(Minghui.org) One morning this last May I received a text message from my relative in China telling me that my younger brother was in a coma and had been sent to the hospital emergency room. I immediately called her to find out what happened. She told me that he had a brainstem hemorrhage, and it was inoperable. Because the central nervous system in the brainstem controls breathing and heartbeat, my brother had to rely on machines to survive.
My family members sounded devastated and desperate. The doctor clearly explained the high fatality rate, and that my brother would eventually have organ failure even if he survived. They blamed my brother for not taking medicine to control his high blood pressure.
I stayed calm despite their pessimistic description. I told my sister-in-law to sincerely repeat in her mind, “Falun Dafa is great and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is great.” I immediately started sending forth righteous thoughts.
My brother started practicing Falun Dafa before I left China, and he also participated in the April 25th Peaceful Appeal. Due to the persecution of Falun Dafa, he lost his cultivation environment, and gradually slacked off in his cultivation. He focused on his business for many years. Even though he tried, he couldn’t make any breakthroughs in his cultivation. It wasn’t until he was hospitalized due to high blood pressure that he woke up and took cultivation seriously again. Compassionate Master protected him again and again, giving him opportunities and extending his life. But the old forces eyed him, waiting to bring trouble at any time. Just before my younger brother was about to fall into a coma, he told his wife, “The old forces want to take me away, but I won’t go!”
As soon as I heard my brother was hospitalized, my first thought was to make sure his situation did not discredit Falun Dafa, and not let the old forces destroy sentient beings. Although my brother has loopholes in his cultivation, he believes in Master and the Fa. He knows his life is arranged by Master. I begged Master to help him and I sent righteous thoughts. I intensively read the Fa and did the exercises. I also asked the other practitioners to send righteous thoughts for my brother.
Three months passed. Contrary to the doctor’s prediction, my brother regained consciousness. His condition gradually improved. He was able to move his eyes, open his mouth, raise his hands, speak one word, and sit up. As I write this article, he can sit up and has begun physical therapy. Amazing changes are taking place every day under Master’s compassionate care.
I also experienced an amazing improvement in my xinxing during this process. At first, I focused on my brother’s shortcomings and wondered what loophole of his was taken advantage of by the old forces. As I studied and memorized the Fa, I realized under Master’s enlightenment that all of his attachments were mine, and all his problems were my problems as well! These attachments have been hidden for so long that they would continue to hide themselves if it weren’t for my brother’s coma! The only way I can help my brother is to completely get rid of these attachments and improve my xinxing.
Identifying My Attachment to Sentimentality
My brother was close to our mother. After she passed away, he remembered her fondly and often mentioned her. Sometimes he even dreamed about her. The date he lapsed into a coma was almost exactly nine years after mother died. My family and I felt that the timing was not accidental, so from the very beginning, I wanted to help him eliminate any interference from sentimentality. I recited Master’s teaching about benevolent resolutions.
However, I found that my attachment to sentiment was so strong that my muscles tensed up when I sent righteous thoughts. When I finished sending forth righteous thoughts in the past, my mind was clear, and my body was relaxed. However, I felt exhausted after sending forth righteous thoughts for my brother. I felt so weak that I didn’t even have the strength to speak. I also found a lump on my neck. This was absolutely not the right state of sending forth righteous thoughts! Why did I stay calm when I sent righteous thoughts for other practitioners, but the situation was different when I sent them for my brother? Besides being deeply worried, I found my attachment to sentiment.
My brother was small and sickly as a child. Mother and I always gave him extra care. Every time I thought of him, his image as a small boy came to mind. In addition to being concerned about his health, I was also worried about his family. His son is still young and my sister-in-law has a heart problem. I was the one who introduced Falun Dafa to my brother and helped him practice. I felt that I was responsible for his failure to cultivate well. I didn’t want his family develop any misunderstandings about Falun Dafa or blame me. All these attachments to sentiment are rooted in my selfishness.
However, sending forth righteous thoughts is a solemn and sacred deed! It is the manifestation of the mighty power of Falun Dafa in the human world! As a cultivator, we can only send out strong righteous thoughts on the premise of eliminating selfish and distracting thoughts. They are sent to save sentient beings, and to safeguard the Fa!
To help him clear the interference of sentiment, I must let go of my attachment to sentiment first. In fact, my brother and I both understand that we came together to this world to obtain the Fa, and we agreed to remind each other to diligently improve. All our family members have predestined relationships with us. I should think of my brother as a fellow practitioner, and my family as sentient beings who have high hopes for us. I should follow Master’s teaching, “...handle its interactions with others well,...” (The Eighth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
After I thought through everything from the perspective of the Fa, I could feel powerful energy the next time I sent righteous thoughts—especially right after I finished studying the Fa, because my mind was clear on the Fa principles and free from distracting thoughts. I was filled with energy.
Eliminating My Resentment after Identifying His
My brother is kind and gentle. He avoids arguing with others, but he is easily frustrated when he encounters unpleasant things. I left China many years ago so I don’t know many details about his family affairs, but I know for sure that he is unhappy about a couple of our family members. Although he handled the conflict diplomatically, he privately complained to me. I suggested he look at things from the perspective of a cultivator many times, but since I live so far away, and the family members who are not very good to him are good to me, my advice sounded easy for me to do, but hard for him to carry out. During our last conversation a few days before he passed out, he was still complaining about our father.
Clinging to the faults of others and harboring resentment is a big omission for cultivators. The old forces have taken advantage of this loophole to persecute many practitioners. I once thought that this might be an excuse for the old forces to bring tribulations to my brother, but as I continued to study the Fa and break through the old forces’ arrangements, I realized I had the same problem.
One of my colleagues likes to sow discord at work. He speaks ill of others to me and complains about me behind my back. As soon as one coworker was unhappy and resigned, this colleague asked for a raise when we were shorthanded. He also ridicules all spiritual beliefs and curries favor with those in power. I always thought he had low morals, so I exposed his lies when I got the chance. While reflecting on my brother’s cultivation gaps, I suddenly realized that my resentment against this man had built up quite a bit.
Master has taught us about applying higher level principles during conflicts among ordinary people, but I have failed to cherish the opportunity as Master said, “You’ve gained in four ways all in one shot.” (The Fourth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
When I looked within carefully, I found I hadn’t handled many things properly. For example, I thought I was technically competent, so some of my words inadvertently triggered my colleague’s jealousy and sense of insecurity. For a person like him who is deeply in debt, has no faith and no immediate family, fighting for a raise is probably his only goal and the only way he has to boost his sense of security. Besides, I might owe him something from a previous lifetime.
I was determined to eliminate my attachments, completely uproot my resentment, and practice compassion. Master saw my determination, kept enlightening me, and helped me eliminate the bad substances associated with resentment. For an ordinary person, it is natural to complain when he is hurt, but for a cultivator, the first thing to think about is whether or not I have done something that hurt others. I told myself not to blame anyone, and not to hold grudges against anyone. I should look at conflicts from the perspective of karmic relationships, and handle them in accordance with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. There certainly wouldn’t be any resentment in my heart if I thought this way. I wasn’t forcing this upon myself, because I really felt this colleague’s pain. Now I can better understand other peoples’ difficulties.
I also identified many other attachments, such as my attachment to comfort, jealousy, attachment to health, etc. As I continued to improve my xinxing, my brother’s condition got better and better. It turns out that our cultivation state is linked! Seeing my brother’s problems is like looking into a mirror and seeing my own problems!
Thank you, Master, for your compassionate salvation!
(Presented at the 2022 Minghui Teams Experience Sharing Conference)
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