(Minghui.org) This year, May 13 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Fa being spread by our venerable Teacher. To help express our gratitude to Teacher for his compassionate salvation and to validate the power of Dafa, the Minghui website published, “Call for Submissions to Commemorate the Twentieth Anniversary of Falun Dafa's Introduction” (http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2012/2/17/131556.html) on February 17, 2012. The article set forth specific requirements for article submissions. Through writing these articles, we are helping sentient beings to understand the truth and withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations, thereby choosing a bright future for themselves. The 529th edition of Minghui Weekly published a practitioner's article entitled “Some Thoughts Regarding the Call for May 13 Papers” (http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2012/2/17/131556.html). This article inspired me to pick up my pen and actively participate, thus helping to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. I would like to share with fellow practitioners some of the things I enlightened to in the process of writing my experience sharing article.
1. Have a Clear Purpose for Your Article
After Minghui.org published the notice calling for submissions, I didn't have a clear understanding of what I was supposed to do, and I felt apprehensive about starting. I was fearful that I wouldn't do a good job and might waste people's time or not do a good job in clarifying the truth to save sentient beings. However, after I read “Some Thoughts Regarding the Call for May 13 Papers,” I came to a better understanding. I knew that the fundamental message in the article should not be to simply attend various activities, but to help Teacher rectify the Fa, clarify the truth, and save sentient beings.
The quality of the article reflects the cultivation state of the practitioner who writes the article. In addition, the decision to write is also a reflection of one's cultivation state. During the process of writing the article, we recall our cultivation and have an opportunity to look inward and determine if we have truly been diligent in cultivation and used Dafa as the standard. It is therefore an opportunity to find our own shortcomings and continue rectifying ourselves, follow the Fa-rectification closely, and strive to continue breaking through to higher levels.
Therefore, this shouldn't be a question of whether or not to write an article, but rather how best to write it. Even if you only write about a single topic, it still involves a process of letting go of your attachments and elevating yourself to a higher level.
After I gained a better understanding of this, I began working out the topic of my article in accordance with the requirements set out in the notice, and started to think about how to base the article on my own cultivation experience. I remembered that our readers are everyday people for the most part, and many of them from are from China and have been poisoned by atheism and the philosophy of struggle, which has been instilled in them by the CCP. Others have also been deceived by the CCP's lies and slander about Falun Gong. I wanted to leave a deep impression on these readers, but how could I do this? I realized that I could draw on my own personal experience to expose the CCP's lies and free people's thinking. In this way, we can validate that “Falun Dafa is good” and wake up everyone's conscience so that they can see the CCP for what it is and withdraw from it and it's affiliated organizations, thereby ensuring their own bright futures as well as that of their relatives and friends. This is the true purpose for writing the experience sharing articles. When I had this clear in my mind, I had more confidence, and the words seemed to come much more easily.
2. Be Clear on the Main Points of the Article
The majority of practitioners began practicing Falun Gong before July 20, 1999, when the persecution began, and have been cultivating for more than ten years. They have experienced the period of personal cultivation before then, as well as the Fa-rectification period afterward when practitioners were set on exposing the persecution, validating the Fa, clarifying the truth, and saving sentient beings. Each period of time is full of practitioners' stories that demonstrate the miraculous nature of cultivating under Teacher's infinite grace. The stories are too numerous to all be included, so how we select the most relevant points is something that everyone must consider when writing their own article.
My understanding is that we first need to be clear on what we want to present, select the most relevant points, and present them in a manner that is easy to understand. In my own case, I told my story in order, beginning from how I learned Falun Gong, how I cultivated myself in accordance with the character requirements of a practitioner, how I improved both physically and mentally, and how I continued to elevate in cultivation. Then, after Dafa was slandered, and I was treated wrongly, why did I continue to cultivate? I looked at all of my experiences and decided which ones to emphasize, and what would cause the best possible result for truth clarification. I gave three examples to explain how Falun Dafa enabled me to become a better person through observing the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The first was when I was removed from my position as the head of my department and transferred to a lower-level unit. As I was leaving the department, my boss took firm hold of my hands and said, “You Falun Gong practitioners are all good people.” The second example was when one of my former managers was transferred to a very low-level unit, and co-workers who were supposedly close to him did not show up to see him off. However when he saw that I, a practitioner who did not have much contact with him, showed up he was very much moved and hugged me, saying with emotion, “I understand that you (practitioners) are all good people.” The third example was after I was transferred to the lower-level unit, the CEO of a different company gave myself and other leaders each a red envelope containing 1,000 yuan in cash. I declined the offer but he was very firm, so I went to his office and returned the envelope the following day. He was very touched and said, “I gave out 63 envelopes and you are the only one who returned it. You are a good man, a rarity nowadays.”
These examples serve to validate that Falun Dafa is good, and is truly a beacon in a time when the world is awash in material desires and the moral standard has declined sharply. Practitioners contrast sharply with this, abiding by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, working hard without complaint, not fighting for their own gain, not taking bribes, and treating other people honestly and kindly. We act nobly, and naturally display these good qualities. These qualities alone serve as irrefutable evidence to expose the lies told by the CCP and help awaken people's sense of right and wrong, thus helping to lay a good foundation and allow people to choose a bright future. It is our duty and mission to be this way.
3. Submitting a Sharing Article Is a Process of Elevation
In the process of writing an experience sharing article, every practitioner should review their article and make sure to distinguish points where they have done well or not in their cultivation, and realize where they still need to improve. This way, we can look at everything with a humble perspective and bring back the feeling we had when we first learned the Fa. When I reviewed my own article, the cheerful feeling I had was simply beyond description. I felt that I had truly enlightened to Teacher's words,
“My hope is that Dafa disciples can all be like how they were with each other in the old times, and as diligent as before when you first obtained the Fa. There used to be a Buddhist saying, the idea of which was: If you can be like you have just begun, all the way from the beginning to the end, you will surely achieve Consummation.” (“What is a Dafa Disciple”)
The first time I read this, I was encouraged to be more diligent and do the three things well. At the same time, writing an article helps us to let go many of our attachments, for example the attachment to laziness and seeking comfort, and fear of hardship. In so doing, we make big strides forward on the path of our cultivation. It can truly be a wonderful experience. Fellow practitioners, give it a try and you will certainly have much to gain.
I think that the responsibility for submitting articles falls not only on those who are good at writing, but to all practitioners. The process of writing is a chance to look back and summarize our own cultivation. It is a very precious opportunity, and an opportunity to elevate ourselves. Those who are unable to read and write can dictate the article and have someone else write their thoughts. Together, practitioners can collectively use their mouths, hands, and minds to form an unbreakable body that can awaken the world's people, deter the evil, and fulfill our vows to assist Teacher in rectifying the Fa and saving sentient beings.
I call on all practitioners to take swift action and use our “magic pens” to take part in writing experience sharing articles.
Please kindly point out any shortcomings in my understanding.