(Minghui.org) As a 66-year-old practitioner, I attended Master's lectures and started to practice Falun Gong more than a dozen years ago. In the summer of 2013, I managed to make it through the old forces' attempt to take my life. After the battle between righteousnes and evil was over, I realized from deep down inside what true cultivation is and how to differentiate my true self from my notions. Only by remaining steadfast in our belief in Master and Dafa, can we practice diligently and validate the Fa.
It was very hot one evening in the middle of July 2013. I didn't feel well when I studied the Fa with my fellow practitioners and left early. I didn't join the group Fa study the next day because I felt so hot. We were planning to go to the forced labor camp to send righteous thoughts. Because the two drivers had other commitments, I drove my own car and went by myself without eating anything in the morning.
In the afternoon, I gave a ride to some practitioners to go send righteous thoughts in another area. On the way there, I felt hot. I kept having to go to the restroom, sometimes very urgently. I kept sending righteous thoughts after I got home and I felt better.
A few days later, I went out of town for a couple of days to handle some things. I didn't take the time to look inward for any omissions I had, nor did I realize how serious the situation was. The situation only got worse.
In my dream one night, the old forces and rotten demons evolved into one of my fellow practitioners, who came to my home and said, “A practitioner from another city would like to talk to you.” I said, “I'll be there shortly.” I followed her, but she vanished soon after I left home. I thought this was odd, but she re-appeared in front of me when I was about to turn back. I was off guard and continued to follow her until I fell into a trap arranged by the old forces and dug by rotten demons.
I tried to jump to escape, but there were so many layers of nets over my head. I thought that I was capable of handling the situation. I forgot about Master at that critical moment and didn't ask Master for help. I realized later that this was a fundamental problem for a practitioner, and I had passed up that opportunity to do well.
Those rotten demons beat me relentlessly. I heard someone saying, “We have caught an important one. Remove his Fa instruments! Flatten all the edges on his body!” The old forces and rotten demons are indeed evil beings!
After waking up, I felt very unwell and hurt all over. My lower abdomen looked like it had been knifed. I was hot and swollen and constipated. Later I felt cold and started to shiver. Over the next 12 days, I lost over 40 pounds.
One of the elderly practitioners noticed that I wasn't around. He called me and came over. As soon as he saw me, he asked many local practitioners to come send righteous thoughts to eradicate all the rotten demons and communist evil spirits. They quickly formed one body to help me.
During the battle with the evil beings, my fellow practitioners studied the Fa and sent righteous thoughts together around the clock. They shared their experiences and discussed how to rescue me from the old forces. Practitioners from other areas joined them. They worked together for two months to save my life in this dimension.
It seemed that I was suffering from acute uremia. The changes that occurred in me were substantial during the process. My thinking was complicated and, at one time, my mind was confused. My children (not cultivators) were very worried and afraid. They insisted on taking me to a hospital. My neighbors also advised us to go to see a doctor.
Despite all kinds of pressure, my wife (also a fellow practitioner) said firmly to our children, “Your father is not sick. You will do him harm if you take him to a hospital. This is just an illusion and his life is not at risk. He will certainly get better.” She played an essential role during that time. When I felt most uncomfortable, she recited Master's teaching with me:
“It’s hard to endure, but you can endure it. It’s hard to do, but you can do it.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Yanji” from Zhuan Falun Fajie – The Law of Zhuan Falun Explained)
If my wife hadn't been firm, the consequence would have been very serious and I might have lost my life. My body was so hot at the beginning that it would have been hard for ordinary people to endure.
I looked inward and realized that my biggest omission was that I hadn't believed in Master and Dafa without any doubt and had somehow acknowledged the persecution from the old forces. From the mistake in my mind to my physical affliction, I didn't really look within, so my righteous thoughts were not effective. I even complained that Master hadn't looked after me. Fortunately I realized and eliminated that notion. My true self became confident that Master would take care of me.. As Master said:
“When disciples have ample righteous thoughts Master has the power to turn back the tide” (“The Master-Disciple Bond” in Hong Yin II)
When I remained steadfast and identified my omissions, a miracle occurred. My physical condition improved day by day. I started to study the Fa and send righteous thoughts along with my fellow practitioners. I gradually resumed doing the exercises.
I will never forget the day Master came to see me. After the group Fa study on September 4, 2013, everyone left except for one elderly practitioner who was sharing with my wife, so I went to another room for a half-hour nap.
When I woke up, I saw Master smiling at me compassionately. He was in a western suit and looked very young. I was stunned for a moment and then very excited. I shouted, “Master!” I couldn't help embracing Master and crying. Master was also in tears. He patted my back and said benevolently, “You blamed me for not taking care of you, but I was actually with you all the time to see whether or not you could get over it.” I cried and said, “Master, I was wrong.” Master was very satisfied and left.
In tears I went to see my wife and the other practitioner. My wife asked, “What's wrong?” “I saw Master,” I said. I told them what I had just seen and we were all in tears. Master is truly looking after every Dafa disciple all the time. What can't we still let go of? We should be able to overcome all the tribulations no matter what they are.
With more Fa study after I recovered, I thought seriously about what Master said:
“For a cultivator, looking within is a magical tool.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference”)
All of sudden, I realized that my biggest omission was that I hadn't really cultivated myself and only paid attention to the superficial changes. I put on a mask and looked like a practitioner on the surface, but I covered up those attachments that I should have gotten rid of.
I didn't spend enough time studying the Fa; I only wanted to do more work. I could not accept it when others criticized me, whereas I enjoyed criticizing others. I didn't realize that I needed to change my own self, look inward, and remove all of my attachments in order to improve. As Master said:
“... so as to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
I'd like to conclude my experience sharing with Master's teaching:
“The path that Dafa disciples have walked in validating the Fa--where as they cultivate themselves they also save sentient beings, accommodate the needs of the cosmos's Fa-rectification, and disintegrate and clear away the dark minions and rotten demons that are negatively impacting the Fa-rectification and doing evil against Dafa disciples, as well as all the elements of interference and persecution arranged by the old forces--such is the complete path of cultivation, Consummation, and becoming a magnificent god that Disciples of Dafa walk.” (“My Version of a “Stick Wake-up” from The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol. III)
Please point out anything inappropriate.
Thank you, Master!
I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank those practitioners who helped me.
Heshi