Cultivating Earnestly and Saving People

(Minghui.org) I am 44 years old and have been practicing Falun Dafa since I was a child. I am delighted that I came across Dafa so early. I would like to share some of my recent experiences with Master and fellow practitioners.

Getting Rid of the Attachment to Human Affection

As a true practitioner of Falun Dafa, I truly understand the difficulty of getting rid of attachments. I felt this most when I was trying to let go of my affection for my son.

I have been divorced for many years, so my son became the focus of my life and I was very attached to him. He had been a kind and sensible child and did well in school. His teachers, relatives, and friends all said good things about him, which satisfied my vanity and my pursuit of a happy life.

Then, when he was in high school, my son suddenly became rebellious, unhappy, and irritable. He had a girlfriend. This was when I knew it was time for me to let go of my attachment to him, but I just couldn’t let go. I don’t know how long I struggled with this. My demonic nature emerged when I could not control myself. Later, I was able to control my behavior, but my heart still suffered heavily.

I knew I had to get through this, no matter what. I firmly believed that I would eventually get over it, so I studied the Fa a lot and sent forth righteous thoughts intensely. I was able to hold back when my son’s behavior aggravated me, but I still felt resentful.

At one point, my mind was so full of resentment and so many unrighteous thoughts that I was unable to resist, and I felt as if I was surrounded by demons. My entire body felt like it had been swallowed up and I was about to die. I only had one breath left to recite the Fa-rectification phrases. But I didn’t give up, thinking, “Master, this strong attachment is not my true self. No matter how difficult it is, I will get rid of it.”

Slowly, I felt my attachment getting weaker and dissipating bit by bit. I continued to correct myself with Dafa in my daily life. I watched every thought and continued to cultivate myself. Seeing my determination and sincerity, Master removed my granite-like attachments layer by layer. I was finally able to let go of my affection for my son. I no longer struggled with love and hate. I developed a detached and peaceful state of mind.

Letting go of my affection for my son has not meant letting him go his own way. I want to lead him on the right path. I’ve told him traditional stories and asked him to watch the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, The Ultimate Goal of Communism, truth-clarification videos and the “Coming for You” series of movies. He was fascinated and talked to his classmates about the things he had learned. He is already a saved life.

The results of his monthly exams came out a few days ago. I had always been concerned about my son’s performance, but I didn’t think of asking him about his results this time. He was pleased to tell me that he did well. I told him that grades were not important as long as he did what he should.

He was surprised and said, “Is this the same mother who wanted to kill me when I missed a few points on an exam?” At first, I reminded myself not to be overjoyed. Then I thought, “What joy? Things in this world have nothing to do with me. My mission is to cultivate myself and save all sentient beings.”

As I gradually let go of my affection for my son, I discovered that I had not taken seriously some of my daily behaviors that did not comply with Dafa. These were ordinary person behvaviors, not those of a cultivator conforming maximally to ordinary society.

I did not hesitate to chat and joke with my colleagues at work. But on my way home from work, I would feel sad and regretful, as if I was mixed up with ordinary people again. I reflected and found that I didn’t always regard myself as a practitioner, and I didn’t regard my workplace as a cultivation environment.

In other words, I was not serious about my cultivation. Also, I didn’t get so involved in workplace affairs and chatting and joking that I was attached to them, so I indulged in them without worrying much. I could have avoided them if I’d cultivated my speech and paid attention to my behavior, but I didn’t take them to heart and just regretted it afterwards.

Looking closely, I found many attachments hidden in those things: showing off, fighting, self, looking down on others, and so on. The fact that I had not been able to clarify the truth to my colleagues well is related to these attachments. I recalled a passage from Master’s lecture at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference:

“... let me tell you about something: Dafa disciples absolutely cannot fall short of the standard. When you are about to pass a test, when you’ve almost gotten through it, but there’s one attachment that you haven’t removed, then it will prevent you from meeting the standard and passing the test. If you cultivate well, you will be able to pass it, right? But you simply cannot pass it and so you remain there. That thing may not be something big, though—that attachment is not big, it’s quite small. But because you just cannot perceive it, you are unable to pass the test and you keep staying at the same spot. This is not to say that you have cultivated poorly. You just haven’t thought the matter over seriously and haven’t come to realize that that thing is not in line with cultivation! And if something is not in line with the state of a cultivator or with what a cultivator should have, then it’s a problem!” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)

Thank you, Master, for your enlightenment. When I write about this issue, I must make a breakthrough. I must eliminate every unhealthy thought and correct every detail of my life.

Elevating by Clarifying the Truth Face to Face

Saving sentient beings is the sacred mission of Dafa practitioners during the Fa-rectification period. A fellow practitioner and I encouraged each other and have been clarifying the truth to people face to face since last winter. I’ve gained a lot and was moved a lot in the process. Here are some of my insights.

Persisting in Telling People the Facts About Dafa

I was a bit nervous when we first started talking to people face-to-face. We were rejected so many times when we tried to hand out the truth-clarification materials. We were ridiculed and even scolded. But we persisted, knowing that saving even one person a day was worth it. Many times when we were frustrated after being rejected so many times, there would be people who accepted the truth and withdrew from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. We knew this was Master encouraging us.

We walked in a fog so heavy that it wet our hair one day. I was coldly rejected time and time again and did not give out a single piece of information, not to mention help someone quit the CCP. Although we reminded ourselves to maintain righteous thoughts, I was disappointed.

At an intersection, I suggested we turn south and we soon saw a frail old man coming toward us. We handed him the materials, telling him that this was the truth about Falun Dafa. The man said excitingly, “This is just what I wanted.” We walked with him for 10 steps and got him to quit the CCP. We were all happy that his life was saved.

The fellow practitioner said, “The lives that deserve to be saved will be saved. We didn’t do anything; we just stepped forward and opened our mouths. Master is doing everything.” We both had tears in our eyes.

Many times, I didn’t need to say much when I asked people to quit the CCP. I got an affirmative answer as soon as I made the suggestion. Once I was sitting on the other practitioner’s electric bike waiting for the light to change. I jumped off the bike and delivered fliers to the man waiting next to us. After briefly clarifying the truth, I successfully persuaded him to withdraw from the CCP. Master placed the lives that most deserve to be saved next to us to encourage us and give us the confidence to keep going.

From Being Selective to Rescuing Everyone

When we first started talking to people face-to-face, we targeted middle-aged and elderly men who appeared kind. I was most afraid to talk to women because I thought they might be more stubborn. For a while, I just let the women pass, particularly those more fashionably dressed. But I realized that this was wrong. How could I treat sentient beings differently based on my human notions?

I kept trying to cultivate away that attachment. I sincerely said to Master when I was sending forth righteous thoughts a few days ago, “Everyone I meet is someone I should face, and I must save them.” The other practitioner didn’t come with me that day. I thought, “We cannot delay saving people. I will go by myself.” I got nine people to quit the CCP that morning.

What impressed me the most was a fashionable lady waiting for the bus. When I saw her heavy makeup and big earrings, I was a little reluctant to approach her. But I remembered my promise to Master, so I walked over to hand her information, saying that this was the truth about Falun Dafa. She seemed peeved and said, “You are still doing this even now?”

I was not affected and just calmly told her the truth. She gradually softened and began to ask questions that I answered patiently. The bus came as I was telling her about quitting the CCP. As she ran to the bus, I took one last chance and asked, “Can I give you the pseudonym ‘Wei’ to quit the CCP?” With one foot still on the ground, she turned around and said, “Yes.” I was really happy for her.

It is important to be patient and try your best to save people. I reviewed my performance every day when I returned home from telling people about Dafa, mainly to look for my own shortcomings by assessing others’ reactions. I found that many people’s failure to withdraw from the CCP had something to do with my lack of compassion and patience.

Because I lacked patience, I didn’t clarify the truth thoroughly, which had a negative effect on saving people. If they were “hard-core,” I broke through their confusion bit by bit, so that they could choose a better future.

I met a man who collected rags a few days ago. I tried to hand him some truth-clarifying materials, but he snarled and refused to take anything. I started by talking about being a good person and the beauty of Dafa and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. He softened little by little. When some of the papers he had collected blew away, I helped him chase after them. In the end, he quit the Party.

I also met people who would support the Party no matter what, and who would not let me say a word. I told them, “At least remember ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.’” I really want to leave them a glimmer of hope.

Must Have a Pure Heart to Save People

I have gained a lot since I started working with my fellow practitioner to clarify the truth. I have elevated myself in the process. But there were also lessons learned because of an incorrect mentality.

Once we drove to the edge of the city to clarify the truth. I started to tell anecdotes about work, and the two of us laughed and talked in the car all the way. When we got to our destination and started clarifying the truth, people were indifferent and refused to listen.

Someone who claimed to be the mayor’s secretary threatened to sue us. In the end, not a single person quit the CCP that day. Although I said we shouldn’t be discouraged that we didn’t save anyone as long as someone came, I felt uneasy in my heart. The fellow practitioner said, “Is it because we joked too much? I feel like I’m in a wrong state, wanting to laugh all the time.”

I reflected on my behavior after I got home and my lack of seriousness. From a broader point of view, it interfered with saving people. Cultivation is great and serious. If we cannot be strict with ourselves how can we be worthy of the title of Dafa disciples of the Fa-rectification period, and be worthy of being Master’s disciples. Will we not be failing Master and his tremendous endurance, as well as the countless sentient beings who have placed infinite hope in us? After this lesson, I stopped telling jokes.

Because our efforts to clarify the truth went relatively well, the old forces kept putting delusions in my mind such as “I’ve done a good job.” I didn’t let them stay for a moment and eliminated them immediately. Sometimes discouraging thoughts may arise, but I eradicate them completely. I want nothing but the desire to save people.

Cultivation is serious. If one doesn’t truly look inward and change oneself bit by bit to assimilate to Dafa, it is not true cultivation. Saving people is Dafa disciples’ most sacred mission during the Fa-rectification period and is the fundamental purpose of our lives. Practicing cultivation and saving people are inseparable.