Shared at 2003 Ireland Falun Dafa Conference
(Clearwisdom.net) I have been a Dafa disciple since May 2003. I knew that Falun Gong was being persecuted when I was in China, and my parents do know that Falun Dafa is good. However, Jiang's regime persecutes Falun Gong, and has also spread slanderous rumors throughout the world. Under this pressure from the Jiang regime, I didn't get a chance to learn more about what Falun Gong was. Then I got a visa to come to Ireland. I knew a lady when I was in China and her daughter was in Ireland, so she asked her daughter to look after me when I arrived. I was moved by her warm heartedness, I think she really is a good person. When I arrived in Ireland, she came to collect me from the airport. Since that second I felt I had a special predestined relationship with Ireland and didn't feel lonely at all. Both this lady and her daughter are Dafa disciples.
During the Christmas holiday, she brought me to her place where many Dafa disciples live together. We studied Fa together and all the Dafa practitioners were so nice. After reading Zhuan Falun I knew this was exactly what I was looking for. My understanding is that our most compassionate Master has organized all these arrangements, because Master wants to save all sentient beings! When I got the precious book Zhuan Falun, I finished reading it all at once. Then I decided to practice Falun Gong. Later I moved to live with Dafa practitioners and started to learn the exercises.
But suddenly I received all sorts of pressure from my parents and friends in China. My parents were particularly concerned about me and threatened to disown me if I didn't give up practicing Falun Gong. But I knew Falun Dafa is good so I would not give it up. I clarified the truth to my parents; however, they wouldn't listen to me at first. Their opinion was that once I practiced Falun Gong I wouldn't love my life anymore. In the past I always saw money as the most important thing in my life. With my change in attitude they thought that I wouldn't become outstanding among everyday people. After that I clarified the truth to my parents, telling them about my personal experience. I have benefited a lot from practicing Falun Dafa. I caught rheumatism when I was very young. I will never forget how painful my joints used to be. But since I began practicing Falun Gong all of my bad conditions were miraculously, completely gone. My own experience made my parents start to have a positive view of Dafa. Finally my parents no longer opposed my practicing Falun Gong.
After I read all the books, the lectures which Master gave in many different places around the world, then I had a thinking that maybe it is too late now; will I have enough time to cultivate? Can I catch up? Why have I attained the Fa so late? With great help from fellow practitioners, I realize now this was a superficial understanding of the Fa. I have already heard the Fa, I should make the best use of my time for genuine cultivation. Cultivation depends on my own efforts, while the transformation of Gong is done by our Master. If I always think I am a new practitioner, then it will become an attachment and also will stop me from take further steps. Everyone's road is different in cultivation, we should cherish every minute for cultivating, and we can't think of Gods with everyday people mindsets. We won't let our Master down if we genuinely cultivate.
I had a period of time when I was very busy with my job. The old forces tried to make me have no time to study Fa and do the exercises, but I didn't realize that, and so many everyday people's attachments kept appearing in my mind and I encountered a lot of trouble from my work. In particular, I often changed my jobs, which brought lots of trouble to my cultivation. But I think we should think of other people first as Dafa disciples. My boss always has a bad temper, so when she is in a bad mood she is often rude to me. I knew this was testing my Xinxing, so I looked inside myself and do my best in the work. Gradually through my efforts my boss became very pleased and promised to raise my wages. To my understanding if my energy field is righteous then the field can rectify all abnormal conditions also at the same time through cultivating Forbearance I have upgraded my Xinxing. "Forbearance is the key to improving one's Xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is a cultivator's forbearance."(Essentials for further advancement: "What is Forbearance")
Through studying the Fa I've understood that cultivation is to return to our original, true selves, going back to where we came from. Only Teacher can lead me on my way back. Although I have obtained Dafa late, I am still a Dafa disciple of Fa-rectification period. Aside from my personal cultivation, I should validate Dafa.
As my job became more stable, I gradually developed the pursuit for an easy and comfortable life. I only wanted to gain from Dafa and thought little about giving. I realized the interference: the mentality of seeking comfort wanted to spend the precious time for save sentient beings on ordinary people's attachments. Since I had not been diligent in studying Dafa, many times I could not consider things from the standpoint of Dafa; I also failed to look inside for my own attachments. When other practitioners pointed my attachments out to me, although I was also aware of them, I could not get rid of these attachments with a strong main consciousness. Rather, I made various excuses for myself and try not to face my attachments. I did not take Dafa as the most important thing in my life. Sometimes I did not send forth righteous thought regularly. As a result, the evil took advantage of that and interfered with me.
My fellow practitioners have helped me a lot by sincerely pointing out my attachments. When my main consciousness is strong and I have a righteous mind, the environment around me also seems to change. When I get rid of some attachments, my heart becomes very light and I feel relieved. At other times when I was not so diligent, I would forget about Teacher and act like an ordinary person. After I realized how difficult it is for Teacher to save a being, I bravely stepped forward to validate Dafa. I send forth righteous thoughts while clarifying the truth to Chinese people. I found that my righteous thoughts were powerful enough to suppress the evil: the knowing side of the Chinese people I talked to were willing to accept the truth.
When I think of the Dafa disciples who have experienced the persecution, it reminds me that I have not done well enough. Through this Dafa conference I hope to do better the 3 things that Dafa disciples should do. I will try not to lose any chance for saving sentient beings and get rid of fundamental attachments, and have righteous thoughts and righteous actions.
Fa-rectification hasn't finished yet, but the evil will end soon. I hope that all Dafa disciples can cherish this time and try our best to save sentient beings, assimilating to Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance.
The above is my understanding at my level, please correct me if there is anything incorrect.
05/11/2003