(Minghui.org) Master said:
“Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are what you need to accomplish. There is nothing else for you to accomplish. There is nothing else in this world that you need to accomplish.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference”)
“In reality, your responsibilities as Dafa disciples all lie right there. If you don't take action to save sentient beings, you will not have fulfilled your responsibility as a Dafa disciple and your cultivation will amount to nothing, for your becoming a Dafa disciple was not for the sake of your own Consummation. This means that you shoulder a monumental mission.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference,” from Collected Fa Teaching, Vol. IX)
On my cultivation path, I’ve followed Master's teachings, and have always treated truth-clarification and saving people as the most important issues. So, how can we do them well and accomplish our task to save more people? We must study the Fa, look inward, understand the cause of interference, identify attachments and human notions to get rid of them, and correct ourselves using the Fa.
Recognizing the Evil Nature of the CCP
When I first started to clarify the truth, I always talked about how I benefited from practicing Falun Dafa and how cultivation helped restore my good health. My heart was calm, and I had no fear. Things often went smoothly, and people usually accepted what I said to them.
However, since the book Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party was published, we have added the concept of quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organizations into our truth-clarification, so the process became more difficult. Some people would tell me to go away, saying they didn't want to hear anything about quitting the CCP. Others ignored me, while some yelled at me or said they didn't want to quit because the Party paid their salary.
This was frustrating and I wasn’t sure what to do. I am a cultivator. When running into problems, a cultivator should look inward. I found the fundamental problem was my failing to recognize the evil nature of the CCP. In my mind there was still some toxic stuff left over from indoctrination by the Party, and I was still influenced by the evil Party spirit. These factors affected my clarifying the truth. I held fears, and thus stuttered when I talked to people. If my field was not righteous, how could I achieve a good result?
When I read Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, I realized that the CCP is an evil cult. This demon is trying to destroy the whole world. I intensively studied Master's Fa. Master said:
“Now, however, not only has the Party committed acts of evil, but its sins are unforgivable and its nature is no longer the same. And that naturally imperils CCP members. If a person doesn’t withdraw from it, he is a part of it, one of its particles, and a part of its composition, and he will become a target for elimination by all gods.” (“Turning the Wheel Towards the Human World,” from The Essentials of Diligent Progress, Vol. III)
I read the article again and again, and developed a clearer understanding of what Master told us in his teachings. I also sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the unrighteous factors and rotten stuff in my own field. I felt that after my thoughts were purified, my level had improved.
Dafa practitioners cultivate compassion and mercy, so I should eliminate the notion of protecting myself. No matter how other people treat me, I should open my heart and have great compassion for them.
I was able to clarify the truth selflessly after I developed more righteous understandings and righteous thoughts. I read many truth-clarifying materials and sharing articles written by fellow practitioners, which enriched my mind. Once my heart and field were rectified, people's attitudes changed. They became willing to listen to me, and more and more people now quit the Party after I talk to them.
After quitting the Party, many people thank me. Some give me a thumbs-up, some praise me, and some tell me to take care of myself.
When they thank me, I reply, “Thank Master Li Hongzhi. He told us to save you.” They then thank Master. Some also add, “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
Letting Go of the Attachment to Comfort
Master said,
“Let joy be found in hardship” (“Tempering the Will,” from Hong Yin)
In order to go out and clarify the truth every day, one must have a strong will and find joy in hardship. This means eliminating any attachment to comfort.
I have set up a materials production site in my home, and spend three days every week making Dafa informational materials. The rest of the week I give out the materials.
I often ride an electric bicycle to the remote countryside and mountain areas, no matter how severe the weather. During the hot summer and cold winter, although my body doesn't feel good, my heart feels happy because I am fulfilling my oath to save people.
Sometimes, there are no people in a village, as they are working in the fields. I do not hesitate to climb over the mountains and hills to find them, even though some steep hills and remote areas are covered by uncut weeds and vines, and are not easy to climb.
I was distributing materials last summer in a mountainous area and rain was pouring down. The potholes on the muddy road were full of water. Looking around I could not see anyone in the field. Despite being 70 years old, I rode my electric bicycle in the pouring rain down a muddy and bumpy road, looking for people. If I was not a practitioner with the wish to save people, would I have been able to do this? It would have been impossible. But I found joy in hardship.
Eliminating the Barriers Between Practitioners
I sometimes experience conflicts with other practitioners when we distribute materials. If we immediately look inward and get rid of our attachments, there will be no barrier between us, and our truth-clarification won't be interfered with.
Usually after talking to people, we give them materials that will provide them with more detailed information. Some people take them, but some don't, claiming they can’t read or don't have time. We should not force people to take the materials because they may throw them away and accumulate karma.
One practitioner said that the reason people reject material from me is that I’m not good at speaking. One day, after seeing a person reject the materials after I talked to him, the other practitioner asked me to talk to that person more. I didn't want to. She then grabbed the materials from my hand, and went to talk to him. He rejected the materials from her too.
Seeing her rejected, I thought it was funny. But I immediately realized that this was wrong. Wasn't this caused by jealousy? Wasn't this because I didn't want her to do better than me? Moreover, I was not happy when she criticized my speaking ability. Wasn't this resisting criticism and reflecting my attachment to ego? These were selfish and bad attachments that needed to be eliminated. So I sent forth righteous thoughts to disintegrate them. They were not my true self, as they came from the old forces’ interference.
I told the other practitioner my thoughts right away. She was touched, and we no longer had a barrier between us. Together we continue to walk our cultivation paths.
The Power of Dafa Shows When We Break through Notions
I went to a remote village to clarify the truth on a hot August day. Close to the foot of a mountain, I saw two guys looking for something on the ground. A motorcycle was parked next to them. I asked them what they were looking for. They said a screw fell off their motorbike, and it would no longer work.
They were worried and sweating. I knew they were not in the mood to listen to me clarifying the truth, but I didn't want to miss this chance. I looked around. Weeds and little rocks covered the dirt road. It would be extremely difficult to find a small screw even with my help. I asked Master for help and to give me the power to find this screw so that I could save them. When I developed this thought, I saw something shining in a cluster of weeds. I was excited and showed it to them.
They were surprised and asked me, “How did you find it?” I said, “I practice Falun Dafa. I asked my Master for help. If it wasn't for my Master, you wouldn't be able to go back home today—the motorcycle is too heavy for you to carry, and we are in the middle of nowhere.”
This allowed me to clarify the truth, telling them about the history of the CCP and the need to quit the Party. One said, “Someone told me about quitting the Party, but I didn't believe it and didn't quit. This time I witnessed the amazing power of Falun Dafa.” Both of them quit the Party.
Eliminating the Notion of Differentiation and Developing Mercy
Master said:
“Saving people is just that, saving people, and to pick and choose would not be merciful.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,” from Collected Fa Teaching, Vol. IX)
The attachment of protecting myself sometimes arises when I clarify the truth. Looking at the people passing by, I think, “This one does not look nice, and that one is not a good person.” I pick and choose. When I have such a heart, the person I pick usually refuses to listen to me. It is my unrighteous thought that determines people's attitudes.
When this happens, I immediately send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate my unrighteous heart of differentiation so that I can treat every person I meet mercifully. The result is usually good when I clarify the truth without any notions.
I sometimes see a group of people working in a field, and I stand next to the field and talk to all of them with loud voice. After I tell them the importance of quitting the Party, most will agree to quit. They are also willing to accept Dafa materials. I can often convince more than ten people to quit the Party at once. Because my heart is righteous and the field is pure, the power of compassion dissolves the bad stuff.
Denying the Persecution – Disintegrating the Evil – Stopping People from Committing Crimes
Sometimes people threaten to call the police and report me when I am clarifying the truth. In these cases, I say, “I am telling you this for your own good. It’s okay if you don't want to listen. But why do you want to report me? You will face retribution. Don’t do such a bad deed.” Usually the person will just ask me to leave and not say more.
Once in a small village, a young guy turned off my electric bike and grabbed the key as soon as I started telling him about Dafa. He then called the police. I asked him to give my key back. He refused and wouldn’t listen to me. A few passersby in the village asked him to stop treating me that way but he refused.
A police car soon came with three officers in it. Facing this unexpected situation, I didn't have any fear or negative thoughts about being arrested. I sat down and sent forth righteous thoughts to disintegrate the evil factors behind the police officers.
The officers asked me for my name and address. I didn't answer, but kept sending forth righteous thoughts. The officers didn't say anything. They got back in their car and talked to each other. After a while, an officer came out with the key to my bicycle and said, “Here is your key. You can go. Don't come to this village again.”
They asked me to show them what was in my bag. I still had a few copies of truth-clarifying magazines so, I took them out and said to them, “Here you go. You should take them home and read them carefully.” I also gave a Dafa amulet to the officers and some villagers.
One of the police officers pointed at the magazines and said, “These materials are all produced by Falun Gong practitioners with their own money.” I was glad that he knew the truth and had the courage to say so. Just like that, righteous thoughts disintegrated a potential persecution and kept people from committing crimes.
Category: Improving Oneself
