(Minghui.org) I am 85 years old, and was fortunate to obtain the Fa in the spring of 1996. I have since been on the path of genuine cultivation, and truly experienced the miracle of Falun Dafa, the significance of Dafa cultivation, and the difficulty and solemnity of cultivation practice.
I dedicate myself to doing well the three things that Master told us to do. Despite the tremendous pressure from the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) brutal persecution, I have not had a single doubt about my belief in Master and the Fa, and continue to fulfill my responsibility as a Dafa disciple.
Enlightened by Master’s many Fa lectures, I have come to understand that everyone’s cultivation path is unique, and meticulously arranged by Master. We must each navigate our own cultivation path righteously and independently to achieve our own fruition status. For my part, I chose to clarify the truth by writing and mailing letters to save people, and distributing informational materials to expose the evil persecution.
Over time, I started producing truth-clarification materials myself. I make as many as I need to distribute, and also supply them to fellow practitioners. This task has shaped my cultivation path during the Fa-Rectification period. With Master’s guidance and strengthening, I have become increasingly proficient at this, which allows me to distribute even greater quantities.
I would like to share the story of when I accidentally won a “big prize” worth 3,000 yuan.
One day in October 2018, I dressed neatly as usual, and packed my bag full of truth-clarification materials to go out and distribute them to the public. I pressed my palms together in front of Master’s photo in the “heshi” gesture, and asked Master to strengthen me to fulfill my responsibilities smoothly for the day. I sincerely thanked Master, and then set off.
While walking, I met a young woman dressed in a camouflage outfit. I calmly offered her a copy of the materials. She did not take it, but instead asked whether it cost a lot of money to make them. I replied that it did. She then asked me a series of questions, which I answered truthfully.
“Who gave you the money?” she asked. I replied, “No one.”
She asked, “Where does the money come from then?” I told her it was from my living allowance.
“Who provides that allowance?” I then explained I had a pension.
She continued, “Who pays you the pension?” I told her I earned it through a lifetime of hard work.
She then said, “You should enjoy the money yourself! Look at how you’re dressed. You should buy some nice clothes, take nutritional supplements, and travel the world while you are still healthy to see the beautiful scenery and taste all the delicious food. Isn't it foolish to spend your money like this?”
I told her sincerely, “There are so many natural and man-made disasters these days, which pose a great danger to people’s lives. I distribute these truth-clarification materials, and offer people the way to save themselves. Whoever understands the truth will be safe and can enter the new era, after Heaven eliminates the CCP and any bad people affiliated with it. I am doing the most wonderful thing in the world!”
She did not say anything more, and left. I called out, “Young lady, I wish you peace and safety!”
I continued handing out my materials, and had soon successfully distributed all 200 copies. However, I hadn’t even finished one side of the street, and sighed, as there were still so many people waiting to be saved.
On my way back, while walking toward a supermarket, I thought about the young woman in camouflage clothing. I realized that her tone was unkind, and her questions felt more like an interrogation. She watched me openly distributing truth-clarification materials on the street, but did not report or arrest me, even if she was an undercover police officer.
I did not have any fear at all throughout the process. I realized that Master’s law body was protecting me all the time. I sincerely thanked Master for keeping me safe from harm, and strengthening me.
I chose a down jacket at the supermarket, and went to the counter to pay. The cashier handed me a card, and directed me to another counter. The clerk there asked me to scratch the card and see if I had won anything. I told them, “I didn’t realize I can win a prize while shopping. I wasn’t looking to win anything so I’m not going to scratch it.” But they all encouraged me to try my luck.
As I didn’t want to disappoint them, I scratched a small area, and said, “I see a zero.”
The clerk took over and scratched off the rest, then suddenly shouted, “Auntie, you won! It’s the top prize. You’re truly a lucky woman!”
I said, “What is the prize?” She replied, “Three thousand yuan! But you cannot get cash. You can only select jade items at this counter. If your selection exceeds 3,000 yuan, you pay the difference. If it is less, there’s no cash back.”
I immediately thought that as a Dafa practitioner, I should not accept prizes like this. Even though it was not from an illicit source, it was still not something I had earned.
I asked, “What happens to the 3,000 yuan if I don’t take any jade?” She replied, “It just goes to waste.” I felt it would be a shame to waste such a large sum of money.
Then I recalled that a practitioner had asked Master this question during a Fa Conference:
“Disciple: Practitioners who have been making phone calls to China sometimes encounter corrupt officials, who say things like, “We’ve embezzled huge amounts of money. The campaigns against corruption in China are worrying us, and we’re not sure what to do with the illicit funds we have.” And some have said things such as, “How about I donate the money to Falun Gong? And I will go live in America, too.” Some practitioners say that we shouldn’t accept their money, since it’s not clean. We aren’t sure how to respond if this comes up again.
Master: That’s what has become of this modern society, especially in mainland China. [Who knows] what is clean and what’s not? And even the money that does seem clean to you might not be, indirectly. That’s what has become of this society, after all. But we don’t look at the way things are on the surface. What we look at are people’s hearts. In this case, those people have the right heart when they say they are thinking about donating the money to Falun Gong—money that they embezzled, went to such lengths to acquire, and put themselves at risk for (everyone laughs). Then let’s think about it, while it is true that they’re doing this under the pressure of the situation they are in, whatever the case, they were thinking about giving it to Falun Gong rather than to others. Then there is still grounds for saving these people, wouldn’t you say? If the truth-clarification materials sites that Dafa disciples run are truly in need of funds, of course, and if these people want to donate some, then let’s let them. What would they otherwise do with that money, anyway? Although the money is not “clean,” if it’s used for saving people, then would you still say it’s not “clean”? That’s different then, isn’t it? And it will eliminate karma for whoever donated it. (Everyone applauds)” (“Fa Teaching at the 2015 West Coast Fa Conference”, Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIII)
After thinking it over, I decided to choose some jade, and try to convert it to cash for funding the production of truth-clarification materials.
I picked a pendant, and the clerk said, “You have such a great eye, auntie. You picked the best piece under 3,000 yuan. You’ll look 10 years younger wearing this.”
I thought to myself, “If I wear this until I reach consummation through cultivation, this might become a Fa tool.” As I went home, I still pondered how to convert the jade into cash.
When I arrived home, I told my husband, “I have some good news. I won a 3000-yuan prize after buying a down jacket!”
He said happily, “Did you get cash?” I showed him the jade pendant. He said, “It is pretty. You’re a lucky person.”
I explained my dilemma, “I am a Dafa practitioner who has cultivated for over 20 years. I know that the prize I won is not truly mine, and I should not take it for personal use. You’re smart. Can you figure out a way for me to turn this into cash, and use it for Dafa projects?”
He said, “We can sell it. Simple!”
I told him, “I thought of that too. But regular people don’t want to spend that much money, and the wealthy ones only buy big name brands at jewelry stores. No one would buy a second-hand item like this. What should we do?”
He said, “You can sell it to me. Your birthday is coming up in a few days. I will buy it, and give it to you as a gift!”
I praised him, “You are truly a smart person, not only solving the problem, but also giving me a birthday present at the same time. Thank you!”
I put the 3,000 yuan in a cash box designated for truth-clarification projects, and recorded the amount. I keep detailed records of all funding and expenses. When the funds run low, I replenish them. I keep all this separate from our household finances. I have never accepted a single penny from fellow practitioners, and cover all the expenses myself. Over the years, I replaced my printer five times, as each one wore out.
When I reflected on this, I realized that what happened that day was no coincidence. As the saying goes, “Heaven watches everything people do. Good will be rewarded with good, and evil meets with retribution.”
As practitioners, all the gods are watching us, and so are the old forces and evil factors. The righteous gods give us support, while the old forces look for any omissions to drag us down, and seize any opportunity to destroy us.
I understand that the entire experience of wining the prize was a test of how I would treat money and material gain, as well as a reward and encouragement for my work to help save people.
I must cultivate myself more diligently, find my omissions to rectify myself in the limited time remaining, and keep up with the progress of the Fa-Rectification. I am determined to fulfill my mission, and return to my true home in Heaven with Master!