(Clearwisdom.net) Jidong Prison in Hebei Province is a horrible place. More than 100 practitioners are detained here. On December 27 of the Lunar Calendar (February 14, 2007), a large number of banners slandering Dafa and Master were posted on utility poles and apartment buildings near the prison. Dafa practitioners removed some, but more were posted. Even now, the authorities continue to write and post slanderous materials. Chinese New Year is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese people. Every family is celebrating, and fireworks are going off. Yet our venerable Master is being slandered. Today is the Lantern Festival (January 15 of the Lunar Calendar). On this occasion, I feel especially bad and feel that I have let the Master down.
As Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples, safeguarding the Fa is our sacred mission. We not only need to use supernormal capabilities to eliminate the evil in other dimensions, but we also need to remove the slanderous banners people write.
It is very important to understand this issue on the Fa and improve as a whole. Certainly, these interferences occurred because we had omissions as a group and because our field was not pure or righteous enough. Every fellow practitioner among us should put him or herself in the situation and think about it. We can't think that this has nothing to do with us. While completely negating the evil, we should also look inside. I think there are four main reasons that led to the widespread posting of the evil banners.
We did not treat the Fa as our first priority
When I first heard about the banners, I was indifferent. A fellow practitioner told me again about them on January 8. When I went there and saw the banners, I felt very bad. I decided to clear away the evil that slanders Master and poisons sentient beings. When I saw that some fellow practitioners were as indifferent as I was, I suggested that they also go see the banners. I didn't think they could remain indifferent after seeing the banners themselves.
Looking inside myself, I realized that I did not treat Dafa as my first priority. I did not cherish this predestined cultivation that only came about after thousands of years of waiting. I had not let go of my attachment to comfort.
“Despite this, when Dafa is about to consummate you, you are unable to step forward from humanness, and when the evil persecutes Dafa you are unable to stand up to validate Dafa. These people who only want to take from Dafa and not give for Dafa are, in the eyes of Gods, the worst beings.” (“A Suggestion” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
We Have Not Truly Shown Respect to Master and the Fa
Why was the evil able to slander Master? I think it was because some practitioners have not truly shown respect for Master and the Fa. Because the disciples are not respectful, the evil has an excuse to persecute them. Master has said that respecting Master and the Fa is a part of the Fa principles. We have not shown true respect for Master and the Fa because we have been brainwashed by the wicked Chinese Communist Party for so long—since our childhoods—that we do not know to respect gods and Buddhas.
Even gods in the Heavens kneel when they listen to Master's lectures. Before July 1999, when we held large-scale group exercises at Tangshan Square, the local assistants told us ahead of time that we could not wear shorts or skirts. The photos on Clearwisdom of the large-scale group exercises across the world all show the practitioners dressed formally. We should really dress more formally to be worthy of the word “Sacred.” When I study the Fa, I do not sit straight all the time. Especially in the beginning, many random thoughts go through my head like overflowing rivers and roiling seas. I cannot study the Fa with a calm heart. It usually takes me a while before I realize that I cannot calm down because of my attachment to comfort and that I need to sit straight. I then often hold the Dafa book and recite the Fa. When I am able to study the Fa with respect, my whole body is enveloped in energy, similar to the state in tranquil cultivation. I do not feel sleepy anymore, and other stray thoughts also vanish. I am then able to recite more Fa. Every moment I can understand or experience the supernormal principles of Dafa. In other words, only when we study the Fa with respect will the Fa principles be shown to us.
Some practitioners have an attachment to fear
Some practitioners only look at this one issue and think that the banners were posted because the authorities intentionally wanted to lure Dafa practitioners to remove the banners in order to arrest them. Do the practitioners who say such things have an attachment to fear? We don't need to guess the wicked people's intentions, since they are controlled by evil spirits and rotten demons. Guessing is using the human heart to do things—doesn't that mean following the old forces' arrangements? We should look at it from the Fa. I think that the evil in other dimensions saw that we had omissions and took advantage. The evil uses the authorities to slander Master and Dafa in order to poison sentient beings and destroy them.
Of course, we must try to find out who are doing those bad things and “clarify the facts” to them. On the human side, removing the slanderous banner is practitioners' safeguarding the Fa and eliminating the evil in order to save sentient beings. We should do it without any doubt. It is the most righteous thing in the universe. When our minds are pure, the evil does not dare to touch us. I have removed those banners several times, and I felt that the Master was protecting me. Quite a few times there was nobody else around at all. Even when there were other people around, I was not afraid, since I knew that I could not allow the evil to exist there.
Some practitioners do not have a clear understanding on sending righteous thoughts as a group in close proximity
When sending righteous thoughts in close proximity (to the target), there are fewer obstacles and it is more powerful. Master has already talked about sending righteous thoughts in close proximity. Since Master has taught us about this, we should try to implement it unconditionally. The practitioners who pass by the slanderous banners can send forth righteous thoughts in close proximity. Even when passing by it, we are disintegrating it.
I decided to write this article because I saw problems in myself and fellow practitioners around me. My goal was to share with others. When writing this article, I eliminated my attachment to blaming others and found that tolerance was indeed a beautiful thing, as it enabled me to find good points in other people and correct my own shortcomings. At the same time, I have been eliminating my attachment to fear and comfort. I have come to realize that writing an experience sharing article is also cultivation, and it is a part of doing the “three things” that Master has asked us to do.
My level is very limited. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.