(Minghui.org) People who know me would say that I am cheerful, kind, capable, and talented. However, I often felt unhappy and insecure. I always had a dismal, helpless, and even empty feeling. I lacked the words to describe this feeling. I often asked myself: why do human beings live in this world? Where do we come from? Where will we go?
My parents started to practice Falun Dafa in 1994. Not long after that, they recovered from all their illnesses. Having benefited from their practicing, my parents often chased after me while holding the book Zhuan Falun, saying, “This book is really good. Take some time to read it.” They even placed the book by my bedside, hoping that I would find some time to read it.
Learning Falun Gong
In 2007, I often had dreams that made me feel as if I was in a rush. For example, I would fail to catch a plane or bus, or I couldn’t find the entrance to my house. After waking up, I could still clearly feel the anxiety and insecurity that I felt during the dream. After practicing Falun Gong, I understood that it was Master giving me a hint, telling me that I should start cultivating before it was too late!
When I returned home early from work in 2008, a group Fa study was held at my home. Everyone asked me to join them. They were studying Essentials for Further Advancement II. The profound principles of Falun Dafa I heard inspired me. I suddenly enlightened that this was what I had always been looking for.
I listened to the group sharing after the Fa study. An aunt, who was over 60 years old, talked about her daily routine: waking up at 3.40 a.m., doing the exercises, making breakfast for the family, going out to clarify the truth about Dafa, returning home at 4 p.m. to take care of the grandchildren, and then making dinner. After dinner, she studied the Fa and sent righteous thoughts. Then, she went to bed at 12.30 a.m.
A feeling of respect filled the bottom of my heart. She was able to do all this despite her age and the hot weather. It is truly great that she can persist in clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings throughout the year.
A male practitioner tried to awaken the conscience of sentient beings. “When I clarify the truth,” he said, “I will say that religions talk about the great calamity that will come before the world ends. However, from which religion do you see believers clarifying the truth and saving people?
“Only Falun Dafa practitioners endure hardship to persuade people to quickly improve their morals and to avoid being eliminated when the great calamity comes. Despite this, we Falun Dafa practitioners are being persecuted. Practitioners risk their lives, jobs, family, and freedom to clarify the truth and persuade people to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organizations. Wouldn’t you think Falun Dafa practitioners are very selfless? Falun Dafa saves sentient beings before the world comes to an end!”
Touched by the benevolence and righteousness, my face was covered in tears. I made up my mind. “I also want to practice Falun Dafa! I want to cleanse myself and become a pure and sacred being,” I said. I have practiced Falun Dafa since then.
Clarifying the Truth
I wanted to read the Fa out loud. I would often be moved to tears by Master’s benevolence and his expounding of profound principles. As I studied the Fa more, I learned that the Dafa practitioners of the Fa-rectification period all have responsibilities and a mission. It is such a great honor to be a Dafa practitioner and to assist Master in the Fa rectification! Therefore, I must cultivate well.
My house is used for a group Fa study site. The group Fa study and experience sharing with fellow practitioners every day strengthened my righteous thoughts.
Then the face-to-face truth-clarification became part of my life. I clarified the truth to my classmates, colleagues, and passersby during work and travel. Whenever I have the chance, I think of ways to clarify the truth to people. My oral communication skills came into good use.
When clarifying the truth, I always maintain a smile and hope that the other person feels my compassion. My truth-clarification helps people awaken from the CCP culture. By doing so, the effect of my truth-clarification has been quite good.
Upholding Convictions
When clarifying the truth, I persisted in upholding a few convictions:
1. No matter what occupation you are in, you are first a human being. A human being will need to be responsible for his future and family. Therefore, I must try my best to think of ways to save you.
2. No matter how deeply you are deceived by the CCP, the great Dafa will definitely be able to clear away the evil elements that are influencing you. This is because everything is being done by Master. So, nothing is as simple as what we see with our eyes.
3. Even if one does not quit the CCP, I must have that person hear about the goodness and truth about Falun Dafa. Thus, he may still have a chance to be saved. Therefore, my effort is not in vain.
Be it common people, police, prosecutors, judges, community administrators or neighborhood workers, they are people who I want to save. I knew I had to let go of fear and clarify the truth to save people.
Clarifying the Truth to Police
My phone rang when I was on a bus to go home after work. The caller said, “I am from the local police substation. Are you still practicing Falun Gong?”
I thought that usually I had no opportunity to clarify the truth. Now, that they called me, I could not let this chance go by. I also wanted to make good use of this opportunity to let more people on the bus hear what I was going to say.
Therefore, I replied loudly, “Of course I practice. Why won’t I? Falun Dafa is a spiritual practice that is rooted in the Buddha school. One experiences dramatic health benefits, and improves his moral values when he strives to attune his life to the underlying qualities of the universe: Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.”
I continued to tell him that Falun Dafa is practiced by people in more than 100 countries. The main book of the practice, Zhuan Falun, has been translated into over 40 languages and is published worldwide.
I said Falun Dafa has also received thousands of awards overseas but is persecuted by the CCP. I continued, “The Tiananmen self-immolation was staged by Jiang Zemin and his followers to frame Falun Dafa, with the purpose of deceiving all the citizens in China and to incite people to fight among themselves. Such a big Party and government that governs the whole country can actually do such an evil thing. What kind of Party and government is this?”
Everyone on the bus looked at and listened to me seriously. The caller said, “If you continue to practice Falun Dafa, you will lose your job.”
I said, “You cannot decide whether I lose my job or not. Furthermore, the constitution states clearly that all citizens have the freedom of religious belief. I do not violate the constitution, criminal laws or public securities penalty regulations. I also have not committed a crime. Therefore, you can’t touch me. Nowadays, don’t we talk about the rule of law? How dare you, a police officer, threaten citizens like that? What is your police identification number? I want to report you to the authorities!” The other party immediately hung up the phone.
The people in the bus all looked at me in agreement and with respect. I thought in my heart that I must let people see the righteousness and demeanor of Dafa practitioners. I want to let them know that Falun Dafa is a righteous practice.
Another time, I was at work when a person from the police substation called, “I am the new police commander and was just assigned to this station. I want to find a time to visit you at your house and learn how you have been doing. Would that work for you?”
I smiled and replied, “You visit residents immediately upon taking up your new post. Are you just coming to my house for a visit, or are you visiting every house?”
The other party replied, “Of course I cannot visit every house.” Again, I said, “So you are only visiting my house. Is it because I practice Falun Dafa? Then, let me tell you that I’m doing great at both work and my cultivation. My body and mind are very healthy. I do not violate the law. So I am doing really well. If you police stop visiting my house, I believe that my life would be so much better.” After saying that, I laughed, and the other party also laughed heartily.
I continued, “To be host, we Falun Dafa practitioners are all good people who follow the principles Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. We just want to be in good health and improve our character. We strive to be better people. Therefore, you can rest assured. It is groundless to say that Falun Dafa is political and wants to overthrow the government.” The commander replied, “That’s good.” Then he hung up the phone.
At another time, another police commander called me. I happened to have a fever from sickness karma. Concerned, he told me, “Take some medication and drink more water.”
I braced myself for a chat with him so that I could clarify the truth to him. I told him why practitioners do not need medications. “Before my cultivation, I often had a high fever and severe migraines. I was only just over 30 years old, but my poor health already affected my work and life. But after practicing Falun Dafa, I recovered and no longer suffered from any illnesses.”
I also told him about my experience when I was young. I said, “When young, I was always a good student. Now, I am a good parent and a good employee. However, I did not expect that due to my practicing Falun Dafa I would be illegally detained. There was no court session held, and I was not allowed to hire a lawyer. I was detained for a year.
“Because of this, my child was traumatized and did not get into college. An originally bright and happy child now stays at home and does not smile. His character took a great change. Everyone is talking about rule of law, but my child is a witness and victim of this country’s unfair judicial system. You tell me, how big is the impact of this matter on my child’s perspective of life and the world? As a parent yourself, you should be able to understand how I feel.” He empathized with me and said, “Yes, yes.”
Then, I talked to him about some specific matters, such as my family, my experience growing up, and the education I had received. I wanted him to understand that I am educated and hold my own thoughts. I am not a fool behaving blindly, as the CCP claims about practitioners.
China has 5,000 years of history that is filled with a cultivation culture. I talked about the universal values of human beings, the widespread popularity of Falun Dafa, and my steadfast belief in Falun Dafa. He listened attentively as I talked for over two hours. I think he must have understood what I imparted before hanging up the phone. After that, whenever he called me due to work reasons, he would say politely, “Please understand my work. I am here to disturb you again.”
Improving Character at Home
My husband left home due to personal reasons after we were married for one year. Occasionally he returned home but did not care for me and our child at all. The responsibility of looking after the family all landed on my shoulder. My friend persuaded me, “This is too difficult for you. You should file for a divorce while you are still young.”
I was worried that divorce would have a negative impact on my child. Therefore, I remained married. Sometimes, I felt life was so hard and unfair, and at times I cried.
Due to my busy life and work, I almost had no time to vent my emotions. So there were a lot of grievances in my heart. Before cultivation, I would lose my temper with my parents and child. However, after practicing, once I lost my temper, I thought about Master’s teaching:
“...people regard their suffering in life as being unfair. Many people drop down this way.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
Then, I try to control myself. Before practicing, I did not dare to face reality, and I would not be able to overcome my emotions. But now look within for shortcomings when I face problems. From there, I elevate my understanding and improve myself. For example, after I lost my temper with my child, I thought about why I did it. Is it my attachment to materialistic matters? Then, I found that I lost my temper because of grievance, seeking returns, attachment to personal interest, and a mentality of maintaining my reputation. I was determined to get rid of all these attachments.
Practicing Dafa allows me to rid myself of many human thoughts and desires, change my attitude, and fundamentally improve my physical and mental well-being. I treat hardship as joy, and thus life becomes happy. Now, I have hope every day.
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