting these nine words even though my hand was very painful.
The elderly lady selling vegetables next to me saw what happened and called out loudly, “Is your hand injured? Do you need to go to the hospital?” Many customers were lined up in front of my booth. So I said, “I’m fine. Could you please help me sell the goods for a while?”
After saying the nine words more than a dozen times, I opened my left hand and checked my finger. It was red and felt a bit sore. The skin was not even scratched by the blades of the powerful electric fan. The people around me were amazed!
One day I hurt my lower back while I was moving goods. My co-workers urged me to go to the clinic. I was in a lot of pain, so I went. When I got there I remembered that I’m a practitioner and I would be fine. So I just picked up some medicine to alleviate the pain in case I needed it.
I took the pain medicine because I didn’t understand the Fa-principles very well. Due to this one thought, I fell to the level of everyday people.
The next morning, I was in so much pain I couldn’t move and the medicine didn’t work.
I remembered what Master Li (Falun Dafa's founder) said,
“Almost all the matter that constitutes every space of our universe can be found in this gong.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)
I thought, “What’s the point of taking medicine?” Despite the pain, I immediately got up and started to practice the exercises. After I finished the exercises, most of the pain disappeared and so I went to work. I really understood what Master said through my personal experience.
Master said,
“We have said that good or bad comes from a person’s initial thought, and the thought at that moment can bring about different consequences.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
Memorizing the Teachings
Even though I read the Fa without missing a single word, my thoughts wandered especially when I read on my own. As soon as I finished I could not remember what I just read. Sometimes, when I just finished reading one paragraph I couldn’t remember anything and I had to read it again. I had to repeatedly read each sentence to finish one lecture.
Another practitioner suggested I try memorizing the Fa. It was very difficult in the beginning. I couldn’t even memorize a couple of sentences, so how could I memorize the entire book Zhuan Falun? I was good at memorizing books when I was little. However, when I started to memorize the Fa, I would forget the previous sentence when I memorized the next sentence.
I later understood that this was interference. It was thought karma trying to prevent me from obtaining the Fa.
In order to eliminate the interference I decided to send righteous thoughts before I memorized. I read an entire paragraph three times and then memorized it. Gradually, I could memorize one small paragraph of the Fa every day. When I read the teachings afterwards, I felt that I could understand the Fa-principles clearly and apply them in my daily life.
One day I dreamed that a key couldn’t open a lock. The next day when I was studying Master’s new lectures, I turned to the page where Master said,
“Of course, there are a lot of new students who are now gradually coming in, and that's due to your clarifying the truth. It's like a master key, unlocking that old-force factor that seals the world's people off and prevents them from learning the Fa. Only your clarifying the truth can do this.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IV)
I understood that Master asked me to learn how to clarify the truth.
One day I noticed a lady struggling to carry many bags so I helped her. She said, “You are very compassionate!” I was surprised by her words as I thought as practitioners, we should treat everyone nicely. How could this small gesture be considered compassionate? When I studied the Fa that day, I read what Master said,
“Let me endow you with two sentences: "Without 'nothing,' it is a human feeling. If it is a human feeling, then it's not bei (compassion)."”(“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. V)
I was surprised. Master gave me hints whenever I didn’t understand. I realized that when we have conflicts, we’re always sure that we are right. Even when we look inward according to the Fa, we still don’t think we’re wrong. On the surface, it looks like we’re tolerant, but it is just for cultivating speech. But the thought that we are “not wrong” is still a human attachment. What I want to eliminate is exactly the layers of human attachments. Why would I hold onto such a bad thing?
The Fa principle of, “If it is a human feeling, then it's not bei (compassion).” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. V)
What Master said is reflected everywhere when I clarified the truth recently. Since I have an attachment to reputation and fame, I cannot tell if I am validating the Fa or myself. Therefore, I stumbled and fell again and again. I discovered many attachments hidden in those things that I consider good.
Follow the Path Arranged By Master
When I finish working at the market, I always smile and tell others, “Now I’m just getting busy!” I participate in truth-clarification projects. When people ask if I’m tired I tell them that any physical fatigue can be recovered by doing the exercises.
With the transformation of our bodies, I can walk very fast with brisk footsteps. It feels like I’m being pushed by someone. I do things very quickly. I am fifty-two years old this year. My complexion is rosy and my gray hair is now black and shiny. Everyone says that I keep looking younger and younger.
I deeply understand that we should totally deny the path arranged by the old forces. Only by following the path arranged by Master, can we feel the kind of happiness Master talked about, “With attachments left behind, the lightened boats sail swiftly“ (“The Knowing Heart,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I am the happiest person in the universe as I have become a Dafa practitioner in the Fa-rectification period.
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