(Minghui.org) I was born in a small village in the 1960s. I grew up amidst poverty and hardship, and coupled with the social chaos and distortions of the Cultural Revolution, I was left feeling confused and unable to face the realities in life. Even after reaching adulthood, I wondered what the meaning of life was, and knew for certain I didn’t want a life like my father's, who worked in the fields every day to the point of exhaustion. Through watching the movie Journey to the West, I learned there were Gods, Buddhas, and demons. Gods and Buddhas were beings I longed to reach, but I had no idea how to reach such realms. I realized that I needed a master to guide me if I wanted to improve myself and find direction. Just like in martial arts, you must have a master who teaches you high-level martial arts secrets.
One day in 1998, I noticed a co-worker reading a book and asked him what it was. He replied that it was Zhuan Falun, a book for cultivation. I asked, “Can I borrow it to take a look?” He agreed, but said that I needed to wash my hands before I read it. After work, I started to read and became so engrossed that I stayed up all night. Despite not sleeping, I felt refreshed the next day. Even more amazing was that I smoked two cigarettes while reading, but I had to stop smoking when I lit up the third cigarette. The next morning, a co-worker handed me a cigarette, but I found the smell of cigarettes unbearable. From that day on, I couldn’t smoke anymore, and naturally quit a smoking habit I had for over 10 years.
Because I read Zhuan Falun too quickly, I did not quite understand what Master Li was saying, but I instinctively knew it was good. The co-worker who lent me the book asked me to go with him to do the exercises the next evening. At the practice site, I found the Dafa practitioners to be kind and honest. I learned the five sets of exercises there. Since then, I often went to the practice site to study the Fa and do the exercises.
My job required heavy physical labor in a damp, dark environment. I worked three rotating shifts and still had a lot of work to do at home. Being sleep deprived as a result, I developed a lot of problems, such as lumbar muscle strains, rheumatism, stomach discomfort, numbness in my hands caused by cervical spondylosis, and persistent coldness and soreness in every joint. After practicing Falun Dafa for a short time, all my health issues were resolved. My body felt so light and airy, and I often felt like I wanted to skip around while walking. Years of lingering doubts that I had harbored in my heart were answered, and my mind felt open, clear, and bright. I gained 20 pounds, reaching my ideal weight of 140 lb. That feeling of happiness was something I had never experienced.
Before I began practicing Falun Dafa, my life was unbearably hard. I felt physically exhausted due to years of hard work. Because I lacked skills, I could not find a better job, so I had to endure it. Every day when I arrived home, I had to face my wife, who always accused and berated me and was never satisfied. I often thought about leaving home one day to seek a better way of life. After learning Dafa, I realized that everything has a causal relationship, and nothing is accidental. My hardship is the payback for my previous debts, and I take responsibility for them.
Since understanding the causal relationship, I understand that the meaning of life is to repay the debts through hardship and, in the end, return to my true self. All the necessities of life—food, clothing, shelter, transportation, joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—are like passing clouds. Compared to returning to my true home, nothing in this world matters, and nothing is worth clinging to. All the suffering and tribulations are stepping stones on the road of cultivation, which leads to paradise. While suffering, I remind myself that the human world is not my destination. When nothing in this world is of any significance, there is no need to divorce to escape pain, thus preserving the family and avoiding any breakdown.
Since I began practicing Falun Dafa, my life has undergone great changes in many aspects. After seeing my transformation, my wife was inspired to start practicing Dafa as well. Master purified her body, and her moral character has improved. Nowadays, we encourage each other to study well and work on our xinxing.
With my encouragement, my parents have withdrawn from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations, and they often repeat, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” They can take care of themselves even though they are over 80 and 90 years old. My two children do not practice Falun Dafa, but they know that Dafa is good and discipline themselves according to the standard of the Fa in daily life. My grandchildren are all healthy. I often tell them with emotion, “When I was your age, no one told me what was right and what was wrong. You are very lucky that Master has protected you since you were young.”
I have been involved in life-threatening accidents more than 10 times. Without Master’s protection, I might have lost my life. When I recall those accidents, I remember the terror I experienced. Many Dafa cultivators have been through life and death tests. Only Master is capable of resolving those situations. As Dafa practitioners, we can’t find enough words to express our gratitude. We thank Master through our actions and cultivate diligently, do well the three things that practitioners should do, and assimilate into Dafa.
When I was young, I was told that the Earth would continue to rotate regardless of whether anyone existed. Yet why does everyone want to live, and is afraid to die? Moreover, people nowadays go to great lengths and even resort to unscrupulous means to get what they want to improve their lives. Atheism, evolutionism, and distorted modern ideologies have further contributed to human moral decline. Without the guidance of Dafa, I cannot imagine what I would do amidst the painful confusion. I am really very fortunate to have obtained this great Dafa.
Having gone through 20-plus years of cultivation, I understand that the meaning of life is not to live better, but rather to obtain this precious Dafa. Following Dafa’s principles, we cultivate away all the bad things in our mind and body and return to our true home with Master.
