(Clearwisdom.net) Dafa disciples have been persecuted for over five years. I spent the first three years of this persecution in a detention center and a prison. Although I have been clarifying the facts about Falun Dafa, validating Dafa, resisting the persecution, and undergoing tribulations so that I can let go of life and death and keep my heart unaffected, I merely acted in a positive role in the play directed by the old forces. I followed the path arranged by the old forces, and acknowledged the so-called environment created by the old forces. Since the characteristic of the old universe is selfishness, following the path arranged by the old forces to cultivate can only eliminate those attachments that we can recognize, but not those we were unaware of.
In the forced labor camp, Teacher hinted to me many times that I should hurry and leave the evil's den and deny the arrangements of the old forces completely. Since I could not access Teacher's recent articles nor let go of the selfishness that I sheltered deeply, I did not enlighten to Teacher's hints righteously. Although I stuck to Dafa firmly, clarified the facts about Dafa to the inmates, and sent forth righteous thoughts, I still found that I had done some things incorrectly on the path I followed.
By studying Fa (1), I soon realized my lack of understanding. In the process of saving sentient beings, I continually realized my shortcomings, reinforced my righteous thoughts, and assimilated to Dafa. I became a genuine Dafa disciple in the Fa-rectification period, and have been fulfilling my pledge.
Below, I have recorded my cultivation experiences while saving sentient beings and validating the Fa during the past two years as arranged by Teacher. I welcome fellow practitioners to kindly point out any inappropriate points.
1. Keeping Dafa materials in my handbag and clarifying the facts about Dafa wherever I go
When I saw the crowded streams of people on the streets, my mood became very serious. I felt that the load on my shoulders was too heavy. So many sentient beings still to be saved! We should provide each of them a chance to know the facts about Dafa.
Therefore, I kept Dafa materials in my handbag at all times. I made contact with many people during my work. I clarified the facts about Dafa to people with predestined relationships during my leisure time, and gave them truth-clarifying materials. My supervisors and colleagues all heard the facts about Dafa and read the Dafa materials I gave them. As a result, many of them developed a correct understanding of Dafa. As I traveled to and from work, I stopped when I met people with predestined relationships. After exchanging greetings, I led the conversation topic to the facts of Dafa, and then gave them truth-clarifying materials. When I went outside to shop or to handle personal affairs, I clarified the facts of Dafa and distributed materials on the train, on the bus, or in a taxi. The effect of clarifying the facts about Dafa face-to-face is very good. But time may be too limited to speak specifically and deeply, so I guided them to read the truth-clarification materials. Day by day, more people have come to understand the facts of Dafa.
Some fellow practitioners were worried for me. Some of them said it was not safe to clarify the facts of Dafa like this, since the evil still exists. But I have only one purpose, which is never missing any chance for sentient beings to be saved. I did not neglect safety and reason, but simply spread the truth while reinforcing my righteous thoughts. Teacher said,
"The old forces don't dare to oppose our clarifying the truth or saving sentient beings. What's key is to not let them take advantage of the gaps in your state of mind when you do things." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston")
Teacher also said,
"Right now every minute and every second is crucial. If you miss out during this period of time, you miss out on everything. History won't recur. The history of the cosmos and the Three Realms have gone through so many, long, long years--what have all the beings been waiting for? What are they all here for? For exactly these few years!" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference")
We are Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period. Our mission is to save sentient beings, which is the mighty responsibility bestowed upon us by Teacher. We are the students of Master Li Hongzhi. I will not accept or acknowledge other arrangements. The old forces don't dare to affect us if we save sentient beings with righteous thoughts and actions.
Not acknowledging the old forces is eliminating them and following the path arranged by Teacher. As long as we have righteous thoughts, the evil cannot stay within our pure fields.
During the year in which I gave out Dafa materials by hand, at those moments when I was persecuted, even though my heart might have fluctuated here and there, it always gave way to righteous thoughts before long.
On the second day after I published my experiences of being persecuted in a detention center and prison, the prison called my local "610 Office," and my family members to threaten them: "The situation is still tense now, be careful!" Learning that the police department would come to abduct me, my family was very nervous. I was a little bit surprised. How can it be like this? But I realized right away. I am Master Li's student. I do not accept or acknowledge the old forces' arrangements. They cannot affect me. I regained calmness soon after my righteous thoughts emerged. Before I left for work the next morning, an idea occurred to me. Should I bring Dafa materials or not? Should I have a contingency plan? In a few seconds I realized that these were incorrect thoughts. Why should I need a contingency plan? That was acknowledging the existence of the old forces. I am a Dafa disciple during the Fa-rectification period. Who would dare to persecute me for saving sentient beings? I am Teacher's student and should not be affected by the old forces. I denied and eliminated the evil's persecution with righteous thoughts. Later, I wrote a letter to the administrators and police officers in the prison, with compassion, to clarify the facts of Dafa, and mailed it together with truth-clarifying materials. Nothing negative happened afterwards.
One time, the police staked out the hallway of my work place building and abducted two fellow practitioners. The Dafa materials production sites were exposed, and two other practitioners were abducted as well. The situation seemed tense. I was quite clear that the more rampant the evil is, the more completely we need to deny and eliminate it. Teacher said,
"We negate even the very emergence of the old forces and everything that they've arranged; we don't even acknowledge their existence. We're fundamentally negating all of their things, and all of, and only, the things you do while negating and getting rid of them is mighty virtue. It's not that you're cultivating amidst the ordeals they created. Rather, you are to walk your own path well while not acknowledging them, not even acknowledging the elimination of their ordeals' manifestations. (Applause) So looking at it from this angle, what we need to do is completely negate the old forces. Dafa disciples and I don't even acknowledge the manifestations of their last-ditch efforts." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference")
We went outside to put up posters and distribute flyers at night, as usual. An idea occurred to me when I was leaving for work. "Should I bring truth-clarification materials?" How can this human thought still remain? I immediately realized that such a thought was wrong, and once again my righteous thoughts emerged. I cannot stop saving sentient beings for even one second. So many sentient beings are waiting to be saved. I cannot miss any chance. Fellow practitioners' abductions were caused by loopholes, which were taken advantage of by the evil and facilitated by practitioners' own hearts. Although the evil existed all the time, it can do nothing as long as you do not have any attachments. One abducted practitioner came back to work after being detained for 15 days. He told me that the staff from the "610 Office" and the police were still watching downstairs. But I never saw them since I did not acknowledge their existence.
We need to make the best use of time to save sentient beings. The longer the process, the fewer the chances are for some lives to be saved, since human beings' morals are slipping down very quickly. It is not easy for human beings with more karma to be saved since the karma is isolated from the universe's characteristic.
No matter how long it will be until the Fa-rectification of the human world begins, we cannot watch people walking towards ruin day by day. Our mission is to save sentient beings. We must be worthy of Teacher's saving grace.
2. Changing from selfness and selfishness to selflessness and unselfishness
During one period of time, the only Dafa materials production site in our area was exposed, and the fellow practitioner in a nearby area who delivered Dafa materials to us was also arrested. Later, another practitioner offered to make materials. Then several practitioners cooperated with him to set up a small materials production site.
Through this issue, I found my shortcoming. Why did I not think of undertaking this work after our source of materials was destroyed? Was I unwilling to make a contribution? No. But why did I just wait and see, and never think of offering to make the materials myself? Am I not a particle of Dafa? Who was I waiting for? What state of mind creates such a situation? When I looked inward, I found a serious problem, which was fundamental selfishness that prevented me from melting into the Fa completely. I used to think that I performed rather well, so I developed the attachment of complacency. Essentially, I am still in the stage of self-improvement and self-cultivation. Without letting go of selfishness, I cannot produce the grand mercy to save sentient beings. On the surface, I was doing the work of saving sentient beings, but on the inside I did that for my own improvement. This is a basic point having everything to do with either being selfish or being selfless. I was within the realm of the old Fa of selfness and selfishness, and could not achieve the righteous standard of selflessness and unselfishness. Cultivation is a very serious issue, and the difference of one thought can lead to very different outcomes. Doing much Fa-rectification work without improving xinxing cannot be counted as genuine cultivation. Only by completely letting go of selfishness can we melt into the Fa without any reserve, to save sentient beings and assimilate to Dafa.
3. Improving as one body
When looking back after improving myself, I recognized some shortcomings in fellow practitioners. Dafa disciples belong to one whole body, and taking responsibility for only oneself traps one in selfishness. Since I had recognized a fellow practitioner's problem, I knew I should point it out to him, and guide him to improve from the Fa's perspective, and to let go of selfness and selfishness to save sentient beings wholeheartedly. Some practitioners were unwilling to share experiences in public due to the attachment of fear. So I exchanged views with them actively. When the evil was rampant, some practitioners didn't dare to do Fa-rectification activities to save sentient beings. At those times I helped them to reinforce their righteous thoughts and eliminate the evil. Some practitioners wanted to make Dafa materials, while their xinxing was not totally in the right place. I worked together with them to make materials. During the process, I pointed out their problems and guided them to enlighten in the Fa, reinforce their righteous thoughts, let go of human attachments, and gradually become more mature.
In the cultivation process that followed, besides doing well the three things Teacher required (2), I took responsibility for fellow practitioners and the entirety of our mission. Teacher said,
"Many of you here are the coordinators in different areas, and you should remember one thing: except for when overall coordination is necessary to get something done, let's loosen the reins and let students temper themselves, and let's give them a chance to create their own mighty virtue. You have to give the students opportunities and let them do things. You must remember this. Even I, your master, am setting the reins down and letting our students walk their own paths." ("Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Students")
When dealing with risky issues, I previously reserved what was dangerous for myself and left what was safe for others. This thought sounds noble, but it was not totally in compliance with the Fa. The idea of risk is still within the stage of personal cultivation of the old Fa. According to the old Fa, achievements are correlated with tribulations. In Fa-rectification cultivation, Teacher definitely did not allow the old forces to interfere with saving sentient beings, with the excuse of improving and testing Dafa disciples by giving them opportunities to eliminate their karma. As long we maintain righteous thoughts and actions to deny the existence of the old forces, they don't dare to affect or persecute us. If our righteous thoughts are not powerful enough, the old forces will take advantage of the loopholes to persecute us.
It was not uncommon for practitioners who cultivated at home, without going outside to clarify the facts about Dafa, to be abducted and taken to "brainwashing" classes by the evil. It is human thinking rather than righteous thoughts, to take one thing as being more risky, while taking another thing as being less risky. From another point of view, reserving the risk for myself because of the idea that other practitioners were unqualified, would cause qualified practitioners to lose a chance to temper and improve themselves.
Only by improving and subliming completely to form a whole body, without any loopholes, can we achieve the best effect in saving sentient beings and totally eliminating the evil. If any practitioner cannot improve, the evil interferes with him as well as with our saving of sentient beings, while affecting the advancement of Fa-rectification. Teacher said,
"I don't want to leave a single person behind." "I want to save each person. As long as someone has learned the Fa, I want to save him; I don't want to abandon those people. (Applause) When you Dafa disciples develop even stronger righteous thoughts among you that will be what's most magnificent." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference")
Notes
(1) Fa: Law and principles; the teachings of Falun Dafa.
(2) The three things that Master Li has asked practitioners to do are to study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts and clarify the truth of Falun Dafa and the persecution to all people.
