(Minghui.org) The two book series, Cultivation and Tempering, have carefully selected experience sharing and Fa principle discussion articles, since Falun Dafa was brought public in 1992, among Dafa disciples around the world (especial among those in mainland China). July 20, 1999 is the mark for division, those written prior to this date will be compiled into the Cultivation series, and those after this date will be compiled into the Tempering series. Based on conservative estimates, these two book series will be composed of over 100 books. Tempering, Volume I, Issues 1, 2, and 3, which debuted in California, the United States, in October 2006, marked the beginning of the publication and distribution of these two book series.
The traditional Chinese Confucius, Buddhist, and Taoist culture is a culture of cultivation. Historically, cultivation culture has been mysterious and hard to reach, yet it has existed in all aspects of social life. Cultivators in ancient times gave up the worldly glory, prosperity, and enjoyment, entered Buddhist or Taoist temples, or disappeared into tall and distinctive mountains. Through ages of quiet cultivation and enlightenment, they reached the magnificent realms they enlightened to. At the same time, ancient people have accumulated factors of cultivation in their daily lives as well as in what was passed down as trade secrets and in the evolution of professional skills. To respect for heaven, be content with one fate, keep a clean and clear mind, develop skills by enduring hardship, and strive for the elevation of one's realm, have all imbued into ancient people's life. This process can hardly be distinguished from one of cultivation.
What is the meaning of life? Why we came to this world for? Is what we live through in this life the entirety of life, or it is only an episode of our more fundamental life? These questions have remained a mystery to ancient people, especially ancient cultivators, the answer to which they had searched since remotest ages.
Today, we live in a society driven by modern science and technology. Life is full of competition and pressure, as well as enjoyment and temptations. Yet the question on the true meaning of life has remained in our minds. Modern science and technology cannot offer use solutions on these issues. Quite contrary, we are lost in contemporary life, and drift farther and farther away from answers to these questions.
It could be that throughout human history, all had been preparing and paving way to the event on May 13, 1992. On this day, Falun Dafa was first introduced to the public, which has revealed the truth of cultivation in plain language, and pointed a way for cultivators to elevate their realms and reach consummation. Falun Dafa tells people that everyday society is where human hearts are put to test. With the guidance of the genuine principles on people's hearts, pressure, worries, and temptations in life have all turned into good opportunities to test and improve oneself, through which a cultivator can truly elevate himself. Falun Dafa requires that cultivators take others into consideration in daily life, look for deficiencies in oneself all the time, and solidly remove attachments and improve xinxing. At the same time, Falun Dafa is a practice of both mind and body. By following Zhen-Shan-Ren for xinxing improvement, one also supplemented by five sets of exercises. These five sets of exercises are made of moving exercises, standing stance, and the seated meditation. They help a cultivator reach the goal of cultivating one's body through relaxing mind and body in fast-paced monder life, healing illness and keeping fit, and converting one's benti.
Among Falun Dafa disciples are average citizens, specialists and scholars, as well as high ranking officials and wealthy businessmen. Dafa disciples cultivate in their social strata by following the guidance of Dafa. Although they often study the Fa, practice the exercises, and share experiences, there is no hierarchy in cultivation, no organizational structure, and no money or other valuable items involved. Dafa disciples have their own families and jobs. They acquire information freely, and voluntarily determine their participation or withdrawal. Only because Falun Dafa's principles target people's hearts directly, can it be spread in such a formless approach of the Great Way. In a few short years, Falun Dafa spread across China and to faraway countries overseas. The number of practitioners around the world reached 100 million.
Cultivators and those with beliefs throughout history have faced severe tests. Falun Dafa disciples are no exception. On July 20, 1999, the evil regime of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started persecute, suppress, slander and frame Falun Dafa. However, after seven consecutive years of lies and violence, the CCP has failed to weaken Dafa disciples' resolve. Instead, Dafa disciples have become more mature through the tempering. Dafa's Master has told cultivators that everyone's coming to this world has a profound meaning, which could transcend one's lifetime, even all the lifetimes one spent in the human world. Dafa disciples' cultivation is tightly coupled with this meaning. For this reason, this destructive test is what Dafa disciples cannot acknowledge or accept. As a result, Dafa disciples have been resisting and negating this persecution while persevering in cultivation. At the same time, they are doing everything they can to clarify the facts to all social circles taking into consideration of the future of everyday people. This has been a distinctive difference between Dafa cultivation and the individual cultivation throughout history. Tempering oneself in face of adversities, while at the same time resisting the persecution, clarifying the truth, saving sentient beings, has become the approach of Dafa disciples' Fa-rectification cultivation after July 20, 1999.
Dafa disciples had been cultivating their hearts and looking up to kindness in a peaceful environment before July 1999. After July 1999, Dafa disciples have been tempered to become gold through resisting the persecution and clarifying the truth. To record this period of history and share it with friends in various social circles, the editing team of Minghui book series has carefully selected experience sharing and Fa principle discussion articles, since Falun Dafa was brought public in 1992, among Dafa disciples around the world (especial among those in mainland China). July 20, 1999 is the mark for division, those written prior to this date will be compiled into the Cultivation series, and those after this date will be compiled into the Tempering series. Each series is further divided into mainland and overseas compilations. All articles in the book series have been first published at Minghui. These articles are plain, sincere, natural. They honestly documented every bit of elevation in a life's cultivation, and the practice and validation of Dafa principles.
Our reader friends will see from these articles how Dafa disciples have walked into pure cultivation from their old days of drifting in life, how they have acquired clear wisdom from being lost, how they have reached tranquility through searching within from being puzzled by conflicts and seeking external solutions, and how they have been fulfilling their wishes by resisting the persecution and clarifying the truth.
In October 2006, Tempering, Special Edition, Volume I, was official published. This is the first in the two series of Cultivation and Tempering, which has collected over 100 written papers from the Second China Fa Conference. Due to its size, Tempering, Special Edition, Volume I is divided into three issues. A DVD with sound recordings is provided for free, which helps friends pressed by tight schedules to know the content. Tempering, Special Edition, Volume I has in it an article “What Has Brought About the China Fahui,” which tells today's reader and future generations a story of our times that characterizes purity, honesty, and steadfastness.
We wish all Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples stive diligently forward! We wish our reader friends will benefit from this series, and acquire a beautiful and long lasting future by assimilating to Zhen-Shan-Ren.
Order and purchase information of the Cultivation and Tempering series of books are as follows.
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