(Minghui.org)
Dear Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I have practiced Falun Dafa for 14 years. Under Master's care, I have come a long way in my cultivation, and feel that I have so much to report to Master. Due to my limited education, and since this is the first time that I've contributed an article to a Minghui Fa Conference, please compassionately point out anything inappropriate.
Beginning to Practice Falun Dafa
I am a woman living in the countryside. My education was limited to elementary school. In 1995, by chance, I ran into a former colleague. We later married and encountered Falun Dafa. Since that time, I have cultivated in Dafa.
In August 1998, my husband and I went for a walk in a park after dinner. We saw a lot of people doing qigong. When we got closer, we recognized that they were practicing Falun Gong. I was instantly very attracted to the practice, feeling that it was something that I was looking for. That was the day my husband and I entered the realm of Dafa. At that time, there were 10 practice sites near my house. Every morning at about 3 a.m., practitioners did the exercises outdoors for two hours. At night, they gathered together and studied Zhuan Falun or Master's other lectures. My husband was able to sit in the full-lotus position after about three months, while I still struggled with it. He actively took part in doing the household chores and asked me to practice the sitting meditation (and to practice bending my legs). During that time, I was immersed in Buddha Fa cultivation. I was in very good health and felt joyful every day. Often, we went out to spread the Fa to other people and held Fa conferences so we could all come together and improve from sharing with each other. I hand-copied Zhuan Falun daily. I hadn't written for a long time, so when I first picked up a pen, my hand was very stiff and shaky, and my handwriting didn't look good. I kept it up, and finally, my handwriting got a lot better. I also learned many new words. Dafa expanded my wisdom. I finished copying Zhuan Falun twice. My Fa study was very solid at that time, so this laid a firm foundation which helped me overcome one tribulation after another.
Tribulations Can't Shake My Faith in Dafa
The evil Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started frantically persecuting Falun Dafa less than one year after I took up the practice. Due to fear, my husband stopped practicing, but I didn't. I was arrested and our house was ransacked. The police took away my Dafa books and an exercise tape. My husband hid Master's photo, so the police couldn't find or take it. In the police station, the officers hit me very hard and tried to force me to kneel. I thought, “I can only kneel down to my Master, no one else.” I told the officers, “I have a stomachache and need to use the bathroom.” As I was walking to the bathroom, I kept thinking that I wouldn't kneel down for them no matter what. When I came back, they didn't ask me to kneel anymore. At that time, I didn't know what “sending righteous thoughts” was all about. I just had that simple thought of not wanting to kneel. Later, I understood that my righteous thoughts were having an effect. In the police station, I maintained my xinxing well and didn't reveal other practitioners' names. Prior to my release, the officers attempted to extort 10,000 yuan from me. I told them, “I don't have a job and have no money.” After being detained for 20 days, I was bailed out by my family.
After I returned home, I started to study the Fa and practice the exercises, but I couldn't find the exercise tape. My husband and I went to the retirement office to ask the staff to return the tape. On our way, I kept reciting Master's poems. When we got to the retirement office, I told the man in charge that my belongings had been taken. The man, who turned out to be the director of the retirement office, asked, “What stuff?” I told him that it was my cassette tape. He said, “It's all over there. Go look for it yourself.” I found the tape and started to do the exercises daily with it. I felt very close to Master when I heard his voice.
After my husband stopped cultivation practice, his health drastically worsened. He angered easily, and didn't allow me to contact other practitioners or leave home. He even yelled at practitioners whenever he saw them. He gave me a lot of tribulations.
One day, my husband's oldest son tore my Dafa book. I felt very sad. I kept reciting Master's teaching to overcome my sadness:
“Steadfastly cultivate Dafa, the will unflinching
The raising of levels is what’s fundamental
In the face of tests one’s true nature is revealed
Achieve Consummation, becoming a Buddha, Dao, or God.”
(“True Nature Revealed” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
No matter how hard my family tried to interfere with me, my steadfast faith in Master never wavered. I told his oldest son, “You have beaten me and cursed me, and I have been silent. Now you've torn apart my precious book. That's not acceptable. Every word in the book has my Master's Law Body. There are layers of Buddhas, Taos, and Gods in it. This book teaches Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and how to be a good person. You have only read this book once and now you've torn it apart. What great karma you've committed!” I wanted him to go in front of Master's photo, admit his wrongdoing, and promise that he wouldn't do such a vicious deed again. He did what I asked. Later, I glued the torn pages together. Even now, I still use that book when I study the Fa.
In 2011, my husband turned in my copy of Zhuan Falun and practice tape to the community board. I thought, “I can't lose that book—it is my life and blood. If someone keeps me from cultivating in Dafa, he might as well take my life. I want my book back.” I asked Master to strengthen me. That day, I went to the community board alone. I told the clerk that I wanted my book back. I recited one of the passages in Zhuan Falun to him and said, “In the past, I was disease-stricken. Now, I am free of illness. My husband treats me like garbage, but in return, I have always treated him with respect and compassion. If I didn't practice Falun Dafa, do you think I would act this way? Falun Dafa teaches me Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and to embrace a heart of compassion. If you return the book to me, you will also have done a great deed.” Instantly, the mighty power of Dafa shook the evil and dismantled its elements behind her back. She returned the book. Holding it, tears poured down my face. There weren't any words to express my thankfulness to Master. I again witnessed the great, mighty power of Dafa. Later, some practitioners asked me, “When you went to the community board to ask for your book, weren't you scared?” I said, “Not at all. I didn't know what 'fear' meant.”
After I got my book back from the community board, my husband was a bit awed and stopped bothering me. This incident played a very important part in his returning to the Fa. More importantly, I treated him with compassion, and this is the power of Dafa that melted his heart. Since then, he's permitted me to go to the market, thereby allowing me to spend more time with other practitioners to do truth-clarification activities in order to save sentient beings. At that time, my friends and relatives who knew about our family situation asked me, “Why don't you leave the old man?” I said, “Because I want to be a kind cultivator. It is fate that we met. Maybe I owed him in my past life. It's time for me to repay him.” They laughed to hear this. Non-practitioners don't understand a cultivator's mindset. I know that I'm a cultivator. No matter what kind of bitterness, I must take it, eliminate my karma, and upgrade my xinxing. Master is here with me, I have the Fa, and as long as my faith in Master and Fa is 100%, there's no tribulation that I can't pass, and no tribulation can shake my faith.
My Husband Returns to Cultivation
After my husband stopped cultivation practice, all his previous illnesses recurred and he was hospitalized several times. In 2008, he had his gallbladder removed. I always sat next to him when he was bedridden. In the patient's room, I studied the Fa, practiced the exercises, sent righteous thoughts, and clarified the facts to people there. There were a lot of people who shared the room with us, and some were there visiting their family members. When I tried to explain the facts about Falun Gong to them, my husband started to curse me very badly. I didn't fight with him and kept reciting Master's teaching:
“Forbearance is the key to improving one’s xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is the forbearance of a cultivator.” (“What is Forbearance (Ren)?” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
No matter how badly he cursed me, I kept doing the three things.
In March 2011, he was again hospitalized. He was diagnosed with a benign enlargement of the prostate. After over a month of treatment, there was no visible improvement. Later, he was put on an IV drip, but to no avail. He was severely tormented. The doctor couldn't do anything about it. Later, the director said, “I know what happened. We gave you the wrong medicine.” We heard him say this very clearly. I smiled at my husband and said, “Master is trying to give you a hint through the director's mouth. Master is coming to rescue you.” The doctor told us, “Come back for an operation (in a few days) on May 4.” I told my husband, “Master is still looking after you. Come back to Dafa. Come back to Master. That is the only way. You have good inborn quality. Now you have tripped. Hurry and get up!” He smiled, but didn't say anything. I felt that he was already moved. I continued encouraging him.
May 6, 2011, was an unforgettable day. My husband, after being out of Dafa for 11 years, finally returned. Master said:
“As their Master, I won't leave behind a single Dafa disciple in Mainland China, except for those who've gone over to the opposite side and can no longer be saved. I'm thinking of all of them.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference”)
Master' compassion had awakened him. Dear Master, there is no way that I can express our gratitude to you! Tears poured down my face, tears of happiness and gratitude. I rejoiced for my husband, for his life and for the cosmos he represented—all being saved.
Since that time, my husband has studied the Fa, practiced the exercises, and sent righteous thoughts every day. When he started doing the second exercise again, he couldn't stand steadily. When he read Zhuan Falun, he missed words and stuttered but never slacked off and was very persistent. He knew that if Master didn't want him, he couldn't return to the Fa, so he cherished the book very much. During this period of time, Master also helped purify his body. He experienced something like a sickness karma, but it quickly passed.
At first, practitioners didn't dare come to my house, because they didn't believe that my husband had returned to practicing Falun Dafa. Seeing the changes in his health and how he smiled at practitioners when he saw them, they began to believe me. Thereafter, many practitioners came to my house to study the Fa. Now, his health has fully recovered. He helped me shoulder some of our household chores, such as sweeping the hallway. Later, we established a practice site at our house. From the time when he used to yell at practitioners to creating a practice site, we saw great changes in him. This also validated the power of Dafa. After we formed the Fa study group at our house, with practitioners' help, he made great improvements in his cultivation. Now, he reads more smoothly. He can also finish the five exercises without much effort. We host two Fa studies a week in our house, and send righteous thoughts together. After we read a chapter, we begin sharing. Fa study is a cultivation form established by Master, so we must harmonize with it. Our Fa study group continues to meet.
Face-to-Face Truth Clarification to Save Sentient Beings
During those years when my husband banned me from going out, I'd usually go to the market or streets to clarify the facts to people as soon as he left in the afternoon to play cards. I usually brought the Minghui Weekly and some CDs with me. I covered all the places no matter where I went. One day I went back to my hometown to clarify the facts. I was introduced to a woman who'd practiced a long time ago. As I was clarifying the facts to the farmers, they told me that the woman standing there was once a Falun Gong practitioner. I went over to her and asked if she was a practitioner. She said she was but that she'd stopped practicing due to fear. She asked, “Aren't you afraid of being arrested?” I replied, “I am not afraid of anything because I have the protection of Master's Law Body. As soon as your righteous thoughts are strong, no one dares to touch you.” Later, I invited her to my practice site. Gradually, she eliminated her attachment of fear. Under her influence, other practitioners in her town also came to study the Fa at my practice site.
I live by a main road, and there's a bus station in front of us. Whenever I see people waiting for the bus, I go downstairs to clarify the facts to them. When I see an elderly person crossing the street, I quickly run downstairs to help him cross safely and clarify the facts to him. One day after two seniors heard the truth about Falun Dafa, they asked me for truth-clarification CDs. I ran upstairs and bought some down for them. After my husband returned to cultivation practice, his health quickly improved. He also followed me to clarify the facts to people. He sent righteous thoughts for me as I was clarifying the facts. One day, he and I went to his workplace to clarify the facts to his old colleagues. Since he knew a lot of people there for many years, we managed to help over a dozen of them quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations that morning.
One day when I went to the bank to get some change, I asked the clerk her name. She answered, “What's up?” I told her about quitting the evil Party, then I asked if she was a CCP member. She said that she'd joined the Youth League. I said, “Remember Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. Quit the Youth League, and you'll then have a good future.” She nodded and smiled. After I received my change in the form of paper currency, I asked practitioners to print truth-clarification phrases on them. I then went to exchange the money with street vendors. This allowed us to speed up the circulation of truth-clarification currency. Truth-clarification currency plays an invaluable role in saving sentient beings. Many people have learned the truth about Falun Gong from reading the messages on the truth-clarification bills. They are like little lotus flowers of the truth-clarification materials. After vendors learned the facts about Falun Gong, they were happy to exchange money with me. I told them that using the truth-clarification currency was performing a great deed and they would receive blessings.
Truth clarification and convincing people to quit the evil Party has been part of my daily life. I clarify the facts to people wherever I go. I usually go out by myself. I recite Master's poem as I walk:
“Make known the truth and get rid of evil spirits
Spread the Nine Commentaries and the evil Party will fade
Save the world's people with righteous thoughts
Expose the lies and open the locks in people's hearts
We don't believe consciences can't be brought back”
(“To Save The World” from Hong Yin III)
One day, I saw some students and clarified the facts to them. After learning the truth, they wrote down their real names for me to help them quit the CCP. I've had many different experiences clarifying the truth.
Overall, I have not done well enough but will strive to do better. Fa-rectification is nearing the end. In this last moment, I will study the Fa diligently, upgrade myself quickly, do the three things well, save more sentient beings, and live up to Master's expectation of me. I will remember Master's teaching:
“Born into sufferings,
Your pockets were still empty after decades.
Upon gaining the Fa, you soared upward.
Hurry up,
Do well the Three Tasks,
Save all beings,
Return home and don't slow your steps.” (“A Reading Response” from Hong Yin III)
Heshi. Thank you, benevolent Master!
