(Minghui.org) I experienced many positive changes after I started practicing Falun Dafa 19 years ago. I became kind and understanding and my life improved. I would like to share some of my cultivation experiences and thank Master Li Hongzhi (Falun Dafa's founder) for giving me a big heart!
“Only Falun Dafa Practitioners Could Tolerate It!”
I was sent to a detention center for practicing Falun Dafa in early 2014. I thought, “Since I'm here, I'll use this opportunity to save people.”
I seemed to be getting along well with an inmate named Yan. She didn't have money to buy supplies, so I shared mine with her. Whenever my family sent me food, I shared it with her. I often comforted her and helped her. She told everyone that I was very nice to her.
One day, she stood up during a meeting and harshly ridiculed and accused me in front of more than 40 people. I remained calm and quietly listened. Everyone thought she had gone too far and was fabricating the accusations. I reviewed my behavior and tried to see if I had done something wrong. I thought, “I'm a Falun Dafa practitioner. Master told us that 'you shouldn’t hit back when attacked, or talk back when insulted.' (The Fourth Talk from Zhuan Falun) I knew I shouldn’t harbor any resentment toward her, and should instead look inward and thank her for giving me this opportunity.”
Many people complimented me after the meeting. I asked them not to blame Yan, because she had a hard life and had trouble controlling her emotions. I said that I probably had something to improve on, and I didn't hate her.
Meimei, the woman in charge of our ward, later told me, “She bullied you so badly, but you're still kind to her. Only Falun Dafa practitioners could tolerate this and still have compassion.”
“Your Compassion Makes Me Feel Ashamed.”
A young inmate named Xu always made things difficult for me. One time she splashed soap bubbles all over my face while she was washing her underwear. She smirked and said, “Sorry.” I smiled and replied, “That's all right. No problem.”
I thought, “I'm a Dafa practitioner who follows Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I shouldn't fuss over trivial things. I might have bullied her in a previous lifetime, and she's helping me repay my debt.”
During bed rotation, she was arranged to sleep next to me for seven nights. The bed space is tiny, but she slept on her back. I had to sleep on my side tightly pressed against the wall. I couldn't move all night because any movement would wake her.
For several nights, she not only slept on her back but also kept moving over to my side. I barely dozed off when she kicked me and woke me up. It was almost impossible for me to get any sleep. If I wasn't a Falun Dafa practitioner, I would have fought with her, but I knew I needed to follow Master's teachings and be tolerant and considerate.
During a meeting, I told everyone sincerely, “Please excuse anything I've done wrong. I also appreciate all the things you've done for me!” As I said this I looked at Xu and smiled. She said, “Your compassion makes me feel ashamed of my behavior!”
Our Persecutors Are Victims, Too
I followed Master's teaching about not hating our persecutors and trying our best to save them instead.
While I was being abducted in 2014, a patrol guard hit my face fiercely with his fist. I had a swollen black eye for a long time. When my son visited me at the police station, he was angered to see that I had been beaten. He took a photo of my eye and said he would retaliate against the guard who hit me. I asked him not to. After I was released, my son said that he planned to beat up the guard. I told him, “Forgive him. He's a victim of the persecution too. I'm a Dafa practitioner and you're my son. We shouldn't seek revenge. We should have big hearts.”
My son never mentioned retaliating against the guard again.
During the two and a half years I was imprisoned, I was terribly abused, especially while I was unofficially detained. I held no grudges against the police officers, the jailers, the judge, the employees of the 610 Office, or the inmates who monitored me. As I cultivated myself, I eventually eliminated any attachment to grievance. Instead of being angry I deeply pitied them for committing the monstrous crime of persecuting Dafa practitioners. I sometimes even wept.
One of the inmate monitors asked me if I hated them. I immediately told her that I didn't hate them, because they were also victims. Master has given practitioners big hearts, and this is something that everyday people can't understand.
The Power of Compassion
My daughter-in-law's mother is a nice woman who experienced a lot of hardship in her life. The first time I talked to her about Falun Dafa, she was very supportive and gave me a wool sitting pad to use when I meditated in the winter. I was very touched by her kindness.
Her attitude changed completely after I was imprisoned for practicing Dafa. One day in 2017, my daughter-in-law invited me to come to her mother's home. After arriving, my son and my daughter-in-law went out shopping, I started chatting with her mother. I took out a truth clarification brochure and handed it to her. She suddenly became very angry and said many disrespectful things about Dafa and Master. She expressed her contempt for me and said she didn't want to associate with me.
I was stunned and saddened. Not wishing to anger her further, I didn't argue with her, instead I asked her to calm down. I blamed myself for not having cultivated well enough to awaken her to the truth. I felt that I had let her down.
She finally calmed down before our children returned, and everything seemed normal. While we were preparing dinner, she asked, “I cursed you so badly. It must be hard for you to have any appetite.” I smiled and replied, “No, I will enjoy the dinner!” She said, “Of course!” We chatted and laughed as usual as if nothing had happened.
When she saw me off she asked if I was okay. I replied that I was a practitioner and I was fine. Both of us burst into laughter.
My daughter-in-law's mother celebrated her birthday a few months later and invited me to her party. I met her nephew for the first time. I wanted to talk to him about Falun Dafa but I was worried she would be angry. After thinking about Master's teaching on saving sentient beings, I decided not to miss this opportunity.
I asked the nephew to search his phone for, “General Administration of Press and Publication Ordinance 50” and navigate to Amendments 99 and 100. He was surprised to find that the ban on Falun Dafa books had been lifted as early as March 1, 2011. He read it repeatedly, but his aunt snatched his cell phone and wouldn't let him read anymore. I quietly sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the interfering factors behind her, and continued talking to them.
Perhaps it was the power of compassion. As we said our goodbyes she smiled and said, “Enjoy your exercises!”
I would like to thank Master for giving me a big heart! Thank you, Master!
