(Clearwisdom.net) When I clarified the truth about Falun Gong for the very first time, I felt as though my lips were glued together. Hence, the fellow practitioner next to me assumed all the talking. What I could do was to send forth righteous thoughts. That day, the fellow practitioner successfully persuaded 12 people to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its Youth League and its Young Pioneer Team within one hour. After I went back home, I resolved to open up my mouth and clarify the truth next time.
In the second outing, when the fellow practitioner was clarifying the truth to people, I added a few words at the opportune moment. The effect was good. The practitioner took the opportunity to encourage me to try again. Later when I went out alone, I tried very hard to open my mouth. But when opportunities came, my heart began to palpitate. No matter how hard I tried, I could not open up my mouth. Finally I was able to talk to a person. To my astonishment, he agreed to withdraw from the CCP. I was overjoyed beyond belief. But when I talked to the next person, he said a lot of nasty words to me. The public humiliation sent a chill all over my body. It was as though I had been frozen instantly. I spent the rest of the day blaming myself for not being able to overcome the obstacles.
That night, several fellow practitioners invited me to a cultivation experience gathering. I told everyone what happened during the day and everyone laughed. A big sister tried to encourage me. [It is a Chinese custom to address an older woman outside the family as "big sister" out of respect and endearment.] She said, "You have a lovely voice and an amiable smile. I am confident that you will clarify the truth well." Another practitioner said, "Actually, that which prevented you from opening your mouth was not part of you. It is a substance from another dimension." I enlightened to what she said instantly. Yes! It was a bad matter that obstructed me from saving sentient beings. But, I had regarded it as part of myself. I understood the root cause instantly.
When I returned home that night, I searched inward carefully. Why was the bad substance able to hamper me? Perhaps it is because I tried to clarify the truth with many human thoughts. The root cause was selfishness. I harbored a selfish agenda when I clarified the truth. I wanted to enhance my cultivation level by doing the Three Things. I was afraid of falling behind. That was the reason why I pushed myself to clarify the truth. The old forces must have seen my selfishness and, thus, found an excuse for their interference. Teacher said,
"If you are able to succeed in improving yourself this way, what you do then, with a pure heart, will be the best and most sacred." ("Further Understanding" in Essentials for Further Advancement)
Actually "selfishness" is not my nature. It is an obtained notion accumulated over the past several thousand years.
What I am doing today is in compliance with the universe's Great Law --- Truthfulness, Compassion , Forbearance. The Fa encompasses everything in the universe and omits nothing. How can I be obstructed by that coarse karma and notions? Once I attained this understanding, I put my right hand in front of my chest and started to send forth righteous thoughts. I said to myself, "Eradicate all the fear in my dimension. Eliminate the fear of being arrested, the fear of rejection, vanity and all other evil matters hampering me from clarifying the truth. The old forces are not entitled to test me with these things. No life may interfere with Teacher's Fa-rectification." After I completed sending forth righteous thoughts, I felt more relaxed and purer at heart.
On the next day, I was on my way to a wholesale market to do some shopping when I saw someone standing on the sidewalk. My mind was completely calm before I walked up to him to clarify the truth. He agreed to withdraw from the CCP shortly. Afterwards, I walked towards a small shop and saw a clerk inside. I thought, "I must save you!" When I was two steps away from the entrance, I remembered a poem by Teacher: Teacher said,
"He comes with Truth that gives him free reign
And travels the four seas with a free and easy spirit
The Fa’s principles spread throughout the world
His Fa Boat sets sail, loaded full with sentient beings"
("Tathagata" in Hong Yin II)
I was enveloped with a sacred feeling. At that moment, I did not think of myself. Instead, I thought only of saving sentient beings. Before the history of the mankind, these sentient beings must have told us, "Do not leave me behind amongst the crowd!" My eyes welled up with tears, and I walked into the store. The clerk's eyes lit up upon seeing me, as though he had been waiting for me. I felt enveloped with sacred light. I felt as though Teacher and many divine beings were watching me. I approached the clerk with a smile and in just a few words he agreed to withdraw from the CCP.
Since then, the truth-clarification work has become easier for me although I have encountered some xinxing tests. I was clarifying the truth to two young women at a bus stop when an elderly woman in expensive outfit overheard me and gave me a look of contempt. Once on the bus, I thought I would give her a chance since she overheard me. I purposely took the seat in front of her and asked her, "You must have heard what I was saying to those two young ladies. Why don't you withdraw from the CCP as well?" She went berserk and started to shout insults. Many people on the bus turned their heads and watched the commotion.
I remembered what Teacher has taught us in Zhuan Falun. Teacher said,
"Perhaps in the future you may be slapped in the face twice, and you will lose face in front of someone whom you least want to see it. It is to see how you will deal with this issue and whether you can endure it." ("People with Great Inborn Quality" in Lecture Nine of Zhuan Falun)
Before I started to practice Falun Gong, I was very vain. Over many years of cultivation, I have tried hard to eliminate my attachment to vanity. But at that moment, I felt worse than being slapped in public. This was obviously a xinxing test. I tried to control the impulse to argue with her. I thought, "I am trying to save you. If you refuse to be saved, I will leave and save others." While she was shouting insults, I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil elements behind her. Meanwhile, I begged for Teacher's help to reinforce my righteous thoughts. I hoped other practitioners would run into her and save her. I begged Teacher to give her more chances.
After I got off the bus, I felt a dark force attacking my body. My knees felt weak. The same substances that once hampered me from clarifying the truth were coming at me again. I speculated on the reason for this attack; "She insulted you and threatened to report you to the police. You must have lost your confidence. Why don't you give up?" But this time I saw through the evil's trick. Teacher said,
"You’re cold, and you try to make me cold—are you trying to make me freeze? I’ll be even colder than you, I’ll make you cold." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
Because of the Fa, Falun Gong practitioners have enough compassion to melt down steel and iron. Who's afraid of a little ice? I shall not be frozen by the evil! Next I saw three people standing on the platform. I walked up to them and successfully persuaded them to withdraw from the CCP. Then I decided not to take the bus. Why don't I walk home? I can clarify the truth on the way home. It took me less than 20 minutes to walk from the platform to a place near home where I was supposed to meet with fellow practitioners. In less than 20 minutes, ten people agreed to withdraw from the CCP.
I started late to clarify the truth face-to-face. Next to those fellow practitioners who started early and have been doing it well, I felt ashamed. Fortunately fellow practitioners kept helping me and holding my hand when I clarified the truth. Because of their help and encouragement, I was able to overcome the obstacles. Sometimes I think of the fact that there were 100 million Falun Gong practitioners before the persecution started. If half of them could step out and clarify the truth and if each person could persuade one person to withdraw from the CCP, there would be 50 million people withdrawing from the CCP each day! It's good to advance in our personal cultivation, but it is more important for the Falun Gong practitioners to advance as a whole! If those who are good at clarifying the truth would tutor or help others who are not good at it or have difficulty clarifying the truth, we would advance much faster as a whole. As long as we study the Fa well and have sufficient righteous thoughts, all of us will be able to clarify the truth.
This is but my personal understanding. Please point out anything erroneous.
