The “Zero-Out” Campaign May Be a Crucial Test

(Minghui.org) The CCP’s Political and Legal Commission launched a nation-wide “zero-out” campaign against Falun Dafa practitioners in 2020. Police officers made harassing phone calls to local practitioners. Officers from community centers visited practitioners and pressured them to sign the three statements, and even abducted them and took them to brainwashing centers.

I would like to talk about how we should view this “zero-out” campaign from the Fa's perspective.

Cultivation Is Extremely Serious

Some practitioners have practiced Falun Dafa for more than 20 years, yet casually signed the three statements. They forgot that “cultivation is extremely serious” and didn’t have righteous thoughts.

Master said,

“Cultivation practice is extremely arduous and very serious. If you are being careless for a moment, you may stumble and become ruined at once. Therefore, one’s mind must be right.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun)

“You should be clear on what you should do and what you should not do. This is solemn cultivation practice.” (“Clearheadedness,” Essentials for Further Advancement),

“But now you are a cultivator. From what standpoint you view Dafa is fundamental—this is also what I want to point out to you. During your cultivation practice, I will use every means to expose all of your attachments and dig them out at their roots.” (“Digging Out the Roots” Essentials for Further Advancement)

“Cultivation practice is a serious matter. The distance has become greater and greater. It is extremely dangerous to add anything human to cultivation practice.” (“Digging Out the Roots,” Essentials for Further Advancement)

We try to assimilate to the Fa as we cultivate and save sentient beings. If you easily signed the three statements when you were threatened or enticed, wouldn’t it be the same as being transformed and giving up practicing? It seems that the practitioners who just gave in didn’t respect Dafa or were not serious about cultivation. They forgot that cultivation is not casual.

Are You Determined in Cultivation?

Some practitioners felt a lot of pressure during this campaign. Others never wavered in their determination to uphold Dafa and cultivate even though they were imprisoned and tortured. Some practitioners signed the statement when the CCP promised to remove them from the blacklist. They signed even though they were not coerced or threatened. They went along even though they did the three things every day.

Master said,

“Isn’t any form of pressure a test to see whether your faith in the Buddha Fa is fundamentally strong? If you still are not fundamentally resolute in the Fa, everything else is out of question.” (“For Whom do You Practice Cultivation?” Essentials for Further Advancement)

Doesn't the “zero-out” campaign show where our xinxing level is and whether we are steadfast in our cultivation? It might be an important mid-term examination or a crucial test. Practitioners’ responses are the answers to the questions and allow us to show where we place Dafa and Master.

We have studied the Fa a lot. But the practitioners who went along with the CCP abandoned the Fa and betrayed Master on this crucial issue. Wasn’t it disgraceful? Do they deserve Master's salvation? How can they become kings of their universes?

What Did Transformation Mean?

All human beings have a moral baseline and cannot easily betray or sell out another person. As practitioners we should adhere to the Fa’s principles. It is a practitioner’s bottom line that they will not be transformed or betray Master and Dafa. Even an ordinary person who betrays a family member is considered a coward and will be despised. But those who comply with the CCP are betraying Master.

To be transformed willingly indicates betrayal of the vows they made millions of years ago, and they were willing to bear the consequences. It also means that all the sufferings they had gone through ended up with nothing, that they chose to stand against Dafa, that they became the worst beings in the universe, and that they would end up in hell.

Master said:

“Those who voluntarily sign the "reform statement" or who promise in writing not to practice under the pretense of so-called "giving up the attachment to Consummation" or "giving up human notions" are covering up their true attachments. They even slander and attack the Clearwisdom Website, which reports on Dafa positively. The old forces think that a Dafa student who, out of attachments, during this period gives a written promise not to cultivate Dafa anymore has determined his own future. If it didn’t truly come from his heart and was the result of coercion, and if he rejoins the Fa-rectification, then there will be greater tribulations, as tests, for him to pass. Even though Master does not recognize the old forces’ arrangements, the consequences are terrifying once you have gone over to the opposite side, and your tens-of-thousands-of-years’ wait will be ruined in an instant. Those who are spreading evil "enlightenment" under the guise of Dafa students are, regardless of whether they were students before, doing what demons who damage Dafa do.” (“A Suggestion,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)

“They came when Dafa benefited them, but when Dafa was persecuted they ran away. They reaped the benefits, but while we are resisting the persecution, they are not speaking up for Dafa and don't want to validate the Fa. In gods' eyes that kind of being is the worst.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York)

Weeding Out Is Ruthless

Some practitioners may drop in levels as they cultivate, or even lose their lives. Those who don’t meet the standard, or waver, are in danger of being eliminated when they meet with tribulations. This “Zero-out” campaign may be a means to weed people out. We have to choose whether we are sand or gold.

Practitioners study the Fa and know the principles. The weeding out process is absolutely ruthless. If we have even the slightest hesitation, the old forces will magnify our attachments, reinforce our demon nature, and make us waver. Only when we are determined in our belief in Dafa, keep our bottom line, and remain rock-solid in cultivation, are we truly gold.

We Must Be Strict With Ourselves

Facing the same test, why did some practitioners pass it without any hesitation while some failed? Did they forget they were practitioners?

Some practitioners behave like everyday people when they encounter difficulties, even though they study the Fa. They don’t comply with the Fa principles or put them into action. Some practitioners feel upset when the CCP pressures them and waver in their belief. Some aren’t happy when they suffer losses. Some are afraid when they have difficulties. Some never look within and the tests become more and more severe. Some can’t get out of their comfort zones and increasingly slack off. They can’t pass small tests, let alone big ones. Practitioners must be strict with themselves.

Some practitioners are emotionally moved whenever they face difficulties. They should ask themselves, “Did I behave according to the Fa principles?” Only when we reach the Fa’s standards, and cultivate genuinely and solidly are we in the Fa.

What’s to Fear?

One day while I was memorizing Master’s poem “What’s There to Fear” in Hong Yin II, I realized that practitioners have nothing to fear. When we have fear, bad things come to us. If our thoughts are righteous, the CCP can’t persecute us.

We have to overcome fear and eliminate it. Every test may be crucial and determine where we stand. We should not fear the CCP. We have to eliminate fear, and forge ahead.