Correcting My Notions and Overcoming Tribulations

(Minghui.org) I began to cultivate in 2010. Before practicing Falun Dafa I suffered from muscular atrophy and osteoporosis. For more than 10 years, I could not sneeze or yawn. I needed help to stand up from a couch, and I needed a cane. I often had cramps in my back at night, which caused severe pain. I often was dizzy, had migraines, and sometimes I could not breathe when standing. I had corticosteroid injections for eight years, which eventually became ineffective. 

Dafa’s Power

My wife is a Dafa practitioner. In November 2010, I asked her to play Master’s lecture recordings for me. I listened to it every day for a month, and found Dafa great. One day I picked up a copy of Zhuan Falun. I pledged that I would finish the first lecture in the sitting up position. 

When I reached the 12th page my eyes became blurry. But, since I had pledged, I didn’t stop. When I was reading the 16th page, I passed out due to the pain. I felt that my bed broke into pieces, and my body made a free fall from the sky. Some ribs were pushed into the right position. I woke up in a panic, and found that everything was fine. I fulfilled my pledge, and finished the first lecture. I could not help but cry. I knew I must cultivate this amazing Dafa.

Treating Fa-study Seriously

I told myself to sit in the double lotus position when studying the Fa. At the beginning, I could only lean against the wall without crossing the legs. Whenever I had time, I practiced leg-crossing, and felt a lot of pain. But, since I treat Fa-study seriously, although I was in a lot of pain, I felt that the Fa was filling my mind. Sometimes the font became large when I read. Sometimes I felt as if I was floating in the clouds when studying the Fa. 

The principles of the Fa were demonstrated to me. I knelt down in front of Master’s portrait, and swore that I would go back home with Master. At that moment, I saw tears welling up in Master’s eyes. I knew that I would have a lot of hardships if I wanted to be a qualified practitioner in the Fa-rectification period, because I had a lot of karma. Thus, I could not help but cry every time I looked at Master’s portrait. 

I know that cultivation is serious, and we must respect the Fa. I always wash my hands before I study the Fa, and read in the double-lotus position. I hold Zhuan Falun with both hands. I feel that I gain a deeper understanding of the Fa daily. 

Master said, 

“You all know what state of mind a person must be in to see the Fa's principles. You know it without my having to say much. When your eyes read the Fa and yet your mind isn't on the Fa, think about it, aren't you reading in vain? Who are you reading for? You yourself aren't really studying the Fa, then. Haven't I told you to make sure that you yourself truly obtain gong? Then if your mind isn't on the Fa when you're studying the Fa, who are you studying it for? This isn't to criticize you--I'm just telling you that this is a really critical situation. So, no matter how busy you get, when you study the Fa you have to set aside all other thoughts--don't think about other things at all, just study the Fa. Maybe as you study the Fa the issues you've been thinking about will be resolved, since behind every word are Buddhas, Daos, and Gods. How could they not know exactly what you want to resolve and what you're anxious to get done at that time? Then how could they not tell you?” (“Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. II)

“If we look at it from another angle, when you study the Fa and your mind isn't on the Fa, it's not only a problem of just going through the motions, but also that the person studying the Fa is actually not being very respectful of the Fa. How could the Fa reveal itself, then? So from this angle, I think that you have to calm your mind when you study the Fa, and remember to keep your mind steady during Fa-study when you're busy.” (“Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. II)

Reading Master’s teaching, my Fa-study was very effective, providing a solid foundation for doing the three things and validating the Fa. It also has enabled me to keep strong righteous thoughts and a pure field around me. 

Two months after I started to cultivate, I had a headache after eating out with friends. I asked my wife for medicine, but she ignored me. I realized that I am a cultivator now, and I don’t need medicine anymore; my headache should go away after a nap. 

That night my headache worsened, and it felt as if my head was about to split. I sat up and shouted: “I won’t take medicine, even if the pain kills me.” The pain disappeared right away. I felt very comfortable and fell asleep again. I no longer had a headache. 

I enlightened that I should treat myself as a cultivator, not an everyday person. I need to measure everything against the Fa. If my behavior reaches the Fa’s standard, the incorrect state of the body would go away. 

I used to have an everyday person’s notion: I was worried that I was not able to attend my son’s wedding in the future due to my health problems. I often felt dizzy. One day I passed out in the hospital. When I woke up, I could not recognize my relatives who came to take care of me, nor could I find my way home. 

Eight months after I started to cultivate, my son had his wedding. Two days before the wedding, I felt lightheaded. I needed my wife’s help to walk to the bathroom. A few hours later I felt that the space around me was filled up with small solid grains, which prevented me from sitting up. 

My wife was scared. I treated myself as a cultivator. I shouted: “Everything is OK,” and sat up using all my energy. I then stood up. My whole body, including my palms, feet, and scalp were covered by a layer of sticky stuff. My wife tried to carry me to the bathroom. I said: “You don’t have to worry. I will walk by myself.”

I recited Master’s poem: “When disciples have ample righteous thoughts,Master has the power to turn back the tide.” (“The Master-Disciple Bond,” Hong Yin II, translation version A). I kept reciting this Fa for two days and only stopped when sleeping. After that, I was able to walk by myself. Then, we celebrated my son’s wedding. I was supposed to give a short speech as the father, but my mind was empty. I asked Master for help. After my speech, I saw some people in the audience had tears in their eyes. 

From studying the Fa I realized that this tribulation was caused by my own notion. 

Master said, 

“If you always believe that you are ill, you will probably make yourself sick as a result. Because your xinxing has dropped to the level of everyday people, an average person will, of course, have illnesses.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun, 2000 translation)

Overcoming Incorrect States

When I experience an incorrect state, I can always overcome it by reciting the Fa. If I measure my behaviors against the Fa, I can keep the altruistic thoughts all the time. My energy field turns positive. However, if I have a selfish or unrighteous thought, there won’t be changes in my body. I also found that during cultivation, the standard of the Fa for us gets higher and higher. 

Three years ago, I had a sickness karma test. I had no energy at all. That night I recited the Fa and checked my thoughts against the Fa. But I didn't improve. 

In the morning I had a strong righteous thought: I must get up and do the exercises. During the exercises I recalled many teachings about the universe and the human body. I told myself that my body is a giant cosmic body, and I am a divine being doing the Dafa exercises. The current incorrect state is being disintegrated and renewed by Master. The sentient beings in my cosmos will enter the new universe. Then, my body experienced a great change. Everything went back to normal. This was a wonderful experience. 

Seven years into my cultivation, one morning I didn’t want to get up to do the exercises. I forced myself to get up. I felt that I was about to collapse during the second exercise. I could not hold up my body anymore, and I felt as if the world was about to end. I asked Master for help. I recited the Fa “I’m Li Hongzhi’s disciple, I don’t want other arrangements or acknowledge them.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

I still remember that experience. I almost fell several times. But I finished all five exercises with Master’s help. I could only sit in the full lotus position for 45 minutes before. Since that day, I have been able to sit in the correct meditation position for more than an hour. 

Two Hints from Master 

Just a few months after I started to cultivate, I had a discussion with fellow practitioners about how to change our notions. I thought about this issue over a few days. 

Master said, 

“The cosmos in the past was based on selfishness. Let’s take man as an example: When it came to crucial moments he truly couldn’t care less about others.” (Teachings at the 2004 International Conference in New York)

I enlightened that the old cosmos was based on selfishness, and the new universe is altruistic. We should measure everything against the Fa and cultivate in the Fa. When I thought of this, a bright white beam showed up in front of me. Master’s poem then appeared in my mind: 

"As the Righteous Fa spreads,Untold fiends try to impede,Yet sentient beingsdo still gain salvation,And human notions change,The degenerate things purged,Brightness now shines forth." (“Born Anew,” Hong Yin, Translation version A)

With Master’s hints I learned to be altruistic and prioritize others’ needs first. I also learned that I had to measure all my thoughts against the Fa. This is how I should change my notions. Changing my notions is the key in my cultivation and passing the tests. I often recite this teaching, which has helped greatly in my doing the three things. 

Master said, 

“If you do not want to change your human state and rationally rise to a true understanding of Dafa, you will miss the opportunity. If you do not change the human logic that you, as an ordinary human, have formed deep in your bones over thousands of years, you will be unable to break away from this superficial human shell and reach Consummation.” 

“If every one of you can understand the Fa from the depths of your mind, that will truly be the manifestation of the Fa whose power knows no boundary—the reappearance of the mighty Buddha Fa in the human world!” (“Cautionary Advice,” Essentials for Further Advance)