(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Gong in 1997 and have been doing the three things since 2005. However, I still fell short when compared with other practitioners. When I looked inward, I found the cause was that I wasn't studying the Fa wholeheartedly. What is studying the Fa wholeheartedly? My current understanding is that it is not only studying the Fa, but also evaluating everything with the standard of the Fa. I’d like to share my experiences in this regard.
In April 2001 while I was on my way home, a friend offered me a ride on his motorcycle. The road was extremely bumpy. When the motorcycle jumped up high in the air, I was thrown to the ground. The soft tissue surrounding my left eye was injured. The most serious injury was on the left side of my nose, as the bone was visible. I bled profusely. Later, people told me that I looked horrible at the scene. I was sent to a town clinic for stitches.
Later on, my children were worried about me and took me to the district hospital. As a result, I didn’t study the Fa or do the exercises for three weeks. Prior to that, I had never skipped Fa study and the exercises, not even after the persecution of Falun Gong started in 1999. As soon as I finally returned home from the hospital, I resumed Fa study and doing the exercises. However, I had doubt in my heart. I wondered if Teacher was still watching over me. If Teacher was looking after me, why did I have this accident? In hindsight, this thought itself was disrespectful to Teacher.
About two months later, I was doing the sitting meditation at night. I was facing the balcony and the door was open. Suddenly I opened my eyes and saw a cloud of white light on the balcony. I thought that it was caused by a high voltage power line accidentally touching the wire. I didn't think about it again. I just closed my eyes and continued the sitting meditation. The next morning, I noticed that the high voltage power line was no longer there. Maybe it was removed while I was in the hospital. I then realized that Teacher was giving me a hint that he was watching over me. I was truly happy.
After the persecution started in 1999, I wasn't able to get in touch with fellow practitioners until mid-June of 2004. The practitioners in my county were very happy to learn that I was still practicing Falun Gong. They sent me some of Teacher’s new articles, Minghui Weekly, and other materials. It was then that I learned that Teacher had asked us to do the three things, told us about interference from the old forces, heard stories about fellow practitioners validating Dafa in Beijing, etc.
In 2006, I bought a computer and logged on to the Minghui website. I was able to learn the current situation about Falun Gong and read all of Teacher’s lectures. Later, I established a material production site at my home. One time when I was reading the Fa, I read the following sentence:
“If he hadn’t learned Falun Dafa maybe he would have died right then and there when he fell.”
I was stunned. Wasn’t Teacher talking about me? If I had not practiced Falun Gong, maybe I would have sustained a brain injury during the motorcycle accident. That would have been much more serious than contusions around my eyes. Why did I even doubt Teacher? Teacher didn’t mind and still used the strong light to give me a hint. In retrospect, if I had studied the Fa wholeheartedly, I would not have had such doubt.
I had a dream two days ago in which I came across two big snakes blocking my way. I woke up instantly feeling very afraid. I thought to myself, “The sound of a snake is similar to that of lust. Teacher is giving me a hint that I am attached to lust and lust is poisonous to practitioners. Other practitioners know to ask Teacher for help when they have a problem. Why did I forget to ask Teacher for help? Why didn't I eliminate it with the supernormal capabilities Teacher gave us?” It boils down to the issue of whether or not one believes in Teacher.
I enlightened that our practitioners are beings who are “Beyond the five elements and leaving the three realms” (from Zhuan Falun) but snakes are lives in this human world. How could they harm Dafa practitioners? Why wasn’t my first thought in the Fa? We can’t simply claim to believe in Teacher and Dafa; we need to keep it in our heart. This can only be achieved by sincerely studying the Fa. Therefore, Teacher requires us to “make studying the Law and reading the books the essential part of their daily cultivation.” (from “What is Expected of Falun Dafa Assistance Centers” in The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection) Teacher repeatedly emphasized the importance of studying the Fa. Even at the very end, Teacher again published the article “Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa.” We should see how crucial Fa study is. This is Teacher’s compassion for us.
The above is my personal understanding. Please point out anything inappropriate.