(Clearwisdom.net) In Zhuan Falun, the Teacher said, "The root cause of their problem and all their misfortune is karma." (Chapter 7)
Before practicing Falun Gong, my life was mired in darkness. I thought it was because I had done something wrong, so I wanted to do better. Yet, after exhausting myself mentally and physically, my searches ended in vain. Then I thought, if I couldn't improve using conventional ways, perhaps I could ask for help from deities and spirits. I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in temples trying to rescue my spirit and gain salvation, but the source of my karma remained. Why was my life still full of suffering after so much effort?
I learned about Falun Gong due to predestined relationships. From that point on, I completely understood where my suffering came from and how to handle it. I was also able to let go of past tribulations. My life, which used to be dull and full of sadness, turned bright. I was able to sleep at night. The so-called "debtors" and other relations in other dimensions no longer looked for or bothered me at night. I knew all of this was changed because I practiced Falun Gong. That's why I had no doubt in Teacher's words, "The root cause of their problem and all their misfortune is karma." I decided to cultivate only Falun Dafa. I changed my habit of chanting Buddha's name everyday, because I learned that chanting Buddha's name could not eliminate karma at its root. I was determined to cultivate in Falun Dafa.
Besides work and doing housework, I watch my time carefully. I don't want to waste even one minute. When I have a little bit of time, even just a few minutes, I use it to put stamps on envelopes with "truth-clarification materials." In "Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Europe," Teacher said,
"It's just like a handbag. If the bag is filled with gold, people will say that what you have is gold; if your handbag is filled with dirt, they will say it is dirt."
I watch very little TV, because the substances emitted from ordinary people's TV programs may have a bad impact on a cultivator's pure body. I try my best to do the three things well and don't hold back. Once I went to the United States to clarify the facts. Because my family members did not understand and were not supportive, I felt very frustrated and tired. As I thought about slacking off and participating less in the activities, I had a dream. In my dream, a great enlightened being was standing on top of a cloud, while I was standing near the edge of a cliff on a very high mountain. The spot where I was standing was very small, and I had to cling to the cliff with my whole body in order to not fall. Below me the drop was so deep that I could not see the bottom. If I could go a little higher, I could reach the grotto where many enlightened beings were staying. The great enlightened being said, "If you slack off, you will fall down like them." It was very windy. I looked down and saw some fellow practitioners falling. I woke up and reconfirmed to myself: I must not let interference hold me back from doing the three things well. Thousands and tens of thousands years of waiting was just for this occasion!
Cultivation is serious and is no child's play. We shouldn't do what we shouldn't do, and we should do well what we are supposed to do. One time there was a project that I knew I should drop all other projects to finish first. Although I knew it, I did not do it. The next morning, when I was meditating, I saw an image of Teacher. He was serious and told me that I did not use the opportunity well to save sentient beings and had missed the chance. This upset me for quite a few days, and I cried several times. When I put my heart to a project and do it well, our compassionate Teacher always encourages me. When I don't do something well, Teacher reminds me with the words "make up [for the losses]." Of course all of this is based on having no pursuit. I thank our compassionate Teacher for saving the disciples and guiding them towards salvation. As a disciple, I should do the three things well so that Teacher will not be worried. That is being responsible to my own cultivation and for the Fa.
This is what I've always tried to do. I have written several articles. Writing articles is also a kind of cultivation and challenge. Every article takes me several hours or longer. Compared with the practitioners who can write well, I always take many times longer. Despite that, I still try my best to write and be responsible to my own cultivation. Whenever I see an article of mine published, I tell myself that it was right to be persistent. At the same time, I also encourage myself to keep being diligent.
