Only by Studying the Teachings More and Well Will We Have Ample Righteous Thoughts

(Minghui.org) The persecution started soon after I began practicing Falun Dafa. At the time I didn’t study the Fa often so I didn’t understand what the teachings were about or what it meant to cultivate. I didn’t know how to look within when I encountered conflicts. When I did things to validate Dafa and expose the persecution, I was guided by emotion. I became ill, lost my job, and had financial difficulties. I didn’t realize that I was hindered by my attachments.

I accumulated resentment which caused immense karma. I couldn’t suppress my bad thoughts. My young son frequently got sick. People discriminated against me because I practiced Falun Dafa. I couldn’t live a normal life, let alone effectively help Master save sentient beings.

Rectifying Myself and Starting from the Beginning

I didn’t want to continue living like that. I didn’t cultivate well, but I didn’t want to stop practicing Falun Dafa. While I read the Fa my mind wandered and I didn’t know what I was reading. I decided that I should rectify my cultivation state and start from the very beginning.

I started by memorizing the Fa. I thought at least I would know the surface meaning of the Fa if I memorized it. I didn’t memorize Zhuan Falun because I thought it was too hard for me. Instead, I memorized Master’s articles and lectures. Because Master gave me hints, I understood that he saved me because I dared to descend to this world from another dimension. I was very grateful to him.

When I wasn’t busy at work, I studied the Fa and memorized Master’s lectures one by one. I understood many Fa principles as I did. It took me two years to memorize all of Master’s articles and lectures.

By memorizing the Fa, I laid a good foundation for my cultivation. I finally understood that I should cultivate rationally instead of emotionally. In his lectures, Master addressed all the issues we would come across in the Fa-rectification period. If I didn’t study the Fa well, I wouldn’t be able to identify my problems and resolve them. If I had understood the Fa principles earlier, I would not have failed in my cultivation so terribly.

Now it’s easier for me to identify my cultivation issues. By reading the Fa, I knew how to correct them. I don’t need to think hard about how to solve problems. In our cultivation: “the Fa refines practitioners.” It is an automatic cultivation. I found cultivation became simpler.

Making a Breakthrough by Memorizing Zhuan Falun

The other practitioners kept telling me that it was best to memorize Zhuan Falun because it guides our cultivation systematically. Because I let up in my cultivation and accumulated a lot of karma, I had a very difficult time memorizing Zhuan Falun. I had terrible headaches when I tried to memorize Zhuan Falun. It felt like a band was tightening around my head, and I kept falling asleep. Master gave me hints that it was interference from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) culture.

I wasn’t working at that time. Except for doing household chores and clarifying the truth to people in the afternoon, I spent all my spare time memorizing the Fa. I sat in front of my desk with my legs crossed, memorizing the Fa. I didn’t go to bed at night to avoid oversleeping. I fell asleep sitting at my desk. It was hard in the winter because my building had no heat. I wore heavy clothes and put an electric-heated cushion on my chair.

I later realized that Master must have seen my determination to cultivate, so he strengthened my ability to bear hardship. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to persevere. I wanted to give up several times. Every time I wavered, a practitioner encouraged me to continue.

One summer day, I fell asleep while I was memorizing the Fa. I dreamed that I was 10 years old and I was riding a small bicycle. Master was there. He was tall and wearing a white shirt. He patted my head compassionately. He said, “You have a lot of karma. Don’t travel this summer holiday. Stay at home and study the Fa well.” When I woke, my face was covered in tears. I knew Master already bore huge karma for me. I didn’t dare to slack off again. I picked up and read the book.

I memorized Zhuan Falun in two years. When I memorized Lecture Nine, I felt that my body underwent a great change—but it couldn’t be seen in this dimension. As I memorized the Fa, my microscopic bodies were rectified and assimilated to the Fa. The cosmic bodies that correspond to me were rectified and assimilated to the Fa as well. This was the process of cultivation and the process of saving the sentient beings in my cosmos.

My biggest hardship was my headaches, the karma in my head. The pain was almost overwhelming when I memorized the Fa every day, but I knew I was eliminating karma. As I memorized the Fa more, the band around my head became less and less tight. The painful area became smaller until it shrank to an area as big as an egg. The pain became weaker and weaker, and it was easier for me to bear it.

One day Master let me see my body in another dimension. Most of the huge karma caused by my previous resentment was dissolved. There was only a thin layer left. It looked like a rectangular chocolate cake – a thin layer on the top was karma and underneath was white thick de (virtue). The thick de came from my sacrifice and suffering when I did the three things and the suffering Master endured for me. I finally saw hope as I cultivated—before it felt like I was persevering in the dark.

Discerning Right and Wrong

By memorizing the Fa I understood many Fa principles, and it was easier for me to know which actions or ideas were correct. When I found other practitioners were wrong on certain issues, I tried to let them know. If they didn’t listen, I kept silent and didn’t follow them blindly. I have the Fa in my heart and I know the Fa will not change. If we study the Fa more, we won’t be confused on some issues. If we know the criteria for practitioners in the Fa-rectification period, we won’t slack off in cultivation.

Breaking Through Fear

It is very easy to develop fear because of the severe persecution in China. From the Fa, I understand that the persecution is not person-to-person persecution but that the old forces are manipulating people to persecute practitioners. The old forces see practitioners’ shortcomings in their xinxing and their karma. From the Fa, I saw why I was persecuted and why other practitioners were persecuted. The Fa also tells us how to break through the persecution and how practitioners cooperate with each other to expose the persecution. The Fa principles helped me break through my fear. I understand from the Fa that the old forces’ arrangements are orderly, how we can break through these arrangements, and how we should reinforce our righteous thoughts and walk our cultivation paths well.

Sometimes when I can’t understand an issue, Master uses different ways to help me. I have the Fa to guide me, so my cultivation is easy and simple.

Follow the Fa, Not Practitioners

Sometimes the tests are hard. It took me almost 20 years to understand one issue, and I didn’t know why my enlightenment quality was so poor. I later realized that there were two reasons. The first was that the old forces used the excuse that I had karma and weakened my enlightenment ability. The second reason was that I followed another practitioner, not the Fa, on this issue. I always listened to other practitioners’ opinions, which prevented me from understanding the issue from the Fa’s perspective. I didn’t understand the issue until my karma was almost paid off.

I realized how important it was to solve problems myself and not follow other people. Master asks each practitioner to cultivate themselves and become the kings of their own universe. I always wanted to discuss things with other people and I listened to their opinion. I didn’t look inward and solve it by myself according to the Fa’s principles. I had an omission on this issue. Though I had my own opinion, I still relied on others, believed their thoughts were better than mine, and listened to them. I followed people, not the Fa.

I finally had my own understanding on this issue. The Fa principles I understand guide me on how to cultivate myself. These are the Fa to me. The Fa principles other practitioners understand guide them on how they cultivate themselves. These are the Fa principles to them. If they tell me their understanding of the Fa, that is only their personal understanding. By the same token, when I tell them my understandings of the Fa, these are only my personal understandings. Some practitioners quote Master’s Fa to prove that their ideas or opinions are correct. Their understandings might be right according to them, but I sometimes think they quote Master’s Fa out of context.

When I finally understood my problem (of following other practitioners and not the Fa), it was resolved. My belief in the Fa was reinforced, and I knew I should solve issues with the Fa’s principles. Because I have good foundation in studying the Fa, I understand many things when they come up. I’d like give you some examples.

One practitioner was incarcerated for many years. When she was released from prison, she was already detached from society. I helped her solve many problems in many areas. Sometimes my ideas led to good results, sometimes not. Later on I realized that I didn’t do it right according to the Fa principles. Master requires every practitioner to cultivate to be a king or lord in their own cosmos. What I did prevented this practitioner from walking her own cultivation path. She had been back in society for a few years and could do things by herself independently. I used to think that being “helpful” and “warmhearted” were good things. Measured by the Fa, they might not be so good.

I read an article on the Minghui website about how a practitioner treated the person who harmed her nicely and returned good for evil. Before, I would have thought this practitioner did really well. But after I understood that I should follow the Fa, not practitioners, I understood that Master didn’t mention “return good for evil” in his Fa. Master said that we shouldn’t have the same level of morality as other people, but we should thank them in our hearts. Regarding the interference and persecution, Master said that we should be kind on the human level but should eliminate the evil factors behind the person.

My understanding is that my heart shouldn’t be moved when people hurt me. If we emphasize “return good for evil” too much, it may cause a problem. People no longer have a moral baseline and may think Dafa practitioners are weak and can be bullied. At the same time, practitioners may fall into the trap of sentimentality or doing things, thus wasting time and energy. We do everything within certain boundaries. If we go beyond the boundaries, it might have negative effects for our future cultivation.

The Fa will tell me whether I have done it right or wrong, even on small matters.

Master said,

“You must have a lot of questions. I think that through studying the Fa you will be able to resolve all of them. Many specific questions and problems can be resolved as long as you study the Fa.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.,” Collected Teachings Given Around the WorldVolume II

Wonderful Experiences While Studying the Fa with a Focused Mind

I've had wonderful experiences when I studied the Fa with a focused mind.

On one occasion I recited the Fa without any distracted thoughts in my mind. I finished reciting two lectures of Zhuan Falun. When I sat down on the edge of my bed, it suddenly felt like my entire body was composed of the Fa. I had no human thoughts. At that moment I understood one layer of the meaning of the Fa Master mentioned in Zhuan Falun.

Master said,

“Because a paradise like that is a manifestation of the Fa’s composition…” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

For some time I cultivated diligently and studied the Fa a lot. When I sent forth righteous thoughts, it felt like my body turned into pure gold. The purity of the energy can’t be described in human language. I thought, “Wow, cultivation is truly amazing!”

I had many wonderful experiences when my heart was pure and serene.

Only by Studying the Fa Well Can We Clarify the Truth Well

I clarify the truth to people over the phone. Initially I didn’t know what to say. Thanks to Master’s hints and encouragement, I’m now able to do it better. I feel the gong Master gives me is doing the job of clarifying the truth to people.

My understanding is that the Fa has energy and the gong can eliminate the evil directly. If I recite the Fa with a focused mind in the morning, people are willing to listen to me and withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations in the afternoon when I clarify the truth to them. If I do everyday chores in the morning, people don’t listen to me when I clarify the truth to them in the afternoon. Sometimes they swear at me. I don’t have energy and cannot eliminate the evil. If my heart isn’t righteous, I can’t help Master save people. The practitioners who go out to clarify the truth to people every day are remarkable.

One day I didn’t study the Fa and went out to distribute pamphlets in a small alley. The next day a practitioner asked who distributed pamphlets in that alley because people threw the pamphlets away. I felt ashamed and regretted that I caused many pamphlets to be discarded. From then on I paid particular attention to keeping a pure mind and studying the Fa well before I go out to clarify the truth to people.

Another day I studied the Fa very well. When I walked outside I felt the sky was transparent and the world looked different. I gave out a pamphlet to a street vendor. He accepted it and immediately read it. The Fa’s power is truly amazing.

Only by Studying the Fa Well Can I Send Forth Strong Righteous Thoughts

My understanding of sending forth righteous thoughts is that we utilize the gong that Master gives us to eliminate the evil. The crucial point is that we are able to mobilize our gong. How effectively we are able to mobilize it depends on how strong our righteous thoughts are. Studying the Fa well is most important. When we study the Fa well, our righteous thoughts are strong and then we can mobilize our gong.

We are able to know whether our righteous thoughts are strong or not when we are sending forth righteous thoughts. When our righteous thoughts are strong, its power can split a mountain. When our righteous thoughts are not strong, we know it. Only when we study the Fa with a focused mind can we have strong righteous thoughts.

One day I was really focused when I read the Fa. When I sent forth righteous thoughts I knew my gong was mobilized. The practitioners who were sending forth righteous thoughts beside me felt the power of my righteous thoughts. Master gives us the gong. It depends on us whether we use it or not. Strong righteous thoughts can do a lot of things. When we send forth righteous thoughts towards the persecution, it will be dissolved. The gong is given by Master, and its power is huge.

Now my cultivation state is better than when I began practicing Falun Dafa. I’ve undergone tremendous changes. My son is a healthy young man and attends university. My economic condition and cultivation environment also changed a lot.

My understanding is that when we study the Fa well, we can solve any issue in cultivation. I hope that my experiences encourage fellow practitioners and we cultivate diligently together.