Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance Changed My Life

(Minghui.org) I loved calligraphy and painting since I was a child so I decided to be an artist when I grew up. For decades I pursued fame and money and I was physically and mentally exhausted. After I began practicing Falun Dafa, I learned that human beings are here for a higher purpose—and not to get rich or become famous.

When I read Master’s lecture to practitioners who work in the arts, I understood the mindset an artist should have—in order to express compassion through our artworks we should first purify our minds. If we create our artworks with an attachment to fame and gain, the negative substances we emit harm others. When we let go of our selfishness and wish to help others our artworks are filled with compassion and have the power to save people. This means that the standards for cultivators are very high. Everything that Falun Dafa practitioners do is meaningful, so it’s important that we cultivate ourselves well.

Falun Dafa also opened my wisdom, and my skills greatly improved. I know that my skills are bestowed by Master. When I paint, I follow certain rules I have set for myself. I am inspired by the scenes and colors I see in the Shen Yun shows. Every painting I produce must be high quality and filled with compassion and beauty. I sometimes redo a painting a few times before I’m satisfied. I want every painting to radiate positive energy and help save sentient beings.

Before I began practicing Falun Dafa I only thought about how to become famous and make money. After I began practicing, I let go of these attachments, and I gained more important attributes. I changed from being selfish and self-centered to becoming someone who places others first. Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance guided and helped me.

I’d like to share my 28-year-long cultivation journey.

Finding Falun Dafa

I was 35 years old in 2004 when by chance I met two Falun Dafa practitioners. Their kindness and upright behavior deeply touched me. They said they had to leave their hometown because Falun Dafa was being persecuted, and they clarified the truth about the persecution. As they spoke, the lies that were instilled in me by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were eliminated. I admired their determination.

We became good friends, and I soon began practicing Falun Dafa. I really cherished this opportunity and I read the Fa (teachings) whenever I had time. My mind and body went through great changes. The gastric disease, insufficient blood supply to the brain, and back pain that troubled me for years all disappeared within a month.

Even though I hadn’t learned how to do the exercises Master eliminated the negative substances from my body. I personally experienced the miraculous nature of Dafa and the happiness of being illness free! There are really no words to express my gratitude to benevolent and great Master.

As I cultivated, I understood the true purpose of life is to assimilate to the universal qualities of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance and return to our true nature. By strictly following Falun Dafa’s standards I had compassion for my father-in-law instead of resenting him like I did in the past. My brother and sister-in-law did not want to take care of him, so he lived with us for 20 years. He often recited “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” He benefited a lot from Dafa and passed away when he was 95 years old.

When I have conflicts with others I’m also able to look inward to see which attachments caused them. As my xinxing improved, my family became harmonious.

My neighbors, relatives, and friends all witnessed my positive changes after I began practicing and they all knew Falun Dafa is good.

Rectifying Myself

Before I began cultivating, I thought I was a good person. On the surface I seemed kind and had self-restraint, so many people praised me. This inflated my ego.

I recently went through a heart-wrenching experience which helped me get rid of many of my attachments. After I began practicing, I measured things with Falun Dafa’s principles, and I understood what motivated my thoughts and behavior. All my attachments and flaws, such as selfishness, greed, and so on were hidden by my high-sounding surface. I saw my flaws when I compared my behavior with the Fa’s principles. What is truly good and bad cannot be measured using modern moral standards.

Master said, “For example, if a bottle filled with dirty things is sealed tightly and thrown into water, it will sink all the way to the bottom. You pour out some of its dirty contents. The more you empty the bottle, the higher it will float in the water. If it is emptied entirely, it will float on the surface completely.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

After I truly began cultivating I felt as though the mud which covered me was cleansed as I eliminated my bad attachments. My true nature is gradually showing through, and I feel my xinxing is improving.

As a teacher, I often face tests regarding my attachment to gain because the students’ parents often bring us gifts. I looked within and saw that I still have greed so I reminded myself that I’m a practitioner. I also look within when conflicts occur. My attachment to fame and gain gradually faded.

Now, I manage my own art gallery and I teach many students. I feel happy and fulfilled every day. I also plant the seeds of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance in the childrens’ hearts and emphasize nurturing good moral virtues in them so that they can indirectly reap the benefits of Dafa. My students’ parents trust me. I will strive to cultivate myself well.

Thank you, Master, for your benevolent salvation. In this great era where Dafa is spreading widely, having the good fortune to be a Dafa practitioner and assist Master in saving sentient beings is the greatest honor in my life.