(Clearwisdom.net)
1. Understanding the Importance of Fa study
I am a Dafa disciple who learned the Fa when Zhuan Falun was first published in 1996. Master asked students to pay attention to Fa study, and He stressed repeatedly that the key to advancement is to study the Fa more. I thought that since this was the case, I would study more. So I spent all my spare time reading Zhuan Falun and Master's other books and articles. I listened to the Fa while I was eating and doing household chores. I watched the video of Master's lectures whenever I had the chance. When I read "Seeking Discipleship with Teacher" from Essentials for Further Advancement, the following words were imprinted in my mind:
"A person who truly cultivates will gain things naturally without pursuing them. All the gong and Fa lie in the book, and one will naturally obtain them by reading Dafa. Those who learn it will change automatically, and they will already be in the Dao when they read the book over and over again. Teacher will certainly have Law Bodies (fashen) safeguarding them quietly. With perseverance, they will certainly achieve Righteous Attainment in the future." ("Seeking Discipleship with Teacher" from Essentials For Further Advancement)
Those words strengthened my confidence in Fa study. The more I studied, the more willingness I had to study. The more I studied, the harder it was for me to stop. Besides my job and household chores, I spent almost all my remaining time studying the Fa, either in self study or group study. My house was a Fa study site. At the same time, I followed the Fa in the different areas of my life. My character and my health changed unintentionally. I used to be introverted, narrow-minded, and easily angered, and I worried a lot. Gradually, I became open minded, tolerant and considerate of others. I followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Many of my illnesses disappeared, and my family became harmonious. Family, colleagues, and others around me witnessed the greatness of Falun Dafa. Some of them stepped into Dafa cultivation practice themselves. This also laid a solid foundation for my steadfast practice during the persecution.
2. Validating the Fa and Clarifying the Facts in my Work
I am a medical professional. My job doesn't keep me too busy. I am able to study three sections of Zhuan Falun per day. I use the workplace to clarify the facts of Falun Gong and spread the Fa to patients and people who come in for physical exams. I talk to patients or their family members according to their situation. It is easy for them to understand and also convenient and safe for me.
Shortly after the staged self immolation incident on Tiananmen Square, there was a physical examination for school teachers. More than a dozen teachers came in at the same time. At first, I thought it was not a good time. The first several people were young and in good health. I didn't say anything. When I was examining a female teacher in her 40s, she said anxiously, "Doctor, please check me. I have had neurasthenia, heart disease, and hypertension for many years." While I was doing the exam, I explained patiently to her about her health condition, causes of illness, and precautions. She was touched, "You have a good nature and you explain things in detail. My previous doctors thought that I had too many questions. They didn't explain anything to me, they just gave me a long list of prescriptions and let me go."
Then I said, "It is not easy to be a teacher. Everyone wants to get into college. There is a lot of pressure in your work. Students are not easy to manage because they have been spoiled at home. Your illnesses can be classified as occupational diseases, a result of worrying too much." She picked up immediately, "Yes, you are exactly right. That's how it is. Are there any good therapies? It has been many years. Medicine does not help." I said, "Modern medicine has not found a real cure and can only treat the symptoms. You would have to take medicine for the rest of your life and that might result in possible side effects. But I know there is one method to cure illnesses. I am not sure if you have heard of it." She asked anxiously, "Please tell me now." "Have you heard about Falun Gong?"
Right after I spoke, everyone there started talking. Some understood, some didn't. Some said that it was good, some said it was not. Some knew the facts, some didn't. I took this chance to clarify the facts to them. I analyzed and exposed the false propaganda of the self immolation incident from a medical perspective. Then I talked about how the Fa had spread around the world, how Dafa teaches people to be good, how to achieve health and fitness, and the root cause of illnesses. I also led them to understand Dafa from different viewpoints, such as Western medicine, Chinese medicine, and human body science. After listening to the facts, they were clear. They expressed their discontent about the persecution. Some said excitedly that it was a worthwhile trip. Some even said they would learn it once they got home. The result was good.
After this incident, I realized that sometimes we did not need to consider things too much. In this case, I had no fear or excess thoughts in my mind. I just wanted to clarify the facts. The result was good, just like water carving its own path. Master saw I had a righteous mind, then arranged this opportunity for me to clarify the facts of the persecution. Unconsciously, I threw away my attachment to worry and conventional thinking during the process. I really felt that "cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while transformation of gong is done by one's master" (Zhuan Falun). They were all arranged by Master, all done by Master. I used to just talk to one person at a time. This time I clarified the facts in front of many people. My mind was opened on how to clarify the facts. There was not a fixed pattern. With a pure and kind heart for understanding others, letting them feel that I was really there for their benefit, it was easy to communicate with them. The side of a person that's clear about things will accept the facts. Just as Master said,
"If you are able to succeed in improving yourself this way, what you do then, with a pure heart, will be the best and most sacred." ("Further Understanding" from Essentials for Further Advancement)
I realized that my working environment, my living environment, and my social environment were my cultivation practice environments. They were my path to validating the Fa, clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings. I should treasure them and take advantage of them.
3. Righteous Thoughts Revealed the Mightiness of God
After Master taught us the formulas for sending righteous thoughts, in addition to sending righteous thoughts together, I recited the formulas in my heart whenever there was interference or trouble. I do this no matter what I am doing, whether I am walking, riding, or working on non-mentally demanding jobs, such as cutting vegetables and cooking. It has become a routine. I send righteous thoughts wherever I go. Although my celestial eye is not open, I believe it functions by eliminating evil in every dimension.
I remember one day shortly after I started to send righteous thoughts, the manager told me to go home and hide my Falun Gong books because the police were going to search. There are many practitioners in the company. We clarified the facts to our managers and colleagues. Most of them know the truth and want to protect us from persecution. Right after I heard the news, I immediately thought about sending righteous thoughts. I called other practitioners while I was sending righteous thoughts, and just as I finished the calls and was about to go home, the police came and ordered me to go home with them. I had no fear, and I sent righteous thoughts on the way home. Once I opened the door, I politely sat them down and began making tea for them. They said, "No tea, please. This is just routine business. We have to come. Just take it as a visit."
I witnessed the might of righteous thoughts. It was Master who resolved the hardship for me and prevented the beings from being taken advantage of by evil and committing crimes against Falun Dafa. Thank you, Master, for your boundless graciousness. Since then, I have taken sending righteous thoughts more seriously. I also encourage other practitioners to send righteous thoughts more frequently, and tell them not to assume it doesn't work just because we think we are not good enough in cultivation or we cannot see the results.
Another experience that I want to share is that when I close my eyes, clear my heart, and send righteous thoughts, I can feel clearly that the gong is surging inside my body. Although I don't see the war between good and evil in other dimensions, I can see dark clouds tumbling. Dark clouds are numerous in the beginning, then become white and clear. They have different color changes and my body becomes relaxed and comfortable.
4. Nullifying the Persecution and Saving Sentient Beings
I went to Beijing to appeal for the rights of Falun Gong practitioners. I was a volunteer assistant at a practice site before the persecution. As I said earlier there are many practitioners in our company. Because of this, the local 610 Office focuses on our company and me in particular. They assigned four people to monitor me. I paid no attention to them at all. I did what I was supposed to do while clarifying the facts wisely. I had my own office and I read the Fa when I was not busy.
To monitor me, they merged my office with another, claiming there was a shortage of office space. At first, I was uncomfortable. After studying the Fa, I realized that this was not an accident. The evil wanted to prevent me from studying the Fa. I should nullify it. My path was arranged by Master. It should be that Master had arranged for the other staff member to learn the Fa, so I should make use of this chance. I looked for opportunities to clarify the facts about Falun Gong to my office mate. She had read Falun Gong books before the persecution, and she was on medical leave when the persecution began. Then she went to study in another town. She didn't watch the TV propaganda. She only heard that the government did not allow people to practice, but she didn't know any details. I told her all I knew. She was clear and got the facts. I told her how my character and body had benefited from Dafa.
She had myocarditis, and her treatment hadn't gone well. She heard my experiences and asked, "Can I learn Falun Gong now?" I said, "Of course you can." She found the books after she went home and truly walked down the path of studying the Fa and cultivation practice. Now she has no illness, is diligent in learning the Fa, reciting the Fa, and cultivating her character. She does the three things simultaneously, and has already caught up with the Fa rectification process. We studied the Fa and exchanged experiences together. We clarified the facts in our workplace. One talked while the other sent righteous thoughts. We worked together well. After three or four years, we had clarified the facts to almost everyone we met, and most of them understood the facts. For those who did not accept them, we sent them our good wishes, hoped they would have another chance to learn the facts and be saved.
During this time, we exposed our attachments to fear, to fighting, to showing off, to preference, and to jealousy amongst others. We caught them and discarded them. I realized that all is under Master's careful arrangement. He gave us the chance to advance our cultivation and save beings. We were separated later due to project requirements, and I went to a new work environment. I thought that this was also Master's arrangement. He wants us to assume sole responsibility, discard our attachment to dependence, and save more beings in different environments.
November 27, 2008
