(Clearwisdom.net) Since Teacher began teaching Falun Dafa in 1992, many remarkable people have appeared in the human world, embodying Dafa's sanctity and purity. Now, I would like to share one of their stories.
There is a tall, ancient building known as Drum-Tower in the center of the old town of Beining City, Liaoning Province. Before the persecution began on July 20, 1999, one could see anywhere from several dozen to several hundred people practicing Falun Gong in the plaza there every morning and every night.
On the evening of February 4, 1998 Ms. Liu of our practice site told me by phone that a young nun from Shandong Province wanted to see me. I did not know her, but after we met I learned that as she wandered about, she had stayed overnight at the house of a family who practiced Falun Gong and that family suggested to her that she see me.
I led her to my home. I wanted her to sit on the rear support of my bicycle so that we could both ride together. However, she said: "Teacher said: 'All should travel on foot. Only through enduring hardships can one repay one's karma.'" ("Principles for Disciples Who Are Monks and Nuns" from Essentials for Further Advancement) After hearing this, I pushed the bicycle and walked with her.
She told me that her parents did not approve of her becoming a nun initially, but she had insisted on becoming one. Later, she obtained the Fa in the temple. However, when she saw that monks and nuns did not cultivate themselves, but intrigued and plotted against each other instead, she walked to a temple in Shandong Province. There were two nuns in the temple, and they also obtained the Fa later. A week after she read Teacher's article of "Principles for Disciples Who Are Monks and Nuns," she walked out.
In the evening, we had our Fa-study and experience sharing, and the young nun attended. I asked her what she found to be the most difficult thing on the road of wandering about. She said with tears in her eyes, "The most difficult thing is opening my mouth to beg for food! I find it difficult to ask people, so I have to be hungry." I said, "Well, when you do ask people, you can beg for more food at one time and save some for the next time." But she said, "I follow what Teacher requires. Only beg for food, never beg for money and goods. Moreover, I only beg for a meal at that time and never beg for the next time. Wandering monks and nuns are able to endure thirst and hunger. Without water, we just do not drink; without food, we just do not eat. We also can eliminate our karma in this way."
I asked her if she met any dangerous and difficult situations on the journey.
She answered, "Yes. One time, four young men stopped me. They thought I swindled money. So they intended to force me to see the mother of one of the young men, who had been swindled, and ask her to identify me. I was not scared. I thought Teacher would protect me. I had not done anything bad, so I just went with them. The mother said I did not cheat her out of any money. Then they let me go."
She said, "Another time, when I was walking, four men harboring malicious intentions encircled me. At that time, I was very nervous and said in my heart: 'Teacher, please help me to leave here quickly.' At once, there appeared a gap between the four persons. I walked fast and went out through the gap. The four men did not move a bit. After I had walked very far away, I turned my head and had a look. Those four men still stood there not moving. I felt more and more relieved. I firmly believe that Teacher is at my side and can protect me at any time."
The young nun practitioner then continued to tell us her own experience:
When I walked on the road in Jinxi City, Liaoning Province, it was already eight o'clock in the evening. I still had not found a place to eat or sleep for the night. When I knocked on the door of one house, a girl who is younger than me opened the door. I asked her, "Do you practice Falun Gong?" She said indignantly, "Go away! Swindler!" I was very disappointed. It was almost 9:00 p.m. Later I knocked on the door of another house. This time, a warmhearted woman answered the door. I asked her, "Aunt, (1) do you practice Falun Gong?" She said with a smile: "Yes, I practice Falun Gong. Come in." She poured hot water for me and let me wash my hands and rinse my mouth. And then, she brought out a steaming hot meal for me.
Yesterday, I arrived at the mountain in Yi County, Liaoning Province and stayed overnight at the house of an aunt who practices Falun Gong. I asked them where to go from this mountain. The aunt's husband said without any expression, "Go to the Drum-Tower in the northern town and you will find a woman." The aunt asked her husband, "Who is she? Do you know her?" This uncle (1) said he did not know. At that time, I understood it was Teacher who gave me the directions by making use of the uncle's mouth. I asked the uncle, "How do I get there from here?" He told me I must walk on the small mountain road, and not walk on the big road winding the mountain, as there were dangers on that road.
Today, I came to the Drum-Tower at the northern town. I asked a person passing by whether there were people practicing Falun Gong. He pointed to a glass door and said, "You can go to that house to ask." I went to the house and said I wanted to see a certain person. The lady in that family said, "I know her. You wait here. I'll call her." Just in this way, I came to your home. When I recall what I experienced in this journey, I feel there still are many good people in the world. Some drivers stopped their vehicles and offered me a ride. I declined with thanks. Some families wanted me to stay for more nights. I recalled Teacher said in the article " Principles for Disciples Who Are Monks and Nuns," "...but not for long. You must set strict requirements for yourselves! Otherwise, you are not my disciples." (Essentials for Further Advancement)
After hearing her story, one fellow practitioner asked her, "You walk so far, where's your destination?" She said, "I will go to Changchun. I want to see Teacher's hometown. And then, if there is a temple, I will just stay wherever there is a temple." Some fellow practitioners asked her to stay for more days and let her have a rest. She said, "Thanks. But I will go to Heishan tomorrow."
When going to bed at night, I saw blisters were all over the bottoms of her two feet. She said, "Don't worry. They will be fine by tomorrow morning. It often happens." The next morning, the bottoms of her feet were totally recovered as expected. There were no blisters.
That morning, when she was leaving, many fellow practitioners came to see her. Some tried to give her money but she declined. I gave her many different kinds of fruit, but she took it all back out of her bag. Under my repeated persuasion, she agreed to take one of each kind and also packed several of Teacher's books and a jacket into her bag. Then she left.
The fellow practitioners followed her out of the courtyard and accompanied her to the street. However, she did not turn her head at all and firmly walked forward.
(1) The Chinese people often address an older woman as "aunt" and an older man as "uncle" as an expression of respect and affection.
