(Minghui.org) At the 2016 Philadelphia Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference, 13 speakers shared their understandings of cultivation, how to look within better when problems arise, and how to better strengthen their righteous thoughts. The event was held in Center City on September 23, 2016.
Compassionate Teacher Leads Practitioner On the Right Path
Krishnamurthy, a software engineer, came across Falun Dafa a year ago. “The first time I read Zhuan Falun, I felt the divinity, powerful energy and holiness of Falun Dafa. I finished reading the book in two days. The energy I experienced was so strong that I believed I was destined to learn this precious Dafa,” said Krishnamurthy.
When Krishnamurthy saw Teacher Li Hongzhi (the founder of Falun Dafa) in New York for the first time, “I couldn't help but shed tears. I didn't know why until I later read his other lectures.”
“Falun Dafa changed me inside out. I used to be very sensitive and easily irritable. At work, I was overly confident and often judged others with a sense of superiority,” he said.
Practicing Falun Dafa taught him to be more understanding of others and to treat everyone with kindness. “I began to consciously treat others with compassion. I try my best to see things from others' perspective.”
Fulfilling One's Vows in This Lifetime
After reading Zhuan Falun, Jennie remembered things from her previous life. “When I was little, I had the feeling that I was forgetting the truth of the universe that I once knew. I was hoping to remember it before the end of this life,” said Jennie. “I took a vow when I was in my teens in 1994.”
“One day I started weeping as I was walking down on the street. It pained me to see this world. I was desperate and didn't know how to help people wake up and make the right decisions. I knew that I was born with a mission, but I couldn't find my way. I stood on the sidewalk and vowed to the gods, 'Please show me the way, and I will do everything I can to complete my mission, unwaveringly.'”
“As soon as I read Zhuan Falun, I remembered everything that I had forgotten when I began this life. The vow I took in 1994 came right back to me. I was so happy that my years of searching have finally paid off. I am going to carry out that vow for the rest of my life.” she said.
“Teacher has repeatedly told us that cultivation is a serious matter,” Jennie said. She also said that studying the teachings with a group of practitioners is essential, because it allows her to re-examine her thoughts and actions and be more diligent.
Severing Selfishness and Finding One's True Self
Ms. Zhang distributed information about Falun Dafa and the persecution near the Liberty Bell. Through her job, she was able to eliminate Chinese Communist Party (CCP) culture from her mind. “I grew up in the CCP culture. All the bad ideologies seemed natural in everyday life, because everyone thought the same way. I came to the U.S. in 2009 and still couldn't see anything wrong with the CCP culture, because I lived in Flushing, where there are a lot of people from China. I didn't pay much attention to the issue then,” she explained.
Through constantly reflecting on herself and interacting with others in Western society, she gradually saw how the culture had poisoned her. “Being self-centered is the root of the culture. When I couldn't let go of 'self,' I was just selfish and couldn't achieve the state of compassion. The laws of the old universe got a tight hold of me, which made it very difficult for me to improve,” Ms. Zhang said.
In recent years, Teacher has frequently mentioned how practitioners from mainland China must remove CCP culture from within themselves. “The problems seemed to be more serious each time he talked about it. His lecture in San Francisco in 2014 finally got to me. It was as if every word he said was a loud bang in my ears.”
