(Minghui.org)
Greetings, great and benevolent Master. Greetings, fellow practitioners.
For over ten years, under the protection of benevolent Master, I have stumbled along the road of cultivation. My heart is full of gratitude for Master’s compassionate salvation. I would like to take the opportunity of the 9th China Fahui on Minghui to summarize my cultivation and report to Master and fellow practitioners.
Obtaining the Fa, Becoming a Practitioner
I am a teacher. In the spring of 1997, after spending six years doing Zhouyi and fortunetelling, I was still confused about the meaning of life. I would do all kinds of past and present fortunetelling and read Qigong books to find the purpose of life. I accumulated a whole box of books, and worked hard studying them, yet I gained very little.
Purely by luck, I obtained a copy of Zhuan Falun. Once I opened the book, the wisdom and principles poured out like the rolling water of the Changjiang River and washed away my confusions about life. Even with thousands of words, I still wouldn’t be able to describe how I felt. I knew that I had found the most precious thing in my life. When I look back, Zhouyi and other Qigong books were so trivial. When I first started reading Zhuan Falun, except for class time, I held onto the book and did not want to put it down, even at mealtimes. It turned out that cultivation is not just something from the past, nor does one have to go deep into the forests or mountains to practice, it can happen in today’s society, anywhere! Without hesitation, I discarded or burned the whole box of fortunetelling and Qigong books and tapes that I had accumulated over the years. I exclaimed from deep down in my heart: “I will start my true cultivation from now on!”
At the beginning of my Dafa cultivation, my happiness and joy not only filled my heart but showed on my face and in my eyes. After work, I would study the Fa and do the exercises diligently, and always did the standing exercises twice at night. I also studied the Fa, but realized later that I inadvertently treated doing the exercises as cultivation and didn’t place enough emphasis on studying the Fa. Perhaps because of my good inborn quality, I could easily pass the occasional xinxing tests with a fairly good understanding. Now with a clear direction in my life, my heart was settled, full of gratitude to Dafa, and I was full of energy.
Not long after, Master published several books, including Hong Yin, Explaining the Content of Falun Dafa and Lecture at the First Conference in North America. I didn’t fully understand the sacredness and seriousness of cultivation, and treated Fa study the same as reading theoretical books. At that time, I had a very shallow understanding in my heart and thought that all of Master’s teachings were about Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and “looking inward.” During a sharing, a fellow practitioner said to me earnestly, “What are you here for? You ask me when you have a problem—how could I explain more clearly than Master?” The practitioner’s words struck my head like a stick and woke me up from my shallowness. I was very embarrassed and regretted this deeply. I understood the importance of respecting Master and the Fa. I made up my mind to change my attitude towards Fa study and decided to study the Fa more and with a clearer mind.
Confusion
In the winter of 1998, more and more people started practicing Falun Gong. As the number of practitioners increased so did the fear of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) toward Falun Gong. The trend of cultivation had an impact on society and was helping to change people’s minds. Our original exercise location, a school auditorium, suddenly was no longer available to us. The authorities had told the school not to provide space for Falun Gong practitioners. Government officials were not allowed to practice Falun Gong, and that order would soon reach every government official. What authority was that? We didn’t know. Lacking political awareness, we didn’t realize that a storm was brewing. Puzzled and confused, we focused on our personal cultivation.
After April 25, 1999, the cultivation environment worsened further. All Dafa disciples were disturbed in some way. In July, some practitioners from our county decided to appeal to the provincial government so that we could legally practice again. The provincial government told them, “You can go to Beijing [to appeal]. We are not authorized to do anything.” At the same time, all railroad stations, bus stops, and buses and trains to Beijing were under strict police control and surveillance; we were not allowed to go to Beijing. With trust in the highest authority and a pure wish to protect Dafa and their rights, many practitioners rode their bicycles, walked, or took a detour to make their way to Beijing to validate Dafa. I didn’t have a good understanding from the standpoint of the Fa at that time, and I had all kinds of human notions. I hesitated and didn’t know what to do.
Two days later, the CCP announced the start of the persecution of Falun Gong through all its media, including TV and radio, to the whole world. Every practitioner’s heart was moved. Coincidentally, at that time I was transferred from a public middle school to a private middle school and entered a brand new work environment.
At first, I didn’t reveal that I was a Falun Gong practitioner. On the one hand, I wanted to achieve something at work to establish myself before saying anything; on the other hand, I was concerned about the persecution. One thing that I was sure about was that Dafa was right; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance was right, there was nothing wrong with it.
Several months later, news came from around the country about brainwashing sessions and Dafa disciples being persecuted to death. At the same time, practitioners went to report the incidents to the top officials, and more and more people went to Beijing to appeal. My heart was pained. Dafa was undoubtedly being wronged, but I did not understand why practitioners continued to petition. Obviously, I took the persecution of Dafa as a persecution between humans. At that time, Master hadn't published any new articles for a while. I didn’t know how to react. With pain in my heart, I was confused day by day, doing intermittent Fa study and exercises.
Letting Go of Human Attachments
After a year, in July 2000, my understanding changed.
Master said:
“If you don’t even do anything about things like murder and arson, then what would you do something about?” (Zhuan Falun)
I knew that I should go to Beijing to seek justice for Dafa. I had to go, but it wouldn’t be for the sake of reaching consummation. By going to Beijing, although many of my attachments would be eliminated, I realized that even if I went to Beijing ten times, I still wouldn’t get rid of all my attachments and reach the standard for consummation. My motivation for going to Beijing could not be to reach consummation.
After returning home, I studied Essentials for Further Advancement with fellow practitioners in my hometown. Perhaps Master saw that my heart of going to Beijing was to protect the Fa, and He didn’t want to give up on me, and opened my wisdom. Those principles of the Fa that I had studied many times but didn’t understand now revealed themselves to me layer by layer. The principles of the Fa pounded me like a heavy hammer, especially scriptures such as “For Whom do You Practice Cultivation,” “Digging Out the Roots,” and “Dafa Cannot be Used.” I understood what I needed to do. I had to resist the persecution not for the sake of my own consummation, and not to get rid of my attachments, but to protect Master’s name, to validate and seek justice for Dafa, and for those fellow practitioners being persecuted. I had to stand up without hesitation. If each of us could have stood up against the irrational persecution, it probably would not have started.
After further discussion, we were all clearer and firmer. We would not wait or rely on anyone, nor would we just follow the group. Even if it was only me, I would still go to Beijing to clarify the truth about Falun Gong.
After making up my mind, I went back home to visit my elderly parents and said farewell to my wife, my son, and my newborn daughter. I went back to my school quietly. I organized my things and left the key inside the room. I stepped out the door with a strong determination, and knowing that I would probably never come back. I took the train to Beijing.
Two days later, the local police brought be back and detained me for 15 days for breaking the so-called security regulations. I was fined 3,000 yuan. It then became public knowledge that I was a Dafa practitioner and I was famous in my field. I was clear what path I should follow. I was proud of Dafa and I was proud to be a Dafa disciple.
Being Tempered
After I became known as a practitioner, a series of harassments took place. At that time, the cultivation environment was very difficult. The Education Bureau and the 610 Office often threatened me with work and brainwashing sessions. Because I was a member of the CCP at that time, the county also conducted so-called “organizational” conversations with me, and put tremendous pressure on me and my school. My living places were monitored, and my activities were restricted. I was often called out of the classroom during class, and my routine work was disrupted unreasonably. I was often threatened with detainment and fines. Even my school was forced to report my activities to higher authorities.
However, just as Master said,
“You should know that once a person learns the truth and the real meaning of life, he will not regret giving up his life for it.” (“Some Thoughts of Mine,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
All of the authorities' efforts to keep me from living a righteous life would go in vain. For a while, I tried to study the Fa as much as possible once I had completed my daily work. I used the Fa to fulfill myself, to keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification, and to resist the constant evil persecution.
In the summer of 2002, the authorities took me to a brainwashing center. To protest, I went on a hunger strike for nine days. The 610 Office called my parents, my brother and sister in-law, my wife, my son and daughter, as well as other relatives, and encouraged them to “transform” me with affection and violence. That day was extremely hot. Facing my elderly parents, my wife who was on her knees, my suffering brother and sister in-law, my crying son, and my young daughter who was less than three years old and was not aware of the situation, telling me that her brother didn’t do his homework on time, my heart felt like it was being torn our of my chest, and my body was powerless. As a result of many days on a hunger strike, a whole day of turmoil, and the hot weather, I started to vomit blood. My father passed out due to the shock of seeing me in this state, and was supplied with emergency oxygen. My mother had a seizure, and her blood pressure rose dangerously high. Both of them had to get emergency care. Even then the authorities did not let me go. Several dozen staff members surrounded me. Two held my arms and tried to make me sign the guarantee statement that they had written for me. Although I could not stand still, my mind was very clear. I knew that Master was next to me and was looking after me. I knew that what I was seeing were all false impressions. Master would not let any real harm come to my parents. All was a test set up by the old forces. I moved to break free, grabbed the guarantee statement, and tore it into pieces. I tried to run away but they caught me and forced me down. Unexpectedly, the head of the 610 Office said, “He is so tough and stubborn, let him go.” Under Master’s protection, I was not subjected to any further torture.
Previously when I did the sitting meditation, I could not sit in the full lotus position with both my legs crossed for more than 20 minutes. After this tribulation, I could easily sit in full lotus for an hour. Thank you, Master!
When I was being persecuted, there was tremendous outpouring from my community. Many parents showed their sympathy and concern. My school also decided to let me keep my job despite all the pressure from the higher authorities. When I went back to the school, my students wrote things on the blackboard from their hearts: “Teacher, I love you!” “We hope to see you back!” Seeing their pure hearts really moved me.
Along with the rapid progress of the Fa-rectification, tens of thousands of practitioners, without fear or hesitation, wrote many glorious chapters in the story of saving sentient beings and fighting the persecution. I was also tempered in the immense flow of the Fa-rectification, and my human notions were eliminated little by little. Not long after, I realized that in order to welcome the early arrival of Master’s Fa-rectification in the human world, I should not be restricted by my environment. In addition to doing well at my school, I should go out and form one-body with fellow practitioners outside of the school. After that, I put up banners, sent out informational materials, wrote letters, and clarified the truth face to face. My cultivation state was quickly improved and my life was intense but fulfilling when I collaborated with fellow practitioners on many projects to help Master with the Fa-rectification and saving sentient beings.
At school, during my daily life and work, I was very strict with myself and friendly to others, and I spoke and behaved in ways that reflected the innocence, kindness, and beauty of Dafa, and cleaned up the toxic elements infused by the evil Party into the minds of sentient beings. On my classroom blackboard was Master’s “An Upright Person” from Hong Yin. Our class motto was also derived from Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It was “Pure Compassion and Kindness, Forbearance and Rationality, Wisdom, Peace and Dignity.” Everyone read the motto out loud together every day before we sang. We did it three times a day every day. Groups of students who knew the truth about Falun Gong went on to higher education or became responsible members of society.
A former student leader from my class once came back and told me that in her high school students were required to join the CCP Youth League. Several of them firmly refused and were suspended for two days. In the end, the class teacher gave them a Youth League button through the class cadre to avoid further trouble.
At another time, after learning the truth, my students quit the Youth League after joining. Nobody from the class wanted to join and we could not meet the assigned number of Youth League members. Although the Youth League secretary from our school did not fully understand the truth, he did not push the matter or do any further investigation on the issue. In the last few years, Dafa disciples have eliminated large amounts of evil during the process of saving sentient beings and fighting persecution. More and more people are now thinking rationally, and more and more sentient beings are awakening. I am so happy for those who know the truth and have been saved.
Being Mature
Along with the rapid progress of the Fa-rectification, Dafa disciples' cultivation has become more rational and mature. In 2010, I was transferred to a remote elementary school close to our neighboring county.
Because it was a remote area, the local environment was not very good, and many people did not know the truth about Falun Gong. All seven teachers and the security person at the school did not know the truth. I put Dafa books and truth-clarification materials on my desk and on the head of my bed, but they did not even dare to touch them. Seeing this, I realized the urgency of saving sentient beings. I knew that I had to use the wisdom and compassion from the Fa to create a new cultivation environment and save all the predestined beings here, inside and outside of the school.
First, inside the school, I never hid the fact that I was a Falun Gong practitioner. I am very proud of Dafa. In Dafa cultivation, I am open, righteous, and compassionate. I put Dafa books, Minghui Weekly, several other Minghui publications, DVDs, and beautiful desk and wall calendars out in the open in my office. Our office is a gathering place for all teachers during break time. I intended to use my compassion and purity, my words and behavior to open a window for sentient beings to know the truth about Dafa.
At school, I work hard and am glad to collaborate with colleagues. In my daily life, I put others' interests before mine, look inward when there is a problem, actively think of others, and offer help. I also use all kinds of opportunities to tell people the truth about Dafa and persuade them to quit the CCP and its associated organizations when there is a chance. Because my home is far from school, and all the local sentient beings have a predestined relationship with me, I do not go home until the weekends. I eat and stay at the school even though I get off from work pretty early. After work, I use my spare time and evenings to visit my students or colleagues at their homes or to clarify the truth to the local people and help them to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
To better clean up the toxic elements that the teachers were subjected to after years of Party pollution, I bought an EVD and set up the New Tang Dynasty (NTD) TV channel. They got to see live the facts about the evil Party and the truth about Dafa. After watching NTDTV and truth-clarification DVDs, all the teachers and the principal have awakened, and they now have a positive attitude towards Dafa. Now, most of them have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
In addition, although my students are very young, they are also my targets for being saved. In class, I teach them the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and treat them like my children. I am very strict about one thing, and that is to be compassionate to every other student and to never hurt another student. I try to talk and behave according to the Fa, exhibit the beauty of Dafa, and let the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance enter their hearts. In class I once held up a stick just to frighten a student who had broken a rule, but the moment I raised my hand, the naughty student grabbed my hand tightly and yelled, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, no beating!” Everyone in the class laughed.
Now my environment is very friendly, and my students love me. If the students have a headache or stomachache, they say quietly, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” They also benefit and know the beauty and power of Dafa.
Regarding collaboration with local fellow practitioners, I made up my mind when I first arrived that, since Master had sent me here, I would go out and become part of the one body with local practitioners. Therefore, not long after I arrived, I managed to make contact with local practitioners. In fact, there are two local practitioners. They live in one village but did not study the Fa together and did not do much regarding the three things that Master asks us to do. After sharing, we agreed that in order to keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification, we will form a real one-body, and will study the Fa as a group every day, look inward, and cherish the limited time left for the Fa-rectification, do the three things well, and become real Dafa disciples.
These two practitioners are really precious. Their hearts for Dafa and Master are as pure as gold. In the last two years, they have given me endless help in Dafa and in daily life. I am very grateful, and I thank Master for this arrangement. We all cherish our predestined relationship in Dafa, we actively look inward in all incidents, and never point fingers at one another. In cultivation, we all improve rapidly in understanding the Fa principles and are clear about the responsibilities and mission of Dafa disciples. We all quickly break out of our self-limitations, and take the mission of Dafa disciples seriously. We send out truth clarification materials and persuade people face to face to quit the CCP; everyone is improving in true cultivation. In the last two years, we went to over a dozen neighboring villages to distribute truth-clarification materials and the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party to every corner of the villages.
Now, with the help of a practitioner from another area, we have our own materials production center, and we walk more steadily on the path of helping Master with the Fa-rectification.
“The paths of cultivation are varied
But none is outside the Great Law” (“Unimpeded,” Hong Yin II).
As a teacher, I have lots of free time after work. However, who can take it easy on the path of the Fa-rectification? Long weekends and holidays are all good opportunities for truth clarification. Last winter, fellow practitioners made beautiful materials, including wall and desk calendars, and couplets. I formed small teams with fellow practitioners in my hometown and went house-to-house in the villages, giving the beautiful gifts and the good news that Dafa is saving sentient beings. Fellow practitioners in my hometown and I focus on how to study the Fa and cultivate, and improve diligently together, to fulfill our mission as Dafa disciples.
Twenty years have passed since Master started the Fa-rectification, and there is not much time left for Dafa disciples to cultivate. As a practitioner, before the end of the Fa-rectification, I deeply appreciate the preciousness of the time left. In addition, a mature Dafa disciple has to develop the righteousness and compassion of an enlightened being. I feel strongly that after putting down human attachments, a practitioner’s mind and body can be so simple, relaxed, fulfilled, free, and comfortable, and that one can walk more steadily on the divine path. During the two months of summer vacation, I turned down the invitation to make some money by teaching extra classes, and I just went out to save predestined people. I come back home at night to summarize my shortcomings and study the Fa to look inward and assimilate myself to the Fa. Right now, on the stage of the human world, Dafa disciples are the main characters. I will cherish every day that Master has gained for us through immense suffering, do the three things well, wholeheartedly fulfill my vow, and walk the last steps on my path to consummation well!
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
Heshi to Master!
