(Clearwisdom.net) I am a veteran practitioner who has practiced Falun Dafa for 17 years. Through Master's mighty virtue, Dafa has nourished me and allowed me to experience the happiest years of my life. Master purified my body, saved the life of a family member during a car accident, and changed another relative's positive cancer test to a negative one. Many of my family members also practice Falun Dafa. The many good things we have experienced as a result of practicing cultivation in Dafa are indescribable!
On July 20, 1999, the smearing of Falun Dafa and Master by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began. In the beginning, I came out to protect the Fa with fellow practitioners. However, later I wrote a so-called guarantee statement against my will, which brought shame upon the good name of Dafa disciples. Threats from the evil led me to have fears about being sent to a forced labor camp and possibly losing my job and family. As a result, I fell behind in my cultivation for 11 years and wasted so many opportunities to save sentient beings. I felt shame for myself and felt regretful to Master, Dafa, and sentient beings. At this critical moment, when I could have been destroyed by the old forces, Master arranged for fellow practitioners to help me avoid the trap set by the old forces.
Guided by fellow practitioners, I kept studying the lectures given by Master after July 20, 1999 again and again. Studying Master's lectures and communicating with fellow practitioners helped me understand the real meaning of Fa-rectification and how to truly cultivate. I learned that whenever I met with any interference or persecution, I must first validate the Fa and completely deny all the arrangements set by the old forces. Even if I had shortcomings, I didn't allow the old forces to use this as an excuse to interfere and persecute me. I only walked on the path arranged by Master and no one else was allowed to interfere with my cultivation. I looked inward to identify the attachments and human notions inside my mind, and immediately used the Fa to adjust myself and eliminate the bad elements. To help me step out of everyday human thinking and make improvements, and to keep up with the course of Fa-rectification and fulfill my vow, fellow practitioners arranged for me to join in a project. Fellow practitioners on this project team had very firm belief in Master and Dafa. They had a very clear understanding of the principles of the Fa. They looked inward all the time and whenever they identified any bad thoughts, they immediately eliminated them. Their sense of responsibility to lost practitioners such as me, and all sentient beings, greatly touched me. I thought of each of them as an enlightened being who had come to validate the Fa. Each practitioner had good perspectives for me to learn and emulate, and their qualities encouraged me to cultivate diligently. Meanwhile, I began to recognize the responsibilities and duties that I must perform.
During these years, so many practitioners paid so heavy a price in order to save sentient beings. Some were persecuted to death and others were disfigured by the evil CCP. Some were sentenced to jail and some were robbed of all their household belongings by the CCP. However, none of them had any complaints or regrets. Master also suffered greatly while rectifying the Fa and saving sentient beings. Meanwhile, I enjoyed all of the good things Dafa gave me. The small price that I sometimes had to pay for this is not even worth mentioning. I now understood that Master granted me so much not because of my good personality, but because of my responsibility, mission, and vow. After learning these things, I knew I should carry out my responsibilities and make up the time that I had lost as quickly as possible.
Since the beginning of cultivation, I thought I did quite well at eliminating the attachment to money. Before cultivation, I did not value money too much. So with so many years of cultivation, I thought I did not have any attachments to money at all. When I started the practice, I often thought that I should give all my savings to Master and Dafa. However, Master refused to take any money from his disciples. The Fa-validating project needed money and only with plenty of money could it save more sentient beings poisoned by the CCP. In order to save more people, I thought that I should withdraw my savings and help the project. Just before I was ready to go to the bank to take out the money, I began to hesitate. I suddenly remembered that my child had now grown up and needed to buy a house, and I had not yet saved enough money. I realized that I had not really eliminated my attachments to money and that the attachments were quite strong. I previously thought my money was Dafa's resource which could be used any time for validating the Fa. Over the years, I had often spent money on validating the Fa. Now, when I wanted to take out a big sum of money at one time, it was very difficult. For a dozen years, people in China had be treated badly by the CCP. They suffered three kinds of oppression, including the education fees, medical costs, and the cost of buying a house. They had to try very hard to save enough money to pay all those costs. Due to that influence, I learned to save money and formed the concept that having money is essential for living. Therefore, I looked inward and found my selfishness behind my attachment to money, my attachment to my child, and to the family concept.
Cultivation of the Fa is about cultivating into enlightened beings who have no selfishness, and always think about others first. Dafa disciples are different from everyday people and they should let go of human fame, interests, and affections. One of my fellow practitioners often said, "My home is in heaven, not in the world," and I agree with that. The mission of Dafa disciples is to help Master rectify the Fa and save sentient beings.
As Master said,
"The path that Dafa disciples have walked in validating the Fa--where as they cultivate themselves they also save sentient beings, accommodate the needs of the cosmos's Fa-rectification, and disintegrate and clear away the dark minions and rotten demons that are negatively impacting the Fa-rectification and doing evil against Dafa disciples, as well as all the elements of interference and persecution arranged by the old forces--such is the complete path of cultivation, Consummation, and becoming a magnificent god that Disciples of Dafa walk." ("My Version of a 'Stick Wake-up'")
Shortly after I withdrew my money, my family suddenly got a sum of money which was relatively equal to the sum I had just taken out. I suddenly understood that everything was made by Master. Master only needs to see the firm belief in Him and the Fa by his disciples and he will help them. Later, when my family was short of money, and I still put my money into a Fa rectification project, another magical thing happened. Master gave me back the money! I understood Master's intention and vowed from then on to use all my income to validate the Fa. With such great compassion and mighty virtue shown to me, there is no excuse for me not to do a good job.
The above situations helped me identify my attachments and eliminate them. I also realized I needed to change my family concepts. My child, who is also coming to validate the Fa, should not learn to have attachments to enjoying material things. If I have affection for him that would actually ruin him. Dafa disciples' family members are coming for the Fa. In this life the Fa's predestined relationship formed us into a family. Since I know this, I should not have any family affection.
Since my family members were coming for the Fa, they formed a predestined relationship with me. If I only eliminate the family affections, that is not enough. They are also sentient beings waiting for me to save them. They already gave their future to me, therefore I have a duty to take care of them well and bring them back. I told my family that several lives in my family were picked up by Dafa and Master. Our family owes much to Dafa and we should express our appreciation. I tell my family that their mission is to assist me in helping with Master's Fa rectification and saving sentient beings. All of them are very kind and respect Master and the Fa. I brought them with me to help pass out the truth clarifying materials. They were very happy to hand out pamphlets to those with predestined relationships. They accompanied me to go to send forth righteous thoughts near government offices. They also voluntarily went out to mail the truth clarification letters. When the time comes to send righteous thoughts, they remind me, "Time for you to send righteous thoughts." When I display a bad attitude, they point it out in a very polite way.
As a poor disciple who needed Master's care, I am here now to thank Master for his kindness. I want Master to be assured that I will make up for the lost time. I will follow Master's plan, fulfill my vow, and move forward on the path of helping with Master's Fa rectification and saving of sentient beings.