(Clearwisdom.net) In clarifying the truth, we must first understand why we need to clarify the truth. Moreover, we need to have righteous thoughts. When we have righteous thoughts we send out purity and mercy which will bring good results from our clarifying the truth. When we clarify the truth to non-practitioners we should bear in mind that we are not saving just one specific person; we are saving the whole universe related to that person. Therefore, we must firmly keep in mind Teacher's edification: "Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth3 with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy..." ("Rationality" in Essentials for Further Advancement II ).
In our clarifying the truth, we must not fear, and we must be selfless and altruistic and not simply go through a formality. We should save sentient beings with our great compassion. Thus, we clarify the truth whenever there is an opportunity to do so and in a righteous and dignified way there will be unexpectedly good results.
The following are some of my experiences of truth-clarification:
Clarifying the Truth to a Taxi Driver
On one occasion I clarified the truth to a taxi driver. He told me that he watched a program on television and that it said Falun Gong was not good. I said, "Falun Gong is by no means like what was said on that television program. Falun Gong is a cultivation practice. It has no aspirations for political power. Falun Gong practitioners truly cultivate themselves and become benevolent. Nothing is wrong with practicing Truth, Benevolence, Forbearance. The self-immolation at Tiananmen Square was a fraud staged to frame Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Mr. Driver, I have a happy family and my own business too. Why do I have the courage to talk to you about this under such high pressure from the CCP? We are practicing not just for ourselves. I've practiced Falun Gong for about nine years, and I am sixty years old now." He looked at me and said, "No, you look like less than fifty years old."
I noticed that his mind changed a little; then I started to send righteous thoughts to clean out the evil influencing him. He asked me, "Why does the CCP oppose Falun Gong?" I explained, "Falun Gong is so good that people from all different social classes practice it. Once we have obtained the Fa, we conduct ourselves according to a practitioner's standard. We care nothing about our own fame and benefits; we are only considerate of others. The CCP is good at fighting for power and influence. Its people in powerful positions only think about how to make use of the power for their own personal interests. They saw that the number of Falun Gong practitioners amounted to 100 million. The CCP was afraid of losing their power. The CCP then took advantage of politics, which is its customary practice as seen in its evil history, to fight with Falun Gong. In China politics in fact is like a knife used to kill people. Regardless of what you are doing, good or bad, once you are labeled as being political, you could be killed or imprisoned without justification. They can also break up your family. They have resorted to this same trick during the Great Cultural Revolution, the "June 4th" incident, and the persecution of Falun Gong. I believe you will understand Dafa better after my explanation. You shall have to make your own decision which will be for the eternity of your life.
The driver said, "I am really lucky to meet you. After listening to your explanation, now I understand why so many people practice Falun Gong and even sacrifice their lives for Falun Gong. I sincerely thank you. I will remember all that you said to me today."
I met another taxi driver. After he heard my clarification of the truth he wanted to treat me with a free trip. He said: "You gave me a good lesson today; I want to reward you for it." I said with a smile, "Our Teacher taught us that we must not ask for one penny for introducing Dafa. We only pay effort. Today, you've understood how good Dafa is, I'm much happier." He said to me, "I'll tell my family and friends what you've told me."
Overseas, Visiting Chinese Listen to the Truth
In August 2005, for business reasons, I stayed in Hangzhou for two days. I had gotten some free time during the two days. I took this opportunity to follow tour groups and seek the chance to clarify the truth to the members of the tour groups. I came across an older man who has been living in the USA. I sat by him and started to chat with him. Our topic changed to Falun Gong. He said he saw Falun Gong practitioners everywhere in the USA. One of his friends gave him the book Zhuan Falun. However, he did not read the book thoroughly and carefully; he just quickly browsed it. I said, "Then you must be a person with a predestined relationship with Dafa. Today you also ran into me in our motherland, and you are listening to my clarification of the truth." He said with an amazed expression on his face, "It's really difficult for you to persist under the Chinese government's rampant persecution of Falun Gong. You are great! I am certain to read that book carefully. I will also tell the American people about the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong. I will cherish the less restrictive surroundings in the USA." I was so excited after hearing what he said.
Everyone Surrounded Me and Listened to Me Clarify the Truth
The next day, I went to visit Qiandao Lake. All the way there I was thinking about how to clarify the truth to people. Finally, I got the chance. There was a person from Guangdong Province in the tour group that I followed. He owned a great business. After hearing my clarification he said, "I realized that you are not an everyday person. I think there must be a predestinated relationship between us. Today, can you tell me what on earth are the advantages of Falun Gong? Why did the government oppose it? What is the Tiananmen self-immolation incident about? And why did your Teacher go to America and leave you practitioners here?"
I answered all his questions while walking along the sight route. When we arrived at a flat roof at the top of a hill, the group simply seated themselves down and formed a circle around me to listen to my clarifying the truth. I told them: "Dafa has been spread to over 70 countries around the world since it was made public in May 1992. Our Teacher went to America in 1996 after ending his teaching the Fa in China. The circumstances for Dafa in China were less restrictive at that time. You could see people practicing everywhere. Thus it is an unfair declaration that our Teacher fled to America. Check the time order, and then you will know it is a rumor. They said, "Yes, it sounds reasonable."
I continued my truth-clarification to them, "Since the Buddha-light illuminates everywhere, our Teacher has gone to other countries to spread the Fa. Chinese people have the chance to obtain the Fa, and the foreign people should also have the chance." I found that they had good enlightenment quality and a high level; thus I went on to other topics such as the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party and quitting the Party and the Youth League.
We did not notice that the time went by so quickly until the tour guide urged us to go down the hill for a meal. However, one of them said, "Let us not hurry to dinner, I'd like to listen to them talking about how Falun Dafa is good." Then I said, "We can talk about it while walking down the hill. Please remember this; after going back to your home, you must persuade your relatives and friends to quit from the Party as early as possible. You tell them this is for their sake." Some of them also asked me if I had more of the Nine Commentaries... and if I could arrange to send them one copy. They gave me their cell phone numbers.
Clarifying the Truth With a Natural and Comfortable Attitude
In the afternoon we traveled on the Qiandao Lake. After the boat left the bank, the tour guide started to show us beautiful scenes and narrated the stories about them. When talking about the water of Qiandao Lake, she said it is so freezing cold that you feel it piercing into your bones. She seemed very positive that nobody could put his hand into the water and keep it there for over three minutes. She said that she would treat us to dinner if someone could do that. She said she had been a tour guide for four years and has never seen anyone pass the test.
Right after her statement, I told her, "Ms. Guide, I am sure you will lose today. But I do not want your treat. Instead, I want a promise from you. From today forward, when you tell visitors the story about the freezing water of Qiandao Lake, you tell them that a sixty-year-old lady Falun Gong practitioner is the only one who held her hand in the water for over three minutes in all the time you have worked as a tour guide here." Then I put my hand into the water and held it there. Three minutes passed, all of the passengers shouted loudly, "Excellent, Falun Gong is excellent, Falun Gong is great!" When I heard the applauding, I felt that my hands were nice and warm. The nearby boats floated over to us after they noticed the cheerfulness on our boat. All the passengers started to say, "Falun Dafa is Good" without any fear. I felt very happy. This style of truth-clarification was so natural and comfortable that we forgot the existence of the evil at all.
From July 20, 1999 until today I have been striding forward on my truth-clarification path in this way. However, I still remember that at the beginning I was a little ashamed of myself and had an attitude of avoidance and hiding, but now I am used to getting straight to the point and speaking out without beating around the bush.
