(Minghui.org) Greetings to revered Master and fellow practitioners!
I started to practice in early 2003. Before I practiced, I was tortured by sickness and even contracted an incurable disease. I thoroughly lost hope in life and became withdrawn. I had no interest in anything in life and resented everyone around me. As a result, I hurt my friends and family. After practicing Dafa, all my illnesses disappeared inadvertently. Through studying Zhuan Falun and other teachings, I understood many things and realized this is what I have been looking for.
I actively took part in truth clarifying activities after I began the practice, combining my personal cultivation with saving sentient beings and assisting Master in Fa rectification. This became my cultivation journey. Guided by the environment around me and fellow practitioners, I participated in activities that clarify the truth to people visiting from mainland China, especially tourists. Despite my inability to speak Chinese fluently, I persisted in telling them the truth by giving them flyers and speaking in simple sentences in Chinese that I had memorized. When I felt very tired, I wanted to take a break. However, when I saw people reading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and the flyers earnestly or heard them express their gratitude, I regained boundless energy again.
Hence, I developed the notion that clarifying the truth to mainland Chinese is the only important thing to do and neglected to clarify the truth to Koreans. Perhaps due to this notion, when Shen Yun Performing Arts came to Korea as part of its global tour, I could not grasp its significance. I only had a very strong desire to save Chinese people. I also had the misconception that Shen Yun's global tour was a process paving the way for it to enter mainland China. When Shen Yun came to Korea, while I worked hard in selling tickets, because I did not have the correct understanding and righteous thought, I did not sell many tickets. I felt that the Shen Yun shows in Korea were a burden. Even when I saw the ticket sales achieved by other practitioners, I thought it was nothing remarkable and regarded my understandings to be correct. Now, when I look back, I saw my fear of not doing well and jealousy towards practitioners who did well. I would like to use this opportunity to expose these ugly thoughts. Consequently, a lot of sticky, bad substances were emitted, obstructing sentient beings from being saved. Here, I ask for Master, fellow practitioners, as well as sentient beings' forgiveness.
Master has repeatedly stressed the significance of Shen Yun in many teachings. Through studying the Fa continuously and sharing with practitioners, I discovered that I was led by many notions. So this gave me the opportunity to get rid of them. In 2011, Shen Yun came to Korea again and I resolved to try my best to sell tickets for the shows. I gave the CEO of a company Shen Yun promotional materials, showed him the promotional DVD, and introduced him to the show. Unexpectedly, he told me that he intended to ask all his staff, around 30 people, to see Shen Yun. He asked me to come and see him again the next day. I was exhilarated. That night, at a group Fa study, I shared the occurrence with practitioners as if I had already sold the tickets. However the next day when I went to see the CEO again, he said that his staff was not interested in the show. I tried very hard to change his mind, but failed. I then realized it was my zealotry and show-off mentality that led to this turn of events. I also discovered that I did not have righteous thoughts. When I thought of the 30 sentient beings deprived of a chance to see Shen Yun due to my attachments, I was very sad. Master said in “Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa”:
“Those who were originally meant to have been saved last year [by Shen Yun, but didn’t go], have lost the opportunity forever. That’s because Fa-rectification is unceasingly forging ahead, step by step, and when it arrives at one cosmic plane it is time for that level of people; when it reaches a certain heavenly kingdom above, or a certain layer of cosmic body, it is time for that group of people to come see [the show], and next time around [when Shen Yun performs], that seat will belong to someone else. Do you realize how many lives have been lost?! Do you know how I feel when I see those empty seats in the theater?”
I started to look within myself. I heard that a new practitioner had sold more than 50 group tickets. Although he was a new practitioner, he had a pure state of mind and not a selfish thought; therefore he got such good results. I understood that if my mindset is not pure and my thoughts are not righteous, then it is difficult to save sentient beings.
Another year went by, and in 2012, Shen Yun came to Korea again. In the process of working together with local practitioners, I put up posters, distributed flyers, and worked harder than in prior years to promote Shen Yun. I introduced Shen Yun to companies located in districts where Shen Yun performances were held. I let go of my human notions and made great efforts to maintain a sincere heart to save sentient beings. I tried my best to promote Shen Yun and sell tickets. Perhaps Master saw my sincere heart because good tidings came, one after another.
Once, I was putting up posters in front of a condominium with other practitioners. A teacher with a child next to him asked what show this was? We told him it was a traditional Chinese cultural performance with dance, a live orchestra, and so on. We also told him this is not a show one gets to see everyday, and it is exceptionally beneficial in educating and instilling healthy values in children. We told him that he must see the show, that this is such a precious opportunity, and that although it seemed we were imploring him to see the show, after watching it, he will be grateful to us for introducing this to him. He said he will definitely buy tickets to see the show and we exchanged cell phone numbers. After that, up until the shows were about to begin, I still had not heard from him. Hence I called him on his cell phone. He was very happy to hear from me and said that because he lost my number, he could not contact me. Through him, another dozen people bought tickets for the show. From this incident, I realized that those we meet on the streets by chance are predestined people, and hence we cannot disregard such opportunities. Besides, I also understood that we cannot stop selling tickets and must continue to try our best until the day of the performances.
I worked in a small company, and my boss is a devout parishioner of a Christian organization. His wife is a minister in the Christian organization. Although I clarified the truth about Falun Gong to them, they were quite against it, and usually, when the topic of Falun Gong was brought up, they would be unhappy. Hence I had not told them about Shen Yun. This time, I let go of all my human notions and harbored the thought of saving all predestined people. I introduced them to Shen Yun, and they were very receptive. I was very happy, but regretfully, they had already made arrangements to travel overseas when Shen Yun would perform in Korea. They could not see Shen Yun this year. However, I encouraged them not to miss the shows next time. Several days before the shows began, I contacted him about other matters. He told me that his trip overseas had been postponed and he wanted to see Shen Yun. Master saw my heart and arranged this.
Another predestined person I met was the president of a company who had business dealings with the company I worked in. He is also the chairman of a golf club. Due to the difference in social status, I was afraid to introduce him to Shen Yun. I hesitated and wondered what I should do. Then I suddenly recalled that although in ordinary human society, his social status is different from mine, he also is a sentient being waiting to be saved. Thus I mustered my courage and went to his office. As he had to attend a meeting, I waited for nearly two hours before he returned. Unexpectedly, he was very happy to see me, and when I introduced Shen Yun, although he was interested in the show, unfortunately he had guests from overseas and could not attend the performances. Hence he asked his son and daughter-in-law to watch the show. During the conversation, he expressed interest in learning Falun Gong. The next day I taught him the exercise movements and gave him a copy of Zhuan Falun and other Dafa books. A few days later, just before the inauguration ceremony of his joint chairman, a video promoting Shen Yun was broadcast on the screen. Afterwards at the tea reception, again a promotional video on Shen Yun was broadcast on the screen repeatedly for about an hour. Everyone who attended the event saw the footage, and even I myself was very moved by the video. Around 400 representatives of small to medium size enterprises, as well as committee members, saw the promotional footage on Shen Yun and took promotional materials. Many of them were very curious and wanted to find out more about the show. Subsequently something unbelievable happened. Just two to three days before the show, this chairman bought three of the most expensive tickets. Because his guests from overseas had suddenly changed their plans, he was able to see Shen Yun on Saturday night. He even smiled and said to me happily: “I'm a blessed person.” As long as we have the heart, Master will help us.
There was another incident. While buying a car, I introduced Shen Yun to the salesman. He told me that he was going to a rural area during the show times; so he could not see the performances. However I still asked him not to miss this opportunity and find time to attend the show. That same day in the afternoon, he contacted me, saying that he gave the Shen Yun promotional materials I gave him to his distributor. The latter immediately said this is a good show and bought three tickets. Later on, I met him at the show. He brought his daughter to watch the show. So long as we have a sincere heart and are willing to make sacrifices, Master will then save the predestined beings.
There are many other incidences where many people were saved through Shen Yun. Looking back, although I met many people, amongst them, the proportion who were not saved seemed to be slightly more. I feel very regretful about this. I resolved to sell group tickets next time Shen Yun comes to Korea and save even more sentient beings. In the “20th Anniversary Fa Teaching”, Master said:
“I have told you previously that whether or not a Dafa disciple cultivates well determines his power to save sentient beings as well as his ability to be successful in fully cooperating, here in the human world, with the Fa-rectification.”
Through the 2012 Shen Yun shows, I truly felt that whether it is Koreans or mainland Chinese who are poisoned by the propaganda spread by the communist regime, they are all beings we should save. I am determined to find my shortcomings in cultivation and let go of my human notions with a purer mindset so that when Shen Yun comes again, I can save more sentient beings.
Finally I would like to talk briefly about my feelings towards exercise practice sites. After I changed my rigid notions and began to pay attention to saving Koreans, it made me rethink about the operation of my practice site. Initially, I practiced the exercises on the field of a primary school every morning. However as I did the exercises alone, I was always very slack. Although I persisted in studying the Fa and doing all five sets of the exercises every day ever since I started cultivation, when the weather was bad or I was not feeling too good physically, I would however skip going to the practice site and practice the exercises at home instead.
In 2012, after the New York Fa conference, I thought that I should not restrict myself to simply doing the exercises alone. I should do the exercises at a place where I could spread the Fa. After some investigation, I found a place not far from my home. Every morning many people do their exercises there, and it is an area where many of society's cultural mainstream live. Hence I moved my practice site to this new place. Now, every morning a dozen of us do the exercises together. On average, every week, we teach two to three people the exercise movements. Amongst them some are Christians, catholics, buddhists, etc. Just like selling Shen Yun tickets, I let go of all my notions and only want to save them. I leave the rest to Master's arrangements. I explained to them the facts about Falun Gong without any notions, and they all accepted it. I deeply understood this paragraph in “Troubles” in Hong Yin III: “Neither heaven nor earth can block my road of Fa-rectification, but disciples' human hearts can”
Master taught us to be a good person. In my opinion, a truly good person should save sentient beings. Now, every morning, going to the practice site to do the exercises has become the happiest moment in my day.
Although in my cultivation, I still often have many human notions and attachments that are hard to get rid of, I am determined to do well the three things required of Dafa disciples in the Fa rectification period. I will not miss this precious opportunity and resolve not to have any regrets in assisting Master in Fa rectification. In the process of cultivation, my greatest happiness comes from sentient beings accepting the truth and letting go of my attachments bit by bit.
Thank you Master and fellow practitioners!