(Minghui.org) As Falun Dafa continues to spread, more and more people have taken up cultivation and Falun Dafa books have become more precious than ever, especially in China. Due to the persecution, many copies of Falun Dafa books have been confiscated and destroyed. Bookstores aren't allowed to carry Dafa books. It's no easy task to find a copy of Zhuan Falun in China.
Despite this, some people don't treasure Dafa books as they should, or as much as when they first got the books.
Once I visited an elderly practitioner in my hometown. As soon as I stepped in the door, I saw Zhuan Falun placed on the lower level of his coffee table with food and household items. Many pages had stains or winkled corners. The whole book looked thicker and older than it should have.
I couldn't stand to see it. After we sat down, I brought up the issue immediately. I helped him flatten every page, but some stains couldn't be removed. The fellow practitioner felt guilty and regretted it.
Master has warned us about this issue:
“In the past, some people would put it under their behinds and sit on it when listening to the lectures. At that time, you hadn’t yet understood what this Law is. When you came to understand it, you would discover that all of this is extremely serious.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Houston”)
Some fellow practitioners may not have made the issue of respecting Dafa books clear when giving them to new practitioners. Some new practitioners may not have remembered to be respectful. However, we should avoid these unintentional mistakes.
Once a fellow practitioner told me that her friend would like to practice Falun Dafa and wanted to get a book from her. Her friend was very happy when she handed him Zhuan Falun. Out of habit, he moistened his fingers on his tongue and started turning the pages. The fellow practitioner corrected him right away. Before they could talk about it more, the phone rang. When the fellow practitioner was answering the phone, her friend grabbed a pen and wrote the date on the book. She was surprised by what he did. She found a new, sharp knife and spent a long time scratching off the date. She told her friend in detail how to respect Dafa and Dafa books before she finally handed the book to him again.
I hope all fellow practitioners who give Dafa books to new practitioners will pay special attention to this matter, and make it clear to new practitioners. Respecting Dafa and Dafa books are the basis for sincere cultivation. For example, we can tell them to put Dafa books in clean, safe and uncluttered places, not to get stains on them, and to not eat during Fa study. Falun Dafa books are no ordinary books. We have to treasure them and take good care of them.
Zhuan Falun is a ladder to heaven that Master gave us. Every bit of improvement in cultivation is tied to Zhuan Falun. This heavenly book teaches the highest principles and is invaluable. Those who are blessed to have it must treasure it.