(Minghui.org)
Greetings to Master and fellow practitioners.
A colleague and I visited a Falun Dafa practice site in 2000. We began to practice without having any kinds of thoughts or expectations. Within two weeks I recovered from a seven-year-old chronic bowel disease. Neither the doctors, the recurring hospital stays, nor rehabilitation brought relief. Thanks to Falun Dafa, I was symptom-free within two weeks.
Master Li Hongzhi said:
“The most obvious thing is that your body will be purified very quickly. Many people in Mainland China know that cultivation in Falun Dafa is simply too miraculous! Upon starting the practice, the illnesses will be gone. Why is that? Many people did not seek after healing illnesses. They think that the Dafa is good, so they practice it! Their illnesses were healed as a result.” (Lecture in Sydney)
I was certain that this was the right path for me.
Since the beginning of my cultivation in 2000, I have had a lot of respect for the Minghui website. Since my childhood, reading has been my favorite pastime. Because of that, I was quite interested in the experience sharing articles of my fellow practitioners. In particular, I sympathized with Chinese practitioners’ experiences, simply because I had read many books and stories about China as a teenager. Whenever I was touched by an experience sharing article, I put it on our local practitioners’ exchange list. I still do that.
When a Minghui colleague asked me seven years ago if I could help edit experience sharing articles I put this request indignantly aside.
At the time all my colleagues at work knew that I had a good heart, could be asked for help, and was counted on to pitch in when they needed to take time off or did not feel like working.
Besides, I was busy with Dafa validation projects during my spare time. How could I find the time to do that?
Recalling that time, I was not in a solid cultivation state. The brutal persecution in China had awakened me from my peaceful daily life. My urge to uncover the truth was huge, which made me very busy with Fa validation work. I preferred to organize information booths, distribute informational materials, reach out to Chinese tourists, or help promote Shen Yun. In the meantime, I put the Falun Dafa exercises and daily Fa study in second place.
I was very diligent and believed this to be cultivation. However, I realized later that my character had not improved for a long time.
I began participating in this demanding task and have grown into it. When editing, I tried to see things from the reader's perspective. This was very time-consuming at the beginning. Recalling that time, I remember it would take me from six to eight hours to finish an article during the first few months. When I came across any inconsistency I asked a Chinese practitioner for help. She often explained the situation, the meaning of an expression, or the behavior in China. After a while, she also started translating for our website.
At first, it was not always easy to understand how much I should rewrite in an article. I recall one experience sharing article from a Chinese practitioner that touched me deeply. It was a rather rough translation into German. After many hours I was finally satisfied with my editing and felt that I had turned it into acceptable, flowing German. But when the final edited version was returned to me, many of my changes had been restored to the original version. I was confused. Did the old forces exploit my sense of self-satisfaction and cheerfulness? Because of that, I did not edit much in the next articles, which resulted in a message from the responsible practitioner for me to do a more thorough job of revising articles.
The experience sharing article “Bringing Back a Fellow Practitioner from the Brink of Death” that was published on Minghui taught me a lot. The steadfastness and righteous belief in Master and the Fa and the rescue of a critically ill fellow practitioner released from prison touched me deeply. Both recited “Lunyu” (“On Dafa”) in front of Master's picture and vanquished a huge demonic challenge.
Since then, I put great importance on reciting “Lunyu.” When facing a difficult situation, this method helps me find my attachment and overcome difficulties. My tolerance and kind-heartedness with regard to my fellow practitioners has grown. Our coordinator reminded us at one time, “Reciting 'Lunyu' is the bridge to the Gate of Heaven.”
Master said, “Meanwhile, everything discussed in Zhuan Falun is encompassed in “Lunyu.”” (Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. Fa Conference)
I was deeply touched when I worked on another experience sharing article, “Delivering Master's Writings to Prison for Nine Years.” The son of a teacher was illegally sentenced to 12 years of forced labor because he practiced Falun Dafa. His mother accepted suffering and danger to bring her son Master's latest articles. I cried when I read the article for the first time. While editing I felt the danger the mother and son faced. The mother's dedication to helping not only her son but also the many other imprisoned practitioners expanded my compassion. In my heart I felt fear. I suffered with them and was afraid that they would be caught and tortured. The mother had defeated her fear with strong righteous thoughts and unwavering belief in the Fa – yet, I lived in a free world and still had the attachment of fear in me. My understanding and compassion for practitioners in China who refused to be “transformed” grew as I read that article.
In “Buddha Fa Cultivation is Magnificent and Serious,” the practitioner wrote of her own experience. Even after she'd been out of prison for several years, she was still unaware that she had betrayed the Fa and her fellow practitioners in prison. Although she questioned her “transformation” at certain times, it took nine years for her to return to cultivating in Dafa, which came about because of Master's compassionate hints and fellow practitioners' selfless help. I can only guess at her deep remorse for her sins. This article helped me realize that I often held misconceptions and lacked compassion concerning these practitioners. I wonder about the pain and sadness many practitioners in China are experiencing.
Working on the Minghui website helped me enormously to advance in my cultivation. Be it when the authors talked about solid Fa study, or the difficulties they had when doing the daily exercises, reciting the Fa, having conflicts with fellow practitioners, or looking inwards, and following the Falun Dafa principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance in daily life, I was inspired.
Master said, “Yet, wouldn’t the bad attitude of that person be a perfect chance for you to cultivate yourself?” (Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Canada)
Inspired by a fellow practitioner's article when I read the edited article, I hand-copied Zhuan Falun. Then, I memorized it.
The Minghui website has become an important part of my cultivation. Not only does it help me improve myself, but many practitioners can elevate through reading experience sharing articles from practitioners worldwide. They also can recognize their human attitudes and human notions and overcome difficulties and problems. Based on our firsthand accounts, we reveal the persecution in China. With Master's help, we can save sentient beings. Thus, I must be careful when editing an article, so that everyday people understand the intent of the article.
Before I work on an article, I read one lecture in Zhuan Falun. After receiving an edited version of my last article, I read it and look at the changes. I note some of the changes—such as phrases, expressions, and footnotes—in my personal document. When I read the final article on the website, I feel the strength of our cooperation – from the author to the translator to the polisher to the editor and, finally, to the final version before it was published. Thanks to the cooperation and the trust among our team members, I have learned to be one part of the total effort.
From all the experience sharing reports that we edit, we can learn, improve, and raise our xinxing. My understanding of the Fa has deepened tremendously over the years, and I have learned to measure everything against the Fa.
I'm infinitely grateful to Master for his compassion. From being domineering, overbearing, and brash, my heart has now assimilated to the principles of goodness, tolerance, and compassion. I have become calmer and friendlier. I've learned to keep things natural instead of trying to control people. I can now accept and understand the Fa principle: “Everything we encounter in cultivation is something good.” Thus, my environment and my relationship with my family has improved. It has been some months since I've been able to do the three things that Master asks of us better. I appreciate the pleasant teamwork with my coworkers at Minghui, and I appreciate the cultivation environment.
I thank all fellow practitioners for their support.
Finally, I want us to remember Master's poem:
“Study the Fa and gain the Fa,Focus on how you study and cultivate,...”(“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin, English Translation Version A)
I hope that I quickly find all my human notions, opinions, and attachments and eliminate them.
Thank you, Master, and thanks to all my fellow practitioners.
(Presented at the 2019 Minghui’s 20th Anniversary Fa Conference. Selected and edited.)