(Minghui.org) I began to practice Falun Dafa in 1995 and am grateful for Master's continued guidance. Falun Dafa practitioners have no reference or role models, and thus will have to be clear concerning Dafa principles. Otherwise, one may not be able to walk one's cultivation path well and could face interference by the old forces.
Negating the Old Forces
Practitioners must be clear when it comes to the relationships between Master, practitioners, and the old forces. Without a good understanding, one may face tribulations or fall into traps set by the old forces.
The old forces have detailed arrangements for practitioners. Master has utilized this and turned the arrangements against the old forces, assuring that practitioners succeed in their mission. Of importance is that practitioners must maintain strong righteous thoughts to oppose the old forces, or face persecution.
Some practitioners complain about the persecution being so rampant and wonder why the Fa allows it to happen. This is because these practitioners did not understand well how Master uses the situation to help us improve. Following the Fa principles and looking within is something Master wants us to do. Therefore, we need to pay attention to this instead of what the old forces think of it. Anyway, the old forces should not exist because they interfere with the Fa-rectification.
We should do things on the basis of validating the Fa at work, at home, when in society, or when collaborating with fellow practitioners. If we are unable to do things well, it will not only affect ourselves but also ruin the future for sentient beings. Each attachment could lead to serious consequences and we must be clear on that.
I pay attention to anything that could harm me and thus have not been directly persecuted. We can only follow what Master wants, not what the old forces have arranged. This requires us to study the Fa well and keep doing the exercises.
Clarifying the truth of Dafa will put an end to the defamatory propaganda by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), so that people can make the right choice. In addition, sending forth righteous thoughts is also critical to disintegrate anything that interferes with us.
Becoming Computer Literate
When the persecution started, truth-clarification materials in my region were provided by practitioners from other cities. As the suppression intensified in 2000, we no longer received Dafa materials. Although I was computer illiterate, I knew that I had to help solve this problem.
Because my motivation was pure, Master guided me. Given the persecution, my family was financially in poor condition and only had 3,000 yuan in savings. Yet, my wife let me buy a computer and a small printer with the money. I also obtained some computer books and started to learn the basics. Learning the fundamentals was not easy, but I was determined to succeed.
Every step took a lot of time and sometimes I had to go to an internet cafe for hands-on experience. It was difficult, but I knew I needed these skills sooner or later. This was important, as I could not access the Minghui website and had no one I could ask for help.
Then, in an internet cafe, I typed a sensitive keyword into a search engine and much information related to Dafa showed up on the screen. I was very excited and tried it at home while sending righteous thoughts. Fortunately, I also found several tools needed to break through the internet blockage. I installed them on my computer and it worked. I continued to make progress and finally could teach practitioners in my area what I had learned.
Tribulations and Interferences
After I began to practice Falun Dafa, several illnesses disappeared. There were no major issues concerning illnesses after the onset of the persecution. My understanding is that, as long as we are truly validating the Fa, the old forces dare not interfere and arrange illness karma for us.
I have come to understand that any tribulation that interferes with our doing the three things are arrangements by the old forces. We should be clear that the old forces should not have existed. Master has ways for us to let go of human notions. These are what I will follow and they have nothing to do with the old forces. We should look inward and eliminate the old forces' arrangements at the same time.
Once, I visited a practitioner who had lower back pain for more than 10 days and she could barely walk. I discussed this situation with her and asked, “It seems you look within hoping the pain would go away. But have you thought about the relationship? Would you still look inward if there was no lower back pain?” She thought about it and had nothing to say. I continued to share with her and she realized it was not Master's arrangement. In addition, she knew that we should follow the Fa to improve instead of following the old forces' arrangements – merely looking within amid the tribulation. This way, her pain was gone within three days.
Issue of Lust
Master has talked about the issue of lust in his Fa lectures. We should be strict with ourselves regarding this. Meanwhile, we cannot go to the extreme, or non-practitioners would not understand us.
But, we have to pay attention to the issue of lust. Society is chaotic and there is sex-related content everywhere. The old forces and the Party make it even worse. This requires us to be cautious with every single thought.
Besides, we cannot go to extremes. One practitioner in my area forced her husband to live separate from her, making the husband very angry, complaining to their neighbors, and saying negative things about Dafa. Another practitioner refused to get married, making her parents be against Dafa. I think these practitioners have gone too far by focusing only on their personal improvement while forgetting how non-practitioners would perceive it.
Master said,
“I have said that our school of practice directly targets one’s mind. It does not make you actually lose anything in terms of material benefits. Instead, you are to temper your xinxing amidst the material benefits of everyday people. What is truly upgraded is your xinxing.” (Zhuan Falun)
Since I began to practice Falun Dafa, I have not lived separately from my wife. Because I do not think about it, she does not think about it either. Such an environment requires us to consistently let go of the attachment to lust. Meanwhile, our cultivation will make our family environment better and better.
Another interference of lust comes from the internet. There is a lot of dirty content available and I was stuck there several times. I had to strengthen my righteous thoughts and remind myself of my mission, which is validating the Fa.
Category: Improving Oneself
