(Clearwisdom.net)
In July 1994, I was lucky enough to attend the 4th Falun Gong seminar given by Teacher in Guangzhou. Even now, when I recall those days, I still feel really glad and have a sense of awe.
Before I began practicing Falun Gong, I was normally a kind-hearted person, but I sometimes had a bad temper. I was irritable when I was confronted with hard times. By chance, I was encouraged by one of my colleagues to practice Falun Gong. I didn't take his words seriously until the middle of July 1994, when I was fortunate enough to enter the Falun Gong seminar given by Teacher in Guangzhou. Because there were many people in the audience, I had to sit in the balcony and I could not see Teacher clearly. When Teacher started the lecture, I listened quietly and was so intrigued as he spoke that I no longer felt sleepy as I did before.
Teacher generally gave the Fa lectures from 7:00 to 9:00 at night. Only when the seminar came to an end on the weekend did he change the time to accommodate the final part of his teachings. Teacher was never late for the lectures. He did not use any text for his speech. To start with, he took a small piece of paper from his pocket. He did not drink any water from the beginning to the end of the lecture. When someone served him water, he proceeded with his talk without drinking it. I came to a more complete understanding of Buddhism when Teacher came to the part regarding the difference between Qigong of the Buddha School and Buddhism. Before this I had been to temples to worship Buddha. The monks in the temple told me that Buddha would be more willing to bless me if I could donate as much money as possible. Now I came to understand that these monks were actually behaving in a way that led the Buddhism of Shakyamuni to corruption, and they were not true cultivators.
Right before the end of the seminar, several of us met with Teacher by chance. I asked Teacher if we could take some photos with him. Teacher said that he did not have enough time to take photos with so many Dafa students. In the eyes of Teacher all Dafa students were equal and should be given an equal chance, which could take a lot of time. In the end, we did not take any photos, but I was really glad that I had the chance to speak with Teacher face to face.
After I came back from the seminar, I began to abide by Teacher's Fa. I got rid of the materials that I had received from Buddhist temples. When the lay Buddhist who had directed me to the temple learned that I no longer went there because I started to practice Falun Gong, he flew into a rage and threatened that he would punish me for this. I said to him that I was not scared, because I was protected by the Teacher of a righteous way. Ever since then that person has not come to bother me anymore. From then on I have genuinely followed the path to my true home.
