The Haerbin detention center [in Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province] has illegally arrested and prolonged the detention of Falun Dafa practitioners and has imposed heavy fines on them. The practitioners were held in custody because they appealed in Beijing several times, or they validated Dafa [the great Law] by various means. They were not only detained for long periods of time, but were imposed fines and extorted with "profit fees". Sometimes the fine was up to 10,000 Yuan [about $1,200, 20 months average salary in China]. It is the stubbornly resisting evil force escalating the persecution by utilizing attachments of some of the practitioners who aren~{!/~}t studying the Fa [Law and principles] thoroughly at this critical moment. Falun Dafa practitioners should enhance our righteous minds when facing these evil behaviors, identify the fundamental nature of the tribulations with the principles of Falun Dafa and don't provide any chances to the wicked conspiracies.
It is commonly known that Falun Dafa practitioners are always honest in their official duties without corruption. Most of them don~{!/~}t have high incomes. Fines of 8,000 or 10,000 Yuan will create extremely difficult conditions for practitioners' families. In addition, some practitioners were forced to quit their jobs, or no longer have any means of income; this worsens their burden.
Under such economical and mental burdens, some practitioners~{!/~} family members complained. Often times, they dared not hold accountable the real cause behind their tribulations -- the government; instead, they blamed and resented their family members that were arrested. They accused Falun Dafa and Falun Dafa practitioners who have suffered more than theydid. In fact, these are conspiracies plotted by the evil to persecute the practitioners by means of exploiting the wicked thoughts of ordinary people. They are making use of people who are unclear and cannot distinguish truth from lies in this period of delusion, which has caused people to generate sin karma, hindering the predestined people from attaining Dafa and destroying the practitioners~{!/~} cultivation environment.
Then, let's take a step back, and examine ourselves: Are our practitioners still unclear about the principles of Falun Dafa when stepping forward to validate it? Are we still carrying everyday people's thoughts and some kinds of attachments, so we can~{!/~}t truly see the principles at the proper level, and then we don~{!/~}t speak and act according to the principles? By means of righteousness, we are validating the Fa and rectifying all abnormalities or those things that are not righteous. We definitely won't cooperate, surrender, or feed the evils! We need to insist on a righteous and determined thought. Meanwhile, we must disclose and expose all things that are wicked or unrighteous and leave nothing hidden.
Moreover, we should never forget that Dafa is the highest Law in the universe. We should face conflicts with the macroscopic necessity of Dafa in our minds; believing and protecting Dafa is the most righteous and sacred thing.
Falun Dafa is the righteous Law and practitioners are not criminals. We shouldn't be detained, beaten, or arrested. So we should not cooperate with anybody in executing anything that is against Falun Dafa. Thus, we can completely use any peaceful methods created at the lowest level by Dafa in the human world to safeguard Dafa, to strive for freedom of belief consistent with the Constitution, to gain the rights of appeal and to expose the vicious conduct of government officials and agents.
If the released practitioners blame themselves after seeing all the sufferings his or her family had endured for him or her, or became afraid of losing their family, then the evils will take advantage of this to constrain the practitioners again. This will take away their freedom even outside of the jail, losing their chance of sharing experiences and making it impossible to validate Dafa. Our Teacher has talked about the principles of "no loss, no gain" and predestined relationship. Actually, during the process of rectification, it is beneficial that family members suffer for some of the practitioners~{!/~} hardships because such endurances can be exchanged for irreplaceable happiness in their eternal lives.
From our point of view, as practitioners, we are very lucky. When you can consciously give up everything, then what is yours is still yours, and the things that are bad for you will leave you. Whenever we abandon an attachment we make another breakthrough in the process of rectifying the Law as well as in our cultivation.
Dear fellow practitioners, please remain sober and rational, and let's establish a righteous consciousness through studying the Fa. Everything about practitioners is open and honest to the public. It's good fortune to conduct ourselves and safeguard the Law of the universe nobly and openly; we are very proud of this. We will reach enlightenment and consummation in the future, we will not have any qualms to be "great". So how could we let everyday people casually restrain us? The abnormalities around us are parts of the whole external abnormal environment. We should rectify them whenever possible. They should not control us even when there are complicated factors hindering the rectification. We need to cultivate nobly and openly, and tell the truth to save the sentient beings.
There is one more thing. Some practitioners have passed many tests while in custody; they've done very well and suffered a lot for their cultivation and for Dafa. But when they went back home, they were occupied by everyday people's matters, and spent very little time on studying the Fa. This is not good, and is not the state of diligent cultivation! We should regard the Fa as our top priority and study the Fa. We are practitioners, and it's critical to make improvements according to the law. Only when we put the Fa before other matters, can we be better in promoting, validating and safeguarding Dafa. At the same time, we should also perform our tasks well in society. Sharing experiences with others is essential. And we should make them beneficial in terms of encouraging each other. Time is very precious. We should never allow the evil to take advantage of us from any aspect.
The above are just my personal understandings at my level, which could be imperfect. I sincerely hope we can demolish the schemes of the evil beings with our righteous minds, and become more mature during the process of validating Dafa. Let's improve as a whole and cherish this precious historical opportunity to achieve our consummation together. This is how we can show respect to our Teacher who suffers great hardships and saves us with this great Buddha Law.
Falun Dafa Practitioner in Haerbin City, China
August 20, 2000
