(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I’m 60 years old and I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1999. I’d like to share some of my cultivation experiences.
The village Chinese Communist Party (CCP) secretary wouldn’t listen to the unreasonable demands of a few villagers, so they lodged a complaint against him because they thought he’d allocated the land unfairly. He and my family were neighbors, but we were not originally from the area. We got along well.
My father was a timid person and avoided conflict. He worked diligently and bore hardships silently. He didn’t participate in the complaint. Those who filed the complaint claimed that the Party secretary had allocated more land to our family and they sent an elderly man to talk to my father. My father was alone when the man arried. He repeatedly explained to the man that he didn’t get extra land but the man insisted that my father did. He threatened my father and said the villagers would take the land away. The man tried to force my father to write a statement and said if he refused, he would be penalized. Then he left.
When my mother came home, my father told her what had happened in a trembling voice. He was frightened whenever he saw that elderly man. As time passed, he became so afraid that he wouldn’t go outside. He kept the curtains closed even during the day. He curled up on the kang (a heated brick bed) and murmured repeatedly, “They are coming. They reported me to the police. They are coming to arrest me.” We took him to see doctors, who said he was suffering from schizophrenia.
My father drowned the following year. When my mother told me what happened, we were very angry and ran over to the elderly man’s house. I knocked on his door, but he didn’t dare open it. I picked up a long stick and screamed and cried as I smashed the door and windows. The sounds of breaking glass and my heart-wrenching screams broke the silence of the night.
I was in despair, because I’d lost my father and his love. I didn’t know where I could get justice. The seed of hatred was planted deep in my heart.
I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1999 and understood that Falun Dafa is an advanced cultivation way of the Buddha school and helps people find their true selves. It teaches people to be good and to treat others kindly. Master talked about xinxing improvement and the transformation of karma, which touched me deeply. I learned that there were reasons why people held grudges and harbored resentment—people generated karma when they did bad things lifetime after lifetime, which caused these grievances. After I understood this, I decided to listen to Master and change myself and my notions. I should look at things from a practitioner’s perspective and let go of my hatred. It might be that my father owed that man a debt in a previous lifetime.
Setting aside one’s hatred is easy to say but hard to do. I simply couldn’t greet that man or his family members when I saw them. I repeatedly missed the opportunity to improve my xinxing. But I knew it was time to let go of my hatred and attachment to saving face, so I summoned up my courage and greeted them when I saw them. At first, they felt guilty but they finally reciprocated after I greeted them warmly every time I saw them. I later respectfully called them “Uncle” or “Auntie” whenever I saw them, and they responded politely.
They didn’t know that my son was about to get married. The night after the wedding, they came to see us and brought a gift. I took this opportunity to clarify the truth about the persecution to them and help them withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. If I didn’t practice Falun Dafa, my deep-rooted hatred would never have been dissolved. The bad feelings between our two families evaporated just as Master said,
“Countless are the chaotic thingsIn this human worldGratitude and resentmentNow heaped stop one another,No hope had the wicked of heart,Their karma massive’Tis Dafa that resolves everything at the source”(“Undoing the Disaster,” Hong Yin II)
My husband worked for my brother, who was a construction foreman. He was sick one day and asked my husband to find some workers to demolish the house on the construction site. The house collapsed as they were pulling it down. Due to the lack of safety measures, my husband and another worker got buried under the rubble and died. When the police investigated, my brother blamed my husband. He didn’t tell me this until the police left. I didn’t say anything. He and his wife promised me they would helped arrange my son’s wedding and give him anything he needed for the wedding and his new family.
My in-laws were very angry with my brother for shifting the blame to my husband. They’d lost their son. My brother didn’t give them or me any compensation and asked us to wait until my son got married. My in-laws insisted that he give us a written statement that he would pay for my son’s wedding and to help him set up his family. If he refused, they would sue him. Because he was my brother, I didn’t agree with them. I said, “He’s my brother. Do we need a written guarantee?” My in-laws’ family was very dissatisfied with me and avoided me. We used to be close and got along well.
I held no grudge against them and didn’t hate them. I understood they were concerned about my son and me and wanted a written statement to make sure that he would pay the wedding fees for their grandson. They loved us. I also understood the pain caused by their son’s death and how deeply they missed him. No matter how badly they treated me, I maintained my xinxing and I did not argue with them about who was right or wrong. I handled the situation like a practitioner should. When I greeted my mother-in-law, she refused to look at me, but I always greeted her warmly and asked, “Mom, how are you?” Or I would say, “Sister [my husband’s sister], what time did you arrive?” to open the conversation.
No matter what their attitudes were or how they treated me, I didn’t take it to heart. I treated them kindly. Gradually, my kindness and sincerity moved them. They changed their attitude toward me and sincerely accepted my son, my daughter, and me into the family again. We look after each other and respect each other.
At the age of 42, I was forced to go back to work to support the family. Two months after my husband died, I began working for my brother at the construction site. I cooked for the workers, cleaned the site, moved bricks, and did other construction work. I worked long hours and was exhausted every day. One night when I went to get my wages, I discovered that my brother was giving the other female worker who did the same job five yuan more an hour than me.
That night the woman and I left together. When we were at the gate, my brother called her and asked her not to tell me that her hourly rate was 85 yuan. I could hardly believe what I heard. My husband had died in an accident at this construction site. My brother didn’t give me a penny in compensation and put all the blame on my husband. What a big blow this was to me and how much I suffered! I was forced to work for him, but then for him to treat me like this!
I felt so mistreated that I couldn’t hold back my tears and I wept. The woman was very sympathetic and said, “It’s already 10 p.m. Please go home. Everyone knows what happened.”
I wiped away my tears and went home. I opened the door quietly because I didn’t want my son to see me. My children were very opposed to my brother because of the way he’d treated us.
I went to my room and lay down. I calmed down and reminded myself that I was a practitioner and should evaluate everything with the Fa’s principles.
Master said,
“I say that nothing is “natural,” nor is there any such thing as “coincidence”—everything has its cause.” (Teachings at the Conference in Europe)
I understood that I had to eliminate my affection to family formed in this lifetime and reminded myself that the principles in this universe are fair—the fact that I felt upset showed that I still thought it was unfair. I had to evaluate my actions based on the Fa’s principles and assimilate to the universal characteristics of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Master used this incident to improve my xinxing and transform my karma. After I realized this, I no longer felt sad.
When I went to work the next morning, I greeted my brother and his wife kindly, as if nothing happened. When my son got married, they didn’t keep their promise and acted as if they had nothing to do with the wedding. I asked them to help find cars for the wedding, but they refused. My brother rang me one morning and asked me to come to his home. When I did, he gave me 3500 yuan for the wedding. I understood from the Fa that there was a predestined relationship between us, and I let go of my emotion and personal interest. I stayed calm despite their behavior.
Some friends painted my son’s apartment. I bought furniture, installed curtains, made quilts, and cleaned the apartment with my two children. I did whatever I could and didn’t ask my brother for anything. My practitioner mother said, “Why don’t you remind your brother and his wife to do what they promised?” I said, “Mom, I won’t ask. We are practitioners who came to this world to settle our karmic debts. When we have unpleasant experiences, we shouldn’t use our human thoughts and human notions to judge who is right and who is wrong.”
Master said,
“Therefore, in cultivation you should follow a higher and higher standard for yourself.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
After I remembered this, I felt lighthearted, and my hatred was gone. With the help of other practitioners, my son had a simple wedding ceremony.
I was able to set aside my grievances and become selfless and considerate thanks to Falun Dafa. I’ve undergone a fundamental change and became a kind, considerate, and confident human being. This is the power of Falun Dafa and Master’s saving grace!
The death of my husband, the pressure from my in-laws, the police harrassment, and all sorts of hardships never made my belief in Falun Dafa waver. Other practitioners helped and encouraged me greatly. I kept attending Fa-study and improving. I knew that clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings were my responsibility and mission as well as my pre-historic vow that I made to Master before I descended to Earth.
The other practitioners and I work during the day and attend group Fa study in the evening. We hang up banners and distribute materials at night. We clarified the truth to people and helped them withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations during the day. We were busy and tired sometimes, but we felt fulfilled.
There is no work in the fields in winter, so I went out with other practitioners to distribute desk calendars, wall calendars, and other truth-clarification materials. Aling (alias) was meticulous and reliable. I drove my tricycle and she sat on the back. and we brought dozens of calendars with us.
Most villagers are pure and kind. They listened to us and agreed to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I clarified the truth to people and Aling recorded the names of those who agreed to quit the CCP. When we finished, Aling said that it was hard to get out and do this, but her heart felt light when we finished. We realized that Master had removed our fear. We felt so happy for the people who quit the CCP.
One day we brought many desk calendars with us. We saw dozens of laborers at a construction site who were building a large factory on the north end of the village. As we walked towards them with the calendars, one worker shouted, “Falun Dafa calendars!” Another one shouted, “Please give me one!” Yet another shouted, “Give me one!” We’d soon handed out every one. We went back to our tricycle and got more. Each person got one calendar. Some agreed to quit the CCP on the spot. Aling was introverted and shy. When she gave a calendar to someone who came from her village, she clarified the truth to him and helped him quit the CCP. I applauded her, and we laughed heartily.
Clarifying the truth to people has become part of my daily life. I jump at every opportunity to tell people about Dafa and the persecution: when they come to collect trash, check the utilities, or buy trees or corn.
A man from Anhui Province came to collect trash. After he’d loaded it all into his truck, I asked him to come into the house to have a drink because it was very hot. I’d just finished lunch and hadn’t cleared the table yet. There were pancakes and fish left, and I invited him to have something to eat.
I said, “I practice Falun Dafa. Our master teaches us to be considerate. It is so hot today, and you work so hard. Please eat.” Seeing I was sincere, he accepted my invitation and sat down. While he ate, I clarified the truth to him. I said, “Please remember Falun Dafa is good. Please withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. The CCP commits horrendous crimes. Heaven will punish it, but you’ll stay safe if you quit.” He said he’d only ever joined the Youth League. I urged him to withdraw from it, and he agreed.
I heard someone shouting outside, and he said it was his sister. I invited her in, cooked a bowl of instant noodles, and added two eggs. While she ate, I clarified the truth to her and helped her quit the CCP. I gave them some pamphlets and asked them to read them.
I gave his sister some clothes, shoes, and scarves I no longer wore, and they were very thankful. I felt so happy for them.
When others came to collect trash, I clarified the truth to them and gave them big pumpkins I’d grown. When people came to buy trees from me, I clarified the truth to them and helped them quit the CCP and invited them to eat fruit before they left. When people came to buy corn in the winter, I made food and invited them to have lunch. While they ate, I clarified the truth to them and helped them quit the CCP. I gave them couplets and amulets with information about Falun Dafa on them. They were very pleased.
I clarified the truth to a lady who listened but refused to quit the CCP. I didn’t give up and said, “Do you know that only good people hear good news? I told you this good news because you are a good person. So many disasters are happening now: floods, earthquakes, wars, and plagues. Society is in chaos, right? Heaven is eliminating bad people. If you distance yourself from the CCP by quitting it, Heaven will protect you. Opportunity only knocks once. If you miss it, you’ll regret it.”
My kindness touched her, and she agreed to quit the CCP and thanked me. I told her to thank Master Li.
During the several years I worked as a housekeeper, I clarified the truth to everyone I met. I always remembered that I was a Falun Dafa practitioner and acted strictly according to Dafa’s principles. I worked hard and did a better job than a non-practitioner housekeeper. I wanted them to remember that Falun Dafa is wonderful. All my clients complimented me and didn’t want me to leave. They called me later and asked if I would work for them again.
When I compare myself with other practitioners, I’m far behind. Because Master protects me and gives me hints whenever I have tests and hardships, I have been able to follow him on the Fa-rectification path up to today and to improve and elevate myself in the Fa. Thank you, Master, for rescuing me from hell and cleansing me and making me a being that is envied by all divine beings—a particle of the Fa.
Thank you, Master!
(Selected submission for the 22nd China Fa Conference on Minghui.org)