Young Dafa Practitioner: Growing Up as I Cultivate

(Minghui.org) Twenty years ago I began practicing Falun Dafa at the age of seven. Today, I want to share what I encountered and learned from clarifying the truth.

Middle School

I started middle school shortly after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started persecuting Falun Dafa. During my first and second years, I didn't study the Fa much and lacked righteous thinking. I didn't dare tell my good friends that I practiced Falun Dafa. Occasionally, I distributed brochures about the practice with my parents.

One night, my parents and I went to a residential area to distribute brochures. We walked on a small road lined with many houses on both sides, and put a brochure at the entrance of each home. After a while, we saw a middle-aged man sitting in front of his house. My mom motioned for us to quickly leave. I thought this person must be a predestined being, so I didn’t leave with her. I happened to have a copy of the book Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party with me. I walked up to the person, handed him the book, and solemnly said, “This book is very precious. Please read it and cherish it.” He soberly accepted the book and said to me very sincerely, “I will definitely cherish it.”

When I was about to graduate from middle school, my thinking became more righteous from studying the Fa more. I started to explain the facts about Falun Dafa to my good friends. Some classmates accepted what I said. One female classmate even started to practice Dafa. Surveillance cameras had not yet been installed at the school; and so, during the lunch break, I taught her how to do the exercises in an unobtrusive place. Some students did not believe the truths that I told them and asked many questions. Sometimes I was unable to answer their questions. Looking back, I can now answer all those questions very clearly.

When I couldn’t explain the facts well, I thought about how I could do better the next time. I also listened carefully to how my parents told people about the persecution and read practitioners' experience sharing articles to learn how they talked about Dafa. In this way, I gradually improved at speaking with people about the practice. On the surface, I learned how to clarify the truth through hard work, but in fact, I knew Master Li (Dafa's founder) opened up my wisdom. As long as I want to save people, Master will arrange opportunities for me to do so.

High School

When I entered high school, my thinking was not righteous and I dared not talk with people about Falun Dafa in this new environment. However, by my second year, I started to clarify the truth to my good friends and teachers. Some of them withdrew membership in the CCP and its affiliated organizations.

For some time, the politics teacher always slandered Dafa to our class, which made me feel sad. At that time, I didn't do well in cultivation and didn't fully understand what Fa-rectification was about. But I knew I had benefited a lot from Dafa. Hearing someone slandering Dafa, I also knew that it wasn't right for me to not tell people the facts about Dafa. So I studied the Fa more to strengthen my righteous thoughts.

Later, the teacher defamed Dafa again. I raised my hand, stood up, and said: “Teacher, please do not say that again. Falun Dafa is a cultivation practice. The self-immolation incident on Tiananmen Square was staged.” He and the 70 students in the class listened quietly as I spoke. My classmate pulled on my clothes and asked me to stop, but I didn’t stop until I finished saying what I had to say.

After I sat down, the politics teacher said in a threatening tone, “I don’t know how this school will deal with you; but I know a university student will get into trouble for practicing Falun Dafa.” I stood up again, without any fear, and said, “Yes, Falun Dafa practitioners are being persecuted. My family members have been persecuted multiple times for practicing Falun Dafa. A female Falun Dafa practitioner was persecuted to death in our area. However, Falun Dafa is righteous, and it has spread all over the world. Only in China is it persecuted.” Hearing this, the politics teacher eased his tone.

After I sat down, I could not hold back my tears. I was excited because I saw countless divine beings above my head, solemnly protecting and strengthening me while I was speaking. I also saw divine beings playing drums for me and heavenly beauties distributing flowers for me. The wonderful and incredible scene shocked me. That was the only time I could see through my celestial eye during the 20-plus years of cultivation.

Later, the mother of a very shy female classmate told me that I turned her daughter’s view of life upside down. When I graduated from high school, a boy who seldom talked to me said he was surprised to see my great courage in speaking up in the class because I was usually such a gentle girl.

After clarifying the truth in the class, I didn’t tell anyone in my family what happened because I didn't want them to worry about me. When I finally told them about it six months later, they were surprised and happy that I spoke up.

I didn't get into trouble after I spoke up in class. But afterward, it seemed that all my teachers knew that I was a Dafa adherent. For some time, my cultivation environment was good in school. I distributed copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and truth-clarification brochures in class. Many classmates said they liked them very much. Some classmates would ask me to give them additional brochures.

I did very well in the entrance exams and was admitted to a prestigious university.

Master tells us to study the Fa more. I understand this deeply through my personal experiences. If you study the Fa more, you will have stronger righteous thoughts, and you will be able to fulfill your prehistoric vows. Also, the most fundamental thing for a cultivator is to listen to Master’s teachings and follow Master’s guidance.

Master said,

“In fact, it does not matter who the person is—there is only one Fa. Only by observing this Dafa can one meet the genuine standard.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun) 

Think Righteously When Parents are Persecuted

My parents were persecuted several times when I was young. It happened again and again that when I returned home I would find my parents had been arrested and the atmosphere of warmth in our home was suddenly gone. My sorrow was intense. I tried my best to let go of these attachments and not indulge myself in sadness.

Master told us,

“Let joy be found in hardship.” (“Tempering the Will” from Hong Yin, Translation version A) 

I never told my parents about my fears and pain because I didn’t want to interfere with their cultivation and Fa-validation projects. When my parents were detained, I lived with my grandparents. I didn't let my grandparents know about the pain in my heart either. When I missed my parents, I would hide under the blanket and cry silently at night. I didn't want my grandparents to feel sad.

In 1999, my mother and other practitioners went to Tiananmen Square to appeal for Falun Dafa. My father wanted to go as well, but he hesitated because he worried about leaving me alone. I decisively told my father, “You should go. Don’t worry about me. I can live with my grandparents.”

When my parents were being held, I went to the detention center to ask for their release. I didn't dare say too much. Still, I overcame my fear and went there with other family members.

I didn't understand the children who had negative thoughts about their parents simply because the CCP persecuted them for practicing Dafa. They know that their parents are good people and Dafa is righteous. They should not be afraid of the evil CCP and complain about their innocent parents.

University

After I started at the university some practitioners told me not to clarify the truth casually at the school since it could affect my future. I was not diligent at the time, so I listened to what they said and didn't talk about Dafa. I slacked off, rarely studied the Fa, and behaved like ordinary people. My relationship with other students in the dormitory was tense, which made me feel depressed. 

I heard a young adherent talk about helping roommates quit the CCP organizations. I thought in my heart that I was lagging far behind. Not only did I fail to awaken people, but I also had conflicts with them. This was not going to work. I decided I would cultivate diligently.

When I returned home during the holidays, I asked the practitioners in my hometown to help me find a Fa-study group in the city where I was studying. They finally found a Fa-study group for me and I went to the person's home to study the Fa every week. As a result, my cultivation status improved a lot.

However, it didn’t take long for me to fall into an ordinary love affair, which interrupted my Fa-study. Love was sweet at one moment but heartbreaking and painful the next. It was extremely time-consuming, and I could not control myself. I knelt on the ground and cried, asking Master to help me. At the same time, I made up my mind to do well. I read all of Master’s teachings during the holidays. After studying the Fa, I felt relieved. My relationship with the boy ended naturally and peacefully.

In my last year at the university I read many sharing articles about how adherents talked with people on the street and told them the truth about Dafa. I thought I should do the same; so I took brochures and went to the street. Unfortunately, I didn’t dare speak to strangers. Sometimes, I left brochures on the seats when I took the bus or went to some residential buildings and distributed them. It was a long bus trip to go to the local detention center, so I would send righteous thoughts, and then leave truth-clarifying pamphlets in the nearby community.

One day, after studying the Fa with practitioners, I made up my mind to talk about Dafa with people face to face. When a middle-aged man walked toward me, I timidly stopped him, told him facts about Dafa, and then asked if he would withdraw from the CCP. He listened very attentively, and finally said, “Oh, your voice is too low. I didn’t hear what you said.” I felt frustrated. Surprisingly, when he saw I was feeling sad, he said, “I will listen to you and withdraw from the CCP.” Thinking back now, I really should have spoken louder and repeated the facts for him.

I saw a very kind-looking woman and wanted to clarify the truth to her, but felt a little scared. When I finally opened my mouth, I just said, “Please follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance and be a good person.” Looking back, I was too abrupt, but she looked at me very seriously and said, “Okay, I will remember it.” This was Master’s encouragement.

On a cold winter night, I put a copy of the “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party” in my pocket with the intention of giving it to someone. I met a middle-aged woman and gave her the book. She was very interested and started chatting with me. I told her about cultivating since childhood and how I benefited from Dafa. I also told her the facts about the staged “self-immolation” incident on Tiananmen Square. She said, “Now I know Falun Dafa is good.” She said she didn't understand why some practitioners wrote about Dafa and the persecution on walls. I told her, “Some Falun Dafa practitioners do this because the CCP controls all propaganda machines in the country. We have no channels to speak out and counter their lies. We need to use various methods to tell people the truth about Falun Dafa.” She understood what I said. We talked for nearly an hour on the road on a cold winter night. Although the weather was freezing, she was very happy and thanked me before she left.

Be Good at Work and Validate the Fa

After I started working, I only clarified the truth in the office. Later, colleagues said I was a very good person. Many people said that I was well-educated and very gentle, and made other positive comments. They said there were too few women like me in today's society. I knew I had a positive image because I was a Dafa practitioner. How could I not clarify the truth? Therefore, I started to talk about Falun Dafa with many people in the company. Although most of them did not withdraw from the CCP right then, knowing the facts paved the way for them to be saved later.

While riding in a taxi I wanted to clarify the truth to the driver, but I saw a camera in the car and hesitated. However, when I saw the driver’s tired face and how he struggled just to make a living, I thought it was not easy for this heavenly life to come to such a dangerous secular world to be saved. How could I not tell him the truth? So I talked about Dafa with him.

When I was on a morning flight and hadn’t slept the night before, I planned to sleep after boarding. However, the lady sitting next to me started chatting. Although I was very sleepy, I thought that she had a predestined relationship with me, and she was here to learn the truth. So I spoke with her during the three-hour flight. She had doubts at first but eventually accepted the truth of what I told her. When getting off the plane, she and the people next to me said I was very ladylike.

About Clarifying the Truth

Don’t be Moved by Ordinary People's Responses

Over the years, I have met a variety of people when talking about Dafa. Some people accepted the facts right away, some were skeptical, some worried about my safety, some were unwilling to listen, and some laughed at me. It is important not to be affected by the various reactions we encounter.

Master said:

“Whether it is a Buddha, a Tao, an immortal, or a demon, they should not move your heart. In conducting oneself this way, success is bound to be in sight.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun) 

We should not be overjoyed when we meet someone willing to listen to the truth. We should not be anxious when the person does not accept the truth at first. We should not feel discouraged when people don’t want to listen. We just give our compassion to them if they do not want to listen. Some people may argue, but they want to know the true facts, then we should send righteous thoughts first and chat with them on the topics they are interested in. We may then be able to answer questions naturally. Be sure to cultivate ourselves no matter what reactions we experience. Just follow what Master said,

“Cultivate Dafa with all your heart,Nothing could be more important.”(“Gaining the Fa,” Hong Yin, Translation Version A) 

Be Kind to Everyone

Through studying the Fa, I feel that Master cherishes every life. Although society is chaotic and people behave badly, many people can be saved. Some people don't accept the truth the first time they hear it, but they may accept it the second time. Some people listened to the truth after I send righteous thoughts for a while. Once a person looked absent-minded while I talked, but later told me he recites “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” when he is in a crisis. So we should be kind to everyone. We should listen to Master and try our best to save people.

Master said,

“In each and every rebirth, the waiting in suffering has been heartbreakingThe secular world and the sea of desires are endlessAll for this piece of paper that seems so ordinary!” (“Pay Attention,” Hong Yin III) 

Untie the Knots of Sentient Beings

Master said,

“Expose the lies and open the locks in people’s heartsWe don’t believe consciences can’t be brought back” (“To Save the World,” Hong Yin III) 

For the first few years, I didn't know how to tell people the facts about Dafa. After learning that poem, I understood that I had to untie the knots in people’s hearts. I found many people did not know that the “self-immolation” incident on Tiananmen Square was staged. If we didn't tell them it was a lie, they may not accept the truth.

I heard many people say, “Whatever you practice, just don’t go astray.” This means they have doubts about Dafa. They believed the propaganda, which is very bad for their future. So many times, I told people the basic facts about Dafa.

There are still some people who can't believe that such big lies about Dafa would be shown on TV. I’d tell them how the CCP misrepresents history, controls the propaganda machines to defame good people, and when it wants to knock someone down, it will always smear that person first.

Some people did not understand the evil nature of the CCP and thought that the CCP equals China. I told them the CCP’s history, and how it was established in Europe and spread to China from Russia. This way, they understood that the CCP is not China.

Some adults said that they were no longer members of the Young Pioneers and the Communist Youth League because of their age. I told them that when they joined those organizations, they held up their fists and swore to give their lives to it. No other organization asks people to swear to devote their lives to it. Only the CCP forces its members to take such an evil oath. Quitting the CCP is for self-salvation.

Sometimes, the other party didn't say anything, so I didn’t know where the knots were in their hearts. When people were in a hurry, I could only say a few words. In these cases, I briefly but clearly outlined basic facts about Dafa and the CCP’s evil nature.

Pay Attention to Safety

When talking about Dafa and the persecution, we should pay attention to our safety. One time, as I clarified the truth to a classmate who seemed to dislike me, I felt she started recording what I said. Thinking that it’s not polite to suddenly stop talking, I continued, but I chose my words carefully and didn’t mention Falun Dafa.

Sometimes, my cultivation status was not good. Still, I really wanted to talk about Dafa when I met people, so I cheered myself up, asked Master for his blessing, and sent righteous thoughts. After that, I felt I had the energy to clarify the truth.

Every Opportunity to Clarify the Truth is Sacred

I know that every opportunity I have to clarify the truth is sacred, and I should take it seriously. Sentient beings came to the earth from the heavens. They reincarnated generation after generation just for this important moment when I would tell them the facts. Therefore, when we talk about Dafa, we must take the situation seriously. We should use our divine side when doing truth clarification.

Master said,

“Should you have fear,it will seize upon you” (“What’s to Fear?” Hong Yin II, translation version A) 

Epilogue

Master said,

“As the circumstances get easier, people become bolder and their fears subside a bit—though it’s not that they have no fear. When their fears subside they have the courage to step forward.” (“Fa Teaching on World Falun Dafa Day.”)

“As for the strength of their truth clarification, those who frequently go to clarify the facts to people are really remarkable, and they have grown quite experienced. The number [of withdrawals that they have helped bring about] is quite large.” (“Fa Teaching on World Falun Dafa Day”) 

I really want to achieve this state in cultivation, hoping that I can improve; so I review my behavior and the words I use when I speak with people and sum up my experiences.

Finally, I would like to share a poem from Hong Yin II,

“The pure lotus is born from the FaCompassion spreads its fragrant scentSprinkling the world with sweet dewBlossoming lotuses fill Heaven’s courtyard” (“Fragrant Lotus,” Hong Yin II, translation version A)