The Power of Compassion

(Minghui.org) A few days ago, another practitioner told me that she encountered a plainclothes police officer when she was clarifying the truth about Falun Dafa on the street. She didn’t know who he was and handed him a flyer. He left, but soon returned with another plainclothes officer, who grabbed her arm and said, “Falun Dafa!” She said calmly, “You don’t need to grab me. I won’t run away.”

The officers were going to arrest her, but she was very calm and told them, “I also have a family, children, and relatives just like you, and I can choose to stay home and enjoy myself. Especially on a cold day like this, why do I come out? I’m not looking to gain anything. I’m only trying to tell you how to stay safe.” The second plainclothes officer listened and said, “Let her go.” 

The kindness and compassion in her words dissolved the officers’ bad thoughts. I thought about it when I got home. She was very sincere and was not bragging about herself. Tears filled my eyes. At the same time, I also found my own shortcomings, and I knew I had to cultivate more compassion. Master said, 

“I often say that if all a person wants is the well-being of others and if this is without the slightest personal motivation or personal understanding, what he says will move the listener to tears. I have not only taught you Dafa, but have also left you my demeanor. While working, your tone of voice, your kindheartedness, and your reasoning can change a person’s heart, whereas commands never could!” (“Clearheadedness,” Essentials For Further Advancement)

When I told local practitioners about her experience, they were moved to tears. My tears flow as I write this article.

In 2021, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began carrying out the “Zero Out Campaign,” the police went to a practitioner’s home and knocked on the door. Her husband refused to open it and yelled at the police. The police continued knocking more violently. She then persuaded her husband to calm down and said kindly, “Come in!” She opened the door and told the police, “My husband is angry that you are bothering us. I hope you can understand.” The police immediately relaxed, and asked if she still practiced Falun Dafa. She just told the police to remember that Falun Dafa is good, and they left.

I was once arrested and detained in prison for four years. After I was released I was fired from my job. In order to save money, I didn’t use heat for two winters. This year is the third year and I still don’t use heat. It does not stop me from doing the three things. I’m a practitioner and I don’t care about a small bit of suffering. But my sister and other relatives who don’t practice hope that I can stay in a place with heating during the cold winter. 

A few days ago, another practitioner told me that an elderly practitioner had moved and was staying with her daughter, so no one was in her home. She was afraid that the house would freeze, so she still paid for the heat in the winter. They wanted me to move in. I wanted to pay for it, but the elderly practitioner refused to take money from me.

My sister and I cleaned the house and I moved in. This made my sister really happy. The elderly practitioner came to see me and said that her actual intent was just to help me. My sister and I both burst into tears. A simple sentence like that can make one cry, because it’s full of kindness and compassion. My sister saw the kindness of Dafa practitioners and understood how great Dafa is. In today’s society in China, only Falun Dafa practitioners help others selflessly in difficult situations.

I set strict requirements for myself, such as not frying food so as not to leave grease and smoke. I kept the room very clean. When I participated in the group practice at 3 a.m., in order to not disturb the neighbors, I used earphones. Just because of this one thought, I was able to enter into tranquility more easily. It is so great to be selfless!

I told myself to let go of my attachments and focus on saving people. I knew that cultivating diligently would be the best payback for that practitioner’s help. However, after a few days, the elderly practitioner’s daughter who wasn’t a practitioner did not want me to stay there. I immediately apologized and said sincerely, “I’m sorry for disturbing you. I’ll leave.” I packed up immediately and left. She saw how calm and sincere I was, so she didn’t say anything else.

I wondered what caused this. I looked inside for my shortcomings, and soon found I still had a mentality of self-interest. 

On the surface, I wanted to buy things to express my gratitude to the elderly practitioner and her family. But in reality, hidden inside, when I heard that I didn’t need to pay, I was happy. Wasn’t this the mentality of seeking benefit? 

I also had the mentality of fear, being happy about moving into a place where no one knew where I was. 

After I discussed what happened with the other practitioners, I immediately eliminated these hidden mentalities of selfishness, fear and showing-off. I said to myself, “Other practitioners are giving of themselves selflessly. I must not seek comfort and enjoyment. I will follow Master’s arrangements, and remember Master’s words,

“All of what we do is for the purpose of saving people.” (“Wake Up”)

I thought of the elderly practitioner’s daughter while I waited for the bus. How much does she know about Falun Dafa and the persecution? I immediately thought of how I could help her. I sent forth righteous thoughts, and wrote a letter to her that night. I wept as I wrote it. I was so grateful to Master for teaching us to be compassionate.

When I was imprisoned I had a few basic luxuries, such as soap. As part of the persecution, practitioners were limited in the times they could go purchase such things from the jail’s supermarket. To validate the Fa and promote Dafa, I used the only times I had to buy some extra food from the supermarket, but I did not eat it. 

During holidays such as New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, World Falun Dafa Day, and the Mid-Autumn Festival, I distributed the food to everyone in the prison. They were very moved and said, “You are so devoted to your Master. With this mentality, you will surely make a fortune when you get out.” I smiled and thought to myself that I was not trying to get rich, but to save them.

After returning to my unheated home, I still persisted in doing the exercises and the three things despite the cold. When I was just released from prison, my sister was touched when she saw that I had no income, but still bought presents for my relatives during Chinese New Year. What they saw was that Dafa practitioners were not indifferent, like the CCP’s propaganda portrayed, but truly cared about them, and were still optimistic and cheerful even under difficult circumstances. Seeing my strength, my sister sincerely believed that Dafa is good, and recited “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” She also helped me distribute truth-clarification materials.

This got me thinking, what am I doing this for? Because of my firm belief in Dafa and not compromising with the CCP, I lost my job and all the benefits I was entitled to. However, I have no resentment. In order to save money, I did not turn on the heat. I couldn’t bear to spend my limited money on it, and I could survive the cold. 

On the contrary, in clarifying the truth, I was never stingy but invested money. Like everyone else when I reached retirement age, I could enjoy my life with a pension of 4,000 to 5,000 yuan. As long as I say or write something that deviates from Dafa, I could immediately get the benefits I was entitled to. But I am a disciple of Master, and my belief in Master and Fa are rock solid, and nothing in the world can move me.

Why are we still firm in Dafa, firm in our righteous faith in Master, and firm in following Master forever under difficult circumstances? Why do we listen to Master’s words and do the three things that Dafa practitioners should do? 

While studying the Fa, I have come to understand that practitioners are truly following Master in saving sentient beings! I firmly believe in Master’s righteousness. It is not for personal gain from the Fa, but to awaken people and let them know about the persecution. I have to show people that Dafa is good in both good times and bad times. We are Falun Dafa practitioners! My firm belief is to let the world see the perseverance of Dafa practitioners, the courage to take responsibility, the mind of great kindness and forbearance! I will wake up more people and lend a helping hand in times of crisis.

Practitioners don’t want anything for themselves. They just want the world’s people to awaken and be saved.

Of course, I do not recognize this persecution of Dafa practitioners. Master does not recognize it, so I don't recognize it. I absolutely don’t want any arrangement if it’s not Master’s. I just want a stable environment so that I can tell people the truth about the persecution.

Master said, 

“There is one point that you’re all very clear on: history’s being able to progress to this day, here in this world, is precisely because it was reserved for Dafa disciples to save sentient beings, as this chapter of history exists expressly for Dafa disciples’ success and so that you may fulfill your vows. Of course, it’s not solely about your pledges and fulfilling your vows. It’s also tied to the Fa-rectification and the fate of the immeasurable lives of this cosmos—something that huge. If you can do a good job with what you are supposed to do, everything in the Three Realms will go well and the interference that Master faces in the process of rectifying the Fa will be less.” (“Be More Diligent,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. X)