(Minghui.org) A friend whom I have known for two decades started his business from scratch. He established a small institute even though he had no social standing or any substantial financial backing. With wisdom, diligence, and effective sharing mechanisms, he recruited like-minded partners. His business gradually grew.

I helped him with the first round of funding, which was extremely important to his business. I did not take any kickbacks for the help. That impressed him, and he was always looking for opportunities to thank me. He kept me updated about his business developments. Because my child and his child are of a similar age, our two families maintained a friendly relationship.

I heard later that his company had flourished and was very successful. The company had continued to expand with branches throughout the country and the world. My friend had become one of the nation’s top 10 outstanding young people, an excellent youth entrepreneur, youth federation member, and so on. He had all the titles that private entrepreneurs in China dream to obtain.

His businesses spanned from one industry into several completely unrelated industries. His net worth was several billion yuan. He had bodyguards, luxury cars, and a private jet.

Everything was going too smoothly, too perfectly, he was simply too successful. He began to lose a clear understanding of himself. Everything had become too easy for him. He was eloquent and unrestrained.

Just as he and his company seemed invincible, I heard news that he had been arrested for bribery. His listed company had been suspended from trading, while more than 20 billion yuan of debt and illegal fund-raising had been exposed. He had multiple mistresses and illegitimate children. One lawsuit about the company's public offerings was underway, while two others were lining up. The public were surprised and angry.

A few days ago, I saw his wife. She took my hand in tears and told me that she felt as if she had been physically and mentally tortured. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. The strong sleeping pills she had been taking only gave her an hour of sleep each night. The mental blow had caused her to suffer from stomach bleeding. Over two months, she had lost more than 30 pounds.

Ah, people in the drama, I feel boundless sympathy for you. The sages and the wise have passed down principles to guide human conduct for thousands of years. Can anyone really understand what these principles mean? Who can really live up to them? Human life only lasts a few decades. Who is able to withstand a life where one reaches the pinnacle of success and then stumbles to the very bottom? Shackled by the pursuit of fame and fortune, immersed in sentiment and indulging desires lead to such a miserable conclusion. Retribution comes so suddenly that no one has time to prepare. How deep and irreparable the damage to friends and relatives.

Although this is a special case where a man rapidly rose to the top only to fall to the very bottom, isn't his experience one that every one of us can relate to in our daily lives? Tempted by fame and fortune, and emotion and lust, how do we restrain ourselves? Are we being responsible to our own future and to our family members?

Any evil behavior begins from just the slightest unrighteous thought. When these unrighteous thoughts accumulate to a certain extent, they will control one's behavior and pull one into the abyss.

The moment that one falls into the abyss those beautiful women will become demons, fame and fortune will become the shackles that hold you; you will enter hell. Regardless of your regret, or the pain you feel, you will receive only endless punishment and torment.

However beautiful the scenery in life, it will end. However perfect the gathering, one has to depart eventually. When one calms down, one might think, “What is the meaning of life? What did I come to this world for? Is there a way to be liberated and obtain eternal life? If gods really exist, where are they? How can I find them?”

Regardless of whether one admits it or not, everyone ponders these issues to greater or lesser extents. However, because no answers are forthcoming, many people choose to live a muddleheaded life, suffocating amid the degraded morality.

Everyone, please read Zhuan Falun. You will get answers to all the life-long questions you may have.

Falun Dafa was brought to the public in 1992 in China. More than 100 million people have benefited from practicing Falun Dafa (also know as Falun Gong).

Since practicing Falun Gong, I have enlightened the truth of life and understand where I came from.

My father is a provincial-level official. However, I don't follow the corrupt economic trends of everyday people in today's China. I also have a business, but I never take any kickbacks or commissions, even if the commission is tens of millions yuan.

I don't pursue a life of luxury, adorned with gold and silver jewelry. My mother said it is hard these days to find such a good daughter, wife and mother. My husband's sister told my son he would be fine if he found a wife who had half his mother’s integrity.

For people who do not practice Falun Gong, this may all seem magical, incomprehensible, admirable and difficult to emulate. But if you step into the community of Falun Dafa practitioners, you will see and hear countless stories and miracles.

We are fortunate to practice Falun Gong. We have only one wish: to share the benefits of Falun Gong with everyone.