(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 2012. I would like to share some of my understandings of the Fa and how I overcame the tribulations I encountered in the last year.
I was a sickly kid for most of my childhood. Before I graduated from college, my parents sent me to Sanya in Hainan Province, hoping the nice weather would make me healthier.
In Sanya, I encountered a Falun Gong practitioner who told me what Falun Dafa really is and how brutal the persecution was. I took up the practice with his help.
Although I am young, I realized that the Party culture had influenced me deeply. It had brainwashed me to make me think that being selfish, fighting, and lying were all normal.
After I studied the Fa, I tried to correct my behavior and rid myself of those bad habits. I also did the exercises with other practitioners. Very soon, I became healthy which made me more determined to cultivate.
However, my parents, who were deceived by the Party, refused to admit that it was cultivating Falun Gong that made me well. Some of my relatives thought I was irrational for practicing Falun Gong.
Their attitudes provoked my competitive mentality, and I argued with them vehemently. But after several quarrels, I calmed down and realized that was wrong: that was not the right attitude to have. I should have known that it was interference behind my family members that were interfering with me.
After I realized that, I decided not to argue with them anymore. Instead, I tried my best to improve myself and validate the Fa with my own words and behavior.
My parents didn't react well to this at first. They tried to drag me away from my cultivation environment and isolated me from my fellow practitioners. They tried everything to make me leave Sanya, even enticing me with a high-paying but low-responsibility job in another city. It would be a great opportunity if I were an ordinary person, but I knew I couldn't leave Sanya.
I also knew that it was the interference from the old forces; my heart was not moved. There was only one thought in my mind: "Nothing can interfere with me, and I will only obey Master's arrangements."
I tried my best to eliminate the interference. Every day I sent forth righteous thoughts for a long time to get rid of the interference that manipulating my parents.
After a while, the interference disappeared. My parents changed their attitude and didn't try to make me leave Sanya anymore. Meanwhile, I found a nice local job.
From this experience, I realized that Master will help us to overcome our difficulties as long we have righteous thoughts and righteous actions.
I used to be lazy, and sometimes I was dishonest. I was also competitive. In public, I often pretended to be polite, diligent, and honest. Many friends of mine are like that. We have all been brainwashed by the communist party, so we did not realize that kind of behavior is wrong. I always thought that I was better than others.
After practicing Dafa, I realized what real goodness is. I've changed dramatically, because I made up my mind that I would purify my thoughts and behavior thoroughly and thereby validate the Fa with my pure words and deeds.
With Master's guidance and fellow practitioners' help, I, a spoiled brat, now often help others do the tough and dirty jobs. I believe that it is the power of the Fa. Sometimes, I still slack off, but I believe that Master will help me to eliminate all the attachments, as long as I solidly cultivate and keep improving my xinxing.
Clarifying the Truth and Saving People
I haven't done very well in clarifying the truth, and I have missed many people who have had predestined relationships with me. Nonetheless, I would still like to share my experiences.
I often take taxis or motorcycle-taxis. I know that the drivers have a predestined relationship with me, and that I should tell them what Falun Gong really is.
But when I first wanted to give it a try, I was nervous and did not know where to start. I also had some unrighteous thoughts, thinking that I couldn't possibly do a good job in such a short time.
When I was about to give up, I heard a voice saying, “You should not give up. It doesn't matter if the time is short—you can still clarify the truth. This is Master's arrangement, and you must save this person.”
The voice inspired me to send forth strong righteous thoughts, which not only eliminated the evil factors behind the everyday people, but also disintegrated my cowardly thoughts. I was no longer nervous.
One day I talked to a young driver. I started with the corruption of the Party, which is a topic that most people like to talk about. Then I told him about the staged self-immolation on Tiananmen Square.
The driver interrupted and said, “The way that the government treats Falun Gong – why, it's practically a persecution.”
I was surprised and happy. I explained why the Party persecutes Falun Gong and what Falun Gong really is. I finally convinced him to quit the Party.
Another time, I talked to a retired military officer. When he told me what he used to do, I was a little nervous.
But I told myself: “There is nothing to worry about. I am a Dafa disciple, and he is an everyday person who has been deceived by the Party. I am here to awaken him. No matter what he used to do, I will save him.”
I sent forth righteous thoughts for a few minutes and then began to talk about the history of the Party. I was happy to hear that he was well aware of the evil nature of the Party, so I started to tell him about the persecution. He listened carefully and accepted what I said.
I then moved onto the matter of beliefs.
“Many government officials nowadays worship Buddha. But Buddha will only protect people who follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” I said.“If you quit the Party, Buddha will bless you.”
He said that all of his documents were kept in the military, so he could not quit. I told him that, as long as he published an announcement stating that he quit, it would count, because Buddha only sees people's hearts. He agreed to quit the Party with his real name.
Through these two cases, I realized that, as long as I have righteous thoughts and eliminate my fear, clarifying the truth is actually easy. However, sometimes I just want to finish the task, and talk to people without compassion. At other times, I only care about my own safety.
I realized that, if I slack off in cultivation and lack solid belief in Master and the Fa, I often run into difficulties when clarifying the truth.
I came to the following understanding: In many cases, we don't have to say too much to awaken people. Different people have different attachments. If we can find his or her attachments and target those specific attachments, we will be able to open their hearts.
Clarifying the truth is a process within cultivation. I will keep improving my xinxing and awaken more and more people.
