(Minghui.org)
My wife is a veteran Dafa practitioner who began practicing before the persecution began. After she began cultivation, many of her illnesses disappeared. She became loving and kind, and our family became harmonious. I witnessed the wonders of Dafa, and thought that as long as it helped her, I would support her.
Out of selfishness and jealousy, Jiang's regime launched a brutal persecution against Dafa and Dafa practitioners in 1999. The persecution brought great difficulties to Mainland practitioners and their families and relatives. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is wicked and vicious beyond precedence. Without an unyielding will and powerful righteous thoughts, one could not make it through the persecution.
It's hard to describe the hardships my wife suffered because she would not give up her cultivation. The CCP political and judiciary organization staff and 610 Office personnel harassed her constantly at home, trying to force her to “transform.” In order to validate Dafa's innocence, she went many times to appeal in Beijing. She was arrested, detained and held. She was determined by the local 610 Office to be an “important” figure in our area, and had to leave home to avoid further persecution.
The CCP also persecuted me as her husband. I work in a township facility. A 610 official showed up at my workplace and asked me to persuade my wife to give up her belief. I refused. They wouldn't leave me alone. They forced the administrators at my workplace to pressure me. I was suspended for six months in 2001. The pressure from the government, society, workplace, and family, were more than I could take financially and mentally. The agony was beyond words. I became clearly aware of the evil nature of the CCP.
In August of 2002, local Political and Judiciary Committee staff and 610 Office thugs came again to arrest my wife. I was determined to fight them off to protect her. She escaped with righteous thoughts. The CCP thugs were so furious, they arrested me and detained me for fifteen days for “obstructing public duty.”
The administrator at my workplace talked to me: “You do not cooperate with the government. You made my job difficult; now I will be punished as well. Why don't you divorce your wife?” Concerned about my job and benefits, I thought it over and discussed it with my wife. She refused to divorce. When I pushed the issue further, she replied: “If this is what you want, fine. But if you want to use divorce to force me to give up Dafa, there is no way!” I was shocked, and thought: “There is nothing that can force her to give up Dafa; she is not even afraid of divorce. It looks like Falun Gong really is remarkable.” Those were truly difficult years for us; I do not know how we managed.
I began learning Falun Gong in 2003. I read Zhuan Falun and other teachings, and also read truth-clarification materials. Dafa guides people to be good. My wife did not do anything wrong after she obtained Dafa, she just regained her health. I was determined not to cooperate with the CCP. I decided to try my best to support and help my wife.
Master told us:
“In dealing with relevant, important matters, if a life can really assess things without any preconceived notions, then this person is truly able to take charge of himself. This clearheadedness is wisdom, and it is different from what average people call 'intelligence.'” (“For Whom do You Exist?” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
It was relatively safe for ordinary people to do things for Dafa, since it didn't raise suspicion. I began helping my wife send out truth-clarification materials, deliver supplies and do what I could to help expose the evil and verify that Dafa is innocent. I learned the five sets of exercise in 2005. From that point on I began studying the Fa and exercising with my wife.
There was immense interference when I started my cultivation. Whenever I studied the Fa, I got drowsy, and could not understand it from the basis of the Fa. I began reading Master's other teachings and sending forth righteous thoughts to eliminate evil factors in other dimensions that were preventing me from obtaining the Fa. After a while I broke through the interference and also realized that for new cultivators, one's individual cultivation is closely connected with Fa-rectification. One must be strict with oneself, study the Fa more, and eliminate all sorts of notions and attachments like selfishness, jealous, competitiveness, and lust. Only then can you catch up with the pace of Fa-rectification.
Gradually I began studying the Fa, doing the exercises, sending forth righteous thoughts, and clarifying the truth with veteran Falun Dafa practitioners, doing the three things Master required.
When Master's “Fa Teaching at the 2007 New York Fa Conference” was published, I read it that very night and for no apparent reason, tears were running down my face.
Master said:
“Dafa disciples' personal cultivation and improvement are no longer an issue, nor is Dafa disciples' achieving Consummation. Right now, one important thing that needs to be attended to is the matter of how to save more sentient beings, and it is something Dafa disciples are to accomplish during their current process of achieving Consummation. This is Dafa disciples' mission, a duty that cannot be shirked, something that they must do and must complete.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2007 New York Fa Conference”)
I believe Master's Fa awakened me. I realized my historic mission. Only by cultivating myself well, and studying the Fa more can I save more beings. I began to have a sense of urgency and responsibility. I felt that from body to mind, from microcosm to macrocosm, I had made a leap forward.
Initially I worked with veteran practitioners doing the three things. In the latter part of 2007, I began blazing my own path. I was able to clarify the truth face to face by myself, and persuade others to withdraw from the CCP and its related organizations. I went to market in the morning to clarify the truth and persuade people to withdraw from the party. I came home in the afternoon to study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts, and read Zhuan Falun and other teachings. When my heart was filled with the Fa, I had fewer human attachments, less interference, and the results of clarifying the truth were also better. I learned that our each and every thought is very important. When it is in accordance with a certain factor, that factor will exert its effect.
Master told us:
“If you hold on to humanness with one hand and won't let go, and you hold on to Buddhahood with the other hand and won't let go, just which one exactly do you want? When you can truly let go the situation will definitely be different.” (“Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference III)
The results were even better if I held onto the thought that Master was around me, and I constantly sent forth righteous thoughts eliminating evil interference. Sometimes I could persuade twenty to thirty people in the morning to quit the CCP and its affiliates. I clarified the truth in detail, to be sure they understood completely. I believe this is the cultivation process of each Dafa practitioner, a good chance to eliminate all sorts of human notions and attachments, the path we have to walk, and the test we have to pass.
It was relatively easy to clarify the truth in the countryside. From the market to the field, there were many farmers busy working along the road. My personal experience showed that as long as we have the heart for saving people, Master will help us.
“... cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while transforming gong is done by one’s master.” (Zhuan Falun)
I was reported while clarifying truth in 2012 and held in a police station. I remembered what Master told us:
“The only thing you have a role in is saving people...” (“Teaching the Fa in the City of Chicago” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference VII)
No matter how evil the police behaved, I did not cooperate with them. They did not get any information from me except truth clarification. They detained me for fifteen days.
I had no fear while in the detention center. Sending forth righteous thoughts to eliminate all evil factors, I clarified the truth in a noble and dignified manner. I was able to exercise, meditate and persuade people to withdraw from the CCP and its related organizations. I was able to help 53 people there. After they understood the truth, they began to pass on the information to others.
When I was released from the detention center, many people came out to say goodbye. Some asked for my phone number, and wanted to learn Falun Gong after they were released. They all admire Falun Gong practitioners and our Master.
My experience during truth clarification taught me that when we want to persuade others, if they are willing to listen to us, we need to respect them, consider their feelings and thought processes, abide by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and be strict with ourselves; that is first and foremost.
In order to improve the efficiency of truth clarification, we have to practice diligently, write down the questions people often ask, and memorize good answers and explanations. That way when we are clarifying the truth, it will flow better. If we get stuck during the conversation, the result won't be good, and we might not save that being.
I still have a lot more to improve on in my cultivation. I need to cultivate away the fighting mentality, jealousy, resentment, and lust, and truly cultivate myself solidly. I will not let Master down; I will do well the three things Master requires, cherish this chance of eternity and follow Master home.
Please point out any shortcomings.
Heshi!