(Clearwisdom.net) I became a Falun Dafa practitioner in December 1998. Since then my level of understanding has unceasingly improved and I have had great physical changes. About twenty days after I read the book, even before I learned the physical exercises, I recovered from many diseases, including rheumatism, blood insufficiency in the brain, neurasthenia, neck pain, heart disease, and kidney and stomach diseases. After two and a half months of practice, I took off my glasses for near-sightedness and have subsequently experienced the supernatural qualities of Dafa. During the several years of Dafa being persecuted, although I have experienced tribulations, with Teacher's merciful protection I have firmly walked on the path of Fa-rectification. I will now share how I constantly improve myself for the salvation of sentient beings.
1. Xinxing Improves While Memorizing the Fa
During several of the early years of the persecution, I was locked up in labor camps and detention centers several times. This not only affected my own cultivation, but also negatively impacted the saving of sentient beings. The lesson was big. Fundamentally it happened because I did not study the Fa well and understand the Fa clearly. Especially after I read Teacher's "Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.," I was greatly moved and became determined to study the Fa thoroughly.
It is not easy, however to study the Fa well. After I was released for medical treatment in June 2004, I had many distracting thoughts and interferences. In addition to the difficult recovery of my body, I was unable to study the Fa with full concentration. At the end of 2005, many fellow practitioners' experiences in memorizing the Fa were published in Minghui Weekly, which gave me great enlightenment and courage. From then on, besides studying Teacher's new articles, I used other Fa study time to memorize Zhuan Falun. No matter whether my progress was fast or slow, I kept doing it. After more than a year, I finished memorizing Zhuan Falun for the first time, and I have started the second round of memorizing.
Memorizing the Fa has brought me many advantages. It has greatly improved the quality of my Fa study, I understand questions that puzzled me before, and I have come to understand more and more Fa principles. It has also made my heart much calmer and the anxiousness I had before has disappeared. I have experienced the joy of melting into the Fa.
Memorizing the Fa made me to pay more attention to self cultivation and made me willing to look inwards more.
"Everyone sits here to learn this Dafa, so you must here conduct yourselves as true practitioners, and you must give up attachments."
"As a truly-determined practitioner, one is able to endure everything and give up or care less for any attachment in the face of various self-interests. As long as one can do this, it will not be difficult." (Zhuan Falun) (official translation)
Teacher mentioned "true" several times, so I filter my words, acts, and my thoughts, to check what I did not do well so I can correct it next time.
The more I memorize the Fa, the more willing I am to face up to my own uncertainties, willing to connect Fa study to solid cultivation, (which I did not do in the past) for fear that I did not understand certain issues. I carefully read experience sharing articles on Minghui Weekly and sincerely compare them to my own problems. In this way, my understanding of the Fa constantly improves.
For instance, because I walked out of the devil's lair several times in the early days, when I heard fellow practitioners talking about how being persecuted was a shame, I paid no attention to it. I thought, although I was persecuted, I wrote no guarantee statement. How can this shameful thing be? Is it exaggerated? It was priceless that, at least, I was steadfast during my ordeal. Not everyone could achieve this. However, along with memorizing the Fa in depth and reading fellow practitioners' sharing articles, one after another, I finally realized that the fact that Dafa is persecuted in human world is not only the shame of the persecutors, but also the shame of Dafa practitioners. The spread of the universal great law in the human world should be in the state of:
"Those who hear about it are looking for it. Those who have obtained it are delighted with it. The number of cultivators is increasing daily and becoming countless." (Essentials for Further Advancement - "Seeking Discipleship with Teacher").
When I truly understood this Fa principle, the swelling in my whole body immediately disappeared, truly manifesting,
"Once you upgrade your xinxing, your body will undergo a great change. Upon xinxing improvement, the matter in your body is guaranteed to transform." (Zhuan Falun)
Memorizing the Fa also made me realize that every Dafa practitioner must correctly place the base point of cultivation, otherwise you won't improve. In the spring of 2006, rental properties in my city were being cleaned out. I felt great pressure for a while and wondered whether I should go to my relative's place and hide for a period of time. I happened to memorize:
"In the eyes of everyday people, animals are so formidable that they can easily manipulate people. Actually, I say that they are not formidable and are nothing before a true practitioner. Though you may find one that has practiced cultivation for nearly one thousand years, a tiny finger will be more than enough to crush it." (Zhuan Falun)
All of a sudden, I was calm. I won't disturb my relative and thus affect their positive understanding of Dafa. Instantly, the depression in my heart vanished. The attachment of fear is truly a matter of consequence. I again experienced the supernatural power of Dafa and also was reminded that Dafa practice has high requirements for practitioners. We must achieve the realm of unselfishness and look at issues on the base point of saving sentient beings. Only then we can improve.
A while ago, I read practitioners' articles on the internet, one after another, regarding immediately ending the persecution, I also thought about it when I memorized:
"From the perspective of the very highest level, it is very simple, for the Fa resembles a pyramid in form. At the highest point, it can be summarized in three words: Zhen, Shan, Ren. It is extremely complex when manifesting at different levels." (Zhuan Falun)
My heart felt open, had a kind of insightful feeling. The Great Tao can be simple and easy, as a matter of fact. We should act according to "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance," in concert with the requirements of Teacher and Fa-rectification, and not think about evil at all. Then there is no space for it to exist and it will be extinguished by itself. If you always think evil this and that, aren't you attached to it? Aren't you begging for it?
Through memorizing the Fa, I realized my problem in sending forth righteous thoughts. On surface, I insisted on the formalities of sending forth righteous thoughts well, but the quality was far from good, with many distracting thoughts and painful legs. Finally, several months ago, through memorizing the Fa and sharing with fellow practitioners, I understood: we are practicing a universal great law, as Dafa disciples, and our hearts should be on saving sentient beings. We are the guardians of the universe and so these thoughts we send out should be the righteous thoughts of a Dafa practitioner.
Only then I remembered Teacher said in, "Teaching the Fa at the 2001 Canada Fa Conference" of Guiding the Voyage:
"when we eliminate evil you should keep in mind that if you have the intention of showing off, have ordinary human fears, or have impure thoughts, you won't be able to achieve the goal. Why do you have an ability like this? It's only because you are a great cultivator. So when you send forth that thought it couldn't have been sent by anyone but a great cultivator. That is why when some students use this ability, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. That's where the problem lies."
Through memorizing the Fa, I know to carefully examine my every thought and thought process. As soon as a negative thought emerges, I correct it. Now, when a negative thought comes up, I can basically jump on it at once.
I also found while memorizing the Fa that, many times when I am memorizing the Fa on a certain aspect, there will be a corresponding xinxing test or situation in my life or work. For example, when I memorized a section on the issue of fame and self-interest, something happened that made me see that I had a strong attachment to fame and self-interest. In another instance, when I was memorizing "Only by having people practice a righteous way can there be true salvation of all beings." (Zhuan Falun) (official translation), I met several fellow practitioners in a row who had fallen behind in truth-clarification.
Teacher said in "Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.,"
"Maybe as you study the Fa the issues you've been thinking about will be resolved, since behind every word are Buddhas, Daos, and Gods. How could they not know exactly what you want to resolve and what you're anxious to get done at that time? Then how could they not tell you? But there's one thing: you must achieve the state of studying the Fa without any pursuit. You understood this a long time ago--you can't read the Fa with an attachment to solving your problems. Just read calmly, and the effect is sure to be excellent."
I truly experienced all of this.
While memorizing the Fa, I also understood that Teacher told us the Fa of clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings in many places.
"The purpose of giving her energy was to enable her to practice cultivation and upgrade herself. While doing good deeds, she could develop her own supernormal abilities and build up her own gong; however, some people did not know this principle." (Zhuan Falun)
Well then, isn't Teacher giving us supernormal abilities to explain the truth and save people and, at the same time as doing good deeds, also cultivating well? That is for sure. I came to understand that when Teacher tells us to send forth righteous thoughts and clarify the truth, which are closely related to our cultivation, we are not doing things for Teacher or Dafa, but rather as an inevitable part of the process of cultivating ourselves well. Otherwise, Teacher would be unable to transform the things required in our cultivation, the human notions we should abandon in the process won't be disposed of, and the attachments to showing off, zealotry, competing, pursuit of fame, and validating oneself could not be completely uncovered.
I think the Fa-rectification has reached the final stage, so every Dafa practitioner should pay attention to Fa study, have a clear understanding of Fa principles, and truly be guided in everything related to us by the Fa. Only then, will everything we do be the most powerful.
2. Use Every Advantage to Save People with Mercy and Righteous Thoughts
From July 2005, I began to clarify the truth face to face. People I meet in life, work or social contacts, as long as there is opportunity, I clarify the truth to them. I also visit my relatives and neighbors with gifts during my vacation. Gradually I walk my own path of validating the Fa. I probably have influenced around seven hundred people to quit the CCP.
Generally speaking, I have acted according: "when we clarify the truth to save them, we need to tailor it to the mindsets modern people have." ("Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.") People's mindsets vary from one to another, so you can't use the same way all the time. One must get right to the point, especially when the time you have for explaining the truth face to face is short. It is very important to address the key points within a short time, according to different people's situations. One may talk differently in each case. If one just acts appropriately to the situation, most of them will understand.
I treat explaining the truth and saving people as part of my life. As long as there is opportunity, I will talk. Once, on a bus, an elderly person had no seat so I offered mine to him. He sat down and was very happy, and repeatedly thanked me. So I took the chance to tell him "Falun Dafa is good," "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is good." Because of the conversation, the elderly man was worried that I might pass my stop, so he asked me where I got off. The drivers and all the people around me on the bus heard.
3. Helping Relatives and Friends Quit the CCP
People look at fame and self-interest as being very important so, in my contact with them, I do not let them suffer loss. Whether they are having a big or small occasion, I attend all of them. Also, I am not stingy when I buy gifts for relatives and friends. When I visit them, I always wear decent clothes, never giving them the impression I might be poor. When we chat about daily family matters, they all feel I take sentiment and friendship seriously. In such a harmonious atmosphere, I tell them what I want to say the most. Most of my relatives and friends have quit. Some have even helped others quit.
At the New Year's Festival or parents' birthdays, I express my care for them. Even though my financial situation is relatively tight after the persecution, I always do the same. I never let people around me feel that Falun Gong practitioners have no feelings and do not take care of their parents. In regard to contacts with brothers and sisters, I still act like an elder sister, as before. I get along with them very well. Although our good interactions stopped for various periods of time during the persecution, there is no great obstruction. Therefore, it is easy for me to go to relatives' homes and talk about quitting the CCP and its affiliates. In addition, they all admire my capability, so I use this advantage fully.
I am divorced so it was relatively more difficult to save the relatives of my ex-husband. I overcame this and they are progressing very well. Most of them have quit. After some of them understood the truth, they made great efforts to complain about the evil party. Someone wanted me to sue it, while some also helped others to quit.
During the process, in order to explain the truth even better, I also got familiar with the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and Disintegrate the Party Culture. At the same time, I repeatedly listened to Disintegrate the Party Culture. This not only helped a lot in saving sentient beings, but it also allowed me to realize that I am also heavily poisoned by the party culture and made me pay more attention to clearing away the party culture within myself. I also realized, even more clearly, that all this is done by Teacher. We are merely moving in the human world. If we do not do this, if we do not assist in spreading Dafa, telling people about the three quits, and saving people, even our own safety can not be guaranteed.
We must remember Teacher's article "Cultivators' Avoidances." Especially, those fellow practitioners who do a large amount of work should not regard doing large amounts of work as validating the Fa. That will cover up your attachment to pursuing fame and validating oneself! At the same time, I want to remind those practitioners who have not stepped out to save people that, "It is a xinxing issue if you do not help stop a murder or arson when you see it." (Zhuan Falun)
The above is merely my understanding at my current level. In future cultivation, I shall learn more and be more comparable to fellow practitioners.
