(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I am thrilled to participate in the 17th China Fahui on the Minghui website. I was arrested and detained during the CCP virus (coronavirus) pandemic this year. By changing my human notions, having kind thoughts about the police who tortured me, and conducting myself as a practitioner, I was released in 77 days. I'd like to share my understandings of the incident.
The CCP virus broke out in China in January this year. First, Wuhan was placed under lockdown. Then everything came to a standstill throughout China. Cities, districts, and villages were under lockdown, including my city.
Master said:
“In fact, plagues and pestilence come precisely because they are directed at the decay of the human heart and morality as well as the massive build-up of karma.” (“Rationality,” Team Blue translation)
Our mission is to clarify the truth to people and save them.
Since people were stuck at home and had time to read we wanted to produce more truth-clarification materials and distribute them. Our supplies began dwindling and we didn’t know how long the lockdown would last. We could not let this hold us back from saving people! When we learned that supplies were available in the provincial city, we decided to go there.
Security was tight and people’s identities were checked on the highway. I was blacklisted because I had been arrested many times in the past. The authorities would know I was a Falun Dafa practitioner as soon as they looked at my ID. I was reluctant to leave home to buy materials. But the thought of not being able to make fliers prompted me to take the risk.
Accompanied by two other practitioners, Albert and Ben, we took the car on the highway. As soon as we got off the highway, we noticed the police stopping cars and checking them. After he checked my ID, one officer pointed at us and said, “They are Falun Dafa practitioners.” They began to search the car and found two copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. All three of us were detained.
All I could think of was the persecution that was coming. I didn’t think of asking Master for help nor did I remember to clarify the truth. I was caught up in fear and self-reproach. I had gotten two practitioners into trouble by not thinking clearly.
I suddenly thought of asking Master for help: “Master, what should I do?” I felt as if Master was right beside me. I remembered his words:
“If he is able to let go of life and death, he is a god; if he isn’t able to let go of life and death, he is human.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Fa Conference in Australia”)
My mind cleared up. I thought, “I am a Dafa disciple. My mission is to save people. I cannot be locked up.” I recalled that Master also said:
“When you experience any kind of interference, if you can manage not to get overly focused on the particulars of what is happening and thereby keep yourself unperturbed, then you will be able to emerge from it all, and you will have even greater mighty-virtue.” (“On the Responses to the Piece About Assistant Souls”)
I calmed down. I had to be rational and have righteous thoughts.
By the time we were taken to the police station, I began to change my mindset. I am a Dafa disciple in the period of Fa-rectification. I am here to save people.
Master said:
“That is because the ones who are truly being persecuted are not Dafa disciples, but the world’s people.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference”)
I also recalled that Master said on many occasions to “...go along with their ploys and turn their ploys against them.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Lantern Festival) Under normal circumstances we cannot go to certain places to eliminate the evil. Since we were brought there we must eliminate the elements controlling those working in the legal and justice system and save them in the process. I began to have compassion for the police officers and remembered that I am a Falun Dafa practitioner. When they interrogated me, I used the Fa as a criterion to judge what I said. I kept sending righteous thoughts. At night I recited the Fa by heart the entire 77 days I was detained.
I refused to comply when the police interrogated me. They asked me several questions, such as how many years had I been practicing and what was my relationship with Albert and Ben. I said, “I have not broken any laws. I don’t want you to commit a crime by persecuting me, so I won't answer your questions.”
From Master's teachings, I understood that the world’s people are being destroyed while they persecute Dafa disciples. So I was certain what I was doing was for their own good. An amazing thing happened. They stopped questioning me. They took notes twice in the 77 days I was detained. The second time they took notes, I said, “I did not commit any crime. Let me go home.” They wrote down what I said.
I constantly asked Master for help. Master's teachings frequently came to mind and following them reduced the persecution. But I was still afraid. Every time the police came, I felt as if I was going to be executed.
One moment they told me, “Old lady, the others have confessed. You'd better own up, too.” The next moment, another group of strong men came and said, “Why are you still so stubborn? Albert said this about you and Ben said that about you. In the end, you will bear all the charges and be sentenced to prison.” They tried everything, from threats to coercion and lies. I remained silent and kept my heart unmoved. I refused to cooperate and be caught in their trap.
I knew the other two practitioners were tortured and they might have said some things. I kept looking inward, reminding myself not to have resentment. I eliminated the evil elements controlling the police officers in other dimensions and spoke to their knowing side, telling them to remember that Falun Dafa is good and not to persecute practitioners.
Master said,
“People such as those whom we see with bad attitudes toward Dafa or who are vicious toward Dafa disciples are actually pitiable. They have been poisoned by the CCP’s lies, in fact, and that is what causes them to act as they do. Of course, in some instances people have been driven by money. But whatever the case, we should try to save whoever we can, including these people. You might not be aware of it, but the person you see now acting so evilly might have once upon a time been a holy divine figure in the heavens, and he is now here as a human, having come to this earth to gain this Fa.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference”)
Because I refused to cooperate with them or say anything, they beat me so severely that I couldn’t see. After one intense beating, I lost hearing in my left ear. But regardless of what happened, I didn’t get angry, feel resentment or hatred, nor did I give in and cooperate with them.
Master said,
“Let me tell you, every person in the entire world was at one point part of my family ( applause), including the worst people, or else they'd have no chance to be a human being during this time.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Lantern Festival)
I sent strong righteous thoughts not to let them commit a sin. I sincerely wanted to save them. They were once Master’s family and my family, too. They were deceived by the CCP's (Chinese Communist Party's) lies. How pitiful they are! If I did not obtain the Fa, I could have been like them. I must cherish them and stop them from doing the wrong thing. No matter how viciously they beat me or what they threatened, I did not utter a word.
Three people were sent to brainwash us into giving up our faith in Dafa, one man and two women. They said they'd practiced Falun Dafa in the past but stopped. They attempted to confuse me about right and wrong and twisted the teachings of Dafa. They even tried to persuade me to practice Buddhism.
At first, I loathed them and found it intolerable when they insulted Dafa and Master. I kept a clear mind and was not taken in by their tricks. While one of the women started to ramble on about her distorted understandings, the other one shut her eyes and chanted spells. I didn’t know what she was chanting but the moment she opened her mouth, I would get drowsy. I began to send righteous thoughts. The one who was chanting spells opened her eyes and stopped.
They even claimed that no one was able to withstand their brainwashing. I said to myself, “They are nothing in front of me.” I sent righteous thoughts from morning to night continuously.
When I refused to be “transformed,” they made me sit on an iron chair. At first, I only sat on it during the day and was allowed to sleep at night. Later, I was made to sit on the chair day and night. I even had to take my meals on it. At night, I was handcuffed to the chair while my legs were bound to it by metal rings. I couldn't move. The longest time I was tortured like that was eight days and nights. The flesh on my bottom became swollen and infected. It was like sitting on needles every time I went back to the chair after going to the toilet. The pain was excruciating.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it if not for Master’s protection. Not to mention my lumbar vertebrae were fractured as a result of being tortured before. I sat on the chair supported by my arms. I was allowed to get off after both my legs became so swollen that the leg rings could no longer be fastened shut.
I was not spared in spite of my condition. One police officer threatened me, “I can send you to prison even if you have blood in your urine.” I said to myself, “Your words don’t count. Master decides my fate.” I strengthened my righteous thoughts by remembering Master’s teachings:
“When it is difficult to endure, try to endure it. When it looks impossible and is said to be impossible, give it a try and see if it is possible.” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)
“Steadfastly cultivate Dafa, the will unflinchingThe raising of levels is what’s fundamentalIn the face of tests one’s true nature is revealed
Achieve Consummation, becoming a Buddha, Dao, or God”
(“True Nature Revealed,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
“However strong the righteous thoughts are, that’s how great the power is.” (“Also in a few words,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
It felt as if Master was next to me. When I was able to focus while sending righteous thoughts, I truly felt I was with Master. I thought, “I am the most fortunate person in the universe,” and I couldn’t help smiling.
No matter how badly they abused me, I gave them a kind thought. They were afraid of me. An extraordinary thing happened during a brainwashing session. One of the women said in the presence of police officers, “I tell you, in the 21st century, a saint will come to the world to save people. By that time everyone will have a copy of Zhuan Falun in their hands.” She covered her mouth and then said she'd said the wrong thing. I think they have a knowing side. Their true nature knows the truth. It’s just that they have lost their innate self.
I was not moved no matter how they tortured me. I kept looking inward.
When they disrespected Master and Dafa, I recalled that when I was busy with household chores, I would simply leave Dafa books anywhere. When they behaved arrogantly, I realized I was strong-willed at times and would not let other practitioners speak. I had a dream one night. Large, pink apples were being thrown at me, one after another. There was a pile in front of me. I knew Master was encouraging me. Another time I dreamed that Master pulled out a giant Falun from my chest. I interpreted the dream as Master telling me I was protected by Falun and I had nothing to be afraid of.
They used every trick in the book and still I didn’t give up my faith nor did I give them any information. They tortured me again. They bound my legs tightly with ropes and put two Dafa books and three photos of Master in front of my legs. They made me clasp the books behind my kneecaps. My hands were shackled to rings on the iron chair. They surrounded me, made me kneel down, and lifted my head up. When I didn’t lift my head, they hit my face with the books. I nearly passed out from the pain. It was a very cruel form of torture. Time crept by very slowly. About half an hour later, they said I would kneel for two hours if I did not give in.
Looking at Master's portrait, I said in my heart, “Even if I die from pain, I will not be 'transformed.'” By lunchtime they shouted at me not to move. Two policemen had gone out for lunch. I collapsed. The remaining perpetrators had no choice but to loosen the ropes. I really felt Master was helping me. I climbed back to my bed and fell asleep with my upper body on the bed while my lower body was on the ground.
I was awakened by a bright ray of light the next morning. I saw a huge translucent pink lotus flower next to me. The leaves were around two meters wide. It was beautiful. I knew Master let me see this as a form of encouragement because I was steadfast. Afterward, it seemed that whenever things were difficult, I would see this enormous lotus flower. It was amazing!
I sent righteous thoughts the entire day. I asked Master to give me a sword to eliminate the communist spirits controlling the policemen in other dimensions and write the words “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion- Forbearance is good” on their shirts. I regarded them as family no matter how they tortured me. I knew they were being directed by evil beings in other dimensions.
I had a clear dream. An ancient marshal stood on the city wall and there were many soldiers below. They held spears in their right hands and shields in their left. They put down their weapons, raised their hands above their heads, and shouted, “Falun Dafa is good!” I was less than 10 meters away from a general. Countless people behind me were all shouting “Falun Dafa is good” too. All of them were dressed in the attire of ancient people.
I also saw a crisp green mountain covered with green pines, a mountain covered with yellow flowers, and another mountain covered with pink flowers in front of me. In other dimensions, the police officers who tortured me took off their dark, outer layer of clothing. Underneath they wore clean, white shirts. They also shouted, "Falun Dafa is good!" I knew Master was encouraging me.
When I woke up, a large character for “predestined relationship” appeared on my right upper side. Master showed me the touching scene of sentient beings being saved. I wept. I understood the deeper meaning behind Master’s words:
“...turning bad things into good things” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S.”)
If you see things from the perspective of an ordinary person, you may be sentenced to several years in prison. If you look at it with a god’s righteous thoughts, Master decides the outcome.
After the vicious torture session, I told the police officers, “I have not committed any crime. If you don’t release me, I will go on a hunger strike.” On the second day of my hunger strike, I was brutally force-fed three times. Every time they pinched my nose so hard I nearly suffocated. When I opened my mouth to breathe, they poured food down my throat. I spat out blood. Sometimes my nose bled, too. They did not dare to force-feed me anymore.
A few days later, Master helped me: I appeared to be “ill” and I was allowed to return home.
Over the past two decades, I was arrested many times and even detained for a long time. If it wasn't for Master’s protection and hints, I would not have survived. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Master.
I also want to thank practitioners for working hard to get me out of detention. Especially this time—practitioners traveled a long way, searching for me. They went to the justice department to clarify the truth and seek my release. They wrote truth-clarification letters to the respective departments, sent righteous thoughts in close proximity, and so on. They stood outside, braving the cold weather. Due to the CCP virus, there were no food vendors on the streets. Practitioners went hungry and thirsty, persisting in rescuing me.
This incident also made me realize how powerful practitioners’ righteous thoughts are. Through their coordinated efforts, we were able to eliminate the evil beings controlling the police in other dimensions. My righteous thoughts became stronger and hastened my release. Once, practitioners went to send righteous thoughts near where I was detained. The police watching me felt especially cold and they shivered.
My friends and family all witnessed my positive changes after I practiced Falun Dafa. They all know how wonderful Dafa is.
I still need to work on many things in my cultivation. I must do better in the future and save more sentient beings.