(Clearwisdom.net) My name is Liu, and I am a 76-year-old man of the Lahu ethnic group in Yunnan. Before I became a cultivator, I drank and smoked a lot. Although I was illiterate, I was kind to my wife. One evening in 1998, my wife said she was going to the next village to watch Master Li's lecture videos. I thought I should accompany her since it was getting late and the roads were not frequently traveled. When we arrived, there were many people waiting. I found a corner, sat down, and thought I would take a nap. They played Master Li's lecture in Jinan. As I sat and listened, I thought that Master's teaching was great. After we finished watching the video, I said, “I also want to practice!” That's how I became a Falun Dafa practitioner.
Since I couldn't read, at first my wife read the book and I listened. If she didn't have time or didn't want to read to me, I became anxious. After a few years of self-study, I can now read the vast majority of the book. I find that I can grasp more Fa principles when I read by myself, and am able to make more progress on my xinxing.
When the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting Falun Gong, I was very puzzled that such a great practice was outlawed and such a great Master was slandered. Since I became a practitioner, my physical health improved, and I also quit smoking and drinking. I felt a need to clarify the facts about the practice to non-practitioners. With my wife and several other practitioners, I boarded a train for Beijing. We didn't have a lot of plans. We just wanted to tell people that Falun Dafa was good. There were a lot of police on the train. As soon as they saw anyone who sat cross-legged, they would arrest him or her. Because the train was extremely crowded, I could only sit down on a piece of newspaper, with my legs crossed. When the police walked by me, they passed me as though they hadn't seen me at all.
When we arrived in Beijing, we asked around for directions and walked towards Tiananmen Square. At that time, I only thought about heading to Tiananmen to tell people about the benefits of Falun Dafa. When the police stopped us, they asked where we were from and whether we were Falun Gong practitioners. When we said “yes,” we were taken to a detention center near Tiananmen. We continued to clarify the facts. A few days later, we were sent back to Yunnan.
After I returned, I faced a lot of harassment from my work place, local police, and the 610 Office. I became afraid and only practiced at home. When my wife and other practitioners shared with each other and realized the importance of truth-clarification, they began distributing materials about the persecution to save people. They also encouraged me to step forward, but I couldn't out of fear.
One day, as I was studying the Fa, a passage jumped out to me,
“Some of the people who have obtained the Fa and, at this human surface, come to know the meaning of the Fa, have had their lives extended through the Fa; some of them have received all kinds of benefits, such as good health, harmony in the family, indirect benefits to their relatives and friends, a reduction of their karma, and even Master’s bearing things for them. In other dimensions, their physical bodies are being transformed into God-bodies. Despite this, when Dafa is about to consummate you, you are unable to step forward from humanness, and when the evil persecutes Dafa you are unable to stand up to validate Dafa. These people who only want to take from Dafa and not give for Dafa are, in the eyes of Gods, the worst beings.” (“A Suggestion,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
“Boom,” I was hit with a blow. Wasn't Master talking about me? Suddenly I became very ashamed. As a steel factory worker, I worked hard for decades and ended up with all kinds of illnesses. My life was full of pain. When I became a Falun Gong practitioner, all of my illnesses disappeared. Even from the human level, I should thank Dafa and protect it. Yet I only wanted to take but did not want to give. Wasn't I the worst being? I couldn't be the worst being. It is a great honor for a life to obtain the Fa. We will become the greatest beings and fulfill our vows. I told my wife, “I also want to distribute truth-clarification materials!”
With help from my wife, I stepped forward and escaped the control of the old forces. I was able to come into contact with ordinary people who were awaiting salvation.
For the last several years, I've covered many streets and alleys, villages and fields. Many people have gotten to know me and call me the “Falun Gong Elderly.” Once I walked passed a field where a man was busy working. He saw me and shouted, “Falun Dafa is great!” I responded, “Truth-Compassion-Forbearance is great!” We smiled at each other. Happiness abounds for the beings who have been saved.
Once someone called the police when I was handing out materials. I was riding an old bicycle. A police van started chasing me. I didn't have any impure thoughts. All I thought about was that I was saving people. How could they arrest me while I was doing something so great? Then I heard someone in the van saying, “How did he disappear? Let's go back since we can't find him.”
Another time, I was riding my bike when the police chased me. Suddenly the bike chain broke. I squatted by the side of the street to repair my bike, and did not become anxious. A little bit later, the police van came by and parked near my bike. Two people jumped out and looked forward down the road. I heard them saying, “Where did he go?” I realized that Master was protecting me.
Once, because I didn't do well, I was arrested. In court, the judge said cynically, “How come a practitioner of practicing Truth-Compassion-Forbearance ended up in court?” I said, “I think Truth-Compassion-Forbearance is good. You also said it was good. If that's the case, I shouldn't be here.” She didn't have anything to rebut. I was sentenced to three years in prison but was allowed to serve my term at home. She asked me if I wanted to appeal. I said of course I would. In my appeal, I detailed the great physical and mental benefits I've experienced because of practicing Falun Gong. I asked, wasn't it great that I saved the public health care system a large sum of money in medical bills. I am not sure what happened, but the three-year term turned into waiting for parole. I knew that Master was protecting me again.
I am studying the Fa even more now. Since I don't read well, I need to study the Fa more diligently, so as to walk well on my own path and return home with Master.
