(Minghui.org) Greetings, esteemed Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I started practicing Falun Dafa in earnest after attending a nine-day class in mid-March this year. Before I attended the class, I recited the two phrases (Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is good) and I received Dafa’s blessings. I would like to tell you how I began practicing Falun Dafa and some insights I had.
I Begin Practicing Due to Illness
I’m from Malaysia and I moved to Singapore more than 20 years ago to pursue my studies. After graduating, I found a job here.
Years ago, my second brother-in-law gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun. I was not interested in cultivation, so I did not read it.
Two years ago, doctors found I had a 7 cm uterine fibroid and 16 cm ovarian cyst—both required surgery. The news filled me with anxiety and prompted me to call my second older sister who lived in Johor Bahru. After learning about my situation, she encouraged me to read Zhuan Falun and also advised me to recite the two phrases, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
I still did not understand how precious Zhuan Falun is—it was my fear of surgery and the complications that finally motivated me to read the book.
Master Li Hongzhi said,
“If you hold various attachments and come to gain supernormal abilities, have your illnesses cured, listen to some theories, or come with some ill intentions, that will not work at all.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
I wondered, “I followed my sister’s advice and read Zhuan Falun because of my illness. Wasn’t this a desire to be cured? Isn’t this wrong?” Although I felt puzzled as the teachings appeared to conflict with my sister’s suggestion, I figured since I had already started reading the book, I might as well continue.
Due to my busy work schedule and love of Korean dramas, I only devoted a small amount of time to reading Zhuan Falun each day. By the day of the operation, I hadn’t even finished reading the first two lectures. Despite my inability to fully understand the content of Zhuan Falun and my ignorance about cultivation practice, having Zhuan Falun with me boosted my sense of safety. On my way to the hospital, I kept reading Zhuan Falun and reciting the two phrases.
The operation was a success and I had less pain than I expected. The surgeons discovered the 16 cm ovarian cyst shrunk to 8 cm, and I was discharged from the hospital three days later. I have a low tolerance for pain. Miraculously, my post-operation wound hurt very little so I asked the nurses to reduce my painkillers. A week later I bent down to check something on the ground when I remembered my surgical wound. To my surprise, this strenuous movement triggered no pain. When I returned to the hospital for a follow-up visit two weeks later, the doctor said, “You are recovering well. You can swim, run, or do any other activities.” I feel compassionate Master helped me, removed my pain, and healed my wound.
Another incident showed me how miraculous Falun Dafa is. In spite of my shallow understanding of the Fa, I often recited the two phrases, and I could feel Master protecting me. I was dining in a restaurant while wearing casual shorts. When a waiter poured hot soup into my bowl the boiling hot liquid spilled onto my legs. I screamed. Yet incredibly, my skin was not burned or red.
Immediately after my surgery, I spent some time at my second older sister’s home in Johor Bahru to recover. I read Zhuan Falun with my sister and her family every night, and I gradually gained a better understanding of the teachings—for example why people get sick, the relationship between virtue and karma, and how karma could be transformed.
After I returned to Singapore, I resumed my busy schedule. Using the excuse that I needed to relax after work I started watching Korean dramas again. I resumed my lifestyle before I had surgery and I only read one or two paragraphs of Zhuan Falun before I went to bed.
Even though I hadn’t decided to start cultivating, I benefited from it and I knew that Falun Dafa is good. My sister told me about Falun Dafa events in Malaysia, and I participated whenever my schedule permitted. Through these events, I gained a better understanding of cultivation.
Before I returned to Singapore, my second brother-in-law gave me a pocket-sized copy of Zhuan Falun. I started reading the book while I took the train to and from work. Because of this, I met a Dafa practitioner who happened to take the same train. She saw the copy of Zhuan Falun in my hand and sat down in the empty seat beside me to chat. Only then did I learn about the Falun Buddha Society in Singapore. She invited me to visit the society’s activity center to study the Fa with other practitioners. I later discovered this practitioner was the person in charge of the practice site I planned to visit. Master had once again carefully arranged for me to integrate into the local group.
Towards the end of last year, I had the good fortune to attend the Singapore Fa Conference. It was the first time I attended a gathering of Singapore practitioners and listened to them talk about their experiences and insights. I was deeply moved.
Later, after learning that the Singapore Falun Buddha Society would be holding a nine-day Falun Dafa class from March 9 to 17, I excitedly signed up to attend. During the class, I watched Master’s video lectures and felt a sense of closeness to Master, and his boundless kindness. This experience sealed my decision to cultivate well.
During those nine days, while waiting for the classes to start, the coordinators played episodes from the documentary, “Now and For the Future.” As time was limited, the entire series could not be shown. Afterward, I searched online and watched all twelve episodes myself. From this documentary, I began to realize the seriousness of cultivation, the true nature of the CCP, the inhumane persecution of kindhearted practitioners, and the hardships and tremendous danger endured by practitioners in China. My admiration for their ability to remain true to their belief and continue practicing Dafa despite the harsh environment grew. In contrast, I failed to cherish my comfortable living environment where I could practice freely. I knew I could no longer live in a fugue and resolved to take cultivation seriously.
Physical and Mental Improvement After I Truly Begin Practicing
For over 30 years, I watched dramas, especially Korean dramas, to the point of addiction. No matter how late it was after work or how tired I felt, I watched them until 3 or 4 a.m. before I went to bed. I continued this practice even while suffering from severe colds and even on the eve of my surgery.
Once, while attending a group Fa-study and experience-sharing meeting in Kuala Lumpur, I heard a young fellow practitioner from China talk about how she gave up her habit of watching dramas to study the Fa seriously. I was amazed and found myself admiring her willpower, thinking I would definitely not be able to do it.
After attending the nine-day class, I realized my addiction was also a strong desire. To practice Dafa seriously, I needed to quit my habit.
I silently promised Master that I would get rid of my attachment to watching dramas. With Master’s blessing, I easily gave up my bad habit. Thank you, Master! Afterward, my stamina and energy levels improved to the point I was able to arrive to work early, shocking my coworkers who were used to my always being late.
Before cultivating Falun Dafa, whenever I suffered great pressure at work, I complained and criticized the coworkers who made trouble for me. After studying the Fa, I understood that people lose virtue when they commit bad deeds, including swearing at others. Even complaining in your heart can cause you to lose virtue. Because I was worried about losing virtue, I tried to control my temper. But despite knowing that interpersonal conflicts repay the karma I owe, or are arranged by Master to improve my character, I found myself unable to hold back sometimes. While looking inward, I discovered my selfishness. I desired an easy way out, failed to put myself in my coworkers’ shoes, and failed to adhere to the requirements of “compassion” and “forbearance.” I need to work harder at improving my character by studying the Fa.
One time I accidentally came across the Tianti Bookstore website and found complete sets of Dafa books available for sale there. I wished to have a complete set. A few days later, fellow practitioners unexpectedly approached me and asked if I would like to receive some Dafa books as a gift. I felt so amazed. Without prompting, fellow practitioners voluntarily offered to give me their books. It felt like Master meticulously arranged this.
I am popular within my company and have a good relationship with my boss and other supervisors. Yet recently, I felt a coolness in the bosses’ attitude towards me. In contrast, a new coworker received better treatment than me. Although on the surface it didn’t seem to bother me, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I unconsciously began to compete with her, hoping to perform better than her.
I realized this stemmed from my jealousy. This was an undesirable attachment, so I tried to adjust my viewpoint to notice more of her good points. After adjusting my mental state, I discovered that since joining my department, she did a lot of work and helped reduce my workload. After coming to this realization, I felt calmer and lighter. Although jealousy rears its head from time to time, I remind myself to guard my character and not relax.
When my negative thoughts become too strong, I try to recall the Fa taught by Master in Zhuan Falun and remind myself to stay unmoved.
Master said,
“Accordingly, in your future cultivation you will run into all kinds of tribulations. How could you cultivate without these hardships? If everyone is good to one another without conflicts of interest or interference from the human mind, and if all you do is just sit there, how can your xinxing improve? That wouldn’t do. One must truly temper and improve oneself through actual practice.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
Concluding Remarks
I feel fortunate to obtain the Fa in my lifetime. I’m grateful to compassionate Master for helping me understand the meaning of life and my true purpose in this world.
I will work hard, cultivate myself well, do well the three things, closely follow the cultivation path arranged by Master, and live up to his expectations.
Kindly correct me if there are any shortcomings. Thank you, compassionate Master, and thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2024 Singapore Fa Conference)
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