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Walking My Own Path with a Solid Footing

December 14, 2005 |   By a Dafa Practitioner from Northern China

(Clearwisdom.net)

Greetings Master!

Hello, fellow practitioners around the world!

I am very grateful to our Master for arranging such a valuable opportunity for practitioners in China. I want to thank all practitioners working at the Minghui website for their support and effort that made this Internet experience sharing conference possible.

My name is Xiao Yan (pseudonym). I don't know why, when I picked up the pen, I could not control my tears from flowing. My feeling now is beyond expression. Recalling my cultivation history and the past six years of Fa rectification under Master's guidance, although there were hardships, doubts, pain and sometimes confusion, I was able to walk the journey under Master's boundless compassion and protection.

Each time I reached a higher cultivation level, Master did much more to support me. With Master's guidance I have become more mature every step along the way. Today I realized that my cultivation in Dafa is the most treasured opportunity ever to come along since the creation of the universe. This cultivation surpasses all others that ever existed. Our ultimate attainment status will be higher than any cultivator's accomplishment through their personal cultivation in history. We will fulfill the grand pledge we made in a remote pre historic moment in time. We are following our Master to rectify the Fa, saving people and creating the future for the new cosmos. What a magnificent and sacred cause!

Master's infinite Buddha grace has made it possible for me to become a Dafa disciple during the Fa rectification period, and a disciple of our great Master. It's a great honor to follow our Master to save sentient beings in this unprecedented moment. The very existence of Dafa disciples in the human world has demonstrated the amazing power of Dafa. I treasure every day and every moment. Although we still face difficulties and interference, if we have a firm faith in Master and Dafa, we can resolve all of them. I firmly believe this.

Cultivation in the righteous Fa and saving sentient beings cannot be accomplished simply by high profile and high impact events

I became a practitioner over nine years ago. Before that I also studied fake Qigong and Buddhism. When I first obtained a copy of Zhuan Falun, I already knew that I would become a disciple in this cultivation way. I read the book every day and realized that the book is not ordinary. Although at that time I did not know how to cultivate and how to find my shortcomings, I knew that I was entering a true cultivation way.

After the persecution of Falun Gong began in July 20, 1999, my employer ordered me to make a choice, Falun Gong or my job. I had a good job that many people admired. My salary was more than twice that of my husband's; my colleagues believed that I had the right job with a bright future. I could even help my children to get hired in the future. All my family and relatives were opposed to my cultivation. They put intense pressure on me. To them, the choice was a no-brainer: quit Falun Gong and keep everything I had. Otherwise, the loss was too severe for them to bear. No matter what they said, my heart did not sway in the slightest from Dafa. I had a very strong faith that Dafa would rectify everything.

For a while, my living space and freedom became very tiny. I was almost suffocated by the huge pressure. Facing the troubles, I became somewhat confused. What should I do? For the first time I felt how hard it was to make a choice that involves giving up something important. I cried. One day A's name came to my mind, A is a veteran practitioner who helped run a practice site in another city. I decided to seek his advice because his understanding of the Fa was clear and everyone thought that he was a solid practitioner.

A told me on the phone that I should keep the job. I was surprised by his quick answer. After more careful thinking I knew that Master and Dafa have done nothing wrong and that the CCP was wrong. How could I compromise? I did not know then that the old forces have arranged this real xinxing test for us, and everyone has to complete his own journey. Strangely, after the phone call with A, I felt a sense of relief. I told my employer that I would continue practicing Falun Gong, and that would not change. I failed to realize that my answer was a passive agreement to endure the unfair treatment, and all my rights were taken away. Except for my Dafa cultivation that I wouldn't give up, everything else was put on a chopping board and was ready to be cut into pieces. Soon I lost my job.

Several months later I joined a few dozen fellow practitioners to a trip to Beijing to appeal for justice for Dafa. Almost everyone was arrested. Our righteous thoughts were not strong. We accepted the illegal interrogation, but, I also told them that Falun Dafa is good, and that the government is wrong. I would not allow the evildoers to take advantage of our loopholes and slander Dafa.

After July 20, 1999, the evildoers made up huge lies and spread them in all the official media. I realized the real nature of the Communist gangsters. I would not give them another chance. Fellow practitioner said that I wasn't truthful. They even told the police where their Beijing lodgings were and revealed certain information about non-practitioner helpers. I strongly disagreed with them. The difference between us was huge. All I could do was to keep my own opinion. I felt very firm and was not afraid of death.

Now that Master has led the Fa rectification this far, I seem just beginning to know how to consciously cultivate myself. For a long time I unknowingly did things for Dafa with a non-practitioner's mindset. I always thought my cultivation was solid, my Fa study was sufficient and my enlightenment quality was high. I thought when sending forth righteous thoughts that I could calm down and do it for a long time. My mind was quiet during practice. When I pointed out others' attachments and notions, it was always sharp and precise. Sometimes when working with others, I could reach a compromise during conflicts with fellow practitioners. I was actively participating in Dafa work. My Dafa activities seemed to be high profile and high impact, but I was not treating myself as a true Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple as Master requires and cultivating myself with solid steps, to become a truly selfless person. This task cannot be accomplished simply by making a promise and talking about it.

Oftentimes in conflicts I seemed to have a very clear understanding of the Fa. Therefore I kept telling others my points. In reality, I was picking up on others' faults and showing others how right I was. I tried to change others, not myself. When fellow practitioners in my city relied on me and trusted me, my mentality of zealotry and over-confidence caused problems. When my stubborn notions were touched I tended to defend myself more than others. A common phrase "lose oneself in exhilaration" describes best my trend of self-gratification. As a group, we had conflicts among ourselves when we were attached to our own way of cultivation and validating the Fa. During these conflicts we did not look inside for our own problems; for many projects we could not reach a common understanding. So for a long time, I could not relinquish my fundamental attachments and was easily affected by demonic interference. My attachments to recognition, fame, self-interest and emotions made it impossible for me to integrate myself into the big group. For a while, I sank low.

One day, a most trusted fellow practitioner pointed out my problems in front of others. The circumstances were quite serious. Although she was not all that accurate, I was still shocked. No matter whether another's opinion is true or not, a practitioner should first look at oneself; the Fa requires that.

I began to review my path to see whether or not I walked righteously. After extensive Fa study I discovered my problem: I did not follow Masters' requirement to do solid cultivation and did not judge every thought according to the Fa. The Communist Party influence was still in me; when another's opinion suited mine I could look inside, but if the opinion was against my stubborn notion, I would defend myself vigorously. When I picked on others for their problems, I always thought that I was right.

Master said,

"For example, if a bottle filled with dirty things is sealed tightly and thrown into water, it will sink all the way to the bottom. You pour out some of its dirty contents. The more you empty the bottle, the higher it will float in the water. If it is emptied entirely, it will float on the surface completely." (Zhuan Falun from March 2000 translation version)

I realized that when I refused to look at myself for problems, when I defended myself, I was simply twisting the bottle cap tight and not allowing the dirty contents to flow out. Only when we correct ourselves according to the Fa and relinquish our attachments can we reach higher levels and meet the new requirements at those next levels.

I always thought I was correct and showed off whatever I thought I did well. Unconsciously I was happy to associate with those practitioners whose cultivation environment was good and those who were diligent. I thought that it was good for me and would help me to improve quickly. Although I had no clear purpose, strictly speaking, based on the Fa, it was still the effect of my self-centeredness. I was reluctant to help the practitioners who so far hadn't stepped out and those who were not diligent. The true reason was that I was attached to personal consummation and put it above validating Dafa and saving sentient beings.

Occasionally when something happened my first thought was "is it good for me?" instead of, "Is it good for Dafa?" In particular, while there were still many practitioners who hadn't stepped out in our local area, I wanted to go to other areas, which made some practitioners quite unhappy, and other practitioners' relying on me turned me off and made me anxious to leave. My perception then was that for the most part, practitioners came to see me when they had problems. Yet, when I had problems I couldn't find anybody to talk it over with. With such odd thoughts, I still complained that they were selfish and didn't care about my safety and cared only about their convenience. I always took those odd thoughts as mine. When I was holding on to my opinions and was reluctant to change myself, wasn't that also holding on to the human logic that people had formed deep in their bones over thousands of years? I realized: the only true evaluation of anything has to be gauged according to the Fa. Dafa never changes; it is humans who change.

Through my constant Fa study, I realized that no matter whether the environment was good or bad, the environment shouldn't influence a practitioner. Any environment can temper one's righteous thoughts. Master has arranged our cultivation way and our paths. Isn't our reluctance to take Master's arranged path an attempt to escape the real problems? When I realized this, I had a new understanding of Master's teaching,

"Full of great aspirations while minding minor details. With broad knowledge of the laws and principles, he is able to unravel uncertainties." ("Sage" from Essentials for Further Advancement)

I began to check my every thought. To do Dafa work is also cultivation. It is an opportunity and a method Master gives us to cleanse ourselves in the Fa. I realized that what Master gives us is the best. How can I refuse again and again?

"As a practitioner, you must cultivate and temper yourself in the environment of everyday people and gradually abolish attachments and various desires. Oftentimes, what our humankind considers good is usually bad from the perspective of high levels. Thus, what people consider good for a person is to fulfill more self-interest among everyday people, thereby living a better life. To the great enlightened beings, this person is worse off. What's so bad about this? The more one gains, the more one infringes upon others. One will get things one does not deserve. This person will be attached to fame and profit, thus losing de. If you want to increase gong without emphasizing xinxing cultivation, your gong will not increase at all." (Zhuan Falun)

Now when I read this Fa, I don't think "the more one gains" only means the material interests one gains. The satisfaction of all desires, attachments, pursuits and happiness when listening to compliments, joy, and all kinds of notions can all result in the loss of virtue and impede gong from increasing. If we cannot cultivate ourselves well, we cannot save sentient beings. Aren't we sentient beings' only, sole hope for salvation?

I realized that our responsibility is really important and huge. If we cannot do well, isn't that the same as destroying lives? It will also cause these beings to lose their eternal future. If I were to blame for their becoming un-savable, would I not be committing a tremendous crime? In this rapid process of Master's Fa rectification, any act of neglect is committing a crime! So, I realized that cultivating ourselves is really crucial and tremendously important during the Fa-rectification.

I had previously ignored my responsibilities to my family. I went to an extreme and thought since I was cultivating Master would take care of them. My family members didn't oppose my cultivation. Sometimes they also told me it is time to send forth righteous thoughts. They didn't interfere in my doing Dafa work either. On Master's birthday I asked them for money to buy fruit and offered incense to Master. They all supported me. I did housework when it suited me. When I was too busy, I then complained that they didn't help me. Measuring against the Fa, I didn't truly regard myself as a practitioner and did not cultivate myself everywhere and at all times. I ignored the conflicts that happened in my family and I was attached to my family. I still couldn't treat them and save them as Master asked us by regarding them as sentient beings. From the bottom of my heart, I still hoped they would eat well and they would have clean things to wear, and I would take good care of them. Because of these notions, my family members became disgruntled with me. Now and then they spoke nasty words. My children said the food I cooked was not tasty and picked on my mistakes. My husband often scolded me that I lived too simple a life. I found that the "nicer" I treated them, the more problems they had. Whatever I did, they were not satisfied. I felt I was treated unjustly.

Not until I felt deeply hurt did I start to think that I might have problems. I found my fault. Master said that no matter what you give them, it "won't be as good as informing them about the Fa."(verified)(from "The Lecture at the First Conference in North America") I wasn't genuinely interested in their benefit and in validating Dafa with the compassion that I developed from cultivation in Dafa. Instead, I was validating how good I was, and strongly longing for their recognition. I tried to verify how good we Dafa practitioners are. When I did things I paid more attention to the superficial, to make a show for people.

"In offering salvation to people, there is no condition or consideration for cost, reward, or fame. They are thus far more noble than the heroes of everyday people. They do it completely out of their benevolent compassion." (Zhuan Falun)

When I found my shortcomings and then cultivated myself solidly, my family changed. I realized that the longer I held on to my attachments, the more my family members had to endure.

The principles of the Fa made me recognize that I had additional responsibilities for others and filled my heart/mind with thoughts of a greater number of sentient beings instead of merely the local area and myself. Although some things were still a mystery to me, I felt tremendous grief, because in Mainland China, in spite of all Master has endured and sacrificed for us, he is concerned because Dafa disciples are still being persecuted in China. I realized there were so many things we should do. I was thinking about the aspects on which our local practitioners as a whole body hadn't kept up during this Fa rectification period. As I advanced in my cultivation, my environment was also changing. With Master's benevolent protection and arrangement, as long as Dafa work needed to be done, practitioners would cooperate. Everything was so smooth. Although there are still some problems, I will eliminate the habit of self-centeredness to better cooperate with other practitioners, and truly take saving sentient beings as our fundamental starting point.

Be clear-minded that eliminating the CCP evil specter's persecution of sentient beings is absolutely not getting involved in politics

In the late 1980s, one of my classmates wrote an application for admission to the CCP for me. I didn't write anything. In 1997, I was quickly admitted to the CCP, with other procedures then being added by the leaders at my workplace. At the time, I was already a Dafa practitioner. After July 20, 1999, I went to the provincial city to appeal. Authorities from the police department and the upper level administration offices intimidated me to get me to give up Dafa, using this Party membership as a threat. I told the leaders, "The CCP does not even allow one to be Truthful, Compassionate and Tolerant. It's fine to lose it!"

I was thus placed on probation within the CCP. Later I also wanted to make a declaration of withdrawing from the CCP, yet I was afraid that other people would say that I ran counter to the CCP and might thus influence people's attitude toward Dafa. I was even worried that somebody would frame Falun Gong as an organization, so I didn't write a declaration. The evildoers constantly used my work place to pressure me. The statements "Key leaders are not allowed to practice," and "Government officials are not allowed to practice" couldn't convince me to give up Dafa. Finally they forced me to leave the work place. Two years later I tore up the CCP membership certificate, and burned the Party constitution and other Party books. I thought I had completely broken away from the CCP. From studying Master's articles I knew clearly that since its establishment, the CCP henchmen had killed countless innocent lives before, and now are doing damage to Dafa, persecute Dafa practitioners, frame Master, and have already committed other unforgivable monstrous crimes. It must receive retribution. I knew that this system was already dying and on the verge of total collapse.

My father joined the CCP in 1947. Although he was extremely dissatisfied with the conduct of the present-day CCP members, he still bore delusional hopes for the CCP. He often said, "The CCP is good. It's the party members who are corrupt." When I noticed his attitude, I knew that it was the red evil dragon preventing him from knowing the truth well. However I had not yet seen through the evil nature of the CCP and only said to my father, based on my own understanding, "It is the Party that is not good in the first place..." Before I finished, he immediately stared at me and swore at me. It was just like having stirred up a hornet's nest. Seeing his temper, I felt funny. He had never stuck up for something like that. He was extremely angry, gnashing his teeth. I thought that such behavior shouldn't have come from him. Then I patiently kept talking with him. I said, "Why did some people who were good before join the Party but became bad and corrupt after joining it? Why did people who were quite bad become good upon practicing Falun Dafa?" He continued his claim that it was people who were bad, yet the Party was good. I said to him, "If the Party is good, why did it breed so many corrupt officials? Why did good people become corrupt once they joined? It persecutes good people. Isn't it the Party itself that is bad and not good?"

My father suddenly calmed down. Finally he said to me with a smile, "My daughter is right. It is the Party itself that is corrupt. From now on, I will stand by your side and listen to you." I then continued, saying that after practicing Falun Gong, my mother's and my temper became good. Our health had even greater beneficial changes. All our Dafa practitioners are good people; yet didn't the Party continue to arrest and persecute us as usual? My father knew that and agreed with me.

Later he also read Dafa books and other truth materials. Each time he read stories about the persecution of practitioners, he would cry. He often asked when those practitioners who were arrested would be set free. He told his neighbors that Falun Gong is good and practitioners are being persecuted. He was also very supportive of my mother's cultivation. He let my mother have more free time to study the Fa. When we had group Fa study, he then went outside. One day he told me that he went out to distribute truth materials.

In November 2004, I read the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party on the Internet. I realized that it was time for me to quit the CCP. I am a Dafa practitioner! I cannot be part of the CCP that's persecuting Dafa. We have to be clear about it. I published my announcement on the Epoch Times website to quit the CCP.

After the 2005 Chinese New Year I visited my parents' house. My mom and I convinced my father to quit the CCP and stop paying the membership dues. After that, we saw a big change in my father. His hot temper was much better; he became quieter and calmer. He even talked to his neighbors (some of them used to be leaders) about how evil the CCP is, and how they persecuted his daughter (me) for being a good person.

When clarifying the truth to family members, we should not feel disappointed if they refuse to listen. Their emotions must not affect us. We should treat them with compassion, because it is not him/her who opposed to our effort, it is the evil behind him/her. We should send forth righteous thoughts to constantly eliminate the evil; then we can see good results. Even non-practitioners are awakening. Some practitioners still don't understand the Nine Commentaries. It was the CCP that initiated the persecution of Falun Gong and the practitioners, and it was the CCP that made up lies to slander Master. Now, gods will punish this evil demon. Can we really stand there and watch? Dafa disciples are the only hope for humanity; if we don't know what to do, how can we save people? The CCP's Party culture influenced our thoughts. As a result, we are not that pure. If we don't assimilate to Dafa, we will not be able to enter the new universe.

When I deviated from Master's Fa, it was the aftereffect of the CCP's atheist beliefs. When I was careless about other people and things, when I wasted food, I saw the root cause of these habits in the CCP's Cultural Revolution, a time when gang fighting, property damage, robbery and struggles with heaven, earth and people became accepted. Those habits destroyed our environment and eroded our traditions. When I refused to look for my own problems during conflicts, the so-called "great, glorious and correct" CCP attributes found their way into my behavior, so I turn into a jerk. When I was lazy and would not clean my room, then the CCP's notions such as "real revolutionaries are dirty, with cow droppings on their feet and mud on their shirt and they are all infested with lice" still held an influence over me. The CCP's personal worship mentality was reflected when I preferred praise over criticism. When I tried to hold tight control over decisions in Dafa projects, I was acting like a CCP Party boss. None of those behaviors meet Master's requirements. So, eliminating the Party culture is obeying Master! If we don't eliminate the Party culture, our moral standards are lower than those of the ancient people. How can we then surpass everyday people and reach Dafa's higher standards at different levels? Eliminating the CCP is therefore offering salvation to others and purifying ourselves. This is by no means politics.

Master has made this very clear:

"Right now the biggest obstacle is that the Party culture is influencing sentient beings and rendering them unable to see or listen to the truth. With that situation at hand, the Nine Commentaries were published with the purpose of helping people to see the CCP's fundamental nature. After seeing its evil nature clearly and learning that the malevolent Party has corrupted our culture, a lot of people have stopped saying that they believe in the Party, and a lot of people have stopped believing in that rogue government. Our goal and starting point are not political in nature, and we don't want ordinary people's political power. We are saving people!" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Manhattan International Fa Conference")

After reading Master's recent lectures I realized that promoting the Nine Commentaries is our current task and that Fa rectification requires this. Recently in our area, CCP organizations affiliated with all government agencies and companies forced their employees to go through a "Retain Advancement Nature" brainwashing procedure. Many Communist Youth League Representatives came to our city to attend conferences of this nature. Many practitioners were concerned that our efforts to clarify the truth and eliminating the evil CCP specter were not good enough. We needed to increase our efforts to promote the Nine Commentaries.

Right after we began to realize this, Master helped us. One day an out-of-town practitioner called me and insisted I go see him. He said if I don't come soon, they would leave. I went right after I completed my work. The practitioners there demonstrated a good and cost effective way to make the Nine Commentaries books. I returned home the next day and told fellow practitioners about their approach. Everyone agreed to this proposal. The out of town practitioner traveled to our city to help establish a workshop for making the Nine Commentaries. In the meantime, every day at 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. sharp, we sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil factors that might compromise our effort to make the Nine Commentaries; to dissolve all the evils that prevent people from reading the Nine Commentaries and from quitting the evil Party; and to let the so called "Retain Advancement Nature" procedures collapse immediately. Before long, the "Retain Advancement Nature" movement quietly came to an end.

We need a continuous effort to rescue detained practitioners

When practitioners were arrested, we would always find loopholes in ourselves. Only when we had omissions could the evildoers find ways to persecute us. During detention, practitioners and their families suffered a great deal of anguish. On the other hand, we have no idea how much Master suffered for us! If we look on the persecution with a human mindset, we can cause damage to Dafa and create additional hardships in our efforts to save sentient beings. When fellow practitioners are arrested, we shouldn't think, "This has nothing to do with me." We must remain calm, search for our real problems and find where our omission as a whole body lies. When practitioners are arrested, we should immediately expose this police crime, eliminate the evil, shock the bad people and save people. These are what we should do.

But oftentimes I could not do all those things. I had wrong ideas about the arrest of fellow practitioners. When I was released with the power of righteous thoughts I even felt pretty good about myself. In reality, I am not supposed to boast about how well I did during the persecution. When certain practitioners without a clear understanding of the Fa admired so-called heroic behavior in prison, they were encouraging the person's self-validation mindset. This kind of admiration doesn't help people to look for problems within themselves; it does nothing to recover the loss Dafa has suffered. Some practitioners were repeatedly arrested, making friends and families think, "I won't learn Falun Gong. Otherwise I will be jailed."

If we really have strong righteous thoughts and get rid of all omissions, do you think the evildoers dare to go near us? When fellow practitioners were arrested, Master's protection, righteous factors in other dimensions, fellow practitioners righteous thoughts as a group, exposing the evil on the Internet, overseas practitioners' phone calls, all these efforts were eliminating the evil and rescuing our practitioners. Once I was also arrested. After I returned home I publicly told many people what happened to me. I made some drawings/sketches to demonstrate my arrest, the torture and the evil persons' actions and published them on the Internet. I told my story to many people including my neighbors. They were quite sympathetic. Some cried when they heard the truth. I also published other practitioners' stories and exposed the crimes committed by the evildoing police and bad people.

For a long time, I was passive about rescue efforts to help fellow practitioners. Master said,

"Some people have family members who have been imprisoned in the persecution and are being persecuted, and yet instead of hurrying up and working along with everyone else to resist the persecution, stop the persecution, and lessen the persecution of your family members, you're talking about things like "studying the Fa at home" and you're still full of complaints about everything that [Dafa] students are doing. Did you know that when the persecution of your family members who have been imprisoned is lessened or stopped, it's the result of Dafa disciples exposing and shocking the evil beings while braving evil and danger to take action against the persecution? When they get out, how will you bear to face them? What have you done for them?" ("My Version of a Stick Wake-up")

Master's words deeply touched my heart. Practitioners are one family. Have I rescued them the way I would do to my own family members? Have I kept them in my mind at all times? I felt that Master was talking about me in the above quoted words. I was ashamed. I realized that there were many things for me yet to do. If we constantly expose the police and perpetrators on the Internet and in other ways we can reduce the chances for arrests and decrease the persecution, we can also let more people see the truth, and the evil in other dimensions won't be so rampant.

Sometimes, because our understanding of the Fa is not clear, we still have selfish thoughts and fears, and human emotions confuse us. When this happens, the evil can then find a place to hide. No matter what happens to Dafa practitioners, arrest, detention, forced labor or serving a prison sentence, we must rescue them with a full-blown effort. This is not a matter of people persecuting people. If our rescue efforts focus only on their first arrest and we stop our efforts after they are sentenced to prison terms or to a forced labor, believing that there is no hope, then we have sanctioned the evil arrangement, and have agreed with the "illegal sentences."

Master has made it very clear that human words won't count. We are eliminating evil in other dimensions; as for the confused people, we have to give them a way out! The process of rescuing Falun Gong practitioners is a process of saving people. Many fellow practitioners have been rescued from prisons and forced labor camps. During the rescue process, the practitioners' friends and families, lawyers, prosecutors and court officials can see the truth, and good people will be saved. So, as long as practitioners are not free, we should continue our rescue efforts, regardless of where he or she is, detention center, forced labor camp or prison; it makes no difference to Dafa practitioners.

We came into the world for the task of Fa-rectification. We are fortunate to have our Master to guide us. We each have our own mission. When fellow practitioners are persecuted, rescuing them is our duty. When one of us was persecuted, it usually was caused by our omissions as a whole body. Every one of us should maximize our capability, rescue our fellow practitioners, eliminate the dark minions and rotten demons in other dimensions, and save more people.

"It's clear what our starting point is. The essence of what you are doing as a cultivator is improving yourself and cultivating yourself, and, during this persecution, exposing the evil, bringing the persecution to an end, and rejecting the old forces' arrangements." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003")

When I read this paragraph I discovered a deeply hidden and very inappropriate attachment: I sometimes fear the persecution might end too soon, thinking that a continued persecution provides us with a good opportunity to establish mighty virtue. But in reality, every day the persecution continues, Master will have to suffer huge tribulation for all lives, and countless lives are being eliminated by the evil's lies. So, this fear is an attachment to time and to my ultimate consummation. It is completely against our great effort to save all sentient beings as Dafa disciples of the Fa-rectification period.

Cultivate oneself with a clear mind

One may eliminate interference to one's mind at any given time. This kind of interference can come from many sources. It also appears to be strong during Fa study. One day as I took the book to study the Fa, an idea came into my mind: look for the zip code and find out where a certain practitioner had called from. When I was about to look for it, I remembered that Master told us in a lecture from abroad that we could turn the telephone answering machine on during Fa study. Master told us in every lecture that we should study the Fa well with a calm mind. This was a fundamental guarantee to our cultivation during the Fa-rectification period and being able to do Dafa work well. I explored deeper: What good would it do to find out where the call came from? What is the use? And why did I have to look for it in the midst of Fa study? This was not right! I quickly realized that this thought was not from my true self, not of my own. It was interference in my Fa study, interference unleashed by outside wicked spirits; therefore I didn't move. I calmed myself and started to study the Fa.

This experience reminded me of another incident. Once, an elderly practitioner and I studied the Fa together. Half an hour had passed since I read the book, while he was still pouring water on his flowers, touching this, looking at that, and pacing back and forth leisurely. I saw him being interfered with, but he didn't even know it. I said to him with a serious expression, "Why haven't you studied the Fa? What's the most important thing to do now? Do you know that you have been interfered with? You have been pacing around for half-an-hour." He quickly realized it. He dropped what he was doing, sat down and picked up Zhuan Falun to read.

The process of Master's Fa-rectification has sped up; a few evil beings left in other dimensions are still trying to find loopholes to interfere with the three things we need to do. The key is to see through it from the perspective of Dafa, distinguish it, eradicate it, and not be moved by it.

One day I printed a neat booklet. In the midst of my happiness, the printing machine suddenly stopped working. The computer showed that the printing functioned normally. I couldn't find anything wrong with it. I calmed my anxiety. It seemed as if the printing machine talked to me, "Since you are so competent, you do it on your own."

I suddenly realized something was wrong with me. The attachments of achievement, zealotry and competitiveness showed up. All the things I did were derived from the Fa and from Master's empowerment and protection. Without Master or Dafa, our lives could hardly be intact. How could I emphasize my own ability and consider myself great? I couldn't hold back my tears. I felt that Master was before me, protecting me when I did Dafa work, caring for me. But in my own little world I didn't live up to Master's teachings. I knew it wasn't me, and I must repel those odd thoughts imposed on me. I had to distinguish it as "not me" and eliminate it. No matter what I do, I must always check myself and find out from what perspective I look at things, from the perspective of myself or from Dafa, if it is for my self-interest or for the sake of others. In doing so, I will be able to cleanse myself continuously.

Dafa cultivation points directly to a human heart/mind. One day, during an experience sharing session with other practitioners, one of them said that I was talking senselessly: I said my head started to hurt once I stepped in his home. It sounded as if his residence had some bad energy. Practitioners trusted me, so they started to feel panic, causing some interference. My mind could hardly accept his words. Calming down I looked inward and found that I had a long-standing, deeply hidden attachment, but I didn't realize its existence: I cultivated according to my feelings. I was sensitive to things, so I felt I had cultivated better than others. My own notions were mixed with Dafa cultivation; those were developed while I practiced other Qigong in the past. Master said feelings were nothing. I was still holding on to them; wasn't I adding things to Dafa? It was truly dangerous. It was scary to think what would happen if this attachment developed further. I felt practitioner's compassion and my own narrow viewpoint.

Follow Master's Fa-rectification process in order to save more sentient beings

A fellow practitioner told me that some practitioners didn't come to pick up the Dafa materials for a long time came. They either didn't come, or come late. Most of them came late. One day I went to a practitioner's residence and saw another practitioner. I asked him if he was able to finish reading the Minghui Weekly. He said he wasn't able to finish it every time, and only selected a few items to read. I myself sometimes skipped certain articles when I got busy. I knew it was important, but why did I neglect it sometimes? It was because I didn't treat it as part of the Fa validation. The root of this problem was that I paid a lot of attention to personal cultivation, and was attached to consummation. It wasn't until Master wrote the inscription to Minghui Weekly, that I realized the seriousness.

I think Minghui Weekly is a synthetic window for the whole Fa-rectification situation and a window for practitioners around the world in validating the Fa and saving sentient beings. It is also an essential place for practitioners around the world to share experiences. There are other factors, which we haven't yet realized. Master once said that for important matters, look at the Minghui website's position. Moreover, Minghui Weekly had Master's own inscription. The importance of it goes without saying. It requires us to read it. Besides, the Minghui Weekly added a new feature, "Traditional Culture."

I think the CCP's culture has severely polluted the minds of Mainland Chinese cultivators and other people. We are beings who follow Master and walk toward the new cosmos; isn't it because we are the disciples of the venerable Lord of all Buddhas? This honor also comes from the pre-destined opportunity that we can follow Master to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. This is something that beings in other cosmic realms want to have but can't. The process of cosmic restructuring has reached its final moments. Has our own cultivation reached the standards of different levels that are required of us? Today, is every one of our ideas and thoughts unblemished? Most of us still hold on to the CCP culture's way of thinking. In many areas, our moral standard is even below that of ancient people during the abundant Tang Dynasty. Refusing, not wanting to read, or not treating it seriously is partly the fault of and interference from the CCP's culture. If we don't even reach the moral standard of the ancient people, how can we reach the standard of the Great Fa of the cosmos?

I saw an article in the Minghui Weekly about a story recorded in Three-Character Primer [note, this is a textbook for children, said to have been compiled by Wang Yinglin in the Southern Song Dynasty], entitled "Four-year-old Kong Rong Offering Pears." The story was about a young child named Kong Rong who happily offered the bigger pear to his brothers. It showed that he did not pursue his own gain, and was not jealous. He was tolerant and kind. The incident was small, but it reflected a spirit or capacity. A small incident often reflects one's realm.

Master told us to be strict with ourselves whenever and wherever. When I measure myself against the Fa, my conduct in many areas still doesn't meet the requirement of Dafa at different levels. After many years of cultivation, I am still less than the ancient people in this respect. All things from Dafa have their specific meanings. When I shared thoughts with practitioners, I found many of them didn't take Minghui Weekly seriously. People at our Fa study group proposed not to make Zhuan Falun the main part of the study. As one study group pointed out: practitioners all read Zhuan Falun at home, but not all of them read Minghui Weekly. Our Fa study group might study articles on the Minghui Weekly and then share thoughts on some other writings. In doing so, practitioners would be more willing to come to the group Fa-study. I raised my opinion: Group Fa-study should make Zhuan Falun the main portion of the study, and then we could study other writings and share thoughts. Group Fa-study was not an occasion to make up for someone. We should not nurture someone's tendency of not finishing it or not treating it seriously. Group Fa-study, no matter how many or how few people attended, was not meant to attract people's interest to stay. This might mislead practitioners. This was not the same as what methods we use to distribute flyers or hang banners; it is not about a choice of convenience.

Treating every practitioner we meet with compassion, encouraging more people to step forward, studying the Fa together, improving as a whole, this is the cultivation environment Master told us to have. We do it with compassion, not to be attached to self. We should not leave one practitioner behind. I felt the heavy responsibility. When one practitioner validates the Fa and offers salvation, at the last moment of the cosmos' restructuring, what a huge effect he will have! We cannot ignore those who still cling to human notions and those who are not able to do the three things openly and nobly. Master asked us to give the same amount of effort to this matter as saving sentient beings. We have fostered such an environment. Many people are working on it right now with their hearts/minds into it.

When I felt happy for one practitioner who came back to Dafa from another religion, his words put me to shame. He said, "I have lain on the train track four times. I felt such agony. If you had come to me earlier, I would have come back a long time ago." In fact, who wouldn't feel pain after leaving Dafa? I knew I went to him late. If we don't follow Master's guidance and cling to attachments, how many human lives will be destroyed!

We should do the three things well. Wherever there is a loophole, we should do away with it. One practitioner said there was a problem with the truth-clarification materials a practitioner made, but the practitioner thought that since she worked really hard he would not mention it to her. I suggested to him to raise the issue, because we should not let it affect saving sentient beings. We could solve it, but we should tell her the problem. It was a responsible thing to do for the Fa and for her. I realize that if we stand on the point of the Fa, fill our hearts with responsibilities, not look at things from the perspective of our own selves and harmonize the whole, any issue or conflict can be resolved. Those infinite lives will have a beautiful future. When the day of Fa-rectification of the human world comes, we will have no qualms for what Master has placed in us, and no qualms for the hopes of sentient beings.

Heshi!