October 30, 2001
(Clearwisdom.net)
[Authors Note]: Having many contacts with Falun Gong practitioners in detention centers, many criminals were moved by the resolute righteousness of practitioners to Dafa, and as a result their twisted minds became revitalized by Dafa. Their awakening of compassion and conscience through the inspiration of Dafa overjoyed me. I prayed for the blessing of their wonderful future.
On the eve of October 1, 2000, Jiang Zemin's regime started a new round of persecution against Falun Gong practitioners. I was arrested under so-called charges of "holding illegal gatherings" and was illegally detained for one month. I was first detained at the District Branch Detention Center. After one week I was transferred to the City Detention Center.
During my imprisonment at the District Branch Detention Center, they treated me as some kind of serious offense criminal, and locked me up with prisoners convicted of drug trafficking, robbery and theft, as well as prostitution. The prison guards' intention was to have those inmates treat me harshly.
The head in my cell was a young, 28 year old female inmate who had been convicted of major larceny. However, much to my surprise, she was very friendly to me after learning that I was detained because I practice Falun Gong. It turned out this detention center had jailed many practitioners from various areas. This young girl's heart was moved by the noble spirit of the Dafa practitioners, and she had already obtained the Fa after being inspired by Dafa and by Dafa practitioners. Already she could recite the entire Hong Yin (a collection of Master Li's poems). She had a deeply rooted gratitude towards Dafa practitioners and was reluctant to be left behind after other practitioners left. Before my detention, another practitioner told her, "Please don't be sad, because even with my departure, another Dafa practitioner will be here soon. She has obtained the Fa even earlier. You can tell her anything." Lo and behold, I came a few days later. She treated me as her own family upon seeing me. She declared to everyone in the cell, "This lady is like my own mom. She is a Falun Gong practitioner, and she is a nice and decent person. Nobody is allowed to do her any harm."
During these few days she poured out her childhood sufferings and stories in tears, and she repented to me the many wrongdoings that she had committed. She also cried out about the tortures suffered by Falun Gong practitioners who insisted on practicing here. She told me, "A while back, several Falun Gong practitioners were transferred here from some other detention centers. They were all lecturers and professors in universities. After they were beaten because of their persistence to practicing, they were handcuffed and shackled. They could not take care of themselves. I was really astounded and touched by their resolute faith and their compassionate caring about others, even when they were being brutally tortured. I took care of them day and night, helping them to wash their faces and feet." She went on, "I just could not trust anyone else, since I was not sure if they would do a good job." She also gave me a brief summary of other practitioners' actions demonstrating their unyielding faith. She also told me about the persecutions done by police and security agents who tried to infiltrate into the cell.
I was very happy for her awakening. I continued to promote Falun Gong to her, encouraging her to read Zhuan Falun as soon as possible. Later on we vowed to each other that I would visit her when the opportunity presented itself in the future and deliver to her the book, Zhuan Falun. She told me her name over and over again, so as to make sure that I would not forget her.
I sighed with emotion after observing how these people who had been thrown away by society into a prison cell were having the spirit in their life lit up again. At this instant I recalled what Teacher said, "I have said that I have done something unprecedented and opened the widest door." (Chapter 1, Zhuan Falun) I also remembered Teacher said he only cares about people's hearts. Isn't it true, regardless of who they are and what wrong deeds they have committed in the past, an opportunity of salvation will be provided. Our Teacher will save them so long as they can generate righteous thoughts from their heart.
Indeed, a person who has obtained the Fa is so fortunate. What is there to fear once obtaining the Fa? I gave her all my blessings for her life saved under the illumination of the Buddha-light and to the splendor of her future life.
Other inmates were also touched. One day, an inmate who was convicted of drug trafficking suddenly came to me with tears in her eyes. She said, "Could you also teach me to recite the Fa. Falun Gong practitioners are all good people. I want to become a good person, too." I was instantly moved by her words and acknowledged right away, "I will teach you. I will." I taught her to recite the article, "To Be a Human" in Hong Yin. She studied and wrote down notes earnestly.
The environment in the detention center changed. Even though the guards summoned inmates over and over, trying to monitor my situation, and asking them to limit and restrict my movements, none of their tactics were effective. Some inmates would be on the look out, and some would deceive the guards with all sorts of creative ways in order to protect me. I was so happy for the awakening of their conscience and compassion under the inspiration of Dafa.
After one week I was transferred to the City Detention Center where I was locked up together with felons. They were cuffed and shackled under the charges of various crimes such as murder, international drug dealing, economic embezzlement, etc. The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners was even more severe here. They were treated even worse than those felons. Practitioners were not allowed to speak to others or to purchase merchandise for daily necessities.
After I arrived, all the convicts started to observe me. I also tried to get to know them through my interactions with them. I influenced them with my own conduct based on the compassion of a Falun Gong practitioner. My heart was filled with Dafa and I had the firm conviction that I would not miss any opportunity to promote Dafa to people with predestined relationships. I kept firmly in mind Teacher's words, "Validate the Fa with reason, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and offer people salvation with benevolence." (Rationality) Indeed, these people were looked upon as shameful criminals who did harm to the society. But to us practitioners, any life, as long as they still have a tiny bit of kindness and goodwill, is worthy to be saved.
Gradually and surely, they started to approach me willingly and to share their innermost thoughts and feelings with me. Later on they addressed me affectionately as "Falun Gong" instead of my name. They told me, "We could tell that you were a Falun Gong practitioner as soon as you came. You were so cheerful and nice. Other convicts are not like that. Usually they all come in with a sad face, weeping and wailing endlessly. Falun Gong practitioners are just special and unique." I was certainly aware of that. As a Dafa practitioner, I have already obtained the truth of the universe. I have already let go of my concern over life and death, and there is nothing to be feared from the truth of the universe. I took advantage of all available circumstances to lead them to obtain the Fa. I discussed with them how to be a good person. I introduced them to Zhuan Falun, recited Hong Yin, and Essentials For Further Advances. I told them about the example of "a bottle filled with filthy things will sink to the bottom" that Teacher stated in the Zhuan Falun. (Chapter 1) Some of them were very interested and willing to listen. There were three of them who asked me outright to teach them the exercises. I made specific arrangements to teach each one, catering to their particular situations and schedules.
The head of this cell was convicted of embezzlement. When she and I were doing the night watch duty, we wrote Teacher's poems and articles on the wall using pens made out of toothpaste. She quietly memorized them before erasing, and then wrote down some new ones. Nan (pseudonym) was convicted of murder and was on death row, and she did not have much education. I utilized the time after each meal while we could move around inside the cell to teach her. She told me that early on after observing other Falun Gong practitioners practicing, she thought it was good and had the urge to practice, too, except she could not make up the time. Now she understood the value of her time, and she was totally immersed in learning it. Once she got into an argument with another inmate in the same cell and could not get over it, affecting her study of the Fa that day. I then mentioned to her about what the Teacher taught us about the Fa, "One could die in the evening if one obtained the Tao in the morning (unofficial translation)." I said to her, "Think about it, Nan, what could be more important than studying the Fa for you right now? You have already obtained the Fa, and you should conduct yourself according to the requirement of the Fa. Put away your attachment of fighting for personal gain quickly." She nodded with tears in her eyes and took my advice to heart. She put down her concern for those petty personal gains and picked up Fa study again earnestly and diligently. Xiaomei (pseudonym) was sentenced to life in prison due to drug trafficking. When she sat next to me on the board, I would write Teacher's poems with my finger on the board over and over for her, and she would follow me and write with her own fingers. She was very willing to learn and had an excellent memory, so she learned quickly.
I took advantage of every available opportunity to help them obtain the Fa. I gave them all the material that I could memorize. I noticed that during this period, when they obtained the Fa, each and every one went through significant transformations. Nan looked much more healthy with excellent skin tone. The head of the cell made the entire cell environment so much more relaxed, thus benefiting everyone. Xiaomei also deserved special mention. When she first learned that she was sentenced to life in prison, she struggled with despair and pessimism that resulted in several unsuccessful attempts to take her own life. Now her spirit was re-ignited, and she became optimistic, cheerful, and willing to help others. There was another inmate who used to be a drug trafficking kingpin. Even though she did not obtain the Fa, she did recognize the value of Dafa. She said to me, "I know I have sinned. If I could ever get out of here, I will for sure practice Falun Gong. You are all fine and decent people."
There is a saying: "Nothing could be more heartbreaking than the death of the heart." After being sentenced to prison, an ordinary criminal who committed wrongdoings in the human world will often lose their will to carry on. Their heart becomes dead with the loss of freedom and personal dignity, and they can no longer face either life or death. Yet, "The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities."(Zhuan Falun)
Through the arrangement of the Fa, the Buddha-light also illuminated this particularly dark corner of the secular world. The Buddha-light healed the wounds in the hearts of the inmates, straightened out their twisted souls, awakened their once buried conscience, and revitalized life in their crumbling and perishing bodies.
The compassion of Teacher, the summons of Dafa, and the righteous conduct of Dafa practitioners, had transformed many sinful lives behind bars. The compassion and sympathy towards Dafa had also saved countless lives that were on the verge of falling into the bottomless abyss. I could not settle down for a long time after seeing one life after another receive salvation. As a Dafa disciple during the Fa rectification period, I felt from deep down in my heart the significance and sacred duty to help Teacher to rectify the Fa, and to offer salvation to sentient beings.
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