(Minghui.org) I’m a Chinese medicine doctor and I first heard about Falun Dafa in 1995. When I saw the call to submit articles for the 22nd China Fa Conference on Minghui.org, I felt I should write about my cultivation experiences. I think talking about our experiences allows us to help each other identify our attachments, inspire us to do better in our cultivation, and helps us assimilate to the Fa (teachings).
I felt I hadn’t cultivated well so I didn’t know what to write. Then I heard a story on Minghui Radio about an overseas practitioner who made phone calls to China to tell people the facts about Dafa and the persecution. From reading scripts to talking freely, from being attached to the number of people who quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organizations to focusing on helping Master save people, from frustration due to humiliation to genuine care and remaining calm regardless of the challenges, this practitioner reached a new realm of cultivation.
Touched by her sharing, I felt I needed to write something to encourage other practitioners like me, who aren’t very diligent. No matter where we are, we need to pull ourselves together because this is what we are here for. Master has endured great hardship to save us and we have to do our best. As long as we try, we will see the power of Dafa.
Even as a child I pondered the meaning of life. One day I saw the three characters—Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I later realized that Master was already encouraging me. On May 13, 1999, I was fortunate to join a group Fa study at a practice site in Changchun, Jilin Province. Due to a lifetime of brainwashing by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), however, I did not truly understand what Falun Dafa was.
After the CCP began to suppress Dafa in 1999, one of my friends was persecuted. In 2001 he urged me to practice. I was not diligent. Nonetheless, I did gain some understandings of Dafa, Fa-rectification, and the persecution.
Recently I met Ying, an elderly practitioner who injured her feet. She was not diligent. She was confused and thought the CCP was China and she even donated money to a temple. When a practitioner pointed out it was improper, Ying argued with her. Three days later, she fell while she walked down the stairs. That practitioner talked with her again and Ying realized she was confused.
As we chatted Ying told me about some miracles she experienced. Because of her health she wanted to do the exercises, but she forgot how to do the movements. While she was trying to remember, she felt a force helping her do them. She realized Master was helping her.
I was touched by her story. I sometimes felt Master might have abandoned me since I wasn’t diligent. Looking at Ying, I thought she was not diligent either since a genuine practitioner would have differentiated between the CCP and China, and would not have made mistakes on the issue of “no second cultivation way” as Master mentioned in Zhuan Falun. Even though Ying wasn’t diligent, Master was very compassionate and still took care of her. I was very moved.
I encouraged Ying to focus on reading the teachings and doing the exercises. I also suggested she read more experience-sharing articles written by other practitioners. I told her these articles helped me a lot. I was able to identify the gaps between myself and other practitioners and I realized how great Dafa is.
I’m a senior Chinese medicine doctor. Because Falun Dafa gave me wisdom, I’m relatively accomplished and my patients trust me. Although I hadn’t read many professional books, the wisdom I received from Dafa allowed me to understand things well. In China, most medical professionals pursue fame and material interest. Although I don’t cultivate diligently I still do my best to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Because I truly cared for my patients, they knew I cared about them and helped them save money.
After Master mentioned it in his lectures, I understood that my work environment is my stage to interact with people and help him save them. I always treated my patients with kindness. Since patients talk to each other and compare doctors, I received most of my patients this way.
For a while I couldn’t go out to see patients—this would usually lead to a decline in one’s patients. The number of my patients surprisingly increased and even doubled. I think this happened because I practice Falun Dafa.
I also had other extraordinary experiences. For a period of time, my mind was relatively pure and I could see 50 or 60 patients a day, often from 7 a.m. till 5 or 6 p.m.. I only ate some snacks at 2 or 3 p.m. But my mind was clear and I did not feel tired.
I occasionally had some atypical patients. They did not want to register at the front desk, and they did not want medication. Realizing some might have come to hear the facts of Dafa, I tried talk with them about Dafa. When I was unable to help them quit the CCP organizations I hoped other practitioners clarified the truth to them later.
Working in the medical system I witnessed how the CCP squeezed money from patients. Under such a corrupt system less than 50% of doctors received their full salaries. The conflicts between overcharged patients and underpaid doctors worsened over time.
As a result, many doctors prescribed drugs with kickbacks so they could earn more money. Several years ago, a doctor’s salary was probably one 2,000 or 3,000 per month while the kickback could be 5,000, 6,000 or higher each month.
I never prescribed those drugs because I try to reduce costs for patients. This is another reason more patients came to me. Some coworkers didn’t understand. They said the “gray income” could be used to support one’s family. But I just dismissed it since that’s not the right thing to do.
The medical system in China is tight now. During the pandemic, the CCP repeatedly required citizens to undergo nucleic acid testing and be vaccinated, and it claimed it was free. As the medical insurance fund was later used up, new medical insurance policies were implemented with much lower reimbursement. This way, the cost of “free” nucleic acid testing and vaccinations was borne by the patients.
No matter what policies are rolled out, I always try to reduce patients’ medical bills by recommending cost-effective treatment. Other doctors or clinics may charge hundreds or 1,000 yuan per week for medicine, while my patients only need to pay less than 200 or 100 yuan to achieve the same or better results.
Cultivation is serious. I briefly slacked off and I began having tribulations. I sometimes I fell asleep when I read the teachings. If I’d seen other practitioner do this, I would have brought it up as a major issue. But I didn’t pay much attention when I did it.
As my xinxing declined, my health got worse and I had trouble doing the exercises. It was especially this case after my mother passed away. I missed her and I began having illness symptoms. I struggled to remain diligent and I could not overcome the tribulations. To make things worse, my resentment also made the family environment tense. I complained that my wife did not treat my parents well, and that she didn’t take good care of our child.
Because of my attachment to the child’s performance in school, any ups and downs in his grades led to family conflicts. Instead of considering this an opportunity to improve my xinxing, I was worried. The attachment of lust also took me down, making the illness tribulation even worse.
I decided to practice diligently, but it wasn’t easy. Several years ago, a practitioner sent me experience-sharing articles written by other practitioners. I knew it was important to study the teachings and cultivate one’s xinxing, but I struggled.
I began listening to Minghui Radio every day. When practitioners shared their stories, I paid attention to how they overcame tribulations especially their thought process. Although I’m still not very diligent—I’ve improved.
I have no practitioners to talk to, so I mainly read experience-sharing articles or I listen to Minghui Radio. Some practitioners visit every village household and help people quit the CCP organizations; some helped install NTD satellite dishes; others go to the justice system to rescue detained practitioners. Listening to their experiences always inspires me to do better.
Some sharing articles talked about small things in daily life. Some practitioners used to have a hot temper, but they stopped being angry after they practiced Falun Dafa; some behaved like a gangster in the past, but they became different people after they followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Compared to them, I haven’t done well cultivating forbearance, since I still get angry easily.
Some practitioners paid little attention to fame and material interest; they gave up opportunities to be promoted or receive a subsidized apartment. I could have done this, but I would still feel it wasn’t fair. Some practitioners had symptoms of a stroke, but they still went out and helped about 100 people quit the CCP organizations in two hours. In contrast, I often skipped doing the exercises. Some business owners helped all their employees know Dafa is good and renounce their CCP memberships. But I still dare not ask people to quit the CCP organizations—instead I developed zealotry when I was praised at work.
The list of my attachments is long. With strong righteous thoughts, some practitioners overcame illness karma in a few days. Others could not lie down due to pain from bone fractures, but they insisted on doing the exercises. All of them recovered. But I failed illness karma tests twice and my human notions became even worse.
One practitioner was shy but she was able to help five people quit the CCP organizations in a few minutes while waiting for the elevator. I’m able to talk with patients about Dafa, but hesitate to ask them to renounce their CCP memberships.
From Master’s teachings, we know Dafa created the universe and is not restrained by beings or things in the universe. Master said,
“A cultivator can only understand the specific manifestation of the Buddha Fa at the level that his or her cultivation has reached…” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
But cultivation means one needs to be strict with oneself, constantly eliminate attachments, elevate one’s level, and help Master save people.
Some practitioners have done so well that their stories almost seem like fairy tales to me. We are all Dafa practitioners who follow the same teachings. The successful stories of others inspired me to see hope and do better. Every practitioner’s situation is different and I cannot copy what they did. But at least I need to try and even small steps make a difference.
When my cultivation state was poor, I sometimes thought: “Well, I have to keep it up; even if I can help Master save one person, it’s something. I cannot give up.”
Since I am far from where I should be, I can at least focus on doing the next step well. Because I couldn’t concentrate when I read the teachings, I read out loud to prevent my mind from wandering. One day I read three lectures. The next day, I felt my surroundings were clearer.
It was difficult for me to write this experience sharing article. I tried for a few days but I wasn’t satisfied with what I wrote. But I kept trying and found lots of bad substances were removed from me in the process. I am also less sleepy including when I send forth righteous thoughts.
I often thought about clarifying the truth to people but the result was not good. I kept trying to figure out how to explain things well. That person will for sure quit the CCP this way, I thought. But when I actually talked to someone I found he did not listen to me. I felt frustrated and even argued with him. Looking back, it was because I did not follow Dafa teachings, along with attachments of my competitive mentality, jealousy, and resentment. How could I help anyone?
Other practitioners also reminded me about this and I tried to do better. Once I thought of telling a patient about Dafa, but it did not happen. Then she came to me again. Thinking this is an opportunity, I cleared my mind and decided to just tell her what she needed to know.
When the patient and I met, I helped her with the paperwork and the crowded place somehow also became quieter.
“Have you heard about quitting the CCP organizations? It would help help you and your family,” I said. “I can help you with it.”After I explained, she asked, “Do I need to quit the Youth League if I’m not a CCP member?”
I said yes, since one also vowed to devote his or her own life to the CCP when they joined the Youth League. She agreed. Looking back, it wasn’t that difficult.
I know I haven’t cultivated very well. So please point it out if anything isn’t consistent with Dafa’s teachings. As practitioners we have to do well and do better. People are waiting for us to save them.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Selected submission for the 22nd China Fa Conference on Minghui.org)