(Minghui.org)
Greetings Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
I am a thirteen-year-old Dafa disciple who started practicing Dafa when I was six. My whole family practices Falun Dafa, and the adults lead us younger practitioners daily in studying the Fa. In the beginning I did not feel like studying the Fa, but gradually progressed to being able to sit down and study. Thereafter, I quietly and whole-heartedly studied the Fa, and now I am able to have a more profound understanding. I would like to share below my journey in elevating my xinxing, which was through Fa study and getting rid of my attachments.
1. Amazing changes to my mind and body
I used to be a sickly child. My body was particularly weak, thus whenever I fell ill, I required all sorts of injections and medication. After I practiced Dafa, I no longer needed injections nor medications, and my sallow complexion became fair and rosy. Now, I look like a completely different person.
I am good friends with my cousin (my eldest aunt’s daughter), who is older than me. We have been good friends since a very young age, but we often had conflicts with each other, be it over large or small things. If one of us said something with a harsher tone, we inevitably started fighting. After a long period of practicing Dafa, both of us underwent a huge change. Now, whenever a conflict arises, we first look within in order to identify if we had done something that was not in accordance with the requirements of the Fa. Thereafter, we were able to resolve our conflict with a smile.
2. Rejecting the Evil Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
In China, all primary school children are required to register with the CCP Young Pioneers and wear a red scarf. But I knew that registering with the Young Pioneers is akin to joining the evil communist party. I discussed this with my mom, and we decided to invite my teacher to our home to talk about it, as well as clarify the facts to her. After listening to us, the teacher asked me, “Don’t you feel envious of the other students who are wearing their red scarves?” I resolutely said that I would not join the Young Pioneers. The teacher then said to my mom, “In that case, I’ll remove her name from the registry tomorrow.” Unbeknownst to me, the grandmother of that teacher was also a Dafa practitioner. This teacher also told my mom, “As long as this child is under my care, I’ll protect her from any harm.” I was really moved at that time. In the end, I was the only person in the class who didn’t become a member of the Young Pioneers.
3. Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings
My cousin and I have been attending a dance class since we were young. One particular teacher was very good to us; however, she often suffered from heart problems. Once, my cousin and I asked her to sincerely recite, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” Shortly afterward, she told us that she felt much better. We also clarified the truth to her and gave her a DVD about Shen Yun. Because this teacher knew that we practiced Dafa, we were able to show her the greatness of Dafa.
When my cousin and I had time during weekends, we distributed truth-clarification materials. We placed the materials in a greeting card and slide it under the doors of houses. Before distributing these cards, I silently said to it: “You must help save sentient beings, I believe in you.” I then sent forth righteous thoughts to clear away the evil factors that were preventing the card from saving sentient beings, as well as the evil element behind the person who was to be saved. I also asked Master to reinforce my righteous thoughts. I did this for every card, with the sincere thought of saving the sentient beings.
4. Bringing my parents back on the road to cultivation
My parents were once very diligent practitioners, but due to some trivial issues they stopped cultivating. I was very worried and often tried to convince them to come to our Fa-study group, but they often told me that they were too busy. At that time, I was really stuck. I didn’t want my parents to stop cultivating. I made up my mind to talk to them, with my cousin’s support.
One night, when we had finished our Fa-study, my cousin accompanied me home. When we arrived home my mother was just getting ready to go to bed, and my father was already asleep. I said to my mother, “Mom, whenever I ask you and Dad to join us at Auntie’s place for Fa-study, both of you always decline. I really don’t want you both to stop cultivating.” I then took out the book Essentials for Further Advancement, turned to the article with the title “What is Cultivation Practice,” and read it to her. Thereafter, I said, “Mom, my greatest wish at this point is for you and Dad to cultivate well, please don’t fall down to the level of ordinary people.” My mom said, “I’ll have a good talk with your father tomorrow. We’ll definitely be more diligent in our cultivation.”
As such, with strong righteous thoughts, my cousin and I managed to pull my parents back onto the path of cultivation.
My maternal grandparents don’t cultivate Dafa, but nevertheless recognize that Dafa is good. Yet, I still hoped that they can cultivate in Dafa. Whenever I visited my grandparents, I told them to regularly recite “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” and to do this every day. I made them do this every time I visited them.
5. Getting Rid of Attachments
In 2010, my cousin and I were accepted into a performing arts school, where we began a professional dance course. During our first semester at school, we were required to stay in the school hostel, and as such didn’t have much time to study the Fa. Although, I continued to study the Fa on weekends, my cultivation state wasn’t good. As a result, in the second semester, my parents decided that I should stay at home instead, and travel to and from school every day. That way, I would be able to study the Fa when I got home at 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. But, because I got home very late, I quickly studied the Fa so that I could go to bed earlier. I was not studying the Fa wholeheartedly.
Subsequently, my parents noticed that my cultivation state still wasn’t good. As such, they decided to pull me out of evening dance practice so that after my lessons at 4:30 p.m., I could go home earlier to study the Fa. When my cousin and I heard of their decision, our human attachments immediately surfaced. We said, “What’s the point of us learning to dance if we can’t participate in the evening practice?” My parents said, “The purpose of learning to dance is to validate the Fa; it’s not just for the sake of learning to dance.” Master said,
“Indeed, human society is one big dye vat. Society is contesting with Dafa disciples for people. And this even applies to Dafa disciples’ kids, who live in this setting too: bad things are trying to drag them down. If the child does not cultivate, or doesn’t have a good environment, then he really won’t be able to ward those things off. Yet a Dafa disciple’s responsibilities are enormous, and so we must not only save the world’s people but also those close to us.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference”)
After thinking about this seriously, we realized that my parents were right, and agreed with their decision.
In school, we have a duty roster for cleaning the rooms. But after I had done my cleaning duty, my classmates left litter and footprints all over the place. I often lost my temper, and was completely carried away by those negative elements. Yet, when I arrived home at the end of the day, I cleansed my thoughts with the Fa. My father also shared his thoughts with me and said, “You’re a cultivator, how can you compare yourself to an ordinary person? Don’t be like your classmates. If they throw litter around, you should pick it up. If they leave footprints everywhere, you should wipe them away.” Although, I still felt that it was unfair, I promised my father to do as he said. The next time I was on cleaning duty, my classmates were even worse than before. But I didn’t lose my temper and instead remembered my father’s words. At that time, the only thought I had was “I am a cultivator, and I’m not like them.” I calmly cleaned up after my classmates. In this manner, I elevated my xinxing every day, and gradually got rid of my impatient nature.
6. Being Diligent
I have also elevated in terms of respecting Master and the Fa. Elderly practitioners often said that one must respect Master and the Fa when studying the Fa. One must use both hands to hold the book, and one must sit cross-legged. One shouldn’t be stretching one’s legs or fidgeting. At first, I didn’t take their words seriously and did whatever I wanted. Later, elderly practitioners sternly told us off a few times, and only then did I elevate in my understanding. What was I doing? How can I be considered a Dafa disciple if I can’t respect Master and the Fa? With that thought, my back immediately straightened itself. From then on, I was able to wholeheartedly study the Fa without interference from negative elements.
The fifth exercise requires us to meditate for an hour. At first, I really couldn’t sit still. One moment, I was fidgeting, another moment later, I opened my eyes, or played with paper. I behaved like this for some time. Subsequently, I heard elderly practitioners say that all of our actions in this universe are recorded, including the expression in our eyes and our thoughts. I then thought back to what I was like during meditation and felt rather regretful. Why wasn’t I able to do well then? But, once I understood this, I was able to become tranquil during meditation exercises.
I once had a dream in which I was in an enormous universe. Master was sitting in the middle of the universe, and he looked very solemn and sacred. I saw Master’s hand reach out, with his palm facing the Earth. The Earth was immediately sucked into Master’s palm where it split into two halves. One half was comprised of Dafa disciples and the people of the future. The other half was comprised of people who were to be destroyed. But the people to be destroyed were not willing to accept their fate, and tried to escape to our side. However, every time they reached our side, a bright force threw them back. After I woke up I kept thinking of the phrases,
“The great waves shift the sand, and that is what cultivation practice is all about. What is left in the end will be genuine gold.” (Lecture Six in Zhuan Falun)
Master said,
“This is the Great Law of the cosmos, after all, and for the countless sentient beings, it's an opportunity that is hard to come by. It is here just this once, and if they can remain, they will remain; if they cannot, then they will disappear forever. So I feel that we need to keep doing this and keep saving them.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference”)
I must cultivate myself well, and follow Master back to my original place in the cosmos.
The above is my personal understanding. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate!
