(Minghui.org) In the ever-changing corporate environment, Liao Xiaolan, the vice president of technology at a software company, leads the team through various workplace difficulties with a steady and focused strength. The source of his calmness and wisdom in difficult situations comes from a precious book he has read thousands of times: Zhuan Falun.
The Search Is Over
Liao Xiaolan was only twenty-five when he first read Zhuan Falun. He graduated from Stanford University with a master’s degree and was recruited by a company to head its research and development department. Xiaolan was a young talent whose life was going smoothly at that time. For him, getting a good job after graduation was never an issue. However, he had other thoughts and doubts in his heart.
He said, “I still remember when I was in primary school, I saw the Book of Revelations in the Bible at my relative’s house. It made a deep impression on me. It seemed like I had come into contact with something beyond science. Later, I wanted to know if there is a God in this world. Does God exist?”
With a yearning for understanding the divine and a quest to learn the meaning of life, Xiaolan made every effort and explored every possibility to answer his questions. He dabbled in literature, art, drama, and science, and was exposed to many religious disciplines, such as Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. He visited many places, from India to the Western hemisphere, to folk culture, but in the end, he was still confused and disillusioned. He repeatedly tried to find answers and failed, but the desire to seek the truth remained constant.
One night in March 1996, Xiaolan saw the book Zhuan Falun online, and a strong desire drove him to download it. After reading it through the first time, he never stopped reading it.
Xiaolan said, “I read all night, and after I finished the book, ‘Dafa [the Great Law] is righteous’ came to my mind. This book answered all the questions I had but couldn’t answer in the past and opened up a new understanding of cultivation, the universe, and life. I knew clearly that this was what I had been looking for.”
Xiaolan did not feel tired after reading all night. He immediately contacted the person in charge of the Falun Dafa practice site in his area and rode his bike to Tianmu Park to look for Dafa practitioners. “When I got there, I quietly watched people doing the Falun Dafa exercises. When they finished, I approached them to ask some questions. I still remember saying that I hoped to meet Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa. Some practitioners said that obtaining Dafa is the most precious thing in the world. After hearing this, I realized that I must study and practice well.”
After making up his mind to practice Falun Dafa, Xiaolan said, “It was an extraordinary feeling. It was as if the environment I saw and every particle in the air were new. It was as if, after practicing Dafa, I had a new lease on life and the environment.”
That day, Xiaolan began practicing Falun Dafa and started a new life journey.
Handling a Storm of Layoffs With Higher Principles
During his nearly thirty-year career, Xiaolan encountered many crises. However, he could always find a solution calmly and rationally whenever he faced difficulties. Xiaolan knew that this was because of the compassion and wisdom bestowed by Dafa.
In January this year, the American company Xiaolan worked for announced that it was closing its Taiwan office and laying off all office employees due to operational and financial issues. Faced with this sudden layoff storm, he, as the person in charge in Taiwan, was the first to bear the brunt.
On the day the news was announced, Xiaolan set up an online group to inform everyone how severance payouts would be handled. Xiaolan said, “The American company intends to end its operations in Taiwan at minimal cost. In their perception, if you are asked to leave, you will leave, so they have no intention of giving employees severance pay.”
To help the American company understand Taiwan’s relevant regulations, Xiaolan found an independent accounting firm to issue a professional legal opinion, which then conveyed the legal dispute occurring in Taiwan to the company headquarters.
During this process, Xiaolan encountered a test that touched on his self-interest. He said, “At that time, the accountant asked me if I wanted to be included when calculating the severance pay.” Xiaolan had been with the company the longest, and the severance pay was about one million New Taiwan dollars (US$31,000). If he was included in the calculation, he could receive the benefits he deserved just as the other employees would.
Xiaolan admitted, “Although I am in charge of the Taiwan company, I am employed by the main American company. In this situation, there is actually no clear definition in the law as to whether or not the American company should pay me severance pay. However, I am a cultivator, and I must think about everything that happens from a cultivation perspective, putting myself in the shoes of all employees.”
If Xiaolan was not a cultivator, he might have fought for the one million New Taiwan dollars severance like most people would. It was not a small amount.
However, he said, “My salary is relatively high, and if my severance pay is included, it may affect the distribution of benefits to the other employees. And on the basis of the Fa, I know that what is mine is mine, and I don’t have to fight for it. So, after thinking about it, I asked my accountant to provide two versions, one that included my severance pay and one that didn’t. Both were sent to the U.S. headquarters for them to choose.”
In the end, the company chose the version that didn’t pay Xiaolan and successfully distributed severance pay to the other employees in Taiwan. Xiaolan accepted the decision with an open mind.
“On the path of cultivation and improvement, one will inevitably face many trials and tests. Cultivators should not regard them as gains or losses of personal interests, nor should they think about why they encounter such tests. Instead, they should face the tests with the perspective of a cultivator and focus on how to overcome such trials.”
From the moment he received the news to the successful conclusion, Xiaolan maintained a kind and calm heart, thinking about every employee and the American company. The turmoil and pain caused by layoffs were an opportunity for Xiaolan to let go of putting himself first and to improve his character.
He said, “Afterwards, I had dinner with the employees. Some were preparing to study abroad, and some had started new jobs. Everyone talked about each other’s recent situations, and the atmosphere was harmonious. I was happy for their new lives.”
Understanding Everyone with Compassion
In February this year, Xiaolan was asked to be the technical vice president of a software company. Before most people had even started working with him, the company boss had publicly affirmed his abilities and told everyone: “You will be happy to work with someone like him in the future.” A former colleague once said, “Xiaolan is the best supervisor I have ever met at work.”
“Xiaolan is the best supervisor I have ever met at work.”
In response, Xiaolan said that it was all because of practicing Dafa. He admits that without practicing, he would be a supervisor who prioritizes competence and efficiency. But practicing has made him understand the difficulty and preciousness of every life, and reminds him to face everything and everyone with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
He said: “In the past, I was a capability-oriented person. Now, I look at a person’s attitude and intentions, and I cherish the process of their hard work. When problems arise, I don’t focus on who’s responsible; rather, I learn from the experience with the team and use kindness to tolerate and accept the differences in everyone. For example, when I don’t understand someone’s actions and thinking, I find that if I can put myself in their shoes and be aware of their needs and perceptions, the conflict and tension are eased considerably.”
Life-Changing Book
At the beginning of his cultivation, Xiaolan understood that Zhuan Falun was an all-encompassing book that could bring fundamental changes to his life. Through studying it repeatedly, he was able to comprehend the words’ deeper, broader, and more profound meanings. To date, Xiaolan has memorized the book more than 500 times, and if you include reading it through, the number is more than a thousand times.
Xiaolan has read a wide range of books, but after reading Zhuan Falun more than a thousand times, he still feels it is endlessly profound. This book has changed not only his life but also the lives of countless Falun Dafa practitioners of different nationalities, races, and ages around the world.
“After learning the Dafa, I understand even better why people often say that life is like a play. Life may seem like a play, but we, as actors, have been given an even more important responsibility, which is why we are on this human stage. Zhuan Falun can reveal all these mysteries, allowing the characters in the play to understand what their missions are and why they are here. They will not be confused by the plot of the play and forget why they came to this big stage of the human world.
“The reason people feel pain and confusion is because they mistakenly believe that the plot of the play is real life. They don’t know that this is just a role they are playing. Zhuan Falun is a book that can truly change the essence of one’s life. As you keep reading it, you will gain new insights, understand the true meaning, and see the cause and effect of the plot and the truth of the matter, which will not only change your entire life but also make you re-evaluate yourself.”
“It was Dafa that allowed me to find the meaning of life in a chaotic world and never get lost again.”
In the past, Xiaolan possessed talents and abilities that others envied. Now he understands more clearly that being able to assimilate to Dafa at all times and allowing his life to constantly elevate in Dafa is the best and most enviable life in the universe.
Finally, he expressed his sincere gratitude to Master Li Hongzhi: “Thank you, Master, for helping me find the meaning of life in this chaotic world. I will never lose my way again.”
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