(Minghui.org) I would like to share with you some of my experiences while talking to Chinese people at popular tourist attractions. I came to Melbourne in May 2013. I knew it was a precious opportunity for me and I should cherish it. I should do the three things well to fulfill my vows.
Master said in To the Canada Fa Conference: “Do well what remains to be done, and head toward the future with a cultivation journey free of regret.”
I have been clarifying the truth to Chinese people at a popular tourist destination since I came to Melbourne six years ago. I have experienced both joy and regret. Every day I come across all sorts of Chinese tourists. Some say that I'm a traitor and a disgrace; some are convinced that I'm being paid to be there. However, some give me a thumbs-up and say, “Falun Dafa is good”. Some take photos of us. Whatever their reactions are, I smile at them and say, “Welcome to Melbourne. I wish you a pleasant visit. Please listen to the truth and remember that Falun Dafa is good and you will be blessed.” Some nod and smile, some thank us, others are silent. Those who believe the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) lies act badly. I feel sorry for them. I asked for Master’s strengthening and sent strong righteous thoughts to dissolve the negative things that control them.
One day I was holding a banner near a tour bus. When the tourists returned, a man said, “I heard that you're paid $30 a day.” I replied with a smile, “Do you believe it?” He said, “No.” I said, “Please learn the facts about the persecution while you are overseas and withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.” I asked him what his next stop was. He said he was going to Sydney. I told him to find a Falun Dafa practitioner there to help him withdraw from the CCP. I asked him to tell his friends and relatives that millions of Chinese have withdrawn from the Party.
One day, when the tourists came back to their bus, I opened up a banner. After they left, a man standing beside our table said, “Is what you are doing effective?” I said, “Yes. Over 340 million Chinese have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Don’t you think it's effective?” He said, “The CCP has guns.” I said, “The CCP not only has guns they have other weapons. But let me ask you, were guns used when the Soviet Communist Party was dissolved? The Berlin Wall in Germany was taken down. Were guns used? The Eastern European Communist Block was dissolved. Were guns used?” He said, “Oh, that's something to think about.”
On one occasion several young people said that we were hired to be there. I said, “In China, Falun Dafa practitioners risk their lives and face atrocities to tell you the truth about Falun Dafa. They have been arrested, beaten and even had their organs removed. Please think about it rationally. There are 100 million Dafa practitioners worldwide, and we are all voluntarily trying to help you. Why does the CCP block the Internet? They set up the Golden Shield Project at the tax payer’s expense. Chinese people think that China is now very powerful. Is it truly powerful? If it's so powerful, why does it fear Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance? Western people don’t say their country is powerful like Chinese people do. They don’t fear Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” Then I told them how Falun Dafa is practiced around the world. They said that they understood now.
I felt relieved. When I clarified the truth with righteous thoughts, my thoughts determined whether people accepted what I said. The process of saving people is a process of looking within, letting go of attachments and cultivating my heart.
Several days ago two bus-loads of tourists came. They were from the same company and wore uniforms. Most of them were young people.
I came to them holding a banner. One young man urged the others not to talk to me. He said some curse words. Another one said I was brainwashed. I said, “Who has been brainwashed? Chinese people follow Marx and Lenin and gave up their own traditions. But Marx and Lenin were not Chinese, right? China has 5000 years of history. The CCP has only existed for a few decades and yet it's killed 80 million Chinese people. Chinese people have been conned into accepting this situation so who has been brainwashed? You say that I've been 'brainwashed' by Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. If all Chinese people were 'brainwashed' by Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, there would be no corruption in China.” They nodded their heads and laughed.
Master said,
“When it comes to doing things, I consider the process most important, because during the process you can have people see the truth, during the process you can save the world's people, and during the process you can reveal the truth.
“But you often emphasize the results instead of fully explaining to them the facts that you should explain during that process. Only when all people know the truth that they should know are you really validating the Fa and clarifying the facts.”(“Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. III)
I've noticed that practitioners' understanding of an issue can be quite different. Practitioners with different backgrounds, different knowledge, different perspectives, different attachments and at different levels understand the Fa differently and do the same thing in different ways. So how can we cooperate smoothly? My understanding is that we should let go of ourselves and be tolerant.
One day at the tourist site, a practitioner didn’t put the materials neatly on the table and some were still in the box. This was not the first time this happened. I couldn’t hold back from complaining and said something. The practitioner wasn't happy and left. The next day as soon as I arrived, she started scolding me. I didn’t say anything but in my heart I was upset. I felt resentful and did not look within.
Master said,
“But normally when a problem arises, if it does not irritate a person psychologically, it does not count or is useless and cannot make him or her improve.” (Zhuan Falun)
I didn’t cultivate myself and didn’t look within. I missed an opportunity Master arranged for me to improve. I failed the test that time, but later had another opportunity.
One day a practitioner was holding a banner beside a tour bus. She didn’t turn on the audio player. I said, “Why didn’t you turn on the audio player?” She said that the tour guide didn’t let her play it. I said, “So he told you not to play it and you stopped. Why did you listen to him?”
Actually she handled the issue well. I imposed my idea upon her and was attached to my thinking. I was not kind. I was self-centered, complaining, and scolding. She was upset and said, “Did you know that the other practitioners call you ‘our bossy mother-in-law’?” I was shocked.
I reviewed this incident and the one that happened several days before after I came home that evening. Why did the practitioner say that? Wasn’t I trying to improve our truth-clarifying site? Wasn’t it for saving people? Why didn’t they understand? They thought I was too bossy. Yes, when I saw other practitioners dressed too casually, I pointed it out. When they didn’t behave in line with the Fa, I pointed it out. We practitioners are displaying the facts about Falun Dafa so our words and actions are very important. Shouldn’t we do things professionally? If our behavior wasn't even as good as ordinary people, they would have a bad impression of Falun Dafa. Then wouldn’t we be damaging Dafa?
I felt that what I said was in line with the Fa. Why didn't the others accept it? I couldn’t understand it.
When my sister (also a practitioner) phoned me, I told her what happened. I was attached to my perspective and still thought I was correct. My sister said,
“Did you forget Master’s Fa? Master said, “I have not only taught you Dafa, but have also left you my demeanor. While working, your tone of voice, your kind-heartedness, and your reasoning can change a person’s heart, whereas commands never could! ” (“Clearheadedness,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
Master saw that I was not enlightened on this issue so he arranged for my sister to give me a hint. I realized that my grievances, my complaining, scolding, feeling maligned, not accepting criticism and wanting praise were all attachments. All these bad substances needed to disappear. I realized that I should let go of my arrogance and self, dissolve my narrow-mindedness, open up my mind and humbly coordinate with the others. I should keep my thoughts righteous, resist the interference, remember my responsibility and mission and keep up with the process of Fa rectification.
Master said,
“If you, as a cultivator, only part with things superficially while deep down inside you still stick to something or cling to your own vital interests that you don’t allow to be undermined, I’d say to you that your cultivation is fake!” (Lecture at the First Conference in North America)
I studied the Fa more and my cultivation entered a new phase. With practitioners’ help and their righteous thoughts, I realized that I should focus on cultivating myself. I'm now less attached to how other practitioners behave. It's not important whether I'm right or the others are wrong. I should let go of my competitiveness and complaints, let go of my feelings of unfairness, and broaden my heart.
I now realize that when I see other practitioners not behaving well, it means that I also have problems that I need to work on. If I continue holding onto my attachments, I won't improve.
One day when I was meditating, a tourist said, “Look, she's helping Chinese people look good. She's so firm in her belief!” Another day I was doing the sitting meditation with a truth-clarification board in front of me. I opened my eyes when I heard someone coming towards me. I saw two men standing in front of the board. I said, “Please look at this Tiananmen Square Self Immolation incident. His hair was not burned. The bottle which contained petrol didn’t explode. It was a staged incident. The CCP staged the incident to incite hatred against practitioners.”
One tourist said, “You look very kind.” I said, “You are kind too. Please withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.” They asked me to be careful and they wanted to know more about Falun Dafa. I thanked Master for encouraging me.
One day heavy rain fell suddenly and we were soaked. After a while the rain stopped and a rainbow appeared. It was beautiful. Another practitioner came to replace me and I was about to go home to change my wet clothes and muddy shoes. At that time a tour guide came and said, “Why are you leaving? I only just arrived so you can’t go.” The practitioner and I looked at each other and smiled. Master didn’t let us go! We hadn’t finished our task for the day so how could we leave? We set up the boards again to welcome the tourists.
Our truth-clarification site at the tourist attraction has been running for 18 years. Those who were middle-aged are now elderly. Yet most of them continue coming to clarify the truth and save people. Year in and out, they have weathered both storms and hardships and follow Master firmly to fulfill their vows. Let’s cultivate more diligently in the final stage of the Fa-rectification.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2019 Australia Fa Conference)