1. Studying the Fa Online
I started practicing Falun Gong in 1996, and I really treasured Dafa after understanding more about it. I spent a lot of time studying the Fa because Dafa was deeply rooted within me. After Falun Gong began to be persecuted in l999, I was arrested for validating Dafa. I was persecuted in a forced labor camp and a brainwashing center for a long time. In order to make me give up my practice, the local authorities tried various means, such as aggressive brainwashing sessions, torture, fake kindness, and promises of early release, etc., but they all failed. Even though I still had attachments and did not negate the old forces’ arrangement, my firm beliefs remained untouched.
The day I was released, the local authorities were very nervous. They sent someone to pick me up from the "re-education center" and take me home, so I disclosed how I was persecuted to them and told them not to harass me at home.
In the beginning, I was more relaxed and sometimes I even acted like ordinary people. The old forces then cornered me for my sentimentality (qing) and ordinary lifestyle. I read Zhuan Falun every day, but I did not have Teacher's recent lectures and new articles nor any contact with other practitioners. After three months, I became anxious, and I knew that I could not go on without reading Teacher's lectures. Fortunately I was good with computers, and I decided to buy a computer to go online at home. I knew that getting onto certain websites was dangerous [because of the Chinese Communist Party's tight Internet monitoring of "sensitive" websites], and was afraid I would be found out, because I was in a totally exposed and vulnerable position: I was the focus point of the Security Bureau, and they knew my every move. If I bought a computer and got onto Dafa websites, they would keep a close eye on me and keep track of how often I visited the websites. There was much pressure and human notions too, and additionally, my relatives were all against it. However, I made up my mind to read Teachers' lectures no matter what. Once I had that firm notion, my relatives were not against my buying a computer anymore. As a result, I bought one and got online smoothly.
The first time I visited the Minghui/Clearwisdom website, I downloaded all of Teacher's lectures published since July 20, 1999. It was midnight then, but I could not put the lectures down, so I continued reading through the night. My human notion urged me to study more Fa even at the risk of arrest. Later on, I elevated through further study and got rid of my worries and fear. In the recent two years, disregarding the blockade set up by the CCP, I had no problems downloading whatever I wanted or even publishing articles on the Minghui website, and I never thought about how I would be persecuted for it. The Security Bureau found out about my doings, but they did not disturb me. When we can look at things from a higher level, then the ordinary notions and reasoning have no effect on us. Particularly, what we do is most righteous, so how could the evil forces dare to interfere with us? Of course, we have to take precautions, such as setting up a firewall and eliminating the evidence of getting on the websites etc. In addition to that, I pay attention to send forth righteous thoughts around the clock.
During the following months, I spent a lot of time studying the Fa and reciting the Fa, Teacher’s new articles, as well as poems in Hong Yin. After being detained and persecuted for a long period, I realized deep down the importance of studying the Fa and the need to cherish it. Only when we study the Fa well can we walk the righteous path. Teacher has reminded us again and again to study the Fa more, and studying the Fa is the first of the three things that Teacher requested of us. I read articles of other practitioners talking about memorizing the book Zhuan Falun, and I realized that I, too, should memorize Zhuan Falun. So far, I have recited the entire book four times.
2. Exposing the Evil Forces and Sharing with Practitioners Online
In the last few years, Dafa practitioners have been severely persecuted, and I have read about it on the Minghui website every day. I thought that I, too, should help to expose their evil deeds with my personal life. I wrote a few articles and sent them to the Minghui website. Later on, I wrote about my illegal forced labor camp experience and the methods they used to persecute Dafa practitioners in the brainwashing center. All my articles were published. I believed that writing about my story was also a test for me and an opportunity to elevate higher. Sometimes when I wrote about the details or certain evildoers, my human notions emerged and I wondered whether they would find me because of what I wrote. To let go of my human notions, I recollected,
"It is the evil that is afraid of people knowing the truth of the situation, not Dafa disciples."
("A Suggestion")
Meanwhile, I focused mainly on studying the Fa and gaining a clear understanding of the Fa principles. I looked within and asked why should I be persecuted and what could I be doing wrong? As a result of this, my xinxing and my state of cultivation elevated slowly. I wrote articles about my understanding of the Fa principles, my thoughts after reading articles written by other practitioners, and my sharing with others, including my experiences validating Dafa. Sometimes I also wrote about technologies that would benefit other practitioners. Altogether I wrote dozens of articles, one or two articles every week, and the majority of my articles were published. Some of them were even published in the Minghui Weekly. All that was fine, but slowly my human notions arose again. I started to check whether my articles had been published a day or two after I sending them in, and where was my article listed, up at the top or near the bottom. Wasn't that the attachment of fame and gain? Fortunately, I realized it in time, and I did not pay much attention to those details anymore. If Minghui didn't publish my article, I knew for certain that it probably resulted from my understanding of the Fa principles or that my state of mind was not righteous or something else, and that I should look within. At that time, I felt it was quite ordinary to have articles published, and the fact that I could share with other practitioners and we could elevate together was just magnificent. The Minghui/Clearwisdom website belongs to all Dafa practitioners, and it shoulders great responsibilities during the Fa-rectification. For this particular reason, every practitioner has the responsibility to safeguard and support Minghui and to make the website better. I hope that more practitioners will write articles for Minghui regardless of the level of their education. The really good articles are not better written or with filled with finer words, but have better cultivation insights or understandings of the Fa principles.
3. Stepping Out to Validate Dafa and Clarify the Truth
I did not pay much attention to truth clarification until I read in "Teaching the Fa the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference,"
"Also, with those people that you run into by chance, who you run into in daily life, and the people you run into at work, you should all clarify the truth to them. Even when in your daily life you pass by people so quickly that you don't have a chance to talk to them, you should still leave them with your compassion and kindness. Don't lose those who should be saved, especially those with predestined connections."
After I studied that, I did as Teacher said. I clarified the truth to friends and relatives, acquaintances, and strangers. In the beginning, I was worried and afraid when talking to strangers. We had a lot of garbage collectors in our area, and I wanted to buy some of the stuff from them and clarify the truth at the same time. Once a bad notion appeared while I was clarifying the truth: He knows my home, what if he reports me to the police? I immediately recognized that this thought was not righteous, and that it was not my real notion. Teacher indicated that we should clarify the truth to everyone we meet. Since I ran into this person, he must be predestined to hear the truth. Of course I will not get into any trouble, so I clarified the truth to him.
After I read Teacher's " Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People," I really paid attention to truth clarification, and I clarified the truth to people from every area of my daily life: When I went shopping, I clarified the truth to other customers; when I was in a taxi, I clarified the truth to the driver and other passengers. I even talked to strangers on the street, during weddings or parties, and at every opportunity presented to me. Sometimes I created opportunities myself and made contacts with more people. For instance, when I bought fruit, I would buy one kind from many different fruit stands, and similarly with haircuts, I saw a different barber every time. Whenever I went out to eat or ran other errands, I always sought to create opportunities to clarify the truth to more people
At that time, we did not have a lot of truth-clarifying materials, and sometimes I received only one booklet in several months. I bought a CD burner, downloaded files from the websites, and made CDs whenever I had time. When I first distributed the CDs, I always worried: What if the evildoers knew that I had a computer and were suspicious of me? However, I thought about those people who had predestined relationships with me and should be saved, and if I did not do this, who would? So I started distributing CDs first around my neighborhood and later to other areas, and when I visited my friends or relatives, I also gave them the truth-clarification CDs.
4. Creating a New Environment and Setting Up a Personal Materials Production Center
I lost my job after I was released from the forced labor camp, and was unemployed for quite a while. Teacher told us again and again that we should live like ordinary people, so I realized that I should have a job. Later, I was hired by a company out of town, so I had a pretty good job and income. However, I lost my previous home environment, and therefore I could not read Teacher's new articles or the Minghui Weekly. Fortunately, there were a few practitioners in this company, and one of them was my acquaintance. He had a computer at home and could get onto the Dafa websites and make truth-clarifying materials; my problem was thus resolved. I recognized that as long as we walked our path properly, our problems would be taken cared of, and Teacher would make the best arrangements for us.
In my new environment, I had my own living quarters, freedom to move around, a stable job and fixed income, and I thought that I needed to do what a Dafa practitioner should. I bought a color printer, a computer equipped with three CD burners plus a CD burner not associated with the computer, and thus I set up my personal truth-clarification materials production center. Because my financial situation was much better, I paid for all the costs so as to not burden other practitioners. I knew how to get on the Internet, therefore I chose the files to produce better materials to clarify the truth. The more practitioners get online, the harder it will be for the authorities to track us down. Therefore it would be safer for practitioners as a whole. As a result, I had a truly and totally independent materials production center.
So far, my truth clarification materials production center has functioned quite well for over a year, and I produce as much as I can manage daily. I make sure that I study the Fa diligently every day, since that is most important. I do the exercises, no matter how busy or how late, and consequently I am always energetic. I also pay attention to send forth righteous thoughts around the clock; even when I am busy with making the materials, I stop and send forth righteous thoughts. When I study the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts well, everything goes smoothly; otherwise there are problems and safety issues. I believe that this is one of the reasons why many truth clarification materials production centers have been destroyed and practitioners arrested.
When I make CDs, I focus on producing copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, and it takes about a minute to make one CD with the Nine Commentaries and Minghui Weekly on it. Sometimes other materials will also be added when necessary, such as exposing the evil persecution and rescuing fellow practitioners; some time ago when I heard about the concentration camp in Sujiatun, I did not hesitate and printed hundreds of flyers about it and posted them everywhere, including the residential area of the Security Bureau officials. This exposed the evil deeds and shook all the evildoers.
Besides producing and distributing truth-clarifying materials, I continue to clarify the truth to my co-workers and strangers. My workplace is very close to a bus station, and I clarify the truth at the bus station during my lunch break every day, regardless of the reactions from people. I want those people to hear the truth and lay a foundation for being saved.
5. Cherishing Our Time and Moving Forward Diligently
I gained a fresh understanding of the Fa after I was in my new environment for a while. I deeply felt the impact of our huge responsibilities as Dafa disciples. I also recognized how difficult it is to be a Fa-rectification period disciple. We should do well in every aspect, including our jobs, our families, society, and complete the "three things" that Teacher requested us to do. Now I also realize that time is running short every day, and I have never watched a movie or any programs on TV. I don't waste my time listening to the radio of ordinary people's music, which carries bad messages and is like smoking and drinking. After I upgraded my level, I quit smoking naturally. Right now, besides work, I use all my spare time to study the Fa, to exercise, to produce truth-clarifying materials, and to clarify the truth. In order to save time, I buy ready-made breakfasts and eat on my way to work, and have lunch in the cafeteria at work. Sometimes I even buy my supper out, so I can eat and make the truth-clarifying materials at the same time. I wasted a lot of my time before on my daily living. The state of my cultivation is slacking behind, which leaves me with much regret, and I now cherish every minute given to me for saving sentient beings.
Conclusion—Remembering Teacher's Graciousness, Which is Hard to Repay
After seven years of Fa-rectification, there have been many tribulations and yet it seems quite ordinary; Fa-rectification is entering its last stage. I can hardly find words to describe everything I want to say. Because of poor cultivation, at times I feel that I have nothing to say. However, I know that the opportunities for sharing among Dafa practitioners do not come easily, and therefore I have managed to rid myself of all the interferences and finish this article. But this article is only my personal experience, so I hope fellow practitioners can kindly point out anything inappropriate.
I have never attended any of Teacher's Fa-sessions, and have never seen Teacher, either. But when reading, " Remembering Teacher's Graciousness," I feel that I can recall Teacher's voice and smile and realize the difficulties of spreading the Fa and Teacher's enormous compassion. If it is so difficult to teach the Fa, then what about the Fa-rectification? Teacher has shouldered everything and given the best to all Dafa disciples. We can never understand Teacher's boundless compassion and graciousness, let alone how to repay it. I do not dare to look at Teacher's picture, for I feel too embarrassed. Only when I can move forward diligently will I not let Teacher down.
