(Minghui.org) As the Chinese New Year approached, Azad, who is attending school in Italy, extended his sincere New Year’s greetings to Master Li Hongzhi and his fellow practitioners. He said that practicing Falun Dafa ushered in a new chapter in his life.
Azad heard about Falun Dafa through the Persian Telegram channel of The Epoch Times. He downloaded and read the Persian language (Farsi) version of Zhuan Falun and began practicing Falun Dafa on his own in 2021. A lifelong desire to learn more about cultures beyond Persia (Iran) led him to resume his studies in Italy in 2022, when he was nearly 40 years old. Despite having no background in engineering, Azad managed to obtain a Master’s degree in engineering, and graduated with straight As, an impressive feat.
“I have had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since childhood, which affected my studies and work performance. On top of that, I suffered from anxiety and extremely low self-confidence.” As a result, Azad always achieved mediocre grades and never received top scores. “Before I began practicing Falun Dafa, I never received perfect score in any course.”
Due to scheduling conflicts, Azad missed his first semester and had to study six to eight hours a day, even on weekends, to catch up. Despite his busy schedule, he continued to study the Falun Dafa teachings and practice the exercises every day, and was able to participate in local Falun Dafa truth clarification activities. Faced with heavy academic burdens and his ADHD and anxiety symptoms, Azad worried about his inability to focus on cultivation and his Fa study.
Azad said that what sustained him was his unwavering faith in Master Li and the wisdom he gained from repeatedly reading Zhuan Falun. After a period of internal reflection, he realized that his anxiety, fears and feelings of inferiority were acquired negative human notions. “Master gave me a new life. I decided to use Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to establish a completely new way of thinking, while eliminating these negative emotions.”
During an oral exam, although Azad knew the answers, nervousness prevented him from expressing himself well. As a result, the professor gave him a mediocre grade. Initially feeling wronged and dissatisfied, Azad quietly reflected on himself when he returned home. Wasn’t this a test of his character? Wasn’t it an attempt to eliminate his competitive, fame-seeking desires?
Azad wrote to the professor and thanked him. He accepted that as a Falun Dafa practitioner, he should look inward for his own shortcomings and thanked the professor for his guidance. The professor subsequently replied, praising Azad for his nobleness and kindness. He stated that these character traits were far more valuable than the grade itself. The professor’s words deeply moved Azad, and he gained a deeper understanding of the meaning behind the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
During his postgraduate studies Azad took more than 20 exams, some of which he had to retake after he failed them. He came to realize that as long as he held himself to the standard of a cultivator, maintained a proper mindset and did his best, positive outcomes would result. Azad came to realize that one must never slacken on the path of cultivation.
For an important final project, he and two classmates formed a group to work on a 100-page project report and program code. His teammates faced similar attention deficit issues, and their progress was slow. Azad considered leaving the group, but remembered that as a cultivator, he should treat others with tolerance and compassion. He proactively took on more responsibility, and for two consecutive weeks, worked non-stop writing code and organizing data, before he ultimately completed the project. The group eventually presented their work to their professor and received a perfect score, something they had never achieved before.
“At that moment, I realized how cultivation could also benefit those around me.”
Through continuous Fa study, searching within and diligent cultivation, Azad eliminated his anxiety and fear. Now, he can study more for than nine hours a day, and has better self-confidence and a calm mind. Faced with difficulties in life, he strives to use the wisdom bestowed by Dafa to resolve problems. Azad is also deeply grateful for the help and encouragement he receives from fellow practitioners.
On occasion of this Chinese New Year, Azad said, “The benefits in mind and body I received in just two short years are entirely due to my practice of Falun Dafa. Without the blessings of compassionate Master, I would have struggled to manage my studies and physical condition. I have been able to persevere on the path of cultivation by following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Despite my shortcomings, Master has not given up on me. I am determined to cultivate more diligently, let go of all attachments and live up to Master’s grace.”