(Minghui.org) After cultivating for over ten years, I gradually came to understand the profound meaning behind Master's words:
“Compassion can harmonize Heaven and Earth, ushering in spring;
Righteous thoughts can save the people in this world.” (Hong Yin Vol. II)
Understanding the Fa's principle of “Compassion”
When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, I was able to remain steadfast in my belief, and was deeply enraged by the lies and propaganda used by the CCP to defame the practice. Not long before, in 1998, Qiao Shi, then head of the National People’s Congress, led an investigation into Falun Gong, and concluded that “Falun Gong has hundreds of benefits for the Chinese people and nation and does not do a bit of harm.” I could not understand why such a great practice, with millions of people following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, would be unjustly persecuted.
In an attempt to eliminate Falun Gong, the CCP tried to put fear and hatred into Chinese people's minds, and a large proportion of the population seemed to change their attitude towards the practice overnight. Some even became directly involved in the persecution. The police, 610 Office and the Political & Judiciary Committees played critical roles in this suppression.
Those who have been misled by the lies and propaganda of the CCP and have assisted in the persecution are the real victims. Should we not have compassion for them? How could we see them as enemies? After reading Master's words, “... cultivators have no enemies...” (“Turning the Wheel Towards the Human World”) I suddenly understood that a higher cultivation state is required of Falun Gong practitioners – one of tremendous tolerance and compassion. A feeling of warmth went through my body, and I had never felt so relaxed.
Treating everybody with compassion
Since the beginning of the persecution, undercover officers and police cars have always been around my house monitoring me, and my phone was tapped. If I wanted to leave the local area, I would have to get permission from the local Party secretary. Three times a day, I had to report to the police and my boss at work. Moreover, one of the officials from the County Organization Office, one of my bosses, and one of the party secretaries were put in charge of monitoring me. I was always told to attend various CCP conferences and meetings about Falun Gong. This included watching videos slandering Falun Gong.
Master said,
“The power of true compassion can dissolve all deviant factors...” (“Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan”)
In October 1999, for the first time, I went out without informing anyone. The authorities searched everywhere looking for me. When they found me, my boss yelled at me, “Why didn’t you report to us?” I explained kindly, “This is my legal right. I am not a criminal. I am trying to become a better person, so please relax and don’t worry about me anymore.” Since then, I have often left the local area without reporting to anyone. My workplace, 610 Office, police and the Politics and Law Committee, all kept phoning me to keep track of me. At times, they would say, “We are relieved once we hear your voice.” Sometimes, when ordered by the authorities, my workplace would request I return immediately, or else they would send someone to get me, and I would have to pay for the cost. On occasions, they also said that my workplace would be punished if I did not go back.
I was once told to attend a lecture referred to as “Three Teachings.” After the lecture I then had to report what I had learned to the Organization Office. I thought, “Fine, you can give whatever lecture you want, but I will still write down my own opinion about Falun Gong.” So I went back and wrote about how I had benefited from the practice, with improvements to my health and character. I told them about the practice and the persecution, and let them know that good is rewarded and evil will meet with retribution. After handing in my report, I left.
When the director of the police department wanted to see me one time, I was told to wait for his call at around 3 p.m. at my home. I did not give it much thought, and just hoped that they would treat practitioners well so as to not create more karma for themselves. By 9 p.m. they told me that the director was too busy to see me.
My relative, also a practitioner, was illegally arrested and sentenced, so I went to the Department of Public Security to ask why he was arrested, and took the opportunity to clarify the facts to the staff there. I had righteous thoughts in my mind and only wanted the best for them. Since I was guided by Master and the Fa, I was able to be sincere and compassionate to all the people I met. That is also why they were compassionate to me in return. Wherever I go, whoever I meet, people were all very polite to me and show me respect.
Master said:
“The greatest manifestation of Shan is compassion, and it is an expression of tremendous energy. It can disintegrate all that is not right.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference”)
For this reason, although under constant pressure from authorities, I have been able to make it through the persecution over the past decade.
A former police officer helps practitioners
In July 1999, the second day of the persecution, I was summoned to the police department for a trial. Having a strong belief in Master and the Fa, I was very composed when confronting the court. I wholeheartedly wanted them to know the facts about Falun Gong and to stop persecuting practitioners. I explained what Falun Gong was, and told them that Master Li teaches us to follow the principle of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. One of the police responded, “I have no time, or else I would practice Falun Gong too. I have read the book Zhuan Falun.” I was really glad to hear this, and remembered that another practitioner and I had given this person some information about Falun Gong before.
In 2003, a fellow practitioner was bringing a batch of truth-clarification VCDs to work, but he lost them on the way. When he went back to look for them, he saw the bus coming and asked the driver if he had seen them. The driver did have them and had already contacted the police. When the police arrived, they took the practitioner to his house and searched it. Fortunately, the officer in charge of the case was this person at the court. He waited until nobody was around and returned the practitioner's money and ID. The practitioner thanked him and then left. The practitioner then had to stay away from home to avoid further persecution.
This police officer once said to me that he felt disgusted towards his job. In 2005, I heard that he had retired while only in his forties. I know he had tried his best to help practitioners and was glad that he removed himself from this terrible position.
Using compassion to change the environment
Practitioners in my local area have worked very hard together, and have done many things to validate the Fa all over the city and nearby countryside. We have also contributed articles to the Minghui website to expose the persecution overseas. This has had a huge impact on those involved in the persecution and has frightened a lot of them. A staff member who worked at a detention center once told us, “I got a phone call at my home from someone overseas telling me the facts about Falun Gong.”
Dozens of local practitioners have had money extorted from them, been detained, arrested and sentenced from 1999 to 2006. But even in the detention centers and labor camps some practitioners persist in studying the Fa, sending forth righteous thoughts, clarifying the facts and teaching the exercises to other detainees. However, there are still some detained practitioners who are still being tortured.
One practitioner was taken to the detention center at the same time as a criminal. When the guards questioned the criminal as to why he was there, a guard said, “You need to learn Falun Gong from him,” as he pointed to the practitioner. Then he said to the practitioner, “You should teach him the exercises.” Every day of the practitioner's fifteen-day detention, he used the time of the exercise period to teach many inmates how to do the Falun Gong exercises.
Using compassion to help former practitioners return to the practice
Master said,
“As for those who've gone to the opposite side during this persecution or even done awful things, let me tell you that Master still doesn't want to abandon them.” (“Touring North America to Teach the Fa”)
In 2009, under a tremendous amount of pressure from the persecution, several practitioners renounced their belief and stopped practicing. I immediately called one of them to tell him how sad I felt about this. As soon as he came back to town, I went to see him. I could not hold back my tears, and we both cried. I told him, “You have come through so many years of hardship and overcome so many difficulties. We should be more diligent, for Master is watching over us, and waiting for us! I believe you will come back!” In a shaky voice, he described what he went through in the detention center and how he felt that he had let Master down. Following our heart wrenching conversation, he made a solemn declaration to continue to practice. Within a few days, he had brought me a list of the names of people who wanted to quit the CCP.
As for another practitioner in a similar situation, I asked several practitioners to help her, and then she returned to the Fa as well. Except for a few, all the other practitioners who had been persecuted and had renounced their belief in the brainwashing camps returned to the Fa as well. This was the benevolence and mercy of Master, and the great power of compassion!
These are my personal understandings, please point out anything incorrect.
