(Minghui.org) I was imprisoned in 2000 due to financial problems and got to know many detained Dafa practitioners at the detention center. While there, I witnessed the miraculous power of Dafa and the compassion of Dafa practitioners. One day, I happened to flip open the book Zhuan Falun, and the more I read, the more fascinated I became. I finished the entire book in one sitting, and thus obtained the Fa.
After I was released from prison three years later, I made a phone call to an older practitioner, whom I had met in the detention center. Actually, this practitioner had already moved to another area, yet coincidentally returned to her previous home that day, so she got my call. This was all arranged by Master. I managed to borrow Zhuan Falun and a few other Dafa books, securing my predestined relationship with Dafa.
1. Studying the Fa, Cultivating My Heart
I studied Zhuan Falun and Master's other teachings with a desire for knowledge. My level of understanding increased rapidly, and I learned something new every day. I often achieved a state of total concentration while studying, to the point that I forgot about my surroundings. Through studying the Fa I learned about the real reason behind the persecution and the cultivation path Dafa practitioners must take, which includes not only personal cultivation, but also the responsibility of saving sentient beings.
Because this fellow practitioner lived some distance away, visiting her required half a day of travel. Due to work commitments, I could only visit once a month to attend their Fa study group. I incorporate cultivation into my daily life, and studying the Fa is of utmost importance for me.
Master mentioned in Essentials for Further Advancement :
“As a student, if his mind is filled with nothing but Dafa, this person is definitely a genuine cultivator. So you must have a clear understanding on the matter of studying the Fa. Reading the books more and studying the books more is the key to truly elevating yourself. To put it more simply, as long as you read Dafa, you are changing; as long as you read Dafa, you are elevating. The boundless content of Dafa plus the supplementary means—the exercises—will enable you to reach Consummation. Group reading or reading by yourself is the same.” (“Melt into the Fa”)
I noticed that cutting back on Fa study resulted in immediate interference. My righteous thoughts while clarifying the facts wavered, and I felt sleepy upon resuming my Fa study. This motivated me to decide to memorize the Fa. It took me nine months to memorize the entire book Zhuan Falun . Just one page of Zhuan Falun required a few days of effort. At that point, I though that memorizing the Fa would take months or even years to complete, and it would be better to just read it. I thus stopped memorizing for three months.
Later, I realized that this is the great law of the universe, made known to mankind only once in ten thousand years. How could memorizing be easy? After memorizing this Fa, all my dirty thoughts were eliminated. Isn’t it normal for the bad factors to resist their destruction? In this lifetime, I have been extremely fortunate to live in this world along with our esteemed Master, and I know I should treasure this Fa, which I have obtained. I started memorizing again and gradually progressed from memorizing one page in a few days, to memorizing one page per day. The more I memorized, the faster I progressed. I can now memorize the Fa and apply it in my daily life. It is like Master mentioned in Explaining the Content of Falun Dafa :
“Since they began to memorize the book, instead of measuring themselves [against the Fa] after doing something, the students know beforehand whether they should do something. This is excellent.” (“Talk in Guangzhou to Some Assistance Center Heads From Around the Country,” December 27, 1994) verified
When cultivating in Dafa, one needs to ensure an influx of positive messages, as the brain is just a vessel. I only look at Dafa books and truth-clarification materials downloaded from the Minghui website, and don't read other everyday people's books or newspapers, thus preventing my mind from being polluted. For a period of time, my colleagues got together during lunch breaks and watched television dramas. Following them, I became addicted, unable to concentrate during Fa study, and unable to maintain righteous thoughts during truth clarification. My mind became occupied with the plots.
I worried, knowing this state was not right. Even my computer was poisoned. I resolved not to watch any more television dramas and proceeded to clean my computer system, deleting all my saved website links. Cultivating among ordinary people is not easy; one minor slip can cause a drop in one's level. Only through Fa study can one achieve the state where every thought is within the Fa.
Dafa cultivation requires practitioners to be full of great aspirations, while minding minor details. In the South, people are used to eating fresh food, and I happen to be the cook in the family. I have not killed since picking up cultivation, and my family respects my decision not to take lives due to cultivation. They have gotten used to it, and now eat anything I cook.
2. Cultivating at Work
Society had entered the information technology age during my imprisonment, and my family purchased a computer for me. At home, I learned the basics of operating a computer, typing, and using spreadsheets, etc. A year later, I was employed by a construction company to deal with their financial paperwork. At work I followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, shunning any greedy actions, or taking advantage of others. I avoided gossiping about others, cultivated my speech, and treated people from different levels equally and with compassion. I gradually won the trust of my boss, and he promoted me to chief financial officer.
I used kindness and wisdom, which I had learned from Dafa, to manage the finance division. I became an example and discouraged stealing of company property and materials. Gifts sent by clients were to be reported and turned over. The financial staff had to rotate on a regular basis, so that staff could cover for those who resigned or took leave, without affecting the company's financial operations. This method proved to be very effective over time. Everyone in the department knows that I practice Falun Gong, and whenever I have an opportunity I clarify the facts to them. With the exception of one person who resigned, everyone has quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the entire department enjoys a peaceful atmosphere.
I learned to prepare our accounts using financial software. Some projects require thousands of materials, so I designed a computer spreadsheet to assist my subordinates in accounting for these materials, thereby reducing the workload. Designing this small software system did not take up much of my time. For someone of my age, this was an unbelievable achievement, possible only through wisdom granted from practicing Dafa.
As the business became more and more prosperous, we started getting many contracts. I became responsible for allocating the finances of the company. As a result, subcontractors, material suppliers, and even friends of my boss tried to bribe me with money and gifts. I steadfastly refused to accept anything, and allocated funds according to the needs of the actual plan.
Though formerly imprisoned for financial crimes, Falun Dafa transformed me into a morally upright person.
3. Clarifying the Facts, Saving More Sentient Beings
In the beginning, I explained the facts to my family. The first time I told my mother the truth about Dafa, she scolded me. Thereafter, she ignored me each time I returned home. My mother also exerted pressure on my husband, but my husband told her, “She was able to leave that place alive because of her faith. Let her lead her life as she wishes.” At that time, I felt that telling people the facts was too difficult. With persistent in-depth Fa-study, continuous cultivation, and looking inward, I came to understand many of the Fa principles. I realized that I feared negative reactions and didn't want to let go of my pride.
My father was hospitalized at the beginning of this year and had an operation. I accompanied my mother, resolving to successfully clarify the facts to her. Starting from her attachment to protecting her own life, I mentioned the evil deeds of the CCP and how it persecutes Dafa practitioners. In the end my mother said the CCP was wrong and agreed to quit the Party using her real name. I was elated, though I quickly calmed down, knowing this was all arranged and planned by Master. All I had to do was open my mouth and speak.
I later clarified the facts to my brother and succeeded in persuading him to quit the Party. This was a major breakthrough for me, and I realized that Dafa practitioners had to do all three things well. For if one does not cultivate well, our power to save sentient beings weakens. When my original employer was bought out, my former colleagues were laid off and scattered, though they still got together for annual gatherings. An ex-colleague once invited me to attend, and I took this opportunity to clarify the facts. I had been rather popular among my ex-colleagues and managed to persuade them to quit the Party, one by one. I earmarked those whom I had no opportunity to tell the truth to this time around for the next gathering. My husband learned of this and said, “You have my respect for being so thick-skinned.” Only through cultivation in Dafa can one cultivate such a selfless character.
Sentient beings are anxiously waiting to be saved. Just today I ran into our chief engineer as we were leaving work, and I hitched a ride home with him. I asked if he was a member of the CCP, and he said he was, so I briefly clarified the truth to him before asking him to quit the CCP. He anxiously said, “But I don’t know where to quit.” I replied, “I can help you. You can use a false name, for gods only see people’s actions and hearts.” He replied, “There is no need. I’ll use my real name to quit.” This made me realize, the purer and kinder Dafa practitioners cultivate, the greater is the penetrative power of our truth clarification.
Before cultivation, I preferred using harsh words and was more introverted. Cultivation enlightened me, and I now clarify the truth naturally with improved skills.
I mainly talk to people in person, through mail, and through distribution of information materials. I use three hours each day after work and the remainder of the day to distribute materials. Several years ago in the course of my work, I obtained a website address which contains more than ten thousand workplace addresses all over the country, including contact numbers and names of all unit members. Many of these people are intellectuals of intermediate and high social status. Basically, I spent days mailing each province and city in turn, sending both handwritten and printed envelopes. I made sure that my handwritten words were always beautifully written, because I was writing as a Dafa practitioner.
With the advent of the digital age, few people send letters by mail anymore, so I use a great variety and patterns of envelopes, sending them from different areas. As I write and mail, I ensure that my mind remains righteous and pure, without bad thoughts, and send forth righteous thoughts to support the circulation of this truth clarification information throughout the organization. Finally, I ask Master to protect this material, to ensure its safe delivery to a predestined person. At intervals, I send letters to myself, to see if they can be received successfully.
I have been mailing for a few years now, and have encountered my fair share of precarious incidents. In an effort to save time, I reduce the time spent on meals by purchasing bread outside, taking the opportunity to distribute Shen Yun CDs. When my son returned home for the holidays, I started to prepare meals again, realizing then that I had not eaten a proper dinner in a while to my amazement. Before cultivating, I had been conscientious about keeping a healthy diet, and spent quite a lot on different types of healthy food.
I once visited a large district with a small population. My surroundings were eerily silent and I became afraid. Overcome with a strong sense of loneliness and solitude, I immediately switched on my MP3 player and listened to one of Master's lectures. Hearing Master's rich, clear voice, I immediately shed tears. Never before had I heard the voice of Master so solid and penetrating, as if He were standing right beside me. I no longer felt alone.
In our Fa study group we encourage each other to walk our cultivation paths well. I know I am still lacking in many aspects of cultivation. Looking back over the years, I also remind myself to treasure the path I have walked and to treasure Master’s compassion. In this final stage, we should treasure the time we have left and strive to be more diligent, save more sentient beings, reach consummation, and return home with Master.
Udumbara flowers have appeared at my home for three years in a row. This year, they are flowering in abundance, appearing on leaves, vases, windows, and even the air conditioning system. A few flowers appeared even on the power cable that leads into my balcony.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners from my Fa study group, for your kind correction of this article!
