(Minghui.org) I started practicing in Falun Dafa in 1996 and I’ve cultivated for nearly 30 years. I’d like to tell you about my cultivation experiences.
I owned a business that made molded products. Our factory used a massive amount of equipment, which drove up our electricity bill. Out of self-interest, the power bureau staff altered the wiring of the electricity meter so that the factory’s electricity consumption looked extremely low. This reduced the monthly bill by about 90%. I then gave a portion of the kickback to the staff.
Our electricity bill should have been around 10,000 yuan per month, but using this method only required me to pay around 1,000 yuan to the Power Bureau. I then gave the meter-reading staff another 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. This meant that I paid around 5,000 to 6,000 yuan less for electricity every month.
After I began practicing Falun Dafa, I realized that this did not conform to the Fa principles so I told the electrical staff, “I’ve begun practicing Falun Dafa and my Master teaches us to do things according to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. The way we manipulate the electrical bill is not right.” I asked them to calculate the bill based on the actual power consumption. The Power Bureau staff could not understand why I did this, but I insisted on paying the actual fee. They could only agree and change the wiring. My electrical bill changed from around 30,000 yuan to around 100,000 yuan.
Before I began practicing I went to a machinery plant in Beijing to purchase some equipment. The price was 40,500 yuan. However, due to an error, their accountant undercharged us by 5,000 yuan. When we realized this, we kept quiet, loaded up the equipment and drove off. Later, the Beijing company discovered the discrepancy in the funds and brought more than ten people to come and find us, but we firmly insisted that we were right. After I began cultivating, I realized the seriousness of this issue so I brought the money to Beijing, found the company, apologized to them, and returned the money, together with the accumulated interest. The company’s manager was very touched, so he made us stay for a meal and bought gifts to thank us.
A client ordered products that cost more than 300,000 yuan, and asked me to deliver the products and cover the shipping cost. He agreed to pay us two days after the items were delivered. Our company was small so we did not sign contracts with our customers. We just transacted based on verbal agreements, so I did not sign any contract for this transaction. However, two days later, he was struck by a sudden illness and passed away. Who would pay us?
I went to his workplace to take a look. He operated as a sole proprietor there, contracting specific jobs from the organization. When I visited his home, I found out that his family was in dire financial straits, they simply did not have the means to pay. Some suggested that I take them to court. I thought that this incident did cause me to lose quite a sum of money, but I practiced Falun Dafa. Being a cultivator, good or bad things are all good things. This may have happened because of some karmic connections in the past and this was an opportunity for me to repay a debt. It may also help me get rid of my attachment to benefits and gains. So I calmly gave up this sum of money.
When I first started my business, I often employed the practice of “discrepant copies” (or “big head small tail”) method. Of the three invoice copies, the actual sales figure was correctly recorded on the customer’s copy, while a lower amount was entered on the stub copy retained by the issuer. When paying the tax (8%), it was based on the amount on the stub. In this way, I saved a lot. Many companies did this.
After I began practicing, I knew I could not continue doing this, so I paid the tax. In the end, I had to pay around 600,000 yuan in taxes. Since the supplier whom I sourced my raw materials from did not issue invoices, I was unable to deduct the cost of these materials against my tax liability. Consequently, I ended up paying higher taxes, which significantly reduced my company’s net profit. I had to close the business.
My family owns a few houses so I started a homestay business. I knew this could increase my chance of interacting with more people and thus I can clarify the truth about the persecution to them. Homestay businesses usually do not provide breakfast. The customers just come, register and stay. When they leave, they hand in the key, so there’s little opportunity to talk with them. I thought about how I could create opportunities to interact with these customers.
Initially, I delivered sliced watermelons to the customers’ rooms so I could interact with them. However, they usually wanted to go out, and they were in a hurry to shower and rest when they returned at night, so there was no chance for me to have a long talk with them.
I made breakfast for them for free. When the customers were eating breakfast, they sat down and I could clarify the truth to them. I asked Master to let customers come in waves, and Master really arranged this. I would speak to one group and after they agreed to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations, another group would come.
This summer, four female teachers brought a boy who was about 16 years old with them. They only booked one room and it was obvious that the room was not big enough for them. The boy said that he had no place to stay and he asked my wife if there were any night markets, so he could go somewhere for the night. I thought that I could not let a child wander outside all night, so I told his mother, “I am a Dafa practitioner. There is no one staying in the side room, and I won’t charge her.”
I let the child stay there. The next morning, they thanked me. I told them that I practiced Falun Dafa and our Master asked us to follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, and think for others. I said the news on the television and media about Falun Dafa was all lies. I successfully clarified the truth to them, and they all quit the CCP. Later, I heard my wife say that the child called his father. He came from a divorced family and the boy typically lives with his father.
A couple who were doctors came. The lady asked where the local hospitals were, and I asked if something was wrong. She said yesterday her husband was doing some chores around the house and hurt his ribs. It became very painful after they arrived and he thought he might have fractured ribs. He had already taken a taxi to a hospital. As they came from another city, she did not know which hospital her husband went to, and she was very anxious.
I told her, “Don’t worry. Your husband will be fine. Just keep saying ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ and your husband will return shortly.” The lady recited the two phrases silently. Her husband indeed came back. Her husband called a colleague while he was in the taxi and his colleague told him his ribs were not fractured. He just needed to rest. I told the couple how wonderful Falun Dafa is and that millions of Chinese already quit the CCP. Both of them happily quit the CCP.
A middle-aged woman stayed for six days. Before leaving, she hugged me and said, “You are really great. I’ve been very comfortable and I feel great.” I told her about Falun Dafa, and she accepted a Dafa book.
I treat all my customers like my relatives. If they aren’t eating out, I prepare food for them. They all say they feel staying with me is like being at home, and my guesthouse received rave reviews online. Many people say that staying at my guesthouse is great and feels warm and comfortable. I’m pleased because I’ve been able to help people quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Every year my oldest son gives practitioners money to purchase supplies, and he drives them to pick up materials. He used to work in the government sector, but after he saw how corrupt the CCP is, he resigned from his position, moved abroad, and obtained a green card. He takes the whole family to watch Shen Yun every year. Recently, an overseas media published articles filled with slander in order to defame Master, Dafa and Shen Yun.
When his family came to visit he showed me the articles. I asked him, “Do you believe this?” He replied, “I don’t believe this slander.” His family of four watched Shen Yun again this year. My son is blessed. His business is booming and he is about to open a second shop. He behaves according to Dafa’s principles and tries his best to help others.
My second son is not in good health. He took various medicines but nothing helped. My daughter-in-law has a very weak constitution. They often fight and even talked about divorce. His wife has a fungal infection on her scalp. She applied all sorts of topical medications but her scalp still itched. Constant scratching caused her scalp to be a mass of bleeding sores and scabs and the condition just kept recurring. During the new year, I told them to use the money that had truth-clarifying messages printed on it and they would be blessed. They did as I suggested. Their health improved and so did their relationship. The wife’s scalp also recovered and there was no trace of the previous scabbing at all.
I wish to specially thank Master for his benevolent salvation, transforming me from a profit-driven merchant to a cultivator who follows Falun Dafa principles. Thank you, Master, for arranging for people to listen to the truth, so they can be saved.