(Minghui.org)
1. Finding Master
In July 2000, I went to my nephew's home for a vacation. He and his wife are both Falun Dafa practitioners. At that time, I was a lay Buddhist. One day my nephew said to his wife, “Last night Master enlightened me that someone in my mother's family, who is very good, has not obtained the Fa yet. Could it be my youngest aunt? Let's tell her about Dafa.”
They told me very patiently how wonderful Dafa is and why Dafa practitioners were persecuted. After a few days, I was touched by what they said and told them,“Let me read the book.” Very happy, they gave me a copy Zhuan Falun, and I saw tears in their eyes.
That night, I saw shining srivatsa symbols with my third eye. When I told them about this the next day, tears again came to their eyes and they smiled, saying, “You have a very deep predestined relationship with Dafa. What you saw was actually Master encouraging you to practice.”
But when I read the book, I always got sleepy after a few pages. I didn't know that this was interference. However, no matter how difficult it was, I felt a very strong power pushing me to finish the book as soon as possible. I finished the book in two and a half days. I strongly felt that this book was great and it was the one I had always been looking for.
One thing I'll never forget was when a practitioner came to my nephew's home during a heavy rain and told them happily, “We finally got Master's latest article.” He took out the article, “Towards Consummation,” from his pocket like he was carrying a treasure. It had been one year since the evil authorities had started to persecute Dafa, and I was very impressed, because it was very dangerous. Most practitioners were tightly monitored, but they were still very steadfast in their belief in Dafa. I was determined to practice Dafa as well.
After the summer vacation, I wanted to return home with the book. However, at that time the authorities had set up many checkpoints. My nephew's wife was worried because I had just obtained the Fa. She asked me, “What if you are searched on your way back home?” I said without hesitation, “Don't worry, I will protect the book with my life.”
Then I left and was on my way home with Dafa books and exercise recordings. I had already forgotten that I could be searched. Instead, I thought how lucky I had been to have obtained Dafa. After four hours, the bus suddenly stopped. I believed that Dafa was so great and that the evil beings were not qualified to find anything. They stood on the bus for a while, then got off. When I asked the driver who these people were, he said, “They came to search for Falun Gong. But somehow they didn't search anything.” I knew it was Master who had protected me, a new practitioner.
Although, I had learned the exercises at my nephew's home, I had forgotten some parts. I wanted to ask local practitioners for help, but I didn't know any. Someone told me that a practitioner lived in the opposite building, but he hadn't seen her for a while. I contacted her husband and was told, “She is in a detention center, and I don't even know when she will be released.” I was very sad to hear that this practitioner was being persecuted. I could do nothing but wait for her return.
One month later, she was released and I went to see her. Despite this brutal persecution, she was still very steadfast in Dafa. She was very happy to see me and said, “Let's practice together and be more diligent.”
2. Helping Master to validate Dafa and saving people
One day when I went to her home, she asked, “Do you dare to clarify the truth?” I said, “Of course. I hope more people can learn the truth.” She said, “Let's go out tonight and distribute truth-clarification materials.” I replied, “Why tonight? Let's go now. I work in a hospital. I will leave materials in each room, and all the patients and their families in that room can read them.”
I started from the top floor and went down, giving out materials in every room. After that, we went to a commercial area. I told every businessman I encountered the facts about Falun Gong. At the end I always said, “Here, I have a flier. It is very precious, please do cherish it. After you have read it, please do not throw it away, pass it on to your family.” They were all very glad to accept the materials and thanked me.
Suddenly, the other practitioner called to me, saying, “Be careful over there.” I looked where she was pointing. Actually, she told me that there was a police officer and alerted me to pay attention to my safety. However, I didn't see an officer; all I saw was a person that hadn't gotten any materials. So I walked over to him and gave him a flier. When I came back, she said, “I thought you knew that other man. He was standing behind the one you approached, turned his face away, and made a phone call. He turned back right after you gave the flier.” I replied, “I didn't see any officer at all.” Then I looked around more carefully and noticed several officers patrolling. My heart was very pure at that time. The whole afternoon people in the different businesses listened to me, and I could see no officers at all.
Usually when I did the meditation, I sweat a lot and my legs hurt. That night, however, I did the meditation for one hour and had no pain. I knew it was Master encouraging me.
Another time when I went out to distribute materials, I was followed, and the chief of the residents' committee reported me to the police. At that time, I didn't know about sending forth righteous thoughts. All I thought was: “I am a particle of Dafa. You cannot get me and it is not wrong to tell people the truth.” When I tried to leave the residential area, she said, “Stop.” But actually, she couldn't move at all, all she could do was talk. I still thought that she could not get me and continued to walk toward the west. Then she said, “Go to the east—someone from the west is waiting to arrest you.” I thought that I shouldn't listen to her, so I didn't stop. Then a police car came from the east side, but I was still holding the thought: “Master is protecting me, evil beings cannot get me.” As a result, the police car couldn't drive any faster then I walked. It chased me but was always 100 meters behind me. The officers in the car shouted, “Stop! You stop!” I did not panic and was not scared at all. I escaped with my righteous thoughts.
Later, I enlightened that even though I hadn't practiced Dafa for a long time, as long as I have a pure heart and as long as I am steadfast in my belief in Dafa and Master, any bad luck could be turned into good luck, all things are tests.
3. Remembering to save the guards, even when being tortured
Four months after I obtained the Fa, I joined an experience sharing conference. A fellow practitioner asked me whether I wanted to go to Beijing to appeal, and I said, “I want to very much, but I just obtained the Fa and I'm afraid I will not do it well. ” She encouraged me: “Your heart is so pure. Master will help you.” On December 1, 2000, I arrived at the Tiananmen Square and opened a truth-clarification banner. I was arrested and taken to Chaoyang Detention Center.
Once when I was interrogated, I heard a voice from next door. It was a guard torturing a practitioner. I asked Master to help me, because I wanted to tell the facts about Falun Gong to the officer who would interrogate me. I wanted to save him and didn't want him to commit a crime against Dafa. I told him, “I hope you won't be the same as the guard next door. It's not because I am frightened that you will torture me. I sincerely hope you will be good. Dafa practitioners are good people who follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Jiang started the persecution of Falun Gong because he was jealous. Practicing Falun Gong helps people to become healthier and have higher morals. Our county benefits a lot from that. I hope you can learn the facts and not commit any crimes.” The officer said, “I understand. Thank you. I will choose what to do wisely. You should protect yourself. I hope you can return home soon.”
At the beginning, they treated me very badly and put shackles on my ankles. I still told them with a smile, “Don't treat me like this. Appealing is the right of every citizen. Which law did I break? Good will receive good and evil will receive retribution--that is nature's justice. You simply follow orders without a second thought, but one day, when all these wrong deeds are exposed, will you accept all the responsibilities? Have you ever thought about why Falun Gong practitioners are so steadfast in their belief? Are they all idiots? Please do think about it.” I talked to them non-stop, and they changed little by little. I said, “Please take off the shackles.” One of the guards said, “OK, let me take them off.” Another guard said, “It's such a pity that such a good person like you is detained here and has to suffer so.” I told her, “I look good now, but four months ago I did not. I was weak and had many illnesses and was not happy. However, after I learned Dafa, I totally changed within a few months. Dafa saved my life, and I just wanted to let the government know that. However, I was arrested for speaking the truth and am tortured.”
The female guard told the three other officers, “I can stay here. That's good enough. You all can leave and do other things.” After they left, she asked me, “Is Falun Gong really so marvelous?” I replied, “Why do you think so many practitioners go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong? I've only practiced for a few months and have benefited so much from it, let alone those practitioners who have practiced for years.” She said, “I have heart problems and kidney disease. Can they be cured by practicing Falun Gong?” I asked her, “You must have confiscated some Dafa books from practitioners' homes, right?” She agreed and I told her, “Read the books first, then find a local practitioner who can teach you the five exercises. If you follow what Dafa says, you'll soon regain your health, just like me.” She said, “I didn't know that Falun Gong was so good. I won't persecute Falun Gong practitioners anymore. I will practice Falun Gong, too.”
At that time, a young officer came in, I smiled at him and said, “Can I talk to you for a second?” He said “Yes.” Then I started to tell him the facts about Falun Gong. The female guard left intentionally. Soon, he understood the truth and I asked him, “Have you ever confiscated any Dafa books?” He said, “Yes, and I put them in my drawer.” I said, “Can I borrow one to read?” He refused, because if other officers saw it, he would be doomed. I said, “Just for a few minutes would be good. I haven't read Dafa books for almost a month. As a practitioner, without the guidance of Dafa, I'm like a toddler who can't walk well without its parents' care. I really, really want to study the Fa.” He was touched by my sincerity and gave me Zhuan Falun. I held the book to my chest, my body and mind shaking. I cannot describe the joy, how appreciative I was. I opened the book and saw Master's picture. Looking at Master's smile, I burst into tears. Suddenly, I felt strong energy being poured into my whole body. The officer watched me crying and seemed to understand my feelings. When I returned the book to him, he said, “I will surely keep the book safe. I benefited a lot today. You Falun Gong practitioners are extraordinary.”
4. Righteous thoughts and righteous deeds
In April 2002, I was forced to leave home to avoid being illegally arrested. I went to Shandong Province and joined a truth-clarifying project that inserted a video into a TV broadcast. We were betrayed by a fellow practitioner responsible for buying consumer products. All the practitioners in the project were arrested. I was arrested and taken to the Weihai Detention Center. At that time, some practitioners thought that, by carrying out this project, we were risking our lives.
However, I never agreed with that opinion. This was a great, good thing for validating Dafa and saving people. Guards influenced by the evil were in danger and urgently needed to be saved. I sent forth a very strong thought: “What I did was the most righteous thing in the universe; evil beings are not qualified to persecute me. I am Master's disciple, I must listen to Master.” I looked inside and realized that I must keep righteous thoughts every second. As a practitioner, my only responsibility is to save people. I should not allow any of my attachments to cause any sentient being to commit a crime against Dafa.
Once, seven or eight guards came in with several torture devices. I asked Master to help me, because I wanted to clarify the truth to them and save them. I felt as though I was huge, and they were tiny. I was not scared at all and told them, “You are all big, strong guys. How could you use those things to mistreat a woman like me? You were all deceived by Jiang Zemin. He is using you to persecute kind and innocent people. I hope you all will learn the truth and not do anything bad.”
When I was talking to them, I totally forgot about myself. All I knew was that I was trying to save them. They listened to me quietly. Those who had learned the truth left one after the other.
One time, a guard who slapped my face locked me onto an iron chair. I said to him, “Maybe you have no idea why you slapped me. I don't hate you.” He asked why not and I replied, “Master told us to never fight back. You did that because you didn't know the truth. Falun Gong is actually embraced in many other countries; only China forbids it. I suggest you learn the facts. If you get any truth-clarifying materials about Falun Gong, please do read them carefully. Please remember that Falun Dafa is good and do not persecute Dafa practitioners anymore. Then you will have a good future.” He said, “I will remember what you said. Thank you.” He put a stuffed bag on the iron chair and said, “Take a nap.” I put my head on the bag and fell asleep. I did not wake up until the next morning.
In the daytime, a guard instructed a prisoner to watch me. The prisoner said, “Look at your legs.” My legs were covered with red spots, but I didn't feel anything. I knew this was because I did right and Master endured all the pain for me.
In the afternoon on the 9th day, I was released. I cried and said, “Thank you, Master! I will cultivate better and won't give any evil anymore chances to persecute me. I will follow Mater to the end and go back to my original home with Master. I won't come back here again.”
Suddenly, I enlightened to this: If we can always hold righteous thoughts and do righteous deeds, Master will protect us and evil beings will not dare to detain us. Good or bad is determined by one thought. Because I didn't think that interfering with a TV broadcast could be a risk to our lives, I was able to escape within nine days with righteous thoughts. Four other practitioners were arrested the same time as I was, and they were all sentenced to jail, the longest for 18 years. That practitioner is still in jail today.
I hope my article will encourage Dafa practitioners to walk well on their cultivation path at this last stage.
From the Call for Submissions to Commemorate the Twentieth Anniversary of Falun Dafa's Introduction
