(Minghui.org) I started to practice Falun Dafa in 2006. Because I obtained the Fa late, it took me some time to understand some of the Fa principles. Some practitioners said, “Such and such practitioner is going through the test of life and death.” and “That practitioner let go of life and death and passed the test.”
Then, I wondered what was letting go of life and death? I didn’t quite understand. How to think and how to act means letting go of life and death? I searched “letting go of life and death” in the Falun Dafa website, and studied the related Fa.
Master said,
“If a cultivator can truly let go of [the fear of] death, then death will forever be far removed from you. But this isn’t something you can will to happen—it’s a point that you cultivate to in the Fa, one at which you become that kind of being.” (Teachings at the 2004 International Conference in New York)
“This is the difference between a human and a God. If you can let go of life and death, you’re a God; if you can’t let go of life and death, you’re a human—this is the difference.” (“Teaching the Fa in New York City,” Lectures in the United States)
Master Li (Dafa’s founder) answered the following question during one of the Fa conferences.
“Disciple: My father is a veteran practitioner and lives outside China, but he doesn't have the courage to step forward. I don't know what I should do.
Master: Then he's not making the grade. (Laughs) For one thing, it would be best if he could realize for himself what to do, since this is cultivation after all. Another thing you can do is to serve as a catalyst for him and help him along. The evil won't suddenly tell him one day, “We're not going to persecute you anymore.” If a person wants to cultivate, he should just go ahead. What's actually at work is fear. Everyone talks about “setting aside all thought of life and death,” but when the pressure increases a little they can't come through. Don't be a “lesser man who hears the Dao.”” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IX)
Then what is counted as letting go of life and death? How to do it? I still couldn’t understand. Later on, our compassionate Master enlightened me through several practitioners. I understood it through some of the practitioners’ examples.
I summarized them here so that we could encourage each other and improve together so as to reach the Master’s requirement of “...by way of godly righteous thoughts, walk the last leg of their journey well.” (“Disintegrate Completely All the Meddling Deities in the Three Realms that Have a Hand in Interfering With Fa-Rectification,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
Passing the Test
Once a practitioner went through a big dissolving of karma, and the old forces persecuted him severely. His children persuaded him to see the doctor. He agreed and was brought to the hospital. The doctor said that he needed two surgical operations.
This was a test of life and death for him. Several practitioners went to study the Fa with him and sent righteous thoughts for him. One practitioner said to him: “You don’t need to be afraid. Let go of life and death and you will pass the test.”
The practitioner made up his mind to let it go. He threw away all the medicine that was worth over 1,000 yuan. He said: “I will not go to the hospital even if I am going to die.” At that moment he let go of life and death. He broke through it and didn’t have an operation.
Brain Tumor Gone
When I helped a practitioner make new year desk calendars, I met an elderly practitioner. She shared with me her amazing cultivation experience, and how she managed to let go of life and death.
She said: “My karma demonstration in the human world was a brain tumor. The doctor suggested surgery on my brain to take the tumor out. I refused.”
“I am a Dafa practitioner,” she said to her son. “I study the Fa and I will recover. I don’t need an operation. This is a test for me. If I cannot pass it, then send me to the cremation plant, not to the hospital. My son agreed. A few days later a tumor as big as a date came out of my mouth. The brain tumor was gone without having an operation. Master gave me a second life. Otherwise, I would have died.”
What a righteous belief as solid as a rock in Master and the Fa! The practitioner didn’t say that she would recover because Dafa would insure her to get better. Rather she chose not to fear death. She let go of life and death.
Late Stage Lung Cancer Disappeared
I met a practitioner in her 50s from a neighboring town. She cooked for us. She looked very healthy, had rosy cheeks, and a straight back. She shared her experiences and said:
“You see I am very healthy now. Actually, I went through karma dissolving. I had late-stage lung cancer. I coughed so badly that I could hardly breathe. My back was bent by 90 degrees. Master saved me.”
“My son was only 6 years old when the persecution of Falun Dafa started on July 20, 1999. My husband, son and I rode a bicycle to Tiananmen Square, which took us 6 days. Master blessed us after we came back from Beijing. Our family small business grew big with assets worth 100 million yuan. We even had business in the U.S.
“But, I was not satisfied and started the multi-level marketing (MLM) sales. I lost my way and became sloppy in my cultivation. The old forces took advantage of my loopholes. I came down with final-stage lung cancer. Most of my lungs were rotten. I didn’t get better, even with fellow practitioners’ sending righteous thoughts for me. The doctor said that there was no cure. My life was at stake.
“At that particular moment, I remembered that I am a Falun Dafa practitioner. I was sure that Master could save me. I shouldn’t die in the hospital which would affect my saving sentient beings. I decided to go home and asked Master to save me. I crawled with my last breath and strength to Master’s picture and regretted not being diligent.
“I said to Master: ‘I am wrong. I shouldn’t do the MLM sales. I was obsessed with money. I know I am wrong but I don’t accept the old forces’ arrangement. I don’t want to die, tarnish Dafa, and affect saving sentient beings. I will rectify myself in the Fa. I don’t want death because so many sentient beings are waiting for me to save them. I need my life to save sentient beings.
“I begged Master to give me another opportunity. If Master gave me a second life, I would not care about my family business, and I would spend some of my money in saving sentient beings. The rest of my life belongs to cultivation and doing the three things. I begged Master to save me and give me an opportunity to rectify my mistakes. I didn’t think of the result after I regretted and pledged in front of Master’s photo. Master would decide my life or death.
“As a result, I recovered in two weeks. The medical examination then showed that my lungs were in good condition. Master gave me a pair of new lungs. We had business in the U.S., but I decided not to do business. I was instead going to validate the Fa. My son asked me if I indeed decided not to take care of the business. I told him that it was true. I asked my family members to look after the business. I was no longer attached to it. I have made a pledge before Master's photo – my life belongs to cultivation.”
The practitioner had tears in her eyes. I saw her infinite gratitude to Master as well as her understanding of her mission and devotion to cultivation until completion.
She saw Master in person in the U.S.A. She said that her mind was blank when she saw Master though she had tons of thankful words to say to Master. She just said “Greetings, Master” and cried. She was not able to say anything else.
Master said,
“Let’s think about it. If a person can’t pass a test where his fate hangs in the balance, he cannot achieve Consummation. Passing a test where one’s “fate hangs in the balance” doesn’t mean one necessarily has to be willing to lose one’s life; it can be understood figuratively. The form isn’t important to me. What I look at is whether or not your mind can truly do that. Think about it, everyone: Human beings live in this world for nothing but renown and self-interest. If he were to receive his Ph.D. degree, he would have a good job and future ahead of him. And naturally, his salary would be high—that goes without saying. It would be higher than that of regular people or an average person. Don’t people just live for those things? He could even let go of those things. So think about it: He dared to forgo even that. He was able to let go of those things as a young person, so wasn’t it that he could give up anything? Wasn’t it that he had the courage to lose everything he had in life?” (Teachings at the Conference in Switzerland)
I enlightened from the Fa that the fellow practitioner had genuinely given up fame and interests and cultivated diligently, which meant that she had let go of life and death. She begged Master to save her, and she didn’t want to die. But, she was not attached to the result, and just waited calmly and let Master make the final decision.
She would accept life or death. Didn’t it mean she let go of life and death? She promised that she would spend the whole time cultivating herself and saving sentient beings if she would have a second life. It was selfless and her Buddha-nature came forth. So Master helped her and gave her a new pair of lungs. She was reborn. Buddha’s law is truly boundless. Master’s saving grace is immense.
Rescued from Prison
During a local experience-sharing conference, a practitioner said: “When I was in prison, I went on a hunger strike. On the 6th day, I could hardly persevere. I lay in bed and had no strength to sit up. One inmate who was good to me bought six-packs of instant beef noodles and asked me to eat.
“My heart was a bit moved. But, on second thought I shouldn’t eat because I was still on a hunger strike and didn’t acknowledge this persecution. I have obtained this wonderful Dafa. It is okay if I die. I don’t have any regrets.”
“The next day, I had strength and could get up. About 8 a.m. the guard asked me to pack up and leave. I asked him where I would be escorted to. He said that I would be released.” So, he let go of life and death. Master rescued him from prison.
Death Wish Refused
“I was once arrested.” said another practitioner, “And the police hung me up with my arms tied behind my back, and beat me. My arms were so painful. I said to Master in my heart: ‘Master, I am in so much pain that I am going to die. Master, please take me away, as I don’t want to live. Then, I no longer felt any pain.”
“I saw myself become a little girl, sitting on a lotus flower. I followed Master and flew to a beautiful place. I was so happy. Master asked me to go back after a while. I told Master that I didn’t want to go back because it was too bitter in the human world. Master said that I hadn’t completed my mission yet and must go back. In an instant, I returned to reality. They didn’t beat me anymore. I was released on bail.”
Not Acknowledging Arrangements By the Old Forces
A practitioner was tracked by the police. Another practitioner took him home to avoid the police tracking. They studied the Fa and sent forth righteous thoughts together.
One day the guest practitioner knelt down in front of Master’s photo and said to Master: “Master, I want to go home, and Master gave me a second life. You can take it away if you want, but if the old forces want to take away my life, I don’t agree. I will not give it to the old forces.”
As he finished his words, he went home with righteous thoughts. He lived in his own home and the police didn’t come back to harass him.
Master said,
“ “I’m Li Hongzhi’s disciple, I don’t want other arrangements or acknowledge them”—then they won’t dare to do that. So it can all be resolved.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)
The above two practitioners complied with this paragraph of the Fa and didn’t walk the path that the old forces arranged. They asked Master for help when facing tribulations, and let Master make the final decision for them. So they passed the test of life and death.
Not Disrespecting Dafa
Several years ago a practitioner and I were arrested when we were clarifying the truthabout Dafa to people. We were detained for 15 days. The prison guard asked us to sign a statement on the day I was to be released. He looked serious and threatened us if we didn’t sign. The fellow practitioner saw the two words “evil cult” on the statement and told me. I said to her: “No matter what, we won’t do anything that disrespects Master or Dafa. We leave everything for Master to decide. We should be very determined.”
After the guard finished what he was doing, I said to him calmly and with compassion: “Sir, it is not good for you if we sign.” At the moment I experienced what was like when I let go of life and death. I let go of the fear that I might continue to be persecuted, and I was not concerned with the result. My selfless heart and words dissolved the evil in other dimensions. The guard said: “Go home then.” I praised him: “You are very kind and will be blessed.” We then left for home safely.
Descending to Earth
A practitioner who had her third eye open said: “One day I went out to clarify the truth to people but had bad thoughts in my mind. I got to my knees and asked Master: ‘Master, how can I save people when I have such dirty thoughts? Master, please clear out those bad thoughts for me. I am going to go out to save sentient beings who are waiting for me.’ Then I sent forth righteous thoughts.”
“All of a sudden I saw the sky was open. The glittering heavenly world showed up just like the first scene in the Shen Yun show. Many Buddhas with halos and Master with a huge beautiful and colorful halo on his head appeared in the heavens. He said with a thundering voice: “Who is willing to follow me to descend to the earth, and assist me in Fa-rectification?” Many Gods followed Master while some looked around and hesitated. I saw four of us who came down together. We left our God’s halo behind and ventured to this world.”
“At this moment I didn’t have any bad thoughts. My mind was pure. This scene lasted for half an hour. I was in tears the whole time. Thanks so much Master for your compassion.”
Practitioners Must Fulfill Their Promise
I thanked the practitioners for sharing their stories with me. Master said,
“Dafa disciples have a duty and must, no matter what, fulfill the vows that brought them to this world. For it was on that account that you once pledged your life as a god and were thus allowed to become today the most magnificent kind of being in the cosmos—a disciple of Dafa.” (“To the European Fa Conference,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
“The fact is, those who can’t step forward, regardless of the excuse, are concealing fear. Yet for cultivators, fear or lack thereof proves [one’s] humanity or divinity, and it is what differentiates cultivators from ordinary people. It is something that a cultivator must face, and the biggest human attachment that a cultivator must remove.” (“Study the Fa Well, and Getting Rid of Attachments Is Not Hard,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
I also enlightened that the closer to the end, the more steady I should be. I should make good use of my time, put cultivation as my first priority, regard the Fa as most important, eliminate interference, study the Fa with a focused mind, look within when having problems, and cultivate myself. Then I will have Master and the Fa to protect me, I will be safe, and I will not feel fear.
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