(Clearwisdom.net) I was introduced to Falun Dafa in 1998. At that time, I knew that Falun Dafa was good but I didn't know why I should cultivate. The following is my sharing on how I started to cultivate Dafa and save sentient beings with Teacher's protection, and the compassion of other practitioners in our group study. If there is anything inappropriate, please point it out.
1. Group Study Helped Me Steadily Cultivate
I met a local practitioner in 2006 and had a chance to read Teacher's new articles and Minghui articles. I felt as if I had found the path I needed to travel to get home. After hearing the sharing of other practitioners, I understood the importance of studying Dafa well. I told them I wanted to join and study in a group setting, and they helped me to create a study group. Some of them suggested that it's better to memorize several pages of "Zhuan Falun" before studying Fa. Everyone agreed about this and we have continued using this method.
When I recited Fa the first time, I took an hour to memorize it, but still could not do it. I remembered that during group study, a seventy year-old practitioner was able to recite the Fa. So why couldn't I? Other practitioners reminded me to send righteous thoughts, so I started sending righteous thoughts to eliminate every factor which hindered me from reciting the Fa. I was finally able to recite three pages of Zhuan Falun. Some practitioners helped me. I told them, "I feel like I can memorize faster than before." They said, "If your memory is good, you will be able to improve and recite without any mistakes because this is Fa."
I realized that I needed to pay special attention when reciting the Fa. I eliminated human concepts and focused on each word rather than my notions. My reciting became more and more accurate. With the help of our fellow practitioners, we consistently recited Dafa. I truly don't feel there is anything difficult about memorizing the Fa, and I can now recite it accurately and fluently. Our practitioners told me I improved a lot. I also know that they encouraged me based on my ability and they helped me to be strong and remain righteous. I finally did it righteously.
While reciting the Fa, I eliminated the attachment of looking upon Fa study as a routine task. I then discovered deeper meanings in subsequent Fa study. I measured myself according to the Fa and my xinxing improved.
I still had some of the same attachments as before, especially when I was in public. I acted just like an everyday person. Others told me I didn't study the Fa enough and that I should recite the Fa whenever I had free time, so I began reciting Hong Yin, Teacher's articles, and "Your Master Consciousness Needs to be Strong" (Zhuan Falun) when I walked or took the bus. I continued doing this and I felt I was in the Fa.
I was spoiled when I was young (because there is a ten and twenty-year age difference between myself and my siblings). I lacked tolerance and I could not bear criticism. I became depressed if someone said anything I didn't like. If I didn't like to hear it I would just leave. This attachment was exposed during my cultivation.
I went to a practitioner's home for group study. Once I arrived at her home, I said, "It's freezing outside." One of the older practitioners said, "I feel very hot." When I replied, another practitioner hushed me and said, "Keep your voice lower." I suddenly felt very unhappy. I thought he was looking down on me. My mind went blank and I no longer cared about Fa study so I turned and left. When I went down the stairs, it was clear to me that this "can't take criticism" attachment was being used by the evil to disturb my group study. This attachment doesn't belong to me. I should eliminate it and return to study Fa.
I went back upstairs. Just as I was about to knock on the door, I thought, "How embarrassing that I am here knocking on the door again. I wonder what the other practitioner thinks of me?" But I then realized that this thought was not mine and I must go back to study Fa. I knocked on the door and it opened. Everyone was studying the Fa. I felt my face get very hot and whispered, "What am I doing here?" One of them said, "It is okay. Don't worry." She invited me to study Fa with them. The others acted as if nothing happened and I immediately joined in studying the Fa. After that, we shared and everyone discussed their own shortcomings. One of the younger practitioners said, "You are very self aware. You were able to look inside yourself and calm down. If I were you, I would not have been able to come back here so quickly."
The behavior of the group touched me. I was feeling so bad but the others were also able to look at their own shortcomings. There was no criticism but there was forgiveness. In such a pure environment, everyone encouraged me to look inside and truly cultivate. I also knew the seriousness of cultivation.
2. Clarifying the Truth to Relatives and Strangers
The practitioners around me clarify the truth every day. Their righteous thoughts are very strong. They aren't scared and they save many sentient beings. One day I said to one of the practitioners in the study group, "I am scared to clarify the truth. I think I could only clarify the truth to my family and other people I know well." In my head I could hear her telling me, "That is wrong." I was encouraged and started to clarify the truth to my relatives.
My niece visited me. I told her that Falun Dafa is good and that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) slanders Dafa. I also told her how Dafa practitioners suffer persecution. While I was talking, she cried. I told her a story from Minghui Weekly magazine, "The Ark Is Just Beside You."
"There was a pastor. When the flood came, people rushed to try to escape but the pastor was very calm. He believed that God could save him. When the flood arrived and the water was as high as his waist, people tried to persuade him to run. He said there was no need, and that God would save him. When the water was up to his neck, a person in a small boat asked him to jump into his boat. The pastor again refused. He believed God would save him. The water continued to rise and he had to climb on top of a house. A helicopter flew over and threw down a rope ladder to him but the pastor refused. He believed that God would save him. The pastor soon drowned. After his death he saw God and asked Him very sadly, "I gave my entire life to serve you. Why didn't you save me when I was in danger?"
I asked my niece if she knew why. She said, "God had already given him many chances."
I continued to clarify to her based on the material I had read, "Someone said that even if there is danger, God will still save me because I don't do bad things. Thus, there is no need to withdraw from the CCP. But if you think you are a good person, withdrawing from the CCP is a form of God giving you a chance to be saved!"
She understood and asked me to help her to withdraw from the CCP. My uncle and aunts heard my discussion with my niece and the announced that they also wanted to quit the CCP.
When I was with a group of practitioners, a man asked me for the time. I told him and then he left. One of the older practitioners asked me why I didn't clarify the truth to him. I was surprised by how they believe that any chance is a precious opportunity to clarify the truth. I also wanted to clarify the truth to strangers, and it occurred to me that Teacher had helped me by creating the opportunities.
I went out to work one evening and a university student asked me for directions to a salon. I told one of the practitioners that she might have a predestined relationship and we should not miss this chance to save her. I said, "You must not be from here." "I am from Hebei." "Hebei is close to Beijing. It was recently in the news." I talked about the massacre on June 4, 1989, in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the persecution of Falun Gong, and the "Tiananmen Self-Immolation Incident." I asked her if she had joined any of the CCP organizations. She told me that she just joined the Communist Youth league and the Young Pioneers. I told her, "Withdraw from them and you will have a beautiful future." She agreed. I realized that it was not that difficult to clarify the truth to strangers.
3. The Buddha Light Illuminates Everywhere
Since I began cultivating Dafa, my illnesses have all vanished and my temperament has improved. My selfishness has changed to thinking of others first. My nature is very compassionate, but I previously had a bad temper and I was also very lazy. During my study of Fa and my cultivation, I gradually corrected myself. I don't like to do housework and sometimes I shout at my husband. Sometimes, I even wanted to hit him. I really want to correct myself. I recited Teacher's article "Buddha-Nature and Demon-Nature" (from Essentials for Further Advancement) and decided to eliminate the demon nature and fulfill my Buddha nature.
In reality, my demon nature gradually went away, and my home became harmonious. I clarified the truth, but in the meantime I was also considerate of my husband. I now do his laundry and take care of the cooking. When it is raining, I bring the umbrella out for him. When I see his shoes are dirty in the morning, I polish them. My husband is very supportive and is very warm toward practitioners. He also reminds me to send righteous thoughts at night. He knows that Dafa is good. He thinks we should provide a group study environment for practitioners. He always encourages me not to be scared even though the persecution is very tough in China.
My mother is eighty years old and was suffering from uterine trouble. Her abdomen was very painful and she kept bleeding. She was admitted to a hospital and my husband told me that her "time is limited." I was very worried and I shared this with my group. They advised me to eliminate the attachment that was disturbing me. I knew I had to let the attachment go. My mother knows the truth about Dafa and is very supportive. She always says, "Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good." Dafa will save her. I took care of her every day, and my worried heart calmed. Several days later, when she used the bathroom, she passed two different clots. The same thing happened the next day. She has not had any more pain, and her bleeding has also stopped.
Her health has now recovered. She recites, "Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good" every day. She appreciates Teacher's compassion, and she greets Teacher every day in her heart. She also read Hong Yin. She said, "It's great. After reading the Falun Gong books, I felt very warm in my heart!" She believes Falun Dafa is good from the bottom of her heart. Sometimes, she wakes up around 3:00 a.m. and doesn't go back to sleep. She sometimes wakes me around 3:50 a.m. and tell me, "Don't sleep anymore. Get up and study Fa."
Reviewing my cultivation through these years, I improved in the group environment, and our fellow practitioners helped me a lot. I appreciate Teacher's help and giving me a chance to be diligent. I warn myself very often that I must study the Fa well, truly cultivate myself, and not stand in the way of saving sentient beings.
I would like to continue saving more sentient beings with my fellow practitioners.
December 26, 2009
