(Minghui.org) It has been 26 years since August 5, 1994, when I attended Master Li Hongzhi's (Falun Gong's founder) lectures for the first time. Whenever I recall those precious days, I am moved to tears. I was so honored to be there. I cannot forget Master's benevolence!
A practitioner once said to me, “You are so lucky to have been able to attend Master’s early lectures in China. What a predestined relationship you must have had! You should share this with other people.”
On August 4th, 1994, I was finishing up a month of calligraphy classes at Harbin Normal University. I saw many people coming to the campus. Out of curiosity, I asked several people what event they were there for. They responded that they were attending the Falun Gong lecture. From their accents, I deduced that many of them were coming from other provinces.
I immediately thought that the lecture must be really good since so many people from different places were there for it. I decided that I should not miss it and attend it myself.
At the time, I had no idea what Falun Gong was. I thought that it was a kind of qigong martial arts. I had practiced some martial arts when I was young and was interested in qigong in general. I learned that the lecture would be held at Harbin Ice Arena, so the next morning I got up very early to try and get a ticket. I did not know the location of the Ice Arena, nor if there would be tickets available. I only had one thought: that I needed to go to this lecture.
Asking people along the way, I finally arrived at the arena. A dozen people were already there waiting. A staff member told us that a very limited number of tickets would be available at 9 a.m., but there might not be enough for everyone.
Luckily, I got a ticket! I was so excited. Somehow I felt that I had never been so happy in my life!
The lectures lasted nine days, from August 5-14. It started every morning at 6:30 a.m. Harbin Normal University arranged a bus to get to the Ice Arena each day.
On the very first day of the lectures, I was already brimming with excitement and curiosity. So many people were there, coming from all over the country. My seat was in one of the front rows, very close to the stage.
As the time approached 6:30 a.m., a tall gentleman in a white short sleeve shirt came to the stage with a smile on his face. “Ah, this must be Master Li!” I thought. Master looked so young, seemingly between twenty and thirty years old.
The audience applauded for a long time, welcoming Master.
When Master started to speak, the hall, filled with around 5,000 people, immediately went silent. No one made a sound. No one smoked. I was in awe at how respectful the audience was.
Without a written manuscript, Master explained the deep truths of the universe in plain language. The topics included astronomy, geography, physics, chemistry, biology... and yet one cannot find these explanations in any book on earth. Master talked about the real purpose of being a human, the highest characteristics of the universe, and what truly discerns good from bad people.
I was fascinated. My entire view of the world was shifting, and I had a pleasant inner feeling of being awakened from a very long sleep. Every cell in my body was waking up, being cleansed, and cheering. I had never felt such a warmth in my body before. It was wonderful! Warm applause would burst out from the audience from time to time. Everyone was deeply drawn to the lecture.
At the end of the first day of the lecture, I made a decision: I must learn Falun Gong. When I woke up for the second day of the lecture, before opening my eyes, I felt a strong red light in my room. I thought that everyone in the dorm room saw it, but it turns out that none of them did. Later, I realized that must have been my Celestial Eye.
With every sentence Master said, the concept of atheism and evolution, instilled deeply within me since my youth, was disintegrating. Instead, a new thought, which brought me hope and light, was gradually being established. I felt like a new person, excited and happy.
On the third day, Master cleansed everyone's body. A woman next to me saw Falun (law wheels) falling like snowflakes on people’s bodies throughout the entire hall.
Master asked all of us to stand up and focus on an illness of ourselves or our family members. Master explained he would count to three, and that when everyone stamped their feet on the count of three, the illness would be gone. All of us followed. With the stamp of my foot, I instantly felt my body became light and comfortable. The woman next to me saw a giant fireball shoot fire into everyone's body.
I ended up skipping the fourth day of lectures, as I had to rush home to deal with an urgent errand. At the time, my enlightenment quality was relatively poor and I did not realize what a precious opportunity I had missed. Later on, I regretted missing that day.
It was a hot summer in Harbin, and a lot of people were using handheld fans during the lectures. Master suggested that the audience set the fans down. Despite this, I continued waving my big fan. Thinking back, I am embarrassed by this action.
Master gave a long lecture each day without drinking even a sip of water. He was always smiling at everyone. When teaching the movements of the fourth exercise, Falun Cosmic Orbit, Master came off the stage and went around the hall. As he passed where I was standing, Master instructed a practitioner who was helping him teach the exercises to correct my posture. Master looked carefully at each and every one of us in attendance.
As I was attending the lectures, my mother-in-law came to Harbin to treat her leg pain at a hospital. Several times, she waited for me outside the Ice Arena, and I would accompany her to the hospital when the lecture finished for that day. The doctor who examined her said that her legs had no problem. My mother-in-law was puzzled as to how her leg pain had stopped all by itself. Later, we both realized that Master had cleansed her body as she was waiting for me outside!
It was like Master mentioned:
“The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and harmonizes everything.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)
Merciful Master has offered salvation to all beings!
Those precious nine days went by fast. During that time, both my body and mind were purified, and my character improved drastically. My body was so light that I felt I could take off into the air.
As Master was leaving, many students, myself included, gathered on both sides of the road. As Master approached us, several practitioners near me stretched their hands out eagerly, shaking hands with Master. I did not have the courage to extend my hand; nevertheless, I felt honored to be able to be so close to Master.
After Master's car vanished at the end of the road, we stood there for a long time. No one wanted to move.
I was thirty years old at the time when I was attending Master's lectures. I was interested in many things, including martial arts, fortune telling, calligraphy, etc. I strove to accomplish many objectives in ordinary human society and wanted to be a winner. Yet cultivation is all about putting down these attachments.
I was sometimes at a loss: I am still young. It is easier said than done to put down all of these human attachments.
Throughout my cultivation, Master has always looked after me: when I was at a loss as to how to proceed, an encouraging sentence would appear in my head; when I did something wrong, Master would use other people's words to remind me; when I fell down, a gentle, big hand would be there to support me. At every turn, Master has arranged every practitioner's cultivation path. Not only that, Master cares deeply about all beings in the universe. Master wants to save all beings, and his benevolence is boundless!
Twenty-six years have passed. As I look back on the days when I listened to Master's lectures in person, I feel so lucky!
Master has said:
“There is no affect between master and discipleThe Buddha’s grace remolds Heaven and Earth” (“The Master-Disciple Bond”, Hong Yin Vol. II)
I will always treasure those days. The precious memories serve as an encouragement to me. No matter how long my cultivation path will be, I will fulfill my vow and follow Master to return to my true home.
Thank you Master!
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