(Minghui.org) After traveling the Fa-rectification cultivation journey for more than 10 years, I came to understand that only by studying the Fa well could we overcome tribulations and handle things appropriately. Here I would like to share some of my experiences so that we can improve together.
Beginning to work at a material production site
The cultivation environment changed dramatically after the persecution started in July 1999. Because of fear, initially I did not participate at the Falun Gong material production site. When one practitioner talked with me about it and asked if I could help pass on materials, I said no. But he insisted and said I was the best person he could find. I agreed to give it a try and thus have worked for the site since then.
To start out with, I simply received materials from some practitioners and passed them on to others. As time went on, I had more responsibilities—ranging from handling materials for other cities to purchasing consumables and preparing materials. I was under intense pressure and sometimes was really afraid. Fa-study gradually taught me to look at things with righteous thoughts instead of human notions. It was my faith in Master and Dafa that helped me walk well these years.
From time to time there were incidents when practitioners were arrested, including some that I had worked with closely. One practitioner suggested I should be more careful to avoid unnecessary losses. I told him that since Master did not acknowledge the persecution, neither should we. As long as we acted righteously, the evil would not find excuses to interfere with us. That is because our loopholes do indeed incite the evil to harass us.
In Guiding the Voyage, Master said, “How should you view the tribulations and trials that you experience? I can tell you that if a person doesn’t have that much karma, he absolutely won’t have tribulations that severe.”
Because each practitioner has his or her own cultivation path, when other practitioners are arrested, it does not necessarily mean I will be arrested, too.
Improving oneself while doing coordination work
Some practitioners joined the efforts at the material site after realizing its importance, while others intended to accomplish something or establish more mighty virtue. Due to the stress, after working on this project for a long time, practitioners often considered it an everyday job. Plus, those who needed materials often treated these practitioners as if they were special, making it harder for these practitioners to accept different opinions; this can lead to barriers and sometimes deep conflicts between practitioners. When one is unable to study the Fa well or look at things from the perspective of the Fa, he or she tends to handle issues with human notions, thus creating loopholes for the evil to take advantage of and persecute the person. A few practitioners even died as a result of persecution. From the perspective of cultivation, such tragedies took place because practitioners did not let go of their attachments and did not look inward when problems arose.
Because we provide materials and occasionally notify others when something comes up, a few practitioners often regard us as coordinators. With various understandings of the Fa, each practitioner may handle things differently. As long as the intention is to validate the Fa, we need to be tolerant of each other. After working on a task for a long time, certain practitioners are easily attached to their own skills and think they are the best. As one example, a practitioner spent a lot of effort breaking through the Internet blockade. At that time few practitioners could visit our websites, but he could do it safely at Internet cafés and could download large files. But he paid little attention to personal hygiene or cleanliness at the material site. In the end others forced him to leave the site. Hearing this, I suggested that the other practitioners could each examine themselves and seek alternative approaches, such as letting that practitioner work away from the material site but nonetheless still help with Internet access, using his skills. But that did not work out. The other practitioners eventually experienced severe tribulations.
Discussions among practitioners made us realize that if we follow safety procedures, we should not have too many concerns over security. The critical thing is for us to improve on the Fa, through which we could affect the surrounding environment and steer it in a positive direction. As long as we follow the Fa, the evil cannot find an excuse to persecute us. Gradually, more and more practitioners were willing to get involved, and, by supporting each other, many family-based materials sites were launched.
We are cultivating in human society and may still have certain levels of human notions despite our constant progress. By following the Fa, looking inward, and handling ourselves as practitioners, we can do things better and reduce tribulations or interference.
Helping others vs. improving ourselves
As cultivators who live in everyday society, we may hold onto our notions when we work with other practitioners. It is especially so when others' ideas are different from ours. When we are unable to let go of ourselves and unable to cooperate well, we are undermining our efforts to rescue sentient beings.
When a local practitioner was released from a forced labor camp, he became actively involved in rescuing other practitioners, including hiring attorneys for them. Because of his abilities and willingness to help others, many practitioners began to admire him and often sought his help whenever they had issues. This practitioner soon ran into severe tribulations, and because of other practitioners' admiration of him, the evil intended to test the group through him.
When sending righteous thoughts for this practitioner recently, we often thought about how to help him improve and get out of the illness tribulation the old forces had arranged. We kept doing this, but hardly saw any progress. I realized eventually that, although it seemed like we needed to help that practitioner to look inward and improve, in reality, each of us needed to examine ourselves on how to identify omissions and meet the requirements of the Fa. Only by doing so could we fundamentally resolve this issue.
Rectifying ourselves in the Fa
I twisted my back twice several years ago. The first time it happened, I stayed at home for more than 3 weeks due to poor understandings of the Fa. Finally, there was nobody available to pass on the materials that I was responsible for. Despite the pain, I walked down the stairs of my building and rode my bike. Miraculously the pain was gone—as if nothing had happened. At that point, I knew my human notions had trapped me.
The second time, a winter day, I felt a sharp pain in my back, as if it was nearly broken. My family helped me get into bed. I could not turn over. After about an hour a beeper alarm sounded that I had to answer. My family helped me get out of bed. I walked down the stairs of my building with difficulty to call back using a public phone. Once I was back in bed, I was unable to move again. The next morning, however, I had to deliver materials to practitioners from another city. Thinking I could go down the stairs like the day before, I knew I should be able to handle this as well.
There was heavy snow outside, and that practitioner was already waiting when I arrived. He was nearly 70 years old and had traveled dozens of miles on his bike on such a snowy day to get the materials. I was very touched. Although the big bag of materials was heavy, I could help the practitioner load it without a problem. From this I learned that as long as our xinxing improves, Master will help us with anything.
One local practitioner had experienced numerous car accidents and sickness tribulations. But every time she was able to quickly overcome the tribulation. One time when she was suffering from sickness karma, a relative came to visit her and cried after seeing her so skinny. The relative asked why she did not tell her children so that they could help her. This practitioner said she would be fine, plus, her children were busy with work, and she did not want to bother them. With faith in Master and the Fa she soon recovered. Many other times practitioners were able to look within to let go of attachments, and their illnesses soon disappeared.
We also need to be strict with ourselves on family matters. Once after a conflict with my family I complained to other practitioners. One of them reminded me seriously that I needed to look inward, something I always told other practitioners to do. This experience taught me much, and I realized the importance of looking within, even at times when we are facing very difficult situations or enduring physical pain. After letting go of these attachments, we are able to improve both our minds and bodies.
Category: Improving Oneself
