(Minghui.org) I am an 81-year-old practitioner who started practicing Falun Dafa in May 1994. It has been 30 years, and I have come this far under the guidance of our compassionate Master.
I visited a market one day to clarify the truth about the persecution of Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong). I had almost distributed all of my truth clarifying materials to a row of stores when someone rushed out of a store, pointed at me, and started shouting, “She is from Falun Gong. Catch her!” Several people rushed toward me. I silently chanted the mantra we use while sending forth righteous thoughts, and turned around and ran into the closest alley. The small road remained unusually quiet and deserted despite the commotion behind me. I made my way through several quiet alleys, walked out of the main marketplace, then made my way to the market entrance. When I looked back, the previously deserted marketplace appeared to be teeming with people, as though I had just traveled through a different dimension. I realized I had successfully escaped with Master’s compassionate aid.
Breaking Through Barriers with Righteous Thoughts
I went through a long period of illness karma at one point. My ordeal started one morning when I experienced a sudden bout of heat, pain, and itching in my left thigh. I ignored it at first, but by afternoon the pain had become so severe that I could hardly stand, sit, or lie down. That evening herpes rashes the size of soybeans developed on my leg. Besides a burning fever, my leg felt severely itchy and painful, as though I was being constantly pricked by needles.
After recognizing this as interference from the old forces, I sent forth righteous thoughts with my daughter. Although I felt some relief, the pain remained bad enough that I found myself unable to sleep. I quickly arose the following morning, completed my morning exercises, and managed to slightly relieve my symptoms. Over the next few days my condition worsened and gave the appearance of a herpes zoster infection, and spread from the sole of my left foot to my left buttocks. I was feverish, in pain, and my rashes even produced a yellow discharge. New rashes appeared in areas touched by the yellow discharge. I found myself unable to fall asleep for three days and nights.
I refused to recognize this false illness and continued with my morning routine of doing the exercises and truth clarification work. I also kept searching inward, but could not find the root cause. I fought a continuous tug-of-war with my false herpes symptoms. Whenever I ventured out to clarify the truth, I could not sit, and had to remain standing. Whenever the pain worsened, I would walk slowly while reciting:
“A Great Enlightened One fears no hardshipHaving forged an adamantine willFree of attachment to living or dyingHe walks the path of Fa-rectificationconfident and poised”(“Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions,” Hong Yin II)
When the pain became almost unbearable, I reminded myself, “My life was created by Dafa. As a particle of Dafa, my being is composed of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I am a rock-solid, indestructible being made of diamond that cannot be deceived by falsehoods.” I reminded myself as I walked. Besides my slower walking pace, my true condition remained invisible to others. And whenever I saw sentient beings saved through my efforts, I felt so happy for them that my own pain and suffering were forgotten.
This false illness karma illusion lasted for nearly five months. At times the pain was so severe that I became depressed, but I knew that Master was bearing more on my behalf. Just when the rashes were about to spread to my other leg, yellow pus stopped flowing from the herpes rashes on my leg, and the rash stopped spreading. I subconsciously felt that the yellow pus was now flowing in another dimension, expelling toxins from my body.
A few days after my herpes symptoms began to improve, I got up one morning to do the exercises and discovered that my right leg had become shorter than my left. My whole body started leaning to the right whenever I stood up or sat down. I immediately used righteous thoughts and reminded myself, “I am a deity! Nothing can stop me, and I will never acknowledge this arrangement from the old forces!” When I practiced the third set of exercises, I discovered that I could not lift up my arms. But I refused to give up, and continued to try. An external force suddenly seized my arms and lifted them up. I knew that Master was helping and encouraging me.
A few months into my herpes symptoms, a large, soft lump suddenly appeared on my back. My body would be pulled to the left or the right, in the direction of the swaying lump. Besides the severe pain, I was losing weight rapidly and felt near my limits.
All kinds of human thoughts came pouring out. At one point, I even started doubting, and wondering if Master was ignoring my suffering and pain. I immediately recognized this unrighteous thought and rejected it. Through massive amounts of Fa study and repeated sharing with my daughter, we agreed to completely reject the arrangements of the old forces from our thoughts and actions, instead of enduring passively.
(1) I first broke the association between my symptoms and herpes. It is usual practice to not expose herpes rashes to water, so I had been wiping myself down. Yet by complying with this fact, I had unconsciously acknowledged my condition. After I stopped acknowledging this human concept and resumed bathing like normal, a lot of hard shell-like things washed away with the bathwater. I felt a lot more relaxed, and knew I was on the right track.
(2) I also decided to ignore the pain and restrictions and continue doing what I should do. Master also enlightened me through the words:
“Scriptures cultivate your mind,Exercises temper your body;…”(“Becoming One,” Hong Yin)
I extended the length of time I spent practicing the exercises, began sending forth righteous thoughts for up to an hour each time, persisted in clarifying the truth every day, and increased the intensity of my Fa study. I entrusted myself and my fate completely to Master while negating any negative thoughts.
With Master’s support, I successfully passed this tribulation after more than half a year. Although it dragged on for a while, through this trial I realized the importance of studying the Fa, practicing the exercises, and believing unconditionally in Master and the Fa. Moreover, unconditional belief requires practitioners to abandon all human thoughts, overcome all negative emotions, and maintain righteous thoughts to break through false illusions.
Clarifying the Truth to Save Sentient Beings, Overcoming Tribulations with Righteous Thoughts
I began venturing out to clarify the truth face-to-face in 2000, and in 2009, I teamed up with fellow practitioners to clarify the truth on a larger scale. Every morning at dawn, I met up with fellow practitioners. While carrying large bags of truth-clarification materials, we traveled to surrounding villages, distributing leaflets door-to-door. Day after day, through harsh winters, scorching summers, and even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we traveled to various places each day to save sentient beings.
Four Days Later, I was Able to Go Out and Clarify the Truth Again
We once visited a large construction site to clarify the truth and distribute materials. The migrant workers greeted us warmly, “Falun Gong is here!” We replied, “You have worked hard. We are here to bring you peace, good luck, and blessings!” The three of us clarified the truth, distributed materials, and passed out amulets. Most of the workers accepted the truth and agreed to renounce their Chinese Communist Party (CCP) memberships. Some migrant workers even wore the amulets and happily announced, “I’ve obtained blessings from the divine!”
We had finished distributing our stock of materials and amulets by 11 a.m., and more than 90 people had submitted their names to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. With this accomplishment, we happily started on our way home.
At the construction site was a deep ditch that required a long detour to walk around. The two fellow practitioners accompanying me chose to jump over it. As both practitioners successfully made it over, I followed suit without a second thought. Yet I failed to make it over safely and fell face first into the ditch. My mind instantly went blank, while the two terrified practitioners quickly pulled me out. After I came to my senses, I told them, “It’s okay, let’s go home.” After walking a distance, my head began to clear and various body aches and discomfort appeared. With great effort, I finally made it home and immediately fell asleep.
That afternoon I got up to study the Fa and happened to look into a mirror. My face and lips were so swollen I could hardly open my mouth. The bridge of my nose was also severely painful. Ignoring my condition, I continued to study the Fa and make truth clarification materials.
As I was sending forth righteous thoughts that night, I began examining myself to determine why I had fallen, as this accident could not have happened for no reason. Many people had withdrawn from the CCP that morning, triggering my complacency, show-off mentality, and my greed for the merit. After discovering these bad thoughts, I began sending forth righteous thoughts to destroy them.
My entire face was swollen into a light purple color the next morning. My eyelids had swelled into slits, my nose bridge was fractured, and my lips looked like two big brown sausages. I looked really horrible! My daughter was shocked to see my appearance. She tried to apply some medicine to my face, but I stopped her. “Master is taking care of me, and I will recover quickly!” I continued to study the Fa, practice the exercises, and send forth righteous thoughts at home.
By the third day, the swelling had gone down, but my face was still purple. I begged Master, “How can I clarify the truth to people looking like this? Please help me get rid of this purple hue!” I later gently wiped my face with some gauze. The purple color miraculously fell off my face like powder! Except for a scar that remained on the bridge of my nose, my face was back to normal! So on the fourth day, I resumed my truth clarification work. Fellow practitioners were stunned to see me, and a fellow practitioner who worked as a doctor told me that an ordinary person would have required three months to recover to this extent after suffering a similar injury!
“Saving Others Despite the Danger, You All Are the Best!”
Two days ago, while walking on my way to clarify the truth, an elderly man riding a bicycle stopped before me and gave me a thumbs up. “Falun Gong is really amazing!” he said. “You are so old, yet you are still risking your life to save people. It’s really outstanding!”
As I failed to recognize him, he started explaining how we had met. It turned out I had clarified the truth to him, given him amulets, and helped him withdraw from the CCP 20 years prior. He excitedly told me, “Your hair has turned white, yet after so many years you persist in your effort. It’s amazing! You continue to save others despite the danger. You are the best!” After hearing his words, tears began to form in my eyes, and I felt all my efforts were worth it.
Many elderly people passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many who had withdrawn from the CCP survived. Although their relatives and neighbors, young and old, came down with the infection, these elderly folk remained healthy because they wore the amulets and chanted “Falun Dafa is good” every day. As such, they received blessings from the divine. When we met again, these people held my hand and expressed their gratitude. I told them, “You are blessed by my compassionate Master. You should thank him!”
Diligently Memorizing the Fa
Master has repeatedly stressed that Dafa practitioners should spend more time and effort studying and following the teachings of Dafa. Having faced various major tribulations, veteran practitioners all understand the importance of Fa study.
I started memorizing the Fa in 2005. At first, my progress was incredibly slow. But with persistence and continued effort, the Fa began to imprint itself in my memory, and the more profound principles of the Fa started to reveal themselves. After years of perseverance, I am now able to memorize one lecture per day.
Through memorizing the Fa, I found myself letting go of my human desires and obsessions, expanding my capacity for forbearance, discovering my human flaws, and enhancing my ability to distinguish truth from illusions. When I encounter a major problem, the corresponding Fa principles now surface in my mind, guiding me to respond in the correct way.
Whenever I achieve the best state to memorize the Fa, layers of Buddhas, Daoists, and deities appear in the pages of the book. Master’s law body also sits in full lotus position on every page. To be fully immersed in the Fa is a mysterious, yet compassionate and peaceful experience!
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Category: Improving Oneself
