(Minghui.org) Greetings, revered Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I haven't written a cultivation experience sharing paper for a long time. Each time I was asked to write one, I declined, using the excuse that I hadn't cultivated well. I thought I was being modest and low key, and that I was cultivating quietly. However, when I looked deeper I realized that my decision not to write a paper was based on my attachments. On a shallower level, I saw my attachment to laziness, and on a deeper level, I realized that I dared not seriously examine my cultivation. When I finally picked up the pen, I found it hard to begin writing.
I've cultivated for nearly 20 years with a mind filled with many thoughts, ideas, and experiences. I rewrote this article several times before finishing. Several times when I sat down to continue writing, I found that what I had written the day before showed a mentality of showing-off, so I rewrote it. A few days later when I continued writing, I felt what I had written had an element of lecturing others, so I rewrote it again.
I thought of giving up during the process, as I found it very hard to figure out where to start. But I had promised a fellow practitioner that I would write it, and I could not go back on my word. I was under pressure for some ten days, until one day I felt inspired after I finished helping at the “Quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)” site in Chinatown.
It very quiet when I got to the site, perhaps because it had been raining all day, or because I had been away for a week. I sent righteous thoughts while distributing truth-clarification materials and encouraging tourists from China to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Very few people accepted my materials at the beginning, and those who refused were very cold towards me. Some even looked at me with hatred in their eyes. I was already used to such negative reactions, and I just stood there with dignity and looked at each passing person with kindness and compassion, calling out to their knowing sides from the bottom of my heart.
No matter how they treated me, I always presented the materials in a peaceful and polite manner, and said, “Hello, here is some information that you cannot see in China.” I soon felt the change in the environment. People started to accept the materials and thanked me. Even those who refused smiled at me. Some also bowed to me slightly. A feeling of honor filled my heart and I felt that I was melting into the Fa. My heart was filled with gratitude for our revered Master.
I felt my body become enormously huge, covering the entire field. I realized that I was often in a state similar to what Master described.
“Just by staying unaffected you will be able to handle all situations.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S.”)
I felt that even if I were alone, I could impact the entire field in Chinatown.
I suddenly understood this was the power of compassion! I also knew what I would write for my sharing. I decided to report to Master and share with fellow practitioners my experience during the past ten or so years when I clarified the truth to people on the front line, and how I cultivated in the process of being someone filled with human attachments to someone full of kindness and compassion. I let go of fear to fulfill my pledge to assist Master in saving people during Fa-rectification.
I remembered that Master always talked about “clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings” in each of his Fa-lectures at large Fa-conferences after the persecution started. Master taught us,
“Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy—this is establishing the mighty virtue of an Enlightened Being.” (“Rationality” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Master also taught us,
“Clarifying the truth is something each and every one of you Dafa disciples must do. I’m telling you this again. Anyone who tries to make excuses for himself and who’s never stepped forward is wrong.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Fa Conference” from Guiding the Voyage)
I understood that “clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings” is what a Dafa disciple in the Fa-rectification period must do. After I fully understood this I began talking to people face to face about Falun Gong, especially to those from China.
After the publication of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party I realized that Master had pushed the Fa-rectification to a new stage, where we now need to save people by encouraging them to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. It was time to expose the CCP and bring an end to the persecution.
I realized that I must first let go of fear to be able to help people understand Falun Gong and the persecution on the front line. Fear is the biggest obstacle, and hinders a cultivator in being diligent in cultivation and assisting Master in saving people. Fear can be multi-sided. Fear of hardship (an attachment to comfort), fear of rejection or verbal abuse (an attachment to losing face), fear of bumping into acquaintances (not cultivating in a dignified manner), fear of police or being framed, etc. I deeply understood that as a practitioner, the true meaning of life is to validate the Fa.
I'm the bread winner in my family and I used to fear that if something happened to me, my family would be in real trouble. Through Fa-study, I realized that I didn't have a clear understanding about family relationships. I understood from studying the Fa that the well-being of my wife and children was not decided by me, but by their accumulated karma in their many past lives. Their lives will unfold according to their fates which were already arranged for them. Once I understood this Fa principle, I felt like a thick shell was cast off. I was no longer burdened with those worries, and felt even more peaceful and safe. I also gained a deeper understanding of what Master said,
“If you are not afraid, the factor that would make you afraid will cease to exist.” ("Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s)" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Fear however, like any other attachment, is not something one can let go of completely all at once. It may reappear often and test us.
I was once helping with the “Quit the CCP” activity in Chinatown. As soon I got there, a young man asked me for a copy of the materials. I felt very good and relaxed, thinking it was not a bad start of a day. Just then, the young man browsed through the material and he pointed his finger at my nose and said to me with hatred in his eyes, “China is in a mess because of people like you.” He continued accusing me. I also talked back emphatically, and five or six people gathered around us looking on. I thought at the time that I would not let him get the upper hand in the conversation.
Because I maintained a competitive mentality, the evil took advantage of the situation and it worsened. He said to me harshly, “You just wait here. I'm calling the police to arrest you.” Indeed, he went to get two officers who were about seven or eight meters away. I immediately realized that I must send righteous thoughts to stop him and the officers from doing bad things. I also realized my competitive mentality and my attachment of zealotry, and I eliminated them right away.
I sent strong righteous thoughts to completely deny all persecution by the evil, and asked Master to strengthen me. I told myself clearly that I would only accept things arranged by Master, and firmly denied anything that was not. Even though I still had attachments and human mentalities, the old forces could not interfere with me, as I only listened to Master.
I also felt that I must not leave, because if I did, people would feel that practitioners were doing something wrong and were afraid of the police. So I kept sending righteous thoughts and continued distributing materials. I saw the young man talking to the police officers, who were looking at me. I sent even stronger righteous thoughts while eliminating my attachments and asked Master to strengthen me. A miracle happened. The two officers remained where they were as if nothing had happened and the young man left with an angry face. A potential crisis was dissolved. Tears swelled up in my eyes and my heart was filled with gratitude and a feeling of honor. Master said,
“When a tribulation arrives, if you, a disciple, can truly maintain an unshakable calm or be determined to meet different requirements at different levels, this should be sufficient for you to pass the test.” (“Expounding on the Fa” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
One other time, also in Chinatown, a middle-aged man came to me and asked what was happening as soon as I had clarified the facts to three young Chinese people, and helped them to quit the CCP. I gave him some “Quitting the CCP” materials and told him it was information forbidden in China. He looked interested and wanted to know more. So I told him about how the CCP killed people in each of its political movements, and about the live organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners, the corruption of the CCP regime, imminent dismantlement of the CCP, and that China would become a country without the CCP.
He listened attentively and asked me in the end, “Don't you want to go back to China? Aren't you afraid?” I patted his shoulder lightly and said, “My friend, remember a principle that evil can never subdue righteousness!” He looked at me with respect for a long time before he left.
Having experienced tests one after another, my thoughts became more and more stable. The power of righteousness enabled me to be fearless, and I can now even clarify the facts to the police face to face. I know that when my mind is filled with righteous thoughts, the so-called dangers do not have a reason to exist.
Once during the time when the Diaoyu Islands incident was at its peak, a practitioner and I went to distribute materials and to encourage people to quit the CCP. That evening when we were just about to finish handing out materials, a senior investigator came and asked to see my IC (identification). I asked him why and he told me that he had the right to see anyone's IC, and if I refused to cooperate we would need to go to the police station.
I asked him if he knew why I was reluctant to show him my IC and told him that I practiced Falun Gong. He said he had heard about Falun Gong. So I told him that for years, because kindhearted Falun Gong practitioners trusted the police, they let the police copy their IC details, but later many practitioners were framed and forced to leave Singapore.
I then asked him, “Do you think I can still trust you?” He said he appreciated how I felt, but he was really just doing his job and would return my IC after he took a look at it. He asked me to trust him. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes I knew he understood the facts and I showed him my IC. He returned it to me after writing down something on a piece of paper. I felt happy for him, as I knew he had positioned himself well.
Because I grew up in an environment full of exceptional people I developed a competitive mentality, and felt I was higher and better than others. A few years ago, I went to clarify the facts to workers at a building site. I was kind and pleasant on the surface, but as soon as I came across people who refused to listen to me or couldn't tell the difference between the CCP and China, or people who shouted and were rude towards me, my human attachments emerged.
Although I was clarifying the facts to people and reasoning with them, because I still had attachments and bad substances in me, they could feel them too. As a result, not only did I fail to save them, I might also have pushed them to the opposite side, making harder to save them later. Whenever such incidents happened, I felt deep regret that I had failed Master's expectations.
I made up my mind to let go of my human attachments. A few days later when I went to clarify the facts at a tourist spot, I found the tone in my words were no longer loud, but filled with kindness and integrity. Tourists and tour guides were not as impatient and cold as they had been previously. Instead, they were all willing to hear the facts.
Very often, a busload of noisy tourists became quiet as soon as I started clarifying the facts. They listened attentively, and some smiled at me while listening. As I kindly told them about Falun Gong, they all gained a clearer understanding about the practice. When they returned, many of them wanted truth-clarification materials, and some also quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Even though some still refused to accept the materials, they looked more friendly than before. I said to them, “Have a pleasant trip! Please remember 'Falun Dafa is good.' Be safe and blessed.” The change in me led to the change in people. I now have a deeper understanding of Master's words,
“Once you upgrade your xinxing, your body will undergo a great change. Upon xinxing improvement, the matter in your body is guaranteed to transform.” (Zhuan Falun)
When I maintain good xinxing and state of mind, I can help save more people and do not feel tired.
On one occasion in Chinatown, I saw an older man in his seventies, who really loved singing love songs and often performed them in the little square. He was using a professional sound system, and had attracted many people. A fellow practitioner said to me as soon as I got there, “He is so loud. People can't hear what we're saying. How can we help them quit the CCP? This is really interference.” I said to the practitioner, “We cultivators should look at things from a positive perspective. Hasn't he attracted a lot of people here? We can save more.” More and more people gathered around.
A bit later, a young man came up, and when he saw the title on the materials he pushed them away and said, “What's this!” I was shocked by his behavior and tried to stop him. He refused to listen and grabbed the materials and threw them up in the air. I thought, I'm a practitioner and nothing is accidental. I must remain calm and maintain my xinxing. I calmly stopped him. But he pushed my hands away and became more aggressive.
The older man who was singing couldn't bear this young man's behavior any longer, and asked the young man through his microphone, “What nationality are you?” The young man said, “Chinese.” The older man got angry and said, “You're Chinese and you came here to bully us Singaporeans, eh?!” Many people were helping pick up the materials from the ground, and many were asking for a copy to see what was being reported.
Some people also asked me sympathetically, “Why didn't you hit him? How could you take it like that?” I said, “The young man had been brainwashed by the lies spread by the CCP. Once he has learns the truth he won't behave that way. We cultivators practice forbearance and we should be magnanimous.” I later asked a fellow practitioner to go with me to the older man's place to thank him for his just actions. I also told him that although I wasn't a Singaporean, there were Singaporeans among the people he helped. I felt at the time the importance of Singaporean Dafa practitioners clarifying the facts to people on the front line.
I also realised the importance of having a good understanding about the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party in clarifying the facts well. When I showed the DVD, I always watched it with the Chinese workers. Consequently, I have watched the DVDs over ten times and know the content well. This has laid a good foundation for my truth-clarification work and when I'm encourage people to quit the CCP organizations.
Materials with references from the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party are very popular among the Chinese people, and many read them edition after edition. Some even said to me, “Make sure you come, as this is our food for thought.” There was one such young man. After I had given him my last copy, another Chinese man came and asked for a copy of that edition too. I apologized for having no more left. The young man then gave his copy to the other Chinese man and said, “You can have mine. You need it more than I do, because I already know the facts. You should read it. I've seen through the CCP and I'm very clear about what's going on. Thank you for the material!”
There was another young man, who each time he saw me stopped and said, “You people are extraordinary! Truly extraordinary!” I know Master was encouraging us to save more people through his voice. I treat notions and questions for which I can't provide proper explanations or answers very seriously. I remember them and look up and learn relevant information and knowledge until I feel satisfied that I can answer them properly using my own words.
I often think about how to explain profound principles with simple words to achieve the best results. I find that metaphors are very effective in untying the knots in people's hearts, so I often use metaphors, and have achieved good results in helping people quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
I feel immense changes while clarifying the facts. More and more people have learned the truth thanks to Dafa disciples' long-term efforts in truth-clarification. Many people who had quit the CCP organizations earlier brought their new friends and townsmen to us to quit the CCP. There was one man who used to work in a propaganda department in the army, and he appeared to have a sophisticated mindset. He listened to me for about half an hour and said in the end, “I profit more from one conversation with you than from ten years of reading.” He then quit the CCP.
After a Christian learned the facts, he said, “Now I know. You're messengers sent by God!” I've also noticed that people who have learned the facts show a fresh looking complexion and their expressions and manner have also change for the better. I feel very happy for them.
The more than ten years of truth-clarification face to face has indeed been a cultivation process of letting go of one's various attachments. It hasn't been easy and smooth, and some situations are quite soul-stirring. But we have made it through with Master's protection. I've truly understood many of the Fa principles Master has taught us and truly feel that every word Master said is true. I've also experienced the wonder and power of Dafa.
I've clarified the facts outdoors continuously for over ten years. Very often it was pouring rain when I left home, but the rain stopped when I got to the truth-clarification site. There were also many other occasions when the sky was covered with dark clouds, but the pouring rain would not start until after we finished and got on the bus. There were also other times when everywhere around us it was thundering and lightening, with dark clouds in the sky, but it was fine and clear at our site.
I know firmly and clearly in my heart that as long as Dafa disciples act righteously, all gods in the universe will help and no interference manifests. When one understands how to cultivate, the more he cultivates the happier he becomes.
The above is my cultivation experience at my current level. Please kindly point out if there is anything improper.
Thank you Master! Thank you fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2013 Singapore Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)