(Clearwisdom.net) I began practicing Falun Dafa in the spring of 1997. I'm now 70 years old. With Teacher's compassionate care for me, I have been able to walk firmly to today through the storms of the past ten years. This is because I have benefited greatly from my Dafa cultivation. I was disabled, but now I am healthy, and a righteous cultivator, who is walking on the path to the divine.
It is difficult to put into words how grateful I am to Teacher, who has given me so much. During the ten years of the Chinese Communist Party's violent persecution, I was able to stay steadfast on my path. I became more clear-minded and mature.
I was in a major accident involving nine other people. I was severely injured along with seven others; one person died from the accident. In the hospital I was diagnosed with a severely fractured lumbar vertebrae. After surgery I was a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair during my waking hours. My wife was suffering from a long-term illness, and our children were still very young. I felt the world was crumbling around me. My wife, parents, and children were depending on me, and it broke my heart to see them looking at me in despair. Many times I thought of dying, but my family had no one else to take care of them. I endured the physical and mental pain of living every day.
Still hopeful, I went to see specialists in many other cities. No one could help me. Their reply was: “In your current situation, there is no better treatment plan; just go home and try to recuperate.” The doctors' answers were devastating to me. My last hope—that a major hospital in another part of the country could help me—was gone. I was completely without hope. I took medicine every day and had injections monthly. Many years went by.
Obtained the Fa
In the spring of 1997, I happened to notice two books sitting on the shelf that I had not seen before. I was not busy at the time so I picked up one and began to read it. The first article I read was “True Cultivation” in Zhuan Falun (Volume II). It made a lot of sense to me.
Several days went by, and I noticed the books were still there. I couldn't help but wonder why. Once again I started to read one of them. Later I came to realize the books were placed there by my children who wanted me to practice Falun Dafa, but were not sure how to bring up the topic without me immediately objecting to their suggestion.
Days later I went to the hospital to have my ear treated. While waiting, I asked my children to bring those two books to me, so I could read some more, and thus pass the time. While reading, a co-worker came up to me and asked, “You also practice Falun Dafa?” I told him how I happened to come across the books, but was not aware of Falun Dafa. He was a practitioner, and so he introduced me to the practice. He said there were also five exercises and video lectures, as well as other books. I thought about what he said and soon I, too, began cultivation.
After practicing Dafa for a while, I noticed that the pain in my lumbar was gone and my legs also felt warm. It gave me a great deal of confidence in the practice. Then I bought all the Dafa books and faithfully studied the Fa and did the exercises. I joined group Fa studies and group exercises and I started to spread the Fa wherever I went. My body was gradually recovering. During that period of time, I was much happier and energetic. My family life was harmonious and I truly felt my life was fulfilling.
Then the persecution began on July 20, 1999: Jiang Zemin's regime started a nationwide unprecedented and extremely brutal persecution of Falun Dafa. He viciously attacked and slandered Dafa and Teacher. The lies filled the air—you could feel them in every breath. The exercise sites and Fa study groups were banned; fellow practitioners could not gather together. I lost contact with the city's Falun Dafa Assistant Center. Shortly thereafter, they attempted to brainwash practitioners where I worked. My personal freedom was very limited; it was very sad and difficult, and time seemed to stand still.
Going to Beijing three times
In 2000 when the repression was most severe, I gathered with the practitioners from our Fa study group and said that we needed to do something to show our support, that we should go to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Dafa and support Teacher.
The next day several of us went to Beijing to validate the Fa. We got to Tiananmen Square and shouted, “Falun Dafa is good! Give Teacher his freedom!” The police arrested us. There were already more than 100 fellow practitioners there and more were coming. We all shouted, “Falun Dafa is good! Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!”
A fellow practitioner was knocked out when a police officer hit him with a baton. We continued shouting, “Falun Dafa is good!” The good and evil forces were at war. At night we were locked up inside. A police officer said to me, “You practice Falun Dafa. Why do you need crutches?” I had never thought about that. After I got back home, I thought, “Why would a Beijing police officer care about my use of crutches? Is it a hint from Teacher?” So I became even more diligent with my practice, studying Fa and doing the exercises. I even began to practice walking. First I was able to completely leave the wheelchair, then two crutches became one, the big crutch became a small crutch, and finally I was able to walk with no crutches at all.
By the time I went to Beijing for the third time, I was completely healed.
A little blossoming flower
Other practitioners made Dafa materials. I was relying on them. When they finished making materials, I would go and pick them up. Sometimes I would even get angry when I couldn't get them fast enough. I never thought about how hard and tiring it was for them to make the materials. In order to save sentient beings, they were tirelessly making the materials with very little time to sleep or eat. By comparison, I was complaining when I couldn't get them fast enough. I realized this was a very selfish mentality. I did not feel like a righteous enlightened being who always thinks of others and is selfless and altruistic.
When there weren't enough materials, I thought about how nice it would be if I could also make them. Interfered with by the old forces, I would then think, “It is very dangerous if someone is discovered making materials. I'm old and not very literate. I don't have computer experience. How could I possibly make any materials?” These thoughts stood in my way.
Through group Fa Study, reading the article “Putting down the hoe and picking up the mouse” in Minghui Weekly, and searching within, I asked myself, “If other practitioners can pick up the mouse, why can't I? Teacher has told us that material sites should blossom everywhere like flowers, so why can't I do it? Isn't this due to human notions? Was I not listening to Teacher's words?”
I thought about this over and over, I was able to stabilize my righteous thoughts and eliminate the interferences. With Teacher's care and fellow practitioners' help, a little flower finally blossomed in my house. I first bought a 3-in-1 copier and, after some time learning to use it, and practicing, I felt that it wasn't that difficult, so I then bought a computer. Gradually, I learned how to get on Minghui, download Minghui materials, print materials, and burn discs.
Now I can get on Minghui/Clearwisdom every day to read sharing articles by fellow practitioners. It has everything I need and it is so wonderful. Minghui is also a reliable way to obtain Teacher's Fa lectures and official teachings, and it is a sharing platform for practitioners both in China and overseas. I feel we should all get on Minghui and not allow ourselves to be blocked by our human notions. Let us all start to act and be one of the tens of thousands of little blooming flowers, so we can save more sentient beings, assist Teacher to rectify the Fa, and return to our true homes.
I still remember how very excited I was when I first printed a copy of the Minghui Weekly. Now I can also make brochures, print Minghui Weekly Magazine and Minghui Weekly, and make the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. I want to say: “Thank you, Teacher! Thank you to all the fellow practitioners who have helped me!” Even though I can't make a lot of materials, they are being distributed near and far and helping to save sentient beings. I give them to my neighbors, as well as people thousand of miles away thanks to the practitioner who is a driver and takes materials from me and distributes them far and wide.
We also printed Falun Dafa messages on paper currency. I usually put them on one and five-yuan bills for fellow practitioners to use. One time while shopping in a market I overheard a conversation between two people selling vegetables: “Nowadays there is a lot of money with Falun Dafa messages on them. Watch out for them.” I was shocked, but then I realized immediately this was a test. I went to buy something from them and gave them six bills with messages. The seller saw them and immediately said, “This old person is Falun Dafa. Every bill has stuff written on it.” I followed the conversation and told them the benefits of spending this money and clarified the truth to them for a quite a while. In the end, I said, “If you are too afraid, then I can exchange them for you.” They said, “That's okay. That's okay,” and accepted the money.
Every evening I visit the store to buy milk for myself and an elderly neighbor. The neighbor appreciates it greatly. I'm happy to do it, and it gives me the opportunity to spend more of the bills with messages on them. Over the past several years, I've been able to spend four or five bills every day. One time when I was buying milk, I gave the money to the girl, and she immediately turned the money around and said, “I guessed it was you. I often get these bills.” I then told her, “There are so many natural disasters these days. If you follow these phrases and read them, it will keep you safe and help your business.” She thought about it and felt that her business and family were both doing well ever since she started receiving these bills, and so she agreed with me. I said to her, “If others come to spend this money, just accept it. If you are not able to spend them, save them for me and I'll exchange them for you.”
Days later, I asked her about it again. She said, “You really mean what you say. I have been able to use them all and have none saved up.” Later I clarified the truth to her again and she happily quit the CCP. Now she gladly uses the money with the messages.
Even though I don't feel like I am doing enough in all the various projects for saving sentient beings, Teacher is still taking care of me. Recently in my yard, there were many udumbara flowers blooming on green bean leaves, gourd leaves, iron chains, window boxes, and many other places. Some places had one or two and other places had forty or fifty. They are very beautiful!
This is Teacher encouraging me and I feel very happy. I'll study the Fa more, cultivate myself well, and save more sentient beings. I will be more and more diligent to repay Teacher's gratitude and return home with him.
