Dafa is boundless; only when one firmly cultivates can one see the truth. The following are excerpts from the experiences of a Dafa practitioner during the process of obtaining the Fa and continuing with cultivation.
(1) Extraordinary among the ordinary, guided by benevolence
Not long after the Teacher started to expound Dafa publicly, I chose to resign from work and move overseas. Just before I left, someone arranged a fortune telling for me, and the result was: "Bright moon perfectly round, good fortune bright colours, wind and cloud will be the escort, harmony for millions of years." The fortune-teller was in great shock, and could not fully understand what the words meant saying, "This so good, I've never seen anything like it before." Although some of my friends did not want me to go abroad, I felt that this extraordinary and profound fortune would not likely happen, so I decided to go. I had to start from zero after I emigrated, but I am kind-hearted, always happy to help others, so others were also very helpful to me; it was as if my life was reversed back to the times of my youth. The only thing that bothered me was that I could not help wondering quietly in my heart -- where is this path of life going to take me?
Soon after, I had a dream in which I ran to the edge of a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff was an ocean. In real life I am scared of heights and am not very muscular; after so many years, I can only swim 25 meters. But in this dream, I jumped from the cliff into the ocean, and I swam forth strongly parting the waves, reaching the other side of the ocean with unexpected ease! When I woke up, though I hadn't yet obtained the Tao, I was greatly encouraged. Later on I started to chant Buddha silently in my heart and I started to explore and visit temples, searching. I also spent a period of time studying the "Old Testament" together with an old German lady to get a kind of comfort and support, and to maintain somewhat of a sort of "contact" with the divine. In another experience, which seemed from my memory to have happened at a time when I was feeling quite puzzled and at a loss with life, I was led to a world of water in the heavens. Everything was made of water; the hills and sky seemed to be formed by water, beautiful and tranquil. Even a very tall waterfall seemed so tranquil that I felt safe enough to fly into the middle of it to observe the dancing water drops. These kinds of experiences, forming a huge contrast with the everyday world around me, provided strength and greatly helped me to maintain a relatively pure heart.
During the summer of 1995, while visiting China on a business trip, a member of my family put a copy of Zhuan Falun into my hands. I opened up the book at "Lunyu," and read the first sentence: "Fofa [Buddha's Law] is the most profound " I quickly closed the book, feeling so sad. "Fofa!" That's what I have been looking for!! Oh, but what a shame, it is too late! Though it had been hard for me, I had already made the decision to follow the flow in the human world. Fofa could only be learned by people with a pure heart, and I myself no longer qualified. After that, life was full of more difficulties, but I still refused to wake up and stubbornly persisted in following the worldly current. At last, one day in 1996, my heart could no longer bear it. I made a wish during a tribulation: "Somewhere, be there a God or the Divine, regardless of how you should be addressed, please help me through this difficulty. After this one I definitely will give up all my worldly pursuits to obey and honour you wholeheartedly." Just a few days later, I accidentally rediscovered the long forgotten book Zhuan Falun. This time around, I could not put the book down once I opened it. I knew that I had encountered a legendary book, a treasured book, a heavenly book. I immediately made up my mind to cultivate.
Reading to this point, I think all cultivators realize that mine is a typical story where Dafa is pointing out the way again and again, not letting any who are predestined to become lost lambs. The amount of risks and difficulties involved for us to obtain the Fa is not something we can clearly see and fully appreciate right now. While the boundless Dafa is in the world, the Teacher is truly unwilling to leave a single predestined one behind.
(To be continued)
