(Clearwisdom.net)
Killing lives creates enormous karma for the killer.
As I understand it, this is why one lifetime is not enough to succeed in cultivation with other paths. Falun Dafa cultivation, however, is different. As long as you truly cultivate, you will succeed in one lifetime. Of course when Master helps us eliminate karma, we will also endure some suffering. This is determined by the universal law. Even though we are Dafa cultivators, those who took animal lives in their careers accumulated large amounts of karma, and must encounter more tribulations. If one is not diligent in his or her Dafa cultivation, one might not succeed in this life time. We have reached the final path of Fa rectification, yet some practitioners still endure numerous tribulations. Perhaps it has something to do with their past killing. Dafa can be used to benevolently resolve the grudges. That way, not only will the karma be eliminated, but it also paves a smoother path for cultivation. From the perspective of saving sentient beings, it is an act of great compassion toward the life killed.
It has been ten years since I first came to practice Falun Dafa. Before I began, in my hometown, a small village in Shandong Province, I killed a huge poisonous snake and cut it into a dozen pieces. The retribution after this killing was beyond words. I wrote this article to share my experience of how I used benevolent thoughts to resolve the grudge, to help my fellow practitioners who have had similar experiences.
Last spring, there was freaky screech which could be heard from my mother's yard. It was late at night, before dawn, when people heard this blood curdling screech. Even my father who was afraid of nothing dared not go out of the house or go back to sleep, and none of my siblings dared to visit my mother.
After I learned about it, I sent forth righteous thoughts and began clearing the field in that area. That night, my main consciousness saw this scene: I went to my mother's yard to look, and discovered a huge python hidden in a cave underground. Its head was as large as a basin, and its eyes were the size of a fist. It looked disgusting. As soon as the python saw me, it was so scared that it stopped screaming. I looked like a young Taoist priest. I found out that it was trying to kill my mother, so I waited for it at its cave. Then my mother called. When I turned my head, the python escaped into the road. I ran after it and stepped on it. It opened its mouth and yelled at me: "I have cultivated for over one thousand years. What do you dare to do?" I replied: "A small finger is enough to crush you, and you will be dead for sure." It began to beg pitifully for mercy. I almost changed my mind, but I saw the sly look in its eyes. I said: "It seems impossible for you not to hurt people." I raised my palm and over its head. Immediately its body split into pieces, but its head became a dozen small snakes and disappeared into the grass. My main consciousness "came back."
I told my mother over the phone next day that the screechy noise should no longer be a problem. She said: "You are right, I did not hear it this morning." I warned my mother to be careful, and to stay away from anyone or anything related to snakes, because the small snakes were still nearby. My mother agreed.
Three days later, a "doctor" visited my mother, and told her that he specialized in treating geriatric patients. My mother told him that her leg hurt. The doctor took a dozen dried snakes from his backpack, and told my mother to stir-fry them, ground them into power, and eat them. Although she had forgotten my warning, she had always been afraid of snakes so she did not take them. Then the "doctor" took out a bottle of black liquid, told her that it was made from the essence of snake, and said that she should rub the medicine on her knees. The medicine cost 600 yuan. My mother agreed.
After I learned that, I told my mother to throw the black liquid away. Before, my mother had pain in one leg, but after she used the liquid, both legs were in pain and got worse every day until she could no longer walk. She went to the hospital twice for surgery, and then she could walk with assistance. One year afterwards, I was still very upset with her.
Finally my mother came to regret that she used the medicine on her knees, and that got my attention. I suddenly realized that her leg pain had something to do with the snake, and specifically had something to do with my killing the big snake and cutting it into a dozen pieces. It was all because of me, what should I do? I suddenly remembered that after Master eliminated the snake in a human form, its fellow brothers and sisters all wanted to take action, but after they heard Master's words, they were all scared, and nobody dared to do anything. What did Master say? I do not dare to guess, but I know what happened to my mother was the revenge of the snake and a dozen of its followers. I remember Master said once that benevolence is a basic characteristic of an enlightened being, and as Dafa practitioners no matter what we do, we need to consider things from the perspective of Shan. I should resolve the grudges with kindness.
I sat down with my legs double crossed. After I settled down I told the snakes: "No matter what kind of hatred we have in the past, I am a Dafa disciple now, I'd like to resolve the grudges with benevolence. As long as you do not take revenge and leave my mother alone immediately, you can wait for me in a place that will not interfere with me, and I will repay you back with a share of my happiness allotted by consummation. Even if I am unable to do so, my Master will help me to do it. For those who cling obstinately to their course and refuse to listen, I have no choice but to eliminate you. This is your only chance and I hope you will cherish it." Immediately, I saw a dozen small snakes leave my mother's knee. My mother's knee looked pitiful, it was still quite damaged and would need time to heal. Shortly afterwards, I saw a dozen girls dressed in ancient attire kneel down in front of me to thank me.
I called my mother. She was extremely happy: "It's strange, my knees were killing me a short while ago, and now I can not feel the pain." It only took ten minutes.
As a matter of fact, back when I killed the huge snake, someone already told me that since I had killed something in a snake form, I should leave the place immediately, otherwise my life would be in danger. At the time, I was only paying a short visit to my mother. After that, for whatever reason, I never went back. Now I realize it was Master protecting me all along. To my surprise, after ten years the snake still wanted to take revenge on me. Since I cultivated Dafa and it could not get near me, it decided to harm my mother instead. I used Dafa principles to resolve the grudge benevolently. I am very fortunate. If I had not obtained Dafa, my life would have been over long ago.
I wrote this to verify the boundless power of Dafa, and remind fellow practitioners who have had similar experiences not to forget to resolve the grudges with benevolence, turn them into a good thing, eliminate the karma, let the lives you harmed in the past to share your happiness after your consummation, and be saved with the compassion of Dafa.