China Fahui | Cultivating Despite Abundant Troubles

(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!

I feel very honored to take part in the 23rd China Fahui hosted by Minghui, and I’d like to report to Master my cultivation experiences this year.

Suddenly Losing My Job

Because my work was intense work and long, I failed to properly balance my professional responsibilities and my spiritual practice. As my practice lagged behind, the old forces exploited this vulnerability, and last year, I experienced the false appearance of illness. I was persecuted and lost my job, which disrupted the rhythm of my daily life.

Reflecting on my shortcomings, I realize that a long-standing desire for comfort combined with a failure to study the Fa diligently or consistently do the exercises led to my slacking off in cultivation. When the false appearance of illness manifested, I even wavered for a time between taking medicine and striving forward in my practice. Some of my actions deviated entirely from the requirements of Dafa; in certain respects, I was worse than an ordinary person.

Persist in Practicing Cultivation

Towards the end of last year, I began to seriously reflect on my situation: How should I view the illusory manifestations of sickness karma? What is it that I am actually seeking? Why did I come to this human world?

The answer had, in fact, always been clear: these illusory manifestations of sickness karma were forced on me by the old forces who took advantage of my slacking off and complacency. This is not the path arranged by Master! I did not come to this human world to be persecuted by the old forces; I came as a Dafa disciple so I could assist Master in saving sentient beings. I should cultivate well and safeguard Dafa.
Once my thinking became clear, I sent righteous thoughts to strengthen my main consciousness and reinforce this resolve. I cleared away the old forces’ factors that were causing interference, and disintegrated negative elements within my dimensional field such as the desire for comfort, laziness, a fear of hardship, and an inability to endure. I threw out all the traditional Chinese and Western medicines in my home. I entrusted everything to Master. I was determined to walk a righteous and dignified path of Dafa cultivation!

After discussing this with my wife who is also a practitioner I resolved to ensure that I set aside time every day to study the Fa and do the exercises. In addition to reading Zhuan Falun each day, we also study Master’s lectures given in various regions and I’ve begun memorizing the Fa. In the past, I would always give up halfway when I tried to memorize the Fa; now, I no longer focus on speed or quantity. Instead, I use my spare time to memorize just a few short phrases at a time, and I have found that this approach leads to an increasingly profound understanding of the Fa. Whenever questions arise, Master often provides guidance or enlightenment during my Fa study. As I study Zhuan Falun, I find myself wanting to study even more. I become so absorbed that I cannot bear to put the book down. I frequently perceive deeper and more extensive Fa principles beneath the surface text, though these are often difficult to articulate in words.

We began practicing the exercises for two hours every day. After I talked with other practitioners, I learned that they do the second exercise for an hour. Realizing the gap between us, I began to do the second set of exercises for an hour every day. Because I had previously been prone to laziness specifically harboring a fear of the hardship involved in holding the wheel posture, I decided after sharing with practitioners to break through my negative mindset. For a period of time I increased how long I did the second exercise, and I sometimes did it for over two hours. After a while, I discovered doing the second set of exercise was no longer as uncomfortable or difficult as I thought. Now, my daily practice is no longer something I dread or find painful; rather, it has become an essential, routine part of my daily life as a Dafa practitioner.

Multiple Conflicts

When my wife and I firmly committed ourselves to our spiritual practice, a series of troubles soon followed.

It began with my father-in-law falling seriously ill; he was hospitalized three times in two months. In June, he was hospitalized yet again. His symptoms worsened significantly and there were no signs of improvement for a long time. My mother also became gravely ill. She stopped eating and drinking. She became weak, and had symptoms of heart disease. She had difficulty breathing and our family was deeply worried. Before she recovered, my father began having symptoms of heart disease and heart failure. His ankles swelled, he was exhausted, and he would experience chest tightness and pain after taking just a few steps. With our elderly parents being hospitalized one after another, my wife and I felt overwhelmed.

When my mother was critically ill and my father had just begun to show symptoms, he called my sister, and complained that I only looked after my father-in-law but I neglected my own parents. My father was furious and lashed out with many harsh, unpleasant words.

Around this time, the results for our child’s college entrance examination were released. The scores were not good. My wife’s expression darkened the moment she saw them, and I also felt deeply unsettled. Although we anticipated our child might not perform well, the actual scores were lower than we expected. Relatives and friends kept calling to ask about the results which only fueled our negative emotions.

Meanwhile, as my wife and I shuttled back and forth between hospitals, we struggled to maintain our regular routine of studying the Fa and doing the exercises. Whenever my wife spoke, her words seemed laden with complaints, resentment, jealousy, and a sense of grievance that pierced me like knives. Unable to hold back, I would retort, leading to brief, heated arguments. We both realized that something was wrong, but because we did not examine our own shortcomings, the same issues would inevitably resurface after a while.

The convergence of so many conflicts gave me a profound understanding of what Master describes in Zhuan Falun as “suffering beyond what’s normal.”

Looking Inward Unconditionally

I knew I encountered these situations because they were exposing the attachments I hadn’t eliminated and they were tests for me to pass. Since my state of Fa-study had been quite good for some time, I used the Fa to gauge the conflicts and troubles I encountered, viewing the events unfolding around me through the lens of the Fa. I learned to use everything happening around me as a mirror for my own cultivation.

During the nearly month-long period of traveling back and forth to the hospital to care for elderly family members, I kept reflecting: Why did I repeatedly find myself in situations involving hospital care for the sick? Was this an opportunity for me to gain a correct understanding of sickness karma? Was it meant to help me by witnessing the sickness karma of others, and develop the right perspective on the false appearances of sickness karma that I once experienced? Of course, the old forces were also at play, using the sickness karma of family members to conduct their so-called tests, while simultaneously attempting to squander the precious time that practitioners should use to save sentient beings.

Throughout this process, whenever false appearances of illness karma manifested in my body, or I had thoughts related to illness I firmly rejected them. I told myself: “These are all false appearances imposed by the old forces and not arranged by my Master. I reject them! I follow only the path arranged by Master Li Hongzhi; I accept nothing else!”

After I had this realization, I intensified my Fa-study, and I recited the Fa even while was at the hospital or traveling to and from it. I carried an old mobile phone without a SIM card which was loaded with audio recordings of Master’s lectures and electronic versions of Dafa books. While I took care of my relative in the hospital I recited Master’s teachings. Even when I rode my bicycle, if I got stuck while reciting, I would stop, take out the phone to check the text, and then continue on my way.

Next to the hospital was a large, shaded park where many people came to exercise or escape the heat. I always brought flyers about Dafa. When I wasn’t needed to care for my relative I went to the park to distribute them, placing them on electric scooters parked by the roadside, in pavilions, on benches, or in other conspicuous spots.

When my father called my sister and lost his temper, my sister told me what he said. I was upset and thought, “I haven’t neglected them. I’ve been very filial! Why would they say such a thing?” In the heat of the moment, I couldn’t hold back; I said a few angry words over the phone and even hung up on my sister.

Through repeated study of the Fa, I began to look within unconditionally to find my shortcomings.

In the past, when I was filial to my parents, I was driven by a strong desire for a good reputation. I wanted to be well-regarded and praised by the villagers. Sometimes, I would even hand my father pocket money in front of our neighbors. I also took great pleasure in hearing my parents or sisters relay how our relatives and neighbors envied our family for having such a filial son. I felt quite smug about this. My desire for a good reputation was so strong that I wasn’t even aware of it myself.

Furthermore, while I tended to be very amiable in my interactions with ordinary people, I often struggled to control my emotions when dealing with my own family—my parents, sisters, and wife. I was particularly harsh with my mother. I lacked kindness and patience toward her. Whenever an issue arose, my immediate reaction was to lose my temper, complain, or accuse her. My attitude was often blunt and aggressive, and I was unable to calm down enough to communicate with my parents in a meaningful way.

My father’s recent outburst helped uncover my filthy attachments—the pursuit of a good reputation, vanity, an inability to exercise forbearance, and a tendency to treat people differently rather than maintaining a consistently kind demeanor. At the same time, I was able to view my sentiments towards parents, siblings, and others with greater detachment. Throughout our long journey through the cycle of reincarnation, we have formed countless connections across many lifetimes. The ties that bind us as parents, siblings, or spouses are numerous and complex. As a Dafa practitioner, showing care and kindness toward one’s parents and siblings is something that transcends the ordinary, sentimental attachments of everyday people. Treating everyone with kindness is a manifestation of the compassion that a practitioner cultivates by practicing Falun Dafa.

The day after my father’s outburst, I returned to my hometown early in the morning. I brought my parents back with me and took them to the hospital. I looked after them diligently, attending to their daily meals and ensuring they received their injections and medication. I also apologized to my sister for my angry outburst. I took my mother to another hospital to get some traditional Chinese medicine. My father asked me to bring some back for him as well, but the doctor insisted that the patient must be present for an examination before any medicine could be prescribed. When my father realized I hadn’t brought any medicine for him, he lost his temper once again. This time, I remained calm. I spoke to my father in a gentle tone. I patiently reasoned with him, and took him to see a doctor at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital. When I changed my previous, blunt, and aggressive style of communication, I found that my father was willing to cooperate with my requests.

My child has been afraid of me since he was very young. He was always worried that I might scold him for whatever he did. When I looked inward, I realized that I had been exceptionally harsh toward him. I did not communicate patiently. Instead, I dictated how things ought to be done according to the requirements of Dafa, I had an attitude of command and accusation. This approach characterized by harshness, impatience, and a tendency to lose my temper made my child afraid to open up to me and contributed to a timid, fearful personality. While this temperament largely stemmed from the persecution we faced from the evil forces while he was still in the womb, my attitude toward him certainly played a role as well.

I have consistently studied Master’s teachings, and over the past few years, I became aware of this issue. I gradually changed the way I communicate with him. I look inward, and I’ve become more tolerant. In our daily interactions I’ve remained patient, and I analyze the situation before I talk to him. After his college entrance exam results were released, I spent time researching schools and gathering information for him. When family members and relatives reached out with their concerns and questions I examined my own attachments such as vanity, a desire to save face, an aversion to trouble, a tendency to complain or blame others, and a lack of tolerance and patience while also maintaining good, open communication with my child.

There is a common saying: “Judge yourself by the same standards you use to judge others; forgive others with the same leniency you show yourself.” I stopped constantly criticizing, commanding, or complaining. Instead, I learned to be tolerant, understanding, and to consider things from his perspective. Through attending various university admissions fairs and gatherings with friends and relatives where my child’s low test scores often drew strange looks, I found myself grappling with vanity, a desire to save face, feelings of inferiority, the tendency to compare my child unfavorably to others, and even jealousy. By repeatedly facing these situations, these attachments gradually faded, and I eventually reached a point where I could handle them with a calm, composed mind.

My wife, who began practicing Dafa later than I did, long held only an emotional or superficial understanding that Dafa is good, without strictly following the requirements of a true practitioner. We have been married for twenty years, but spent most of that time apart because I was away working. She had to shoulder the burden of raising our child, care for all our aging parents, manage household chores, and handle countless daily issues. Over time, this led her to harbor negative sentiments—resentment, a sense of grievance, feelings of injustice, and jealousy. In recent years, we have lived together for the sake of our child, but our differing habits and perspectives have frequently sparked friction.

Because I lacked patience, tolerance, and the capacity to endure, I often thought my wife’s words were filled with criticism and complaints. Sometimes, the mere sound of her speaking would make me feel distressed. In reality, the issues I perceived in my wife were actually my own issues.

Once I identified these attachments in my own mind, I began sending righteous thoughts to eliminate the factors that prevented me from being tolerant, patient, and broad-minded. These things are not my true self; they are merely notions and karmic elements formed over many lifetimes in the human realm. Regardless of the karmic connections that brought my wife and me together, we are now both Dafa practitioners, striving to return to our true origins as guided by Master. Any karma or negative factors no matter how or when they were formed can only be resolved through the boundless compassion of Master and rectified under the guidance of Dafa.

I shared these insights with her. She began to look inward with tears streaming down her face to uncover the root causes of these negative notions. Nowadays, when we interact, she may still occasionally complain or find fault, and I might sometimes feel the urge to retort; yet, the moment such words leave our lips, we both recognize that this is not our true selves. It is merely the influence of our thought-karma and deep-seated, erroneous concepts at play. I respond with a gentle, smiling tone, thinking to myself: “The negative things you say are actually opportunities for me to cultivate my own character. No matter how poorly you treat me, I will continue to treat you with kindness. I will be tolerant toward you, and through this tolerance, we can work together to eliminate this thought-karma and these notions that do not align with the Fa.”

We now study the Fa together as a family every day, including our child in the process. Gradually, our home is transforming into an environment of practitioners.

Saving People in Different Environments

After rectifying myself according to the Fa and making diligent, practical progress in my cultivation, the results of saving sentient beings began to manifest.

A parent whose other child I had tutored eight years prior sent a younger child to me for tutoring. As the national college entrance examination approached, the student was feeling very despondent. I intended to share the truth of Dafa with her, hoping to help her navigate this difficult low point in her life.

Just as I was preparing to do so, the parent called specifically to mention that the child was in a poor emotional state, asking me not to conduct a formal lesson but rather to spend the time talking and connecting with her. I knew this was arranged by Master. During those two-plus hours, I began by discussing traditional culture, then systematically explained the truth about Dafa, why the CCP persecutes it, what is withdrawing from the CCP and why one should make such a withdrawal. The student readily agreed to withdraw. By the end of the session, she left with a bright smile on her face.

Later, the parent shared that upon returning home, the child remarked that a great weight had been lifted from her heart, leaving her feeling light and relieved. The parent kept thanking me and insisted on treating me to a meal. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to save them, I accepted. Over the meal, I spoke at length with both parents, starting with a discussion about their child’s well-being, then touching upon the corrosive negative influences in society and the issue of forced organ harvesting, before moving on to quitting the CCP to stay safe from calamities and the truth about Dafa. The parents were quite taken aback, yet they accepted the truth and successfully withdrew from the CCP. Afterward, I reached out to the older sibling my student from eight years ago and suggested we meet up. He agreed immediately. That same day, he and his mother came to visit me. As we ate and discussed the young man’s future plans, I transitioned the conversation incorporating their local religious beliefs to the topic of quitting the CCP. His mother was very supportive throughout the discussion, and the young man also successfully withdrew from the CCP organizations.

That night, I had a dream in which my pigs were playing outside and had rooted up someone else’s land. I was told to go and bring them home. In the dream, I called the little pigs by name, asking them to come home with me. They followed me back, quite happily.

There is another couple—parents of my former students—in whose shop we invested 100,000 yuan four years ago, though we have never participated in its management or operations. They later borrowed 70,000 yuan from us. With the economic downturn in recent years, their business never really took off. Every time we met, they would sincerely apologize and explain the reasons for the poor performance. A few days before the New Year the couple visited our home to explain their losses and share their plans for turning things around. As I listened, I reflected: Why do we keep encountering situations like this over the years?

On one hand, there is the economic persecution by the old forces, and on the other, our own attachment to personal gain played a role. More importantly, however, we had failed to explain what is Dafa to them. Perhaps they were seeking salvation through this very connection. I resolved that this time, I must clarify the truth to them! A negative thought flashed through my mind: “If I tell them the truth, will they stop paying us back?” But righteous thoughts immediately surfaced: “Even if this money—over 170,000 yuan—never comes back, I must still save them!” I began by expressing gratitude for their hard work, assuring them that we would not pressure them for repayment and that we would do our best to support their efforts to succeed. I spoke from their perspective, with a tone full of understanding, kindness, and compassion. The wife was moved to tears, and the husband’s eyes also welled up. I went on to share the truth with them, and both naturally agreed to renounce their affiliations with the CCP. Throughout this process, my wife silently sent righteous thoughts to support me.

During this period, former students—some recent graduates, others who had finished school years ago—would frequently drop by to see me. I seized every opportunity to share the truth with them, and they all successfully withdraw their membership in the CCP. Among them were the children of local high-ranking officials, students about to move to other cities or go abroad, those preparing for graduate studies, and others seeking someone to confide in regarding challenges in their work or personal lives. Some brought banners of appreciation, others brought fruit or drinks, and some I simply ran into on the street. A few brief words were enough for them to decide to withdraw from the CCP. I hosted most of these visitors for meals at restaurants, sharing the truth while we ate. On one occasion, I hosted over a dozen of them at a single table. They arrived full of joy and left with beaming smiles.

Epilogue

How fortunate we are to have been born during the time when Dafa is being widely disseminated; how fortunate we are to be Dafa disciples, assisting Master in saving sentient beings!

To be with Master and to be with Fa-rectification is the most fortunate and glorious moment for any life. It is the culmination of an anticipation that has spanned eons, through countless trials and tribulations. Cultivating ourselves well and assisting Master in saving sentient beings is a solemn vow we made long ago, before descending to this world. It is a mission and an honor bestowed upon us by Master. In these fleeting moments of Fa-rectification and the salvation of sentient beings, whether we can make the best use of the time that Master has extended at the cost of His own immense suffering is a matter that every Dafa disciple must contemplate with the utmost seriousness and approach with righteous thoughts.

These are my personal understandings. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate. Heshi.

(Selected submission for the 23rd China Fa Conference on Minghui.org)