(Minghui.org)
Greetings, revered Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
For many years, our group has studied the Fa together and shared experiences together. Whenever we have things to do or problems to solve, we always discuss them according to the Fa and share the burdens together. Because we have kept up with group study, our small group is able to walk the path of Fa-validation steadily. I would like to take the opportunity of this Fa Conference to report to Master, and share with fellow practitioners about how we have broken through the evil persecution and cultivated according to the Fa.
Study the Fa Well
Master said, “Gong is the Law, and the Law is gong, for mind itself is matter.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Houston”)
Therefore, it is very important to study the Fa. At the beginning, we might not be able to understand the deeper meaning, but we should at least know the meaning on the surface.
Our group always studies the Fa together. In addition to reading through the whole book, we also discuss our current understandings paragraph by paragraph and review what Master said in other teachings on the same issue. If something happened recently or on that day, we would study the Fa together and understand the issue according to the Fa, and check what Master has said about it. We would also go over Master’s other teachings, and try to understand the issue from multiple angles, and reach an agreement according to the Fa. Every problem can be solved. Gradually, a mechanism has formed. When we are together, we only discuss how to understand the Fa, what teachings we have memorized, and how we judge a problem according to the Fa. We do not chat about everyday things.
The issue seems simple, yet it is not. When we told other practitioners how we study the Fa, they were all very touched. They said that they have studied the Fa for so many years and made sure that they read at least one lecture of Zhuan Falun every day. However, the Fa is the Fa, and the practitioner is the practitioner. They still did not know how to judge events according to the Fa and could not feel the power of the Fa. They were scared when they heard anything about the persecution. They did not know what true cultivation was. Now they know how to study the Fa, feel confident without fear, and have more wisdom while clarifying the truth.
Improving Our Understanding of the Fa in the Process of Rescuing Fellow Practitioners
In the last few years, we participated in rescuing many fellow practitioners. Some of them were local, some were from other regions. I am going to tell how we rescued a regional coordinator.
The persecution in one region was very severe. Practitioners were arrested frequently, and the local coordinator was arrested again. It was evening when we heard the news, and we immediately drove to that region. We went to Practitioner A’s home, and Practitioner B was there. When the coordinator was arrested outside, Practitioner B was at her home. Because of her long-term attachment of fear, all kinds of negative thoughts came to the surface when she heard that a close fellow practitioner was arrested. We could feel that even the air was very heavy at A’s home.
We shared together. Master does not accept any arrangements by the old forces, so we shouldn't, either. According to the Fa, Dafa disciples should not be persecuted, so we should not be. Master asked us not to even accept the symptoms of tribulation, so why should we look at them? Why should we even care about them? In this process, we are judged by how we react. If we are deceived by the illusions and think we are human beings, the evil is strengthened. When we think the persecution is between human beings, we move forward with difficulty and great suffering. However, if we react according to Master’s Fa and deny the persecution, we will take it as an opportunity to improve our gong, and disintegrate what is not righteous.
After sharing, A’s family and B calmed down. We said, “Let’s visit Big Sister’s home and find out exactly what happened.” When we arrived at Big Sister’s house, it was very dark already. Her husband is not a practitioner. Perhaps because of her multiple arrests, he was very nervous. When he saw us, he said in a low voice, “Let’s go to the backyard to talk.” One of us said, “We are not bad people, why do we need to go to the backyard?” Her husband then let us enter the room and said very quietly, “Shall I turn on the light?” A practitioner smiled and said, “Of course, please turn on the light.” Her husband said, “If you are not afraid, why should I be?” There was a bag of fried almonds on Big Sister’s cabinet. A practitioner said, “Brother-in-law has such delicious food today.” She took one almond, put it in her mouth, and said, “Very good!" Big Sister’s husband said, “Please help yourselves.” The atmosphere was suddenly much more relaxed, and we felt much closer to Big Sister’s husband. Her husband said, “Your Big Sister was arrested. The whole house was searched in the afternoon. We were so embarrassed.” We asked, “Is Big Sister a bad person? Did she do anything bad? We just want to be good people, and the evil Party persecutes us. We are good people being persecuted. We did not do anything wrong. We should feel very good. Those people who persecute us are swaggering bullies—why should we victims feel ashamed? Besides, Big Sister married you and depends on you. You should behave like a man and try to protect her, right? We should not watch her being persecuted. If you stood up for her when they came to arrest her, maybe the situation would have been different. How she wished you would protect her!" Her husband nodded, told us what had happened, and said that he would go to the police station with us the next day to ask for her release.
Big Sister was arrested because one of her close relatives betrayed her. To clarify the truth to the local people, we made posters overnight, and pointed out that the individual had “sold” his relative for his own personal interests—how could that person be trusted? A's family and other practitioners put up the posters all over the village. The relative in question saw people looking at something on the telephone pole the next morning and went over to see what it was. Someone said to him, “Come quick, you are on the poster!” They read what it said about him. Ashamed, he left before they even finished reading.
When we went to the police station to request Big Sister's release, we were not afraid. Big Sister's husband was not afraid, either. On the contrary, the chief and other officers were afraid to stay in the police station and escaped by the side doors.
During that time, we often went to the police station in the morning with Big Sister's husband to request her release. In the afternoon we studied the Fa and shared our understandings. Big Sister was responsible for many projects at that time. Now that she had been arrested, it was not just her personal problem. The evil was attacking our whole body of practitioners. We studied “Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005.” When incidents such as this happen, they do not only target the individual practitioner. Now that she had been arrested, we should not look at her problems - that would make us the same as the evil and give the evil excuses to persecute her. We should wait for her to get out, study the Fa together, and rectify the situation according to the Fa. It also tested how we were affected as a whole body. We should continue do what we were supposed to do and not be affected. The police thought that once the “leader” was caught, the rest of us would be disturbed or scared. In other dimensions, the evil thought that if Big Sister was caught, nobody could take her place, and the whole body would be disintegrated. We decided to do just the opposite. We would do even better, and there would be material centers everywhere.
Master said in the “Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference:”
“Since you're Dafa disciples, when there's a problem, everyone should work together as one. Since they aren't afraid of having their dirty deeds brought out into the open, we should expose them all to the whole world, and let all Americans know that a U.S. citizen has been arrested. Since they're not afraid of having their dirty deeds brought out into the open, we should go ahead and do those things. Every day that they don't release him is another day for us to expose them.”
Every day that they don't release our fellow practitioner is another day for us to expose them, and use the arrest to clarify the truth.
During that time, in addition to putting up posters, we also clarified the truth with flyers and pamphlets from multiple angles. We made many templates to print truth-clarification messages on paper currency. We wrote down the crimes committed by the local security forces and made a bunch of copies. Soon the truth was well known. When practitioners spent the bills, everyday people who saw what was printed on them would denounce the police.
The authorities could not handle it anymore. The relative who had betrayed her went to Big Sister's husband and threatened have his salary stopped if he did not stop. Big Sister's husband was a little frightened. We shared together about how to look at the issue.
Master said in “Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Houston:”
“Among human principles arise [the principles of] the king governing the country, of soldiers conquering the world, and of the strong becoming heroes.”
We understood that we should be strong according to human world principles. If he tried to be strong to protect and rescue Dafa disciples, the divine will give him more blessings. After understanding this principle, we went to his home and said to him, “Big Brother-in-law, are you afraid? Why should you be afraid? Who would dare to stop your salary? Go to his home and find him, and turn him in if he stops your salary. At your age, and with Big Sister in such a situation, what can make you afraid? Human beings cannot live a useless life.” Big Brother-in-law said, “I am not afraid. I will turn him in if he dares to stop my salary. I will ask for my money back if that happens.”
During that time, Practitioner B volunteered to cook for Big Brother-in-law. Big Brother-in-law's whole family was very touched and had a better understanding of the Fa.
Not long after that, Big Sister was released. The whole body became more mature as a result of that incident and knows how to eliminate the evil using the Fa. Everyone witnessed the power of the Fa and believed more firmly in the Fa.
What Is a True Loss?
A few years ago, Practitioner C had an old friend who used to take charge of persecuting Falun Gong before he retired. Later on, he was sick and could not get around much. Practitioner C met him by chance and started to clarify the truth to him. He seemed to be able to accept the truth, and showed a willingness to quit the CCP and study the Fa. Practitioner C helped him get an MP3 player with Master's teachings for him to listen.
That day happened to be one of our group study days. For some reason Fa study was somewhat delayed. Afterwards, Practitioner C went home and saw that her home had been ransacked. She printed truth-clarification information on paper currency in her home. Printers and thousands in cash, some belonging to the material center and some belonging to Practitioner C, had been taken away. Her husband told her, “Your old friend had come to pick up the MP3 player. There was another guest here, too, and they were chatting. Someone knocked at the door. Your friend got up to open the door, and it was the police. The police entered, searched, and took many things. They even searched my guest's backpack and looked at his ID before letting him go. The police also intended to arrest you, but you did come back for a long time, so they left.” Practitioner C left her home and went to stay with other practitioners that night.
Afterwards, the police frequently patrolled near Practitioner C's home and wanted to arrest her. Fellow practitioners felt strongly about this and started to complain about and blame Practitioner C for leaving so much cash at home, causing a big loss. All those resources were for Dafa! Practitioner C felt huge pressure and was very depressed. Afterwards, local TV reported on the confiscation of the production center and truth-clarification paper currency, telling banks and retailers to refuse to accept such bills and threatening to escalate the persecution.
We immediately had a group discussion about this. Many practitioners said that we had suffered a big loss this time. What is a true loss? It was a big loss that the printers, computers, and cash were taken away. However, what Master values most is how we improve ourselves. If we place too much emphasis on materials and push a fellow practitioner out and cause her to be persecuted and not be able to return home, that would be a true loss! Now we had to change our mindset completely, and use all our efforts to focus on eliminating the evil and disintegrating those elements meant to separate us and persecute the whole body.
No matter who reported, it was all from human beings and had no effect on us. We should look at what our Master said on this issue:
“Some people have suggested writing 'Falun Dafa is Great' or 'Withdraw from the Party' on Renminbi. (Audience laughs) I think that's a terrific idea. (Applause) You can't throw away money, and you can't destroy it.”（”Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles”）
Master said it was good, so it is good. It does not matter who says it is not good or tries to ban it.
After our mindsets changed, there were no more complaints, and the pressure was off Practitioner C. All our hearts were together, and we shared together about how something like this could have happened. We concluded it was the old friend who had betrayed her. A guest does not usually answer the door in someone else's home. The police didn't check him, just the other guest's backpack and personal ID. They easily let him go.
His trouble with his legs and feet was due to persecuting Falun Gong in the past. We should let him know this fact: If he wants to live, he should truly understand what Dafa is and completely change to repay the loss. However, he didn't do it. Practitioner C clarified the truth to him due to her attachment to human sentimentality for an old friendship. She asked him to study the Fa once he showed his willingness to accept the truth, and even took him home. She forgot how important her home was. What Practitioner C did was not very rational, and she had an attachment to human sentimentality. Many police officers have done this before: agreed with you on the surface, with the intention of getting closer to you for their own purposes. We'd studied the Fa, why didn't we realize it? How come we didn't understand what they really wanted to do? It is because we have human sentimentality. This person used to be an old friend, and he seemed to agree with the Fa and wanted to study the Fa. She felt so happy that she did not act with wisdom.
Another reason for Practitioner C's tribulation was that one of her relatives used to work on technical things. He was very frightened after being persecuted. He heard that Practitioner C always went to group study and had a material center at home and was very scared. He always tried to persuade her not to go to group study, and said that her home computer had been monitored for over a year, which was not at all true. He warned her that she would have trouble if she did not stop. Since he was a relative, she didn't want to turn him away when he came to her house, or stop him from saying those things. Inadvertently, she was influenced by his fright and distorted opinions.
We study the Fa together every day. Why can't we overcome human sentimentality to stop words and deeds that aren't on the Fa, and correct the wrongdoings and opinions? Aren't these opportunities for us to protect the Fa? We study the Fa and yet don't let go of human attachments. This is why the things were confiscated. If she hadn't gone to group study, she would have been persecuted, too. Master arranged a delay in Fa study so that Practitioner C was not at home when the police came.
After this Fa study and sharing, Practitioner C understood why she was persecuted, and everyone else also improved according to the Fa on this issue. We sent forth righteous thoughts together and disintegrated the evil's intentions to persecute Practitioner C and other practitioners.
In addition, we've always used paper currency with Dafa messages throughout these years. Basically we use it for everything we buy. If a retailer won't take our cash, we clarify the truth to him and tell him that when he accepts it and gives it to other customers, he is helping spread the truth, and he will have better luck and better business by doing that. Since we are telling him wholeheartedly, our words have great power, and the retailer will witness the miraculous power of Dafa, and his business will be better than ever. So when we buy things from them, many retailers ask for the truth-clarification bills, and some even exchange their money for truth-clarification money. Many people are saved this way.
Who Is Afraid?
In 2007, we went to the countryside to take some consumables to a material center. Local Practitioner D said, “In a village in our area, spies have been monitoring us at night, and there are also patrollers who have threatened to arrest those who distribute materials. During the day, the village committee members disturb practitioners. They are all very frightened now, and practitioners from outside are afraid to go there. What shall we do?” Practitioner E said to him, “Let us go there this time.” Practitioner D did not agree and said that it was not safe. E said, “You go back to do your work and find someone to take us there. We will share after we come back.”
D found someone who knew how to drive a three-wheeled cargo vehicle to get us there. It suddenly started to rain, and E said that we should not be affected by it. It rained more and more heavily, a real downpour. Although we all had umbrellas, they were useless, and our clothes were soaked in no time. At that time, E saw a giant dragon in the sky, with its jaws wide open, spewing out water. He knew it was the dragon who caused the trouble. E had us send forth righteous thoughts together immediately. E saw himself clearly rising above the clouds. Although the dragon was huge, it didn't seem to have much power, as if it were bundled up. Practitioner E knew that Master was helping us. Master had immobilized the dragon so that it did not have any power. It was a test to see if we had courage. Were we afraid or could we realize that we were Dafa disciples helping Master with Fa-rectification? Practitioner E imagined himself with a sword in his hand, and immediately there was a sword in his hand. He then went to kill the dragon. Later on E said, “Previously I read novels describing conquering dragons and tigers. Who can conquer dragons and tigers? We can.” Master said that we are powerful, and if we truly believe it, we have all the power we need! Once the evil dragon was eliminated, the rain stopped.
After we arrived, we went to a fellow practitioner's home. She said, “The village committee has informed us not to go outside or visit each other. They told us not to go out at night, otherwise we'll be arrested.” We said, "Let us find all the practitioners, and study the Fa and share together, so that we can understand the issue according to the Fa." Since we had done Dafa work together before and witnessed the miraculous power of Dafa, she trusted us and went to find all the other practitioners to come for a sharing.
When the persecution first started in 1999, the authorities said, “Stay home. If you study the Fa at home, by yourself, we will not bother you." Many people believed them, yet they were still persecuted. At that time, the Minghui website reported multiple such arrests. Practitioners studied the Fa secretly at home but were still arrested and sent to labor camps. Why? It is not that the evil is so powerful, it is because we are not on the Fa. Master has asked us to do “group Fa study” and “group exercises.” When we study the Fa and do the exercises together, there will be a big energy field. The power of the whole body is huge. The field will automatically suppress and eliminate the evil. If we do not do “group Fa study” as Master told us, we are following the evil's arrangements and will suffer persecution.
We are persecuted because we are afraid and believe we are committing crimes when we gather together, and that the materials at home are criminal evidence. The evil does not have much power, but our incorrect thoughts can strengthen it. Is the evil Party strong? After reading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, we know that its power is fake. It was the KMT army that fought the Japanese invaders. Now it is afraid of both big and small countries. The Party leaders are even more afraid and do not dare to go out by themselves, are scared even in their dreams, and are afraid of being assassinated. The CCP has started so many campaigns meant to show its strength. People follow whatever it says. Even some practitioners also passed along the propaganda, and say how powerful the evil Party is, how brutal it persecutes practitioners. Their heads are full of these thoughts.
Master has said,
“Looking, but caring not to see—
Free of delusion and doubt.
Listening, but caring not to hear—
A mind so hard to disturb.” (“Abiding in the Dao” from Hong Yin)
Why should we look at it and talk about it?
Master said in Zhuan Falun,
“The thing that ordinary people send out in their daily lives when they think is in the form of a human brain, but it disperses quickly since it doesn’t have energy. But a practitioner’s energy lasts much longer.”
When we accept how bad the evil Party is, we are actually strengthening it. If none of us is afraid, then see how it behaves.
In the end, everything is under Master's control. Our Master has created the universe and all lives, so why should we be afraid? The old force is trying to keep its evil status and pretends to be strong. It tells the village committee not to let us do this or that, patrols inside and outside the village, and threatens persecution to make people fear that they could be arrested at any time. Why doesn't it arrest people outright? Because it is actually very weak. If we are afraid after hearing and seeing it, and decide to pay attention to it, we enlarge the evil and make ourselves smaller, giving it excuses to persecute us. If we are not afraid, and not affected by it, and believe that it is weak like Master said, then it is weak. If we can truly realize it from our hearts, the evil will retreat and be controlled by our righteous thoughts. This is the principle of allelopathy that Master talked about. If we can all stand up and go out to eliminate the evil in the evening in pairs, sending forth righteous thoughts as we walk; if we stare at the spies when we see them and send forth righteous thoughts, then who will be afraid?
We studied the Fa together regarding sending forth righteous thoughts. After this sharing, our wet clothes were all dry. Everyone's heart was open, and those elements suppressing our minds disappeared. Of course, things like monitoring and arrests also vanished.
The next day, we shared the issue with Practitioner D, and his understanding was also improved according to the Fa. During our frequent contact over the next few years, this region always did the three things well.
Disintegrate the Evil with Righteous Thoughts and Prevent the Persecution from Happening
In 2009, Practitioner F went to a small group for Fa study. Shortly after he arrived, the police surrounded the area and knocked on the door. Practitioner F called us and asked us to help by sending forth righteous thoughts.
At that time, three of us were studying the Fa together. We immediately stopped and started to send forth righteous thoughts. After a while, Practitioner F called and said that all the police had left. How did we send forth righteous thoughts then?
Master said,
“Since the cosmos is changing and innumerable sentient beings are to be saved in the process of such a huge cosmic body being changed, any beings that come to interfere are committing a heinous and unpardonable sin.” (“Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005”)
Since Master said it was a heinous crime, it should be destroyed, so it should not use any excuses to persecute us or interfere with our whole body, and should be completely eliminated.
Of course, it was not just as easy as words. Sometimes there is something blocking you and making you feel weak and powerless. It causes you to not send forth righteous thoughts, not believe in Master, and start to doubt the power of righteous thoughts. We should first eliminate these substances and not accept them or take them as ourselves. If it prevents me from sending forth righteous thoughts, I will eliminate it altogether. Whether it is random thoughts or weakness in the heart, I will not follow it; I will remain firm.
“Just by staying unaffected you will be able to handle all situations.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S.”)
No matter what it is, I am now determined to eliminate and disintegrate all the evil elements that persecute my fellow practitioners. In the end, it was all about firmness. Master said this in the Fa - do we believe it or not? The deeper we believe in the Fa, the stronger our righteous thoughts.
Master said,
“However strong the righteous thoughts are, that’s how great the power is.” (“Also in a Few Words” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
If we hold onto this principle, everything will be disintegrated.
In the evening we went to Practitioner F's home. She said a practitioner who was being followed by the authorities came to the study group and was the cause of the incident. We analyzed the incident and thought everything made sense. First, the police surrounded the area. The home was on the first floor, and the door was made of wood—two people could have easily forced it open. Yet the police knocked and did not enter. Why? Actually, Master was protecting us and gave us an opportunity to see what we would do—whether we could behave according to the Fa. When we have no fear, or even if only several or one of the practitioners inside has no fear, the whole field will be stabilized, and the evil will not dare to enter.
Another time, the police went to disturb a material center that we help to coordinate. They knocked on the door. Practitioner G did not open the door, but the police outside did not leave. After we heard about it, several of us stayed home to send forth righteous thoughts, and several others drove to that center and sent forth righteous thoughts on the way. By the time the practitioners got there, the police had already left. We shared about the incident at group study. We successfully disintegrated the evil persecution that time and solved the problem. Why were some practitioners not persecuted at that time, but still persecuted later? What is the reason?
It is actually mentioned by Master in Zhuan Falun:
“The student wasn’t scared when that happened. Nobody who runs into this type of thing gets scared, although they might get scared when they think back about it.”
If you think "how dangerous it is," or "what if this and that happen," the persecution will happen. Master's arrangements are miraculous. If it doesn't persecute you at that time, why are you still afraid? Those kinds of thoughts are in agreement with the old forces' arrangements, and you are asking for it. If you ask for persecution, the old forces will persecute you.
The material center at G's house is still operating steadily. G's husband had just started cultivation at that time and witnessed the power of righteous thoughts and the power of whole-body cooperation. He caught up and actively does things related to validating the Fa.
Postscript
Master said in “Drive Out Interference” from Essentials for Further Advancement II:
“The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts.”
When we encounter interference and persecution, if we can remember the Fa all the time, we can eliminate the persecution.
We met a practitioner who shared one of her experiences. During her time at a forced labor camp, she remembered what Master said in Zhuan Falun:
“And we know that nuclear fission takes a huge amount of energy for collision to happen and a huge amount of heat for the nuclei to undergo fusion or for fission to take place.”
She thought, “How could fusion happen in this evil place?” She then used the Fa to remove all human thoughts and notions, leaving only the Fa in her mind. Several days later, others thought that she was severely ill, yet she did not feel much herself. The police from the labor camp drove her home. After she got home, she started her Fa-validation work immediately.
Now the environment is more and more relaxed, and the evil is almost completely eliminated. Why are there still regions where practitioners are being persecuted and arrested? We think it is because that they don't fully believe in Master's Fa.
Master said,
“But now everything has changed, for all of those things have been cleared out and don’t exist anymore.” (“2012 International Fa Conference at the U.S. Capital”)
Do you believe it? If you believe it, then there is no evil, and what we need to do now is to save sentient beings with all our effort. If you don't believe it, you do what Dafa disciples are supposed to do under the cloud of persecution and with fear.
All these years, relying on our firm belief in Dafa, we have been eliminating all the evil and validating the greatness of Dafa. In the last days of helping Master with Fa-rectification, let us cooperate well and save more sentient beings!
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
