(Clearwisdom.net) I was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma at the end of 2002, when I was 30 years old. The cancer originated in my stomach. I had a gastorectomy that removed two-thirds of my stomach and chemotherapy after the operation. By June 2003 the cancer had still metastasized. The doctor predicted that I would live for three to six months, and the insurance company even paid me 100,000 yuan. I was in very bad shape. My weight dropped from 60 kg to 50 kg. I lost all my hair, and I had a lot of black flecks on my face and hands. I couldn't eat, and I maintained my life by drinking rice soup. I was fighting for my life.
Fortunately, I came into contact with Falun Dafa at this life-threatening time. My parents have a neighbor who practices Falun Dafa. One day she told my mother that I was too young to die and she wanted to save my life. My mother then told me that practicing qigong could save my life. I asked, "Is it Falun Gong?" "Yes," my mother replied. I told her, "I will not do it." My mother said, "She wants to save you. How could I tell her no?" I told my mother, "Just tell her that I am practicing some other qigong." In fact I was not practicing any qigong.
Two thumb-sized lumps emerged from my neck that evening, and I was so scared that I was in tears. I had heard from another patient that lymphoma is concentrated in the neck and armpits and a person will die in a few days if it becomes visible. I told my mom, "My time is up; it is visible now." My mom left home immediately after hearing my announcement. She came back with a copy of Zhuan Falun and told me that my life could be saved if I read the book.
I didn't believe that a book could save my life. However, I was afraid to die, so I thought that I would try it anyway. With this in mind, I began to read Zhuan Falun and finished the first chapter that day. The first thing I did the next morning was to feel my lumps. What a big attachment! Unexpectedly, the lumps were much smaller. I was thrilled and said to myself, "It really worked." I immediately began to read the book again. The lumps were gone by the third day. I began to believe, but I still didn't know what the Fa was.
One evening my mom and I visited the practitioner who had given me the book. With her help, I gained a preliminary understanding of the Fa. However, I was still taking Chinese medicine. On the seventh day the medicine bottle cracked. I thought, "Maybe I should not take medicine anymore." I still took the medicine that day, and then I had a small meal half an hour later. All of a sudden I felt nauseous and began to throw up. All I threw up was the medicine. It was unbelievable, because I had taken the medicine first, before eating the food, but all I threw up was the medicine and no food. I understood that Master was giving me a hint: to not take any more medicine. Then I began to gain a more in-depth understanding of the Fa, and I began to study the Fa more diligently.
After I finished reading Zhuan Falun for the first time, I was able to eat anything I wanted. It was previously painful to eat even something very soft. This took only about 10 days. I felt so happy. A month later hair began to grow on my bald head, and I began to regain my lost weight. My health continued improving. It reinforced my belief in and deepened my understanding of Dafa. From this time on I became a true Dafa cultivator.
In "The First Talk" in Zhuan Falun Master said:
"But we don't do healing here. What we do is cleanse the body. And we don't use the term "healing," we just call it cleansing the body--we cleanse the body for true cultivators."
In addition, Master said:
"I only purify the body for people who've truly come here to learn the practice, who truly come to learn the Law."(from "The First Talk" in Zhuan Falun)
I understand that Master doesn't do healing for non-practitioners, but cleanses the body for true cultivators. My body changed dramatically; compassionate Master has treated me as a disciple. But am I a true cultivator? At that time I didn't know what cultivation was. The only thing I knew was that I felt very good physically if I followed the requirements in the book. Therefore I forced myself to pass a lot of tribulations, since I was scared to not follow the Fa's requirements. Moreover, my life was previously too miserable.
Everyday I visited the fellow practitioner. I told her what had happened during the day, what my comprehension based on the Fa was, and what my reaction has been. This practitioner helped me to gain insight about what had happened based on the Fa and how to treat issues and behave in everyday life based on the Fa. As a matter of fact she helped me to become a true cultivator. At that time I didn't know that I was practicing true cultivation. Just like that, I have cultivated until now. I knew I had been so fortunate to become a Dafa practitioner and a healthy person once again.
Problems emerged when I began to validate the Fa. Because of Mainland China's grave political environment, the evil's brutal persecution of Falun Dafa, and the CCP's cruel dictatorship, my fears, selfishness and other attachments all came out. In the very beginning I was only able to clarify the truth to my family members. However, because of my situation, a lot of people asked me, "Are you alright now?" The first character of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" is "Truthfulness." Even if I have only a superficial understanding and am a conscientious human being, I have to tell the truth, "I got rid of my illness by practicing Falun Gong." Just like that, I began to validate the Fa from my conscience.
At that time I didn't know what it meant to validate the Fa. Dafa disciples have to validate the Fa. Later, after studying the Fa, I began to understand the responsibilities and tasks of Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period. I improved myself by studying the Fa. With the help of fellow practitioners, I began to validate the Fa actively instead of reactively. In the beginning I just worked on the tasks of Fa-rectification, but now I understand that validating the Fa and saving sentient beings are my responsibilities and tasks since I am a Dafa practitioner. Master said:
"So a Dafa disciple's responsibilities aren't for the sake of personal Consummation, but to save sentient beings while validating the Fa--that is a Dafa disciple's historic mission...." (from Touring North America to Teach the Fa)
Due to my special situation, it was easy for me to clarify the truth, and the effect of validating the Fa was good. However, I didn't realize the effectiveness of my truth clarification came from my improved health, which was due to my true cultivation assisted by the fellow practitioner. To simply tell the truth about my situation would validate the Fa and save people. I didn't have any extra capability; it's the Fa that has the power. Because I didn't have a clear understanding of this, I was overly engrossed in it, wanted to show off, became complacent, and looked down upon other fellow practitioners.
At this time my mother-in-law had a stroke, which led to paralysis in half of her body. Seeing her suffering, I wanted her to begin studying the Fa. I thought that my fellow practitioner had led me to cultivate the Fa (and gain improved health) and that I likewise could help my mother-in-law. In reality I discovered that I couldn't really help her because I hadn't studied the Fa enough and thus couldn't help her based on the Fa. I realized that my personal cultivation was not yet solid. I didn't fully comprehend the Fa, and what I knew about the Fa was mostly perceptual. I validated the Fa with my improved health, a physical advantage that came from the help of my fellow practitioner. The fellow practitioner was able to help me because she laid a solid foundation in her personal cultivation stage and Fa-spreading period. She obtained the Fa from Master and was able to help me. When I was in critical condition I became a Dafa practitioner in the Fa-rectification period and in a good cultivation environment only with the help from my fellow practitioner and the arrangement of Master.
Falun Dafa and Master saved me and gave me a new life. Master said:
"But there's just one condition. The time that your life is extended for beyond your predestined, original course of life, that time is solely for you to practice." ( from "The First Talk" in Zhuan Falun)
This is the Fa-rectification period, and I have to use my extended life to perform the three tasks. I have to study and comprehend more of the Fa in order to do the "three tasks" well and keep pace with the progress of Fa-rectification. The Fa will also give me the wisdom to clarify the truth and expose the evil. Later on, with the help of fellow practitioners, I began to read Master's lectures from different periods. Gradually, with the help of fellow practitioners, I was able to perform the three tasks required by Master, and I did the job better as time went by.
I began to understand that I have to perform the three tasks well in order to understand the Fa better, and I have to study the Fa more diligently in order to do the three tasks well. With my life extended, I have to understand more clearly why I here. There is only one answer: to validate the Fa and save sentient beings.
Please correct me if there is anything inappropriate. Heshi.