(Clearwisdom.net)
1. Sentient beings are our first priority
The Divine Performing Arts show is not just another chance given by Master for sentient beings to be saved, but also a great trial for Falun Dafa practitioners, testing whether we regard ourselves as divine beings or humans, and testing whether we relate our cultivation to the fate of sentient beings or not. When we put sentient being as the first priority, their knowing side will purchase the tickets, and the gods safeguarding the Fa will lead all those who have a predestined relationship with Dafa to purchase the tickets and come to see the show.
When promotion pamphlets became available for practitioners in my country, I brought some to my friend and invited him to the show. He said, "I don't need to see this show. I worked in the area of cultural exchanges with foreign countries when I was in China, and I saw all kinds of shows and the most famous actors in China. They are all the same."
I believed what my friend said because he grew up in a high-ranking official's family in Beijing, and nothing seemed to a impress him. I asked him, "You are a smart person who can tell right from wrong, but did you see real traditional Chinese culture in mainland China? That was all sham. The Chinese Communist Party has been promoting the 'culture of the wolf,' their officials are brutal and corrupt, and they don't know anything about the classics. The CCP dares not promote the essence of true Chinese culture, because they are scared!"
My friend is an intelligent person and agreed to purchase some tickets. However, he hesitated to buy more than two when he heard the price. I thought that his children might need to see the show, too, so I said, "I can get you the cheapest tickets, with 15 percent off for the family package, and I can pick good seats in that section for you for early birds." When he he heard that, he bought several tickets right away.
2. "Because of the positive changes I saw in you, I want to buy a ticket!"
A few years ago when I first started practicing Falun Dafa, I developed a new friendship. I had lots of human attachments at that time, and I sometimes complained to her about my relatives or my problems. As I understood the Fa better, I had fewer and fewer complaints.
Once she asked me, "I haven't heard you complaining about the problems and troubles in your life anymore. Is it that you don't have them anymore?" I told her, "You know that I am practicing Falun Dafa. Through reading Zhuan Falun, I realized that as a practitioner, I need to get rid of my attachments. All my unhappiness is related to my attachments, so I must look within myself for the causes. Our Teacher encourages us to look within, which is the way to happiness and peace for each of us." Because of the positive changes she saw in me, she also complained less. Later, when the Divine Performing Arts show was going to be held in my country, I suggested that she buy some tickets, since she has a musical background. She replied, "Because of the positive changes in you, I want to buy the tickets." When I heard this, tears came to my eyes. Master is right, Dafa practitioners' words and behavior are so important: they can affect ordinary people in their decision making.
3. People who buy tickets are all around you
Some practitioners said tickets for the Divine Performing Arts shows were hard to sell. Actually, it was our human notions that stood in our way. I asked one practitioner, "Is that good friend of yours going to see the show?" He said, "He runs a restaurant. He is too busy and couldn't get away." When I heard that, I realized that the practitioner's human notions were preventing people who have predestined relationships from seeing the show. I said, "Then you perhaps you can persuade his wife to see the show. We have two shows in two days. One day the wife goes, and the other day the husband goes." That practitioner said, "I'll try. But it is difficult!"
Actually, every person we as practitioners know has a predestined relationship with us. They are also the ones who will buy tickets. At the same time, they can also promote the shows. Each of them is connected layer by layer to people who have predestined relationships with Dafa. We cannot neglect our own friends and relatives. I often teach the Chinese language to Westerners in my spare time. My goal is not just to teach them to speak Chinese. I want to let more people know about Falun Dafa and assimilate to Dafa in this way. When I learned that the Divine Performing Arts show would be held in our city this year, I understood that Master had arrangements for the people around us with predestined relationships. In the past two months, an Indonesian-Chinese person called me and asked me to teach him Chinese. After a period of study, when I gave him a flyer about the Divine Performing Arts show, he said, "We drifted overseas many years ago and are bullied quite a lot. True, traditional Chinese culture is something we always think about and long for. I will pass this flyer around in my family." Then I gave him the website to buy tickets. He went back to tell his wife, and his wife passed the message to her friends. Everyone was very glad to hear about it, and they bought over 20 tickets total. If we encourage ordinary people as well as practitioners to sell tickets, they will be sold fast. Our Heavenly Law-Guardians will help us.
4. Only when we harmonize well the misunderstandings among practitioners can we keep the old forces from taking advantage of our omissions.
After I had sold dozens of tickets over three weeks, I dreamed one night that a flood was approaching me and I thought, "I am going to die." Then I remembered, "'Hearing the Tao in the morning, one can die in the evening.' Since I have obtained the grand, cosmic law, what am I afraid of?" Once I had this thought, I was pushed to the beach by the waves. I stood in front of my home and saw many practitioners waiting for me. They asked me to save people.
The next day, I met a practitioner who usually gets along with me very well. Her patience helps me a lot in cultivating Dafa. Master often gave hints to me through her mouth. That day, she criticized me in front of other practitioners, which really shocked me. I felt very uncomfortable and gave her a retort. After I got home, I felt very depressed. Why was she so unfriendly to me? The karma in my body made me very uncomfortable. For those two days, I could not calm down to study the Fa. I even thought about giving up cultivation. I did not dare to talk about it with those around me. Master told us that practitioners should cooperate, so I called that practitioner. Master gave me hints through her mouth, saying, "You also need to improving your xinxing, even though you do things for Dafa. If you do not want to stand up when you meet tribulations, are you worthy of Master and all beings?" Suddenly, I felt deep in my heart that moment when we made vows before we came down from Heaven. If I do not cultivate Dafa and get rid of my demon nature, I am just wasting my time in this world.
That night, I calmed down and studied the Fa. I searched my inner self. I realized I had attachments to sentiment and I was afraid of losing face, which my attachment of jealousy was hidden behind. Actually, it was I who had the problem. After I realized my attachments, I called that practitioner to apologize. Suddenly I felt relieved. If there are misunderstandings among our practitioners and we do not solve them in a timely manner, how can we cooperate well and sell the show tickets for the show to save people? The old forces just want to take advantage of misunderstandings between practitioners and our attachments. The misunderstandings and attachments could then form an energy field to keep people from buying the tickets.
When we can use our divine sides and give up our human sides, the people around us will be restricted by our energy field. As long as we display our divine sides, miracles will occur.
This is my personal understanding. Please point out anything inappropriate.