(Minghui.org) I knew it was important to memorize the Fa (teachings), and I always wished to. However, I found it daunting and I repeatedly gave up.
In 2018, I read an article on Minghui in which a practitioner memorized Zhuan Falun more than a hundred times. Their perseverance deeply moved me, and I made up my mind to memorize the book. I am now nearing the end of my third round of memorizing Zhuan Falun.
Strengthening My Willpower
It took me three years to memorize Zhuan Falun for the first time, and the process was extremely challenging. Without strong willpower and perseverance, it would have been impossible to persist.
I run a brick-and mortar store, so my schedule and environment are relatively conductive to my cultivation.
Usually I don’t watch TV or use my phone. After business hours, I read fellow practitioner’s sharing articles and Master’s lectures. I focused on memorizing Zhuan Falun in the morning and at night.
My method of memorizing the book was to read a paragraph several times, or a dozen times if the paragraph was long. I first tried to grasp its surface meaning. Then I memorized it sentence by sentence. After reading through the paragraph a few more times, I tried to recite the entire paragraph from memory. If I forgot a part, I would open the book and read it a few more times, then continue memorizing until I could recite the entire paragraph.
Next, I checked each sentence that I memorized with the book to make sure it matched the original exactly. If it didn’t, I corrected it immediately and recited the sentence three more times. I repeated the whole process until I could recite the entire paragraph perfectly. The next morning I recited the paragraph again. Only when I could recite it perfectly, would I move on to the next paragraph.
It took me two years to memorize Zhuan Falun for the second time. I read through each paragraph several times (with longer paragraphs requiring more repetitions), then I moved on to memorizing it sentence by sentence. I spent less time memorizing each paragraph than I had the first time, and I was able to recall what I memorized over the following two or three days.
My Changes After Memorizing the Fa
My appearance began changing. I used to have very thin hair on the top of my head, and even my scalp was visible. After I began memorizing Zhuan Falun, the hair on the top of my head became much thicker and darker. I didn’t notice the change myself, it was my return customers and friends who often asked, “Your hair is much thicker than before, did you dye it?” I told them this change resulted from practicing Falun Dafa.
I used to be sensitive to the cold. In winter, no matter how thick a jacket I wore, my hands and feet were always cold. Now I don’t need to wear a thick jacket in winter, and my hands and feet no longer feel the cold.
The more noticeable changes have been in my Fa-study and exercises. The more I recite the Fa, the better I get at it and the more I enjoy it. My mind has become increasingly calm, and I feel a sense of lightness in both body and mind. These changes have made memorizing Zhuan Falun easier and faster.
I can now do the second set exercises for a whole hour with a calm mind, and sometimes even for two hours. In the past, it was very difficult for me, not only would my arms become sore, but my mind would also become so unsettled that I had to stop.
In the past I could only meditate for half an hour. Now I can easily meditate for an hour in the full-lotus position.
My Improvements
I not only developed greater endurance while doing the exercises, but I was able to endure xinxing tests in daily life.
For example, when my wife becomes angry over trivial matters and raises her voice or yells at me, I remain calm. My first thought is, “Why is she getting so angry?” In the past I would have tried to explain or argue with her, and I often felt resentful.
Now no matter what I do, I always think of others first. For example, if my wife doesn’t want to do some dirty, tiring, or difficult chores, I take the initiative to do them. I no longer harbor any resentment toward her. I feel this is a manifestation of kindness and an expression of compassion.
In short, I have benefited greatly from memorizing Zhuan Falun. I’d like to remind practitioners to memorize the Fa and keep the Fa in our hearts and engraved in our minds. Let the Fa guide us forward in our daily lives, in our cultivation, and when facing difficulties. Let the Fa enable us to walk the path of assisting Master in Fa-rectification and return to our original homes.
Category: Improving Oneself
