(Minghui.org) Greetings to our compassionate Master and fellow practitioners.
I obtained the Fa three years ago. Looking back at the days prior to my obtaining the Fa, it seems that everything had long been arranged by Master. It is just like what Master has mentioned in the “2008 New York Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference,”
“Now is the final moment that concludes arrangements that are eons old. History's progression to this point today has not been easy, fraught as it's been with hardship and ups and downs.”
I would like to share with you my experience of how I began Falun Dafa cultivation Practice, along with two touching stories from this summer vacation.
1. My Entire Family is Indeed Very Fortunate to have Obtained the Fa at This Final Stage
I grew up in an affluent environment, and later earned my PhD degree in science and engineering in the United States. Since returning to Taiwan, I have been teaching at a prestigious university. I have two lovely children and a considerate husband, and previously had been satisfied with my achievements. About a year ago, when the American movie 2012 was showing, we noticed how real the natural and man-made disasters all around the world seemed. They showed many earthquakes in Taiwan. One time, when my daughter was alone in the bathroom, there was an earthquake. After that, she was fearful. When an earthquake occurred in the middle of the night, all I could do was comfort my children and pray to heaven. At that time, I suddenly realized that human beings are so fragile. No matter how much one owns in the world, when a sudden powerful natural disaster takes place, we can lose everything. Though both my husband and I have PhD degrees in science, in the face of natural disasters, we are helpless. This made me feel very frustrated.
My husband handed me a copy of the book Zhuan Falun, and I read it through within a very short period of time. It seemed to be quite simple, but it cleared the doubts that had long been in my mind about quantum mechanics. I was surprised to find that natural science, which I have painstakingly studied over the past ten plus years, was so insignificant compared with everything mentioned in Zhuan Falun. I made it a rule to read the Dafa books regularly, so I have put aside all other leisure books and have seriously studied Zhuan Falun repeatedly every day. I also feel that the teachings in this book have solved many issues in my life, and I am now full of joy and happiness. As my husband, my children, and I obtained the Fa one by one, we studied the Fa together at a fixed time every day. This is now the happiest time of our day. Based on the teachings, we understand that nothing is accidental. We look inward whenever there are conflicts and conduct ourselves according to the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I noticed that my timid daughter gradually lost her nervousness. Since starting cultivation I have gained the ability to calmly deal with unexpected situations, eliminated unknown fears, and experienced a peaceful mind.
2. Enlightened from the 2012 International Fa Conference at the U.S. Capital
In Mid-July of this year, my entire family went to Washington, DC, to attend the Fahui. Shortly after signing up, a coordinator informed us that my husband and I would be the coordinators for this trip. Later, I thought that we should do everything, including booking hotel rooms and arranging transportation, etc. At first I was afraid and had a negative thought, which was, “Had I known this, I would not have signed up for the trip.” At this point, my daughter said, “We should not have to stop taking baths because there are insects.” (Lecture Seven in Zhuan Falun) It suddenly dawned on me that this was something Master wanted me to enlighten to through my daughter’s words. Because it is such a sacred matter, how could I give it up just because of my own attachment to fear? Didn’t this happen so that I could improve? When I saw my husband busy with collecting information and making plans for the trip, I discovered a gap between us. In this way, our group of around 40 people, ranging in age from 6 to about 80, went ahead with our trip to the Fahui and Fa-validation activities.
In Washington, DC, when we had group Fa study and experience sharing one evening, and some practitioners suggested that our group should do the exercises outside the hotel the next morning, so that more everyday people could see the magnificence of Dafa. My husband and I got up early the following morning. When I noticed that our son and daughter were sleeping soundly, I hesitated whether I should ask them to join the exercises downstairs. Suddenly, the fire alarm sounded and everyone had to evacuate the hotel. We immediately woke the children and followed the crowd downstairs. As it was very crowded in the stairways, many practitioners were already doing the fifth exercise by the time we reached the ground floor square. I realized my own gap. Because I had overslept a few minutes, I was trapped in the crowd of everyday people, as if I was fleeing from a calamity. We quickly joined the other practitioners, and soon noticed that surprisingly all the occupants of the hotel had been evacuated to the square. They surrounded us and stared at us with curiosity and admiration. Some took pictures with their cell phones. Compared to the panicking crowd around us, the cultivators were calm and peaceful. I was touched to tears, stood up right away, took fliers from my bag, and told the people around us the fact about Dafa. In Master’s lecture “What Is a Dafa Disciple,” he mentioned,
“...the people in this world—which encompasses all beings that have a connection with Fa-rectification—are not so ordinary. All have come for the Fa-rectification, were formed for the Fa-rectification, and were forged for the Fa-rectification. Nothing is accidental, and in the future you will see this.”
The fire alarm also caused me to realize that I should let go of my attachment to affection toward my children. Master said,
“Cultivation practice must take place through tribulations so as to test whether you can part with and care less about different kinds of human sentimentality and desires. If you are attached to these things, you will not succeed in cultivation.” (Lecture Four of Zhuan Falun)
I misunderstood and thought if I let my children sleep more that this would be good for them. But as soon as I heard the siren, I woke them up without having a second thought. I was clearly reminded that cultivation is a serious matter, and it is also the only way home. I had been deluded in the illusion of everyday people. I am very thankful to Master for helping me to enlighten.
On our return trip, the airplane was unable to take off due to technical problems, and we had to stay overnight at a transit hotel in New York. Even worse, our luggage was transported to another city. I didn’t feel upset however. Instead, I felt relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. That night, we sat on the floor in the hallway barefooted and opened the doors of our hotel rooms for ventilation. We studied the Fa together and shared the experiences we had gained over the past days. I felt unprecedented relief and calmness. Wasn’t this the lifestyle we are looking forward to, that is, returning to our original true selves, and being able to sleep at night without having to close our doors? I didn’t realize that life could be so simple, just like what Master mentioned, “The more you empty the bottle, the higher it will float in the water. If it is emptied entirely, it will float on the surface completely.” (Lecture One in Zhuan Falun) No matter whether we were in the hotel lobby or the airport, fellow practitioners clarified the facts to sentient beings who had a predestined relationship with us. It was amazing that the next day, all of the 40 or so people in our group received replacement tickets for a direct flight to Japan, even though it was in the peak summer season. Thank you, Master!
3. Across Thousands of Miles, I Came for You
Through constant Fa study I have enlightened to the urgency of saving sentient beings through the Shen Yun performances. Master mentioned in “Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa Conference,”
“So that was the period of time when Dafa disciples were able to play a significant role, and they really did have a tremendous impact while promoting Shen Yun—meaning, they helped Shen Yun to save people.”
I have promoted Shen Yun along with other practitioners since last June. Supported by the righteous thoughts of other practitioners, we made appointments with government agencies in about thirty districts of Kaohsiung City. We thus brought the magnificence of Shen Yun to almost every corner of Kaohsiung City, including remote mountainous areas, such as Taoyuan, Liouguei, Maolin, and Namaxia. I still remember when we scheduled a visit to the chief of the Namaxia District, which is adjacent to Xiaolin Village, on a Friday in mid-August. A few days before that the weather forecast predicted that Typhoon Kai Tak was approaching, and it might hit the entire Kaohsiung area on Thursday. The day before the typhoon struck the area, a practitioner called me early in the morning, saying he enlightened to the fact that we should go to Namaxia immediately, as saving sentient beings is something that cannot be delayed. With that, I found the gap between other practitioners and me.
Along the way, we sang Dedu (Be Saved), and we successfully made it over the rugged winding roads with many detours. Because of the typhoons and torrential rain, the existing roads had been washed away, and the car's navigation system didn’t work at all. When we were at the juncture of two roads, suddenly a car appeared in front of us, as if the driver was waiting for us purposely. When we approached him and asked for directions, he led us over a series of hills. He then told us that he was supposed to go into the mountains in a hurry, but had a strong feeling that he had to lead us to the mountainous village. The other practitioners and I smiled at each other, knowing that our compassionate Master is always with us. After overcoming obstacles, we realized that our destination was only a ten-minute drive away, but the road had collapsed. The alternative road was very steep and slippery, and because our car was not a four-wheel-drive vehicle, we couldn't make it, though we tried various ways. However, we never considered abandoning our goal. Fortunately, a practitioner intercepted a patrol car, which belonged to the Chunghwa Telecom Co., and it took us to the first village.
After arriving at the office of the district government, we were received by the chief secretary. After talking with us for a while, he answered an incoming phone call. He then told us that the district chief had already returned and invited us to his office upstairs. We went to the chief’s office. But much to our surprise, in addition to the chief, those who were left behind, including my husband, our children, and another practitioner, were in the chief’s office. They were chatting happily, as if they were old friends. Our daughter told me that our car was there, too.
The following events had occurred after we left them: While my husband was trying hard to start the car, suddenly another car pulled over. In addition to the driver, there were a man and a woman inside the car. The man got out of his car and asked about the situation. He said that he had driven the same model car. Thus, after asking another practitioner and my daughter to get into his car, he drove our car along with my husband. Being experienced, he made it through the steep slope. But due to the steepness of the road, they drove very cautiously all the way. Arriving at the flat section, he sighed in relief and asked, “With the weather so terrible, why is it so important for you to go to Namaxia?” My husband explained to him our purpose for going there, and told him that we were supposed to meet with the district chief, but he was out of town, etc. The man then replied slowly, “I am the chief of the Namaxia District.” My husband was so surprised that he asked, “Aren’t you attending a series of meetings in Kaohsiung City?” He replied, “Yes. I left for the meetings early in the morning, but I didn’t know that all the meetings had been cancelled unexpectedly. I thus rushed back to Namaxia. That’s why I met you there.” We shared with him the magnificence of Shen Yun and told him the facts about Dafa. We also ate noodle soup together in the only restaurant in Namaxia. The chief sincerely acknowledged the magnificence of Shen Yun and Falun Dafa.
On our return trip, we got lost for a while, as the road seemed to be washed away. With our righteous thoughts, suddenly a truck appeared to lead us. I will never forget the driver’s look when he stood on the roadside, waved, and bid us farewell. When we returned to Kaohsiung City, it was already about 8:00 p.m. It should have taken us about five hours to get back, but it took 12 hours, yet all of us were still in good spirits. When we returned home, we were surprised to hear the news on TV that said that the typhoon had left Taiwan through a magical route.
This reminds me of my entire family’s trip to New York for the Fa-conference in late August last year. During that time, it was reported that the powerful Hurricane Irene was approaching. The weather forecast had predicted that the entire Manhattan area in New York City would very likely suffer from flooding. Therefore, the biggest evacuation plan in U.S. history was being carried out. While others were evacuated from Manhattan, our group was not affected at all. We went to Central Park to do the exercises, study the Fa, and send forth righteous thoughts together as scheduled. Afterward, the TV news started to report that the hurricane had weakened and disappeared surprisingly. This phenomenon still left many doubts in the minds of everyday people. Dafa practitioners are most fortunate. When we let go of fame, personal interest, and sentimentality, we have nothing to fear. Master said,
“‘What is a Dafa disciple? Who is worthy of being a Dafa disciple?’ If one doesn’t have the requisite predestined relationship, he really cannot come in, and this is the case for those who have just come in, as well.” ("What is a Dafa Disciple")
I still feel that it is indeed not easy to obtain the Fa at this final stage. I also enlightened that I should further make good use of my own capabilities and help Master to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. In the “Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference,” Master said, “Make your own contributions based on your individual abilities and specific talents in different areas.” I will be more diligent, be a qualified Dafa disciple, and act according to Master’s requirements.
Thank you, Revered Master. Thank you, fellow practitioners.
Please kindly point out the areas that I need to improve.
(From the Taiwan Fahui)
