(Minghui.org) Kaohsiung is the largest city in southern Taiwan. Four practitioners and I clarify the truth about Falun Dafa and the persecution to Chinese tourists. Over the years, I have realized that practitioners’ behavior influences the results when they tell people about Dafa.
It is just like Teacher Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, said:
“You are Dafa disciples, so no matter what environment you're in, when you do things like clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings, you should display the demeanor of a Dafa disciple.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference” from Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. II)
When we first started to inform people about the persecution of Falun Dafa in the park, very few buses arrived. The park was messy, and homeless people stayed there regularly. Every time when we drove to the park, we would recite the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts to purify ourselves and the environment. Within a week, the homeless were told to leave by the Environmental Protection Bureau, and soon the park was cleaned up. Tourists then began to visit the park in great numbers.
Creating a Peaceful Environment
As the number of tourists increased, many street vendors began to gather in the park. Some felt that we had a negative effect on their business when talking to the tourists. Sometimes practitioners argued with store staff, tour guides, drivers and tourists. Some tourists had poor attitudes and even cursed us. Oftentimes, they neither listened to us nor read our materials.
Teacher said:
“When a problem arises, we have to examine ourselves first to see whether things are right or wrong on our part. If we determine that it is interference or damaging, when we deal with the specific problem we should try our best to be calm and kind to those people who are at the surface, because when the evil uses people, they usually aren’t aware of it themselves (although the people who are used are usually either people whose thoughts are bad or people who have bad thoughts arising). As for the interference by evil in other dimensions, we must seriously eradicate it with righteous thoughts.” (“Far Rectification and Cultivation” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
We searched within to find our attachments. We reminded ourselves that we should always look within unconditionally and be compassionate toward all sentient beings. We were friendly to the street vendors and bought food and beverages from them. One time, a street vendor’s truck did not work, so five of us helped push the truck until it started. Afterward, this vendor was very friendly to us.
Additionally, we cleaned up the place every day. One year, a typhoon swiped through the area and damaged the park. We cleaned the park as much as we could. Gradually, people showed interest and wanted to know more. The atmosphere in the park became peaceful, and tourists were more willing to interact with us. Many people surrounded us, listened to the facts about Dafa, and were willing to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organizations.
Looking Within, Removing Attachments, Changing the Outcome
For quite some time I did not want to go to the park. Although I forced myself to go, the result was poor, and tourists didn’t want to listen to me. After looking inside, I noticed that I was affected by the tourists’ attitudes and had many attachments, such as those to fighting and resentment. Consequently, people felt that I was not compassionate.
I thought about every situation I had encountered and wondered how I could improve. When tourists cursed, I checked whether I wanted to fight. When they refused to listen, I asked myself if I had behaved unkindly or looked down on others. When people showed little interest, I wondered whether I was too pushy and had no patience when listening to others. I knew that my attachments triggered people’s reaction toward me.
When I removed my attachments, my compassion emerged, and the tourists changed. No matter how people treated me, I felt as though they were my relatives whom I had not seen for a long time. I was no longer irritated by their poor attitudes. I changed from being angry to feeling sorry for them. Thereafter, more tourists were willing to listen to the information about Dafa. Their knowing side was awakening.
One day, about six middle-aged tourists came and stood outside a store. A practitioner and I talked to them. They were very unfriendly and cursed at us.
I remembered what Teacher had said:
“Compassion can harmonize Heaven and Earth, ushering in springRighteous thoughts can save the people in this world.”(“The Fa Rectifies the Cosmos” fromHong Yin Vol. II, Translation Vernon A)
I decided to be compassionate and wake up their conscience. With a smile, I listened to them and realized that they mistakenly thought practitioners were involved in politics, against China, and disturbing others.
I recalled what Teacher said:
“When bad people in this world appear to be evil, and might act so ferocious, that’s because there are evil entities behind them propping them up. Eliminate those evil entities and that person wouldn’t be able to muster that ferocity anymore.” (“20th Anniversary Fa Teaching” from Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)
I told the other practitioners not to argue with them. We sent forth righteous thoughts to diminish the negative beings that controlled them. Gradually, they stopped cursing.
I approached one who was friendlier than the others. I told him that practitioners are not engaged in politics, nor do we want to overthrow anyone. We only believe that good deeds will be rewarded and bad ones will be punished. The CCP has been using violence and lies to maintain political power and has already killed 80 million Chinese people since they came into power about 70 years ago.
I told him how the CCP persecutes Falun Gong practitioners, who follow the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, how it fabricated the Tiananmen self-immolation hoax, and how it even harvests organs from living practitioners, which they sell for profit. I explained that when people join the CCP, they swear to give their lives to the Party, so practitioners tell people to withdraw from the CCP in order to save themselves from being implicated when the Party is held to account for its crimes.
Maybe my kindness touched him. The man's attitude changed completely, and he became friendly. Other tourists heard our conversation and were willing to withdraw from the CCP. We asked them to tell their relatives and friends about their experience with practitioners and urged them to quit the CCP.
Clarifying the Truth With Compassion and Kindness
We go to the park every day. Our hearts are firm and cannot be discouraged by tourists' poor attitudes and other challenges from the environment. Our Teacher can help practitioners with anything when they have a righteous mind.
We usually have little time to talk to tourists, so it is important for practitioners to dress and be groomed appropriately in order to give tourists a good impression. We should try to understand their questions and concerns and use simple and easy language to explain things. Additionally, we should maintain a solid cultivation state and establish a good relationship with these people.
It is like Teacher said:
“Even when in your daily life you pass by people so quickly that you don't have a chance to talk to them, you should still leave them with your compassion and kindness. Don't lose those who should be saved, especially those with predestined connections.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference” from Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IV)
Let's ensure that tourists feel our compassion and can see our banners with the words “Falun Dafa is Good” everywhere.
