(Minghui.org) Greetings to revered Master! Greetings to fellow practitioners!
I am a young Dafa practitioner from Japan. I am 10 years old. I learned the Fa from my mother three and a half years ago. I am so excited to be able to come to Washington, DC, to attend this sacred Fa conference today, because I know that Dafa practitioners from all over the world are gathered here. I would like to share my recent cultivation experiences with the young Dafa practitioners from all over the world.
Clarifying the Truth at School
I am currently in grade five. Several months ago, a Chinese boy from Harbin was transferred to my class. He could not speak Japanese when he arrived in Japan. It was difficult for him to attend school without someone to help translate for him. My principal knew I could speak Chinese, so he arranged for the boy to be my desk-mate, hoping that I could lend him a hand. In the beginning, just like all of us in class, I was curious and excited about the little Chinese boy who would be arriving the next day. I told my mother about this as soon as I got home. She said, “Oh, Teacher has arranged for somebody with a predestined relationship for you to clarify the truth to. That is a good thing. Not all young Dafa practitioners outside of China get such an opportunity.”
A few days after the Chinese boy arrived, I began to talk to him about quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) youth organizations. I was surprised to find he did not quite believe it. I asked him, “Do you like the red scarf [that the Young Pioneers wear]?” He said, “Just so-so.” I told him that it was very bad to belong to the Young Pioneers and tried to persuade him to quit, but he said, “No Chinese boys have ever resigned from it.” I told him that in the face of calamities, quitting the Young Pioneers could protect one’s life, but he still took it with a grain of salt. My competitive mentality got the better of me, and I tried to persuade him even harder; he finally agreed to quit—but unwillingly.
The next day, to my surprise he asked me, “Do you practice Falun Gong? Falun Gong is not good. They commit suicide!” I was really surprised and asked him, “How do you know I practice Falun Gong?” He said: “My mother asked me to see if you are practicing Falun Gong. She also told me that if you are, I should say I do not understand what you are talking about and don't know anything when you talk to me again.” I then understood he did not really understand the truth, so I told him about the staged Tiananmen Square self-immolation incident and other such examples, but he still did not believe me. Instead, he said he did not want to listen to me anymore and refused to take the truth-clarification booklet I tried to give him.
After I got home, my mother asked me to search inwards. I knew it was my competitive mentality that had caused the problem. On the other hand, it seemed that pupils from China and Japan are dramatically different. In the past when I talked to my classmates about things related to Falun Dafa, they were very curious and willing to listen. When I asked them whether they believed there were Gods in this world, some said yes, some said no, and others said, “I am still thinking about it.” However, none of them behaved like the Chinese boy who was afraid and reluctant to listen. I could really see how difficult it is to clarify the truth to Chinese people!
One day, the grandmother of a fellow practitioner gave me a large bag of lotus flower talismans. The next day, I gave one to my Chinese friend. When he saw the words “Falun Dafa Is Good” on it, he was reluctant to take it. I said, "Please take it. It will bring peace and blessings to you." It was so beautiful that he took it.
When I gave one to another classmate, my class mentor saw it and asked what it was. Seeing she was interested, I told her it was a talisman. I also told her about Falun Dafa and wanted to give her one, but she asked, “Do you have more at home?” When I said I did, she suggested, “How about you bring them all to class and give them to your classmates who may want them. I will take any you have left.”
The next day, I was very happy to bring all the lotus flowers to class. However, in the early morning, my Chinese desk-mate unexpectedly gave me back the lotus flower I gave him the day before and said, “It is better to return this to you. I do not want it.” I did not say anything, just took the flower back and put it in my backpack, thinking that it might be just as well that he returned it to me. If he threw it away out of fear, he would actually generate karma.
When school was almost over in the afternoon, my class mentor said to the class, “Please wait a moment. One of your classmates will tell you all something.” The teacher asked me to stand up. I held up a lotus flower and showed it to the class and said, “This is a Chinese talisman. Hanging it at home will bring you peace and blessings. If you would like to have one, you may come and get it from me.” Everyone in the class was very happy to get one. Some said, “Really lovely.” Another said, “Very beautiful.” Some asked what the Chinese characters on the flowers meant. To my surprise, some of my classmates who had heard of Falun Dafa from me before held up their lotus flowers and said loudly, “I know, I know! I heard from you that this was a qigong in China!” They then pronounced it with a Japanese accent: “It says ‘Falun Dafa Is Good!’ ‘Zhen-Shan-Ren Is Good!’” Just then, the Chinese boy reached out and said, “Let me also have one, too.” I was so happy that he voluntarily asked me for the lotus-flower talisman. I also realized I needed to continue with my efforts and hoped that he would understand the truth and voluntarily quit the Young Pioneers.
Distributing Truth-Clarification Materials on My Birthday
In November last year, the Zhen-Shan-Ren Art Exhibition was held in the community center of the Meguro District in Tokyo. Many practitioners went there to distribute flyers. My mother went there twice, along with my sister and me. The second time we went was on a Sunday. It happened that it was the last day of the exhibition and also my 10th birthday. My home is quite a distance away from Tokyo. It takes over an hour and a half to get there by monorail, so when we got there it was already past 11:00 a.m. My sister and I walked here and there on the street to distribute flyers. When we met people interested in seeing the exhibition, we would emphasize that this was the last day and that they should not miss it, then we would lead them to the exhibition site.
By the time we got home by monorail, it was already 4:30 p.m. It was really cold and windy on the way back. On the way, my mother said that it took us over three hours to and from the exhibition site and that the monorail cost over 4,000 Japanese yen, which is enough to buy a very big birthday cake or for the entire family to enjoy a very good meal in a Japanese restaurant. Our expenses for whole day could also allow us to have a really good time in an amusement park to celebrate my birthday. In China, the 10th birthday is a very important event for a boy, so parents usually host a big party. However, we are Dafa disciples and do not regard ordinary people’s things so seriously. Instead, we must put Dafa in the first place.
When we got home, it was nearly 7:00 p.m. After eating some instant noodles, my sister and I ate the birthday cake my dad had bought for me. I was very happy. I said, “In fact, I have been very happy today! I felt really good distributing the flyers!” My sister also said, “I also liked giving out the flyers!” But I noticed some of my attachments while I was distributing the flyers. For example, I was shy at first, but after giving out many flyers, I wanted to sit down and relax a bit. I know this was not an earnest and righteous thought. Also, when people thanked me and praised me for taking them to the exhibition site, much of my zealotry came out. I know I must give up all these attachments.
Persistence in Participating in Weekly Group Fa Study
Every Tuesday, there is a group Fa study and sharing in Tokyo. My mother, my sister, and I go every single time. We have never missed it, rain or shine. However, my mother has strict requirements for us: when we get there, we cannot run around and talk loud, so that we do not interfere with fellow practitioners’ Fa study, sharing, and sending righteous thoughts.
We usually set out around 5:00 p.m., which is a bit too early for supper, but the sharing lasts until 10:00 p.m., and we would get hungry. So on Tuesday, Mom cooks some instant noodles for us before heading out and then carries snacks us for us to eat at the Fa study site. My mother once got angry at us about the snacks. We usually ate the snacks after the Fa study and during the sharing. In the beginning, I would always share my snacks with fellow practitioners sitting near me. Usually, they would politely decline by waving their hands, but I would continue to encourage them to try my snacks. When I tried too hard and my gestures got too obvious, my mother was not happy and would say to me in a stern voice on our way home, “The Fa study site is not a park. It is not respectful behavior to eat snacks when others are sharing. It is because you are little and get hungry easily that I allow you to eat snacks there, but you make a show of yourself by asking others to eat your snacks. In the future, if you get hungry, you should just eat the snacks quickly yourself without showing off!” After that, my sister and I were very careful about eating snacks. We would use a book to cover our mouths while we were eating.
In January of this year, I began to exhibit flu symptoms, with fever, a cough, sneezing and chills. The teacher at school sent me to the clinic and then called my mother to pick me up. It was a Fa study day. Despite the strong chilly wind, Mom took me to Fa study. In the monorail, I was muddle-headed and shivering. Mom patted my boiling-hot forehead and asked me to recite in heart, “Falun Dafa is good! Zhen-Shan-Ren is good!” At the Fa study site, I was sleepy the entire time. When I woke up, I drank some water. When I got home, I still felt cold even thought I was covered with a quilt. Mom said, “You should be fine. This is karma elimination. You should be clear in your mind that you are eliminating karma, and you should not regard it as sickness. It will work if you recite ‘Falun Dafa is good’ in your heart!” I was clear in my mind that this was karma elimination, so I did not treat it as a sickness. The next day, my fever disappeared. On the 3rd day, I was back to normal. I could feel the mighty power of Dafa!
When we finish Fa study and get home, it is nearly midnight. Many times, my sister and I fall asleep on the monorail. When my mother woke me up to get off, I did not feel like getting up and leaving the monorail. Instead, I wished I could continue to sleep. Since I am older than my sister, I was still able to forebear a bit no matter how uncomfortable I was. However, my sister, who is three years younger than me, could not. She was not accustomed at all to being woken up in the monorail, so she just cried and complained. Even if she got up, she would want Mom to carry her on her back. However, my mother was strict with her. My mother quit carrying her after doing it a couple of times. Then she insisted that my sister walk by herself. When we slept in the monorail, we felt warm and comfortable, but when we got off, it was so cold. It was especially worse in the winter when it rained. We wished we could run home quickly. At those times, my mother would ask us with a smile, “Do you feel cold? Sleepy? Uncomfortable? If you do, it is be a good thing. Do you know why? It is because you are eliminating karma! What a nice thing to be able to do! Do you still remember what Master says in Hong Yin? “Let joy be found in hardship,” right? Then, why do you still mutter and complain? Do not you take this as joy? If you do not, you only eliminate your karma but without advancing your xinxing!” Mother’s words made us, who were muttering and complaining, laugh with understanding.
We hope, no matter how hard it is, we will persevere in attending the group Fa study!
After all, I felt so very full joy after obtaining the Fa. We have learned a lot under the guidance of my mother. Nevertheless, I feel that I still have a lot left to be desired with regard to diligence. For instance, I am easily absentminded when I send forth righteous thoughts or do the tranquil meditation, rather than staying peaceful. Sometimes, I open my eyes to look around in the middle of righteous thoughts. In front of my sister, my competitive mentality, jealousy and show-off mentality are especially strong. I bully my sister from time to time. I read too fast during Fa study, and Mom commented that I did not study the Fa as wholeheartedly and solidly like my sister, since she reads the Fa one character at a time. I will endeavor to get rid of these attachments and become a truly diligent young Dafa disciple.
We do not watch TV series or cartoons at home. We play electronic games, either, because we feel they are boring. We love to watch the old TV series produced 20 to 30 years ago that my mother picked for us, such as Journey to the West, Ji Gong, The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, The Legend of Deification, Water Margin, and the recent Korean show Dae Jang Geum. We thing that these shows are very interesting and we love watching them. After watching these Chinese TV shows, we learned a lot about Chinese culture. We have also learned many idioms from them, so when we read Zhuan Falun and come across terms like “Monkey King,” “Ji Gong,” “Lu Dong Bin,” “Da Ji,” etc., we can easily understand them. Also, my Chinese proficiency has advanced quickly, and I do take joy in learning Chinese. Besides, my mother often plays us Dafa songs. My sister and I love singing them. We feel Dafa songs are so pleasant to our ears.
Nevertheless, I would still like to point one thing out to my mother: “You have been so great in all other aspects except for your hot temper.” I used to use the phrase “be in a towering rage” to describe my mother when she was furious. So, every time we read the paragraph under “People with Great Inborn Quality” in Lecture 9, Zhuan Falun, my sister and I would laugh and my mother also laughed. The text reads:
“Some people will lose their temper in disciplining children and yell at them, making quite a scene. You should not be that way in disciplining children, and neither should you, yourselves get really upset. You should educate children with reason so that you can really teach them well. If you cannot even get over a trifle and lose your temper easily, how can you expect to increase your gong?”
So, my mother, my sister, and I all need to be diligent!
Finally, I would like to recite Master’s poem “Falun World” to end my sharing.
"Words cannot describe its beauty and wonder,
Its every hue and color, so glorious, dazzle the eye;
Fortune and longevity fill this Buddhist Holy Land,
At a higher place sits the Falun World."
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners! Heshi.