Set Right the Relationship with Family Members

(Minghui.org) The cultivation environment we Falun Dafa practitioners are in is different from that in the past. In the past, practitioners had to sever their relationships with their family members and cultivate away from the secular world. We, however, cultivate within the family environment. Our family environment is our cultivation environment. 

Master said,

“Many of you who are sitting here have seen the presence of Law Wheels in your homes, and family members have started to benefit from it. As we’ve said, there exist many dimensions in the same time and at the same location. Your home is no exception, and it needs to be taken care of. The way it is generally handled is to eliminate the bad things and then install a shield so that nothing bad can find its way in.” (Falun Gong)

After reading this paragraph of the Fa, I realized that Master cleared my family environment. Master is very compassionate to my family members. 

One day Andrea’s (alias) husband was riding a motorcycle and collided with another motorcycle. When he flew off and hit the ground his lower lip was torn and flipped outside. The blood poured out over his body. The other party extorted 50 yuan from him. 

They were very poor at that time and they only had 50 yuan. Andrea knew that it was retribution because her husband listened to the CCP’s propaganda and cursed Dafa. His jaw and neck became swollen. The flesh on his face from his nose downward became black. He couldn’t speak or eat for a few days. 

They didn’t have money to see the doctor. Then Andrea remembered that she is a Falun Dafa practitioner.

Master said, 

“Haven’t I said that with one person practicing, the whole family benefits? At a minimum, the energy field that you carry is beneficial to all of your family members since you are cultivating the righteous Fa, and the benevolent and tranquil power that you carry can rectify all incorrect states.” (Teachings at the Conference in Australia)

She knew that her husband was poisoned by the CCP and she didn’t acknowledge the evil’s persecution. Practitioners offer salvation to all people, including our family members. She thought about a way to awaken his good side. 

Her husband was in so much pain that he couldn’t speak clearly. Only she could understand what he said. She wondered what she could do to help him, then she remembered what Master said,

“It’s hard to save people nowadays. You have to explain things to them by following the logic of their attachments. For the sake of saving them, don’t create any obstacles for them.” (Teachings From a Tour of North America)

She knew he liked traditional culture, especially the traditional novels. In Zhuan Falun, Master mentioned the book Investiture of the Gods. She tried to bring his attention to lessons in that book by asking him questions. 

“Who is the opposite character of Jiang Ziya in the book Investiture of the Gods” she asked. 

“Sheng Gongbao,” he murmured.

“Does Sheng Gongbao have great abilities?”

“Yes,” he replied, “He is more capable than Jiang Ziya.”

“Then why was Sheng Gongbao not asked to confer titles on immortals?”

“You don’t understand,” her husband said, “Jiang Ziya is actually the second disciple who is old and incapable while Sheng Gongbao is the first disciple who is very capable and even put back his head after it was cut off. The reason Sheng Gongbao was not asked to confer titles on immortals is that Jiang Ziya was on the righteous side while Sheng Gongbao was on the evil side. Only the one on the righteous side can confer titles on immortals. The one who upholds evil cannot do that.”

“Then I don’t understand that you said only the one on the righteous side can confer titles on immortals. Is it because on Jiang Ziya’s face was written the word ‘righteous’ while on Sheng Gongbao’s face was written ‘evil’?

“No,” her husband replied, “Jiang Ziya does things according to the Heaven’s will. He is righteous. Sheng Gongbao is against Heaven’s will, so he is evil.”

Andrea said, “Then that confuses me even more. You said the righteous side complies with Heaven’s will. Where is Heaven’s will? Is it written in the Heavens? Or on his face? Why can't I see it?”

Her husband was so angry that his face turned red. He blurted out, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is Heaven’s Will! Heaven’s Will is Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance! Do you think I know nothing?” 

Andrea understood that her husband had been saved. 

The next morning his mouth was no longer swollen. His injury didn’t feel as painful, but he still couldn’t eat. He was not at home when Andrea came from work to prepare lunch for him. He was at his friend’s home. When he returned she noticed the swelling on his face was nearly gone. His neck was visible and he could speak more clearly. 

She noticed the swelling on his mouth was almost gone except that his lip was still black. He told her that he went to work and drank beer with his boss. His boss gave him an extra 50 yuan. 

Andrea felt like that the 50 yuan which was extorted from him was given back. It was just like Master said,

“...as a practitioner should follow the course of nature. If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (Zhuan Falun)

On the third day he could eat and speak more clearly. His lip looked normal. 

On the fourth day he could eat and speak almost normally. He was completely recovered within a week. There was no scar. The family felt it was amazing!

Andrea felt her husband received retribution because he swore at Dafa. Later when he acknowledged “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” he was blessed. This was a typical example that the practitioner led her family member to acknowledge Dafa and benefited from it. At the same time they witnessed the amazing power of Dafa. 

Master said,

“Many students understand only that doing the exercises and studying the Fa are cultivation. Yes, with those you directly engage the Fa. But as you go about truly cultivating yourself in your day-to-day life, the society that you come into contact with is your cultivation environment. The work and family environments that you spend time in are both settings in which you are to cultivate yourselves, are part of the path you must walk, are what you must handle, and handle correctly at that. None of these should be glossed over.” (“Teaching the Fa in Canada, 2006,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. VII)

Every practitioner should do well in their family environment and live up to the requirements of Dafa. 

Our mission is to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. Our family members also have missions—to cooperate with Dafa practitioners and support their validating the Fa instead of cooperating with the evil to persecute practitioners. If we put ourselves in the Fa, no one (not even our family members) can interfere with us. 

We must cultivate ourselves within our family environments, set right our relationships with family members, eliminate sentimentality, and cultivate compassion. Our family members will benefit from our cultivation and fulfill their missions.

The above is the understanding of our Fa study group. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.