(Minghui.org) (Continued from Part 1)
2. Incorporating the Book Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party into the Curriculum
Films are visual and give students some quick insight into the truth. However, to help them to learn the truth more deeply, I would like them to begin by reading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.
Master has talked about the Nine Commentaries:
“There are differences between the Eastern and Western ways of thinking, sure. But there are divine factors behind the Nine Commentaries, and they will have a positive impact on people, Asians and Westerners alike.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. International Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. VII)
Eight years ago, in my "Principles of Economics" class, I started to have students read the Nine Commentaries and write reports.
This is a general education course at the university, and the students came from different backgrounds. Some were freshmen who’d just graduated from high school while others were older, including veterans, master students, and professionals who’ve returned to school.
At first, I experimented with different approaches to see how the students would react. I collected feedback and revised my plan for the next semester. With more and more experience, I added some historical background to the project guidelines and instructions so that students would have a general idea before reading the book.
I didn’t require the students to participate in the project but let them choose to write a report on the book for extra credit. Student feedback was mostly positive over the years. I often saw such comments: “I never knew that communism was so evil until I took this class. I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book.” Some even commented that the content should be included in school textbooks.
One student told me, “In my high school history class, the teacher spent a lot of time talking about the Holocaust during World War II but only briefly touched on communism. I knew that communism and the communist system were evil, but I didn't really know how evil it was and to what extent. It wasn’t until I read this book that I understood it.”
Another student wrote after reading the book, “Before reading Commentary 8, I had already come to the conclusion myself that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is an evil cult. When I saw the title of Commentary 8, ‘On How the Chinese Communist Party Is an Evil Cult,’ I shook my head in amazement and said, ‘Wow.’”
Many students commented that the international community should sanction the CCP and the book should be promoted widely, especially so that more Chinese read it and sever their ties with the CCP. One student suggested in his post-reading report, “I think that every rational, moral, developed country could get a few planes to fly over China to scatter millions of copies of this book into all areas of the country.”
Many students indicated in their anonymous, end-of-semester teaching evaluations that their favorite topic in the class was the discussion of China and the CCP. One student stayed after class one day to talk to me. He said, “Many of the professors in other classes actually promote socialism. I’m so disgusted by that. I could memorize what they taught and get a good grade, but I am really sick of that. I was very happy to see a book like the Nine Commentaries that specifically analyzed the true nature of socialism and communism.” I said, “I understand how you feel” and was sincerely happy for him.
On the other hand, I knew that this is what academia is like today. My colleagues are also victims. I hope to find a more appropriate way to help them when I have the opportunity.
As the years went by, there were always students who did not choose to do this project each year. I began to wonder if I should make the Nine Commentaries required reading and require a report from every student. The truth in the book was what they had been awaiting for millions of years of reincarnations, and it would be worth it if they could truly understand the truth, even though it meant more of a burden on me to do the grading.
Since the fall semester of last year during the pandemic, I began to require every student to read the book and write a report. I provided more detailed instructions and explanations in the first few pages of the assignment.
I explained that the authors of the Nine Commentaries were a group of Chinese scholars whose names could not be published for their safety, that a brave and outspoken media outlet, the Epoch Times, stepped forward in 2004 to publish its Chinese version, which was quickly translated into many languages, including this English version we read in class.
In order to make it easy for students to understand, I adjusted my approach after some attentive observation. I reminded them frequently that this was an English translation of a Chinese book and that the cultural connotations behind it were different from Western culture.
I also discovered that presenting the truth in a certain order affected how well people were able to accept it. It was more effective if the students saw the film Free China: The Courage to Believe first and then read the Nine Commentaries. So, for the last two semesters, this is how I have conducted my class. I also explained to the students why they should read this book—that the wave of quitting the CCP and its affiliated organizations brought about by the book is changing China and will reshape the Asian and the world economy.
This semester, I experimented with showing the students photos of Chinese banknotes that had messages about Falun Dafa printed on them and explained that it was one of the creative ways that Falun Dafa practitioners are using to get the truth out under the CCP’s tight control. One student in the front row could not help shouting out in amazement at how brave and wise the Chinese people are. Another student, who is studying for his master’s degree in education, came up to me after class and said, “Professor, thank you for bringing this knowledge, something that would have been only in an advanced history course, to this class.” I was moved and thanked him for his feedback. Then I thanked Master in my heart for saving the sentient beings here.
Master said,
“Have you thought about the fact that, if the many occupations and the many fields seen today were brought here from those distant systems of beings, and Dafa disciples are cultivating in this setting, with Dafa disciples cultivating in different occupations, then isn’t it just like rectifying [those systems] with the Fa? Isn’t that acknowledging their existence? Isn’t that saving them?” (Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles)
“Dafa disciples’ performance in the human world is to be left for history.” (“What Are Supernormal Abilities,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I think that making the Nine Commentaries required reading for every student in the “Principles of Economics” course perhaps serves as a reference for the future in this profession. This is only my limited understanding and approach at this time.
Over the years, from reading the Nine Commentaries, watching the Nine Commentaries documentary videos, and reading The Ultimate Goal of Communism and How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World, I have been able to eliminate many bad notions of my own that I was not aware of before and gradually rectify myself. What I have learned has enriched the content of my teaching and helped me to have a clearer understanding of my teaching direction. I really benefited a lot.
3. Playing Videos from the Shen Yun Performing Arts Website
Master said, “Returning to tradition puts you on the path to Heaven.” (“Creating Anew,” Hong Yin V)
Even though culture is rarely a focus in college textbooks, I remembered Master’s words and tried to integrate traditional culture into my teaching. When I had this wish, Master gave me the wisdom. I told the students that culture was closely related to economic development and business ethics. I looked for opportunities to show them videos from the Shen Yun website.
Several videos in the early days of the Shen Yun website were interviews with the principal dancers who were about the same ages as my students. They really enjoyed these interview programs. I prepared two bonus questions for the students to answer as they watched the videos: “What virtues and traditional values do you see in these videos?” and “Which of these virtues and traditional values would you like to bring into the business world?”
The students’ answers were: “Elegant dress, proper grooming, peace of mind, teamwork, diligent practice, overcoming difficulties, sincerity, strength, focus, mental and spiritual balance, maintaining an optimistic attitude, truthfulness-compassion-forbearance, humility, dedication, self-discipline, creativity, patience, dedication, responsibility, and more.”
One student even copied the Chinese characters for “music” (樂) and “medicine” (藥, the character 樂 with the grass radical) from the 20-minute Shen Yun music video. I was very pleased when reviewing this work, happy from the bottom of my heart. I hoped that they would retain these beautiful values in their hearts.
4. Cultivating My Heart While Incorporating the Book How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World into the Curriculum
I also tried to properly integrate the book How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World into the curriculum. It was not easy, because the book specifically addresses many areas in Western society, such as politics, economics, culture, education, and family, which means that it touches on many aspects of the students’ daily lives.
Master said,
“It’s mainly meant for the rest of the world. The people in China already know that the Red Beast is ruling them. Needless to say, the specter has been ruling them.” (2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington, D.C.)
After the English translations of each chapter of the Specter of Communism book were posted on the Epoch Times website in 2019, I began to include the new book in my upper-level “Economic Development” course. I told the students that the book was available in audio format. One student told me that he listened to it while he was driving and thought it was very good.
I paid close attention to their reading progress, often asking if they had any questions or thoughts after reading the first few chapters. A student majoring in international studies raised his hand and said, “I think it has a religious aspect to it.” This student was very polite and open-minded.
I smiled and said, “Very good point. The authors of this book are Chinese scholars. Traditional Chinese culture is 5,000 years old, and the Chinese believe that their culture was divinely-bestowed, which is why China is also called ‘Land of the Divine’ (Shen Zhou). Before the CCP seized power in 1949, the Chinese people carried traditional Chinese culture in their hearts, which has always been very much about spirituality, with Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism as foundation. So the authors naturally used that as a base for discussing the destruction of traditional culture by the CCP.”
With this conversation as a start point, I continued and found a day to have a special discussion on traditional Chinese culture.
Later, I played them the videos from the Shen Yun website, including 30-second highlights of the performance, 20 minutes of Shen Yun’s music, and a performance by the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra. The students loved them. One even asked a question about the pipa, an ancient Chinese instrument. I also often emailed the students the stories of traditional culture from the Shen Yun website to help enrich their character for their study of theoretical economics.
In the final report, I asked the students which story they liked best. The student who asked the question earlier wrote, “I liked the story of Pan Gu creating Heaven and Earth the most; he sacrificed himself and transformed his body into all things between Heaven and Earth. I was touched by his vast and selfless heart.” I know that the students really benefited from watching Shen Yun videos and learning about traditional Chinese culture.
I taught “International Economics” last semester and used both the Nine Commentaries and the Specter of Communism. Based on my previous experience, it was better to let them read the Nine Commentaries first and then the Specter of Communism, so they could learn about the truth step by step.
At the end of the semester, the feedback from two students impressed me. One said that reading two books about China for 20 percent of the grade was too much weight. The other, an international student from Europe, said, “Professor, there are certain points in this book that I don’t agree with, such as the part about European state policy.” I listened to him quietly and knew he was referring to the chapter about the socialist economic system and social welfare policies in Europe. He went on to say, “Don’t get me wrong. I am against communism, but I feel neutral on some things.”
I thought to myself, “I have to protect his good intentions. It’s good that he was willing to tell me what he thought, which meant that he trusted me. How can I help them if they don’t tell me their problems?”
I said to him, “I understand. I’ve been to your country, too, a very beautiful country. I was impressed.” He laughed.
I continued, “No matter where we come from, we all hold universal values in our hearts. Kindness, for example. After I read the book, I realized that the authors’ message was to uphold traditions. I respect every student’s opinion, so you can feel free to write down your thoughts and I thank you for sharing your views with me.”
Master said,
“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)
Afterwards, I looked inward and knew that none of these things happened by accident. Although I had prepared my classes wholeheartedly, my heart was moved by the news of the American election for a while and I didn’t know how to digest it or what to do. So I sometimes developed the mentalities of competitiveness and differentiation. I unconsciously imposed my own opinion on others or made the other party feel like I was preaching. I did not do as Master said—doing it just right. I am determined to cultivate away these attachments.
Many articles on the Minghui website and programs on Minghui Radio talked about removing the attachment of imposing opinions on others, which were a great help to me. I remembered that when Master spoke about the old methods used by the old forces, he mentioned these words many times, like “impose,” “coerce,” and “force.” I enlightened that these are all manifestations of selfishness in the old cosmos. As Dafa disciples, we do not want to keep the selfishness from the old cosmos. Instead, we listen to Master and “attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature,” Essentials For Further Advancement)
Master said,
“As practitioners, you will suddenly come across conflicts. What should you do? You should always maintain a compassionate and calm heart. Then, when you run into a problem, you will be able to do well because it gives you some room as a buffer. You should always be benevolent and kind to others and consider others when doing anything. Whenever you encounter a problem, you should first consider whether others can put up with this matter or if it will hurt anyone. In doing so, there will not be any problems. Therefore, in cultivation you should follow a higher and higher standard for yourself.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
I realize if we reach this standard, we will not impose our opinions on others.
(To be continued.)
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