(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings, respected Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
On February 20, 1999 during the Los Angeles Experience Sharing Conference, I finally saw our compassionate Master, and became a Falun Dafa practitioner. Ten years have passed. When I look back upon this extraordinary journey, all kinds of feelings surface. Words fail me. I was a brainwashed atheist, an "everyday person" who knew nothing about cultivation. Under Master's guidance and protection, one step at a time, I became a determined practitioner. I enlightened to the fact that my purpose in life was to assist Master with Fa-rectification, save sentient beings and achieve consummation.
At first, I was not aware of my purpose. Gradually, my mission became clearer and clearer. I started to proactively pursue my mission, and Master's help and hints played the most critical role.
Thinking back to the beginning, my understanding was that it's enough to be a good person. During the Los Angeles lecture, I was moved by Master teaching us that laws cannot regulate human hearts, and that a better society starts with better human hearts. In practitioners' papers, they shared stories such as "One should not fight back when being punched or insulted, but should conduct oneself with a high standard". Their sharing papers were full of gratitude towards Dafa and Teacher, which touched me deeply.
When I started to cultivate, I felt that it was not easy to be a good person. That's because the standard of a good person is not the standard for everyday people; it's the universe's highest standard "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance". Master said "To tell you the truth, the entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments" ("Zhuan Falun"). When confronted with issues from family, fellow practitioners, and when attempting to eliminate attachments, I felt that my forbearance was forced. Even when I managed to hold back, at a later time, at the first opportunity, I would avenge the "offense" to make me feel better. That's not "Truthfulness" or "Compassion." These cultivation experiences were exhausting because of this forced forbearance. To be more explicit, I didn't understand the essence of cultivation. Returning to the true self was narrowly interpreted to avoid suffering tribulations.
Master showed us his grand vision. He emphasized the responsibilities of Fa Rectification practitioners. Master also told us about the origin of today's human beings, and that Chinese people are especially precious. They need practitioners to save them. Master also warned us that that every practitioner must do well in studying the Fa, sending forth righteous thoughts and clarifying the truth. In "The Knowing Heart", Master wrote: "With Teacher guiding the voyage, the Fa saves all beings, One sail is hoisted, one hundred million sails follow." (Essentials for Further Advancement II) Master is guiding the voyage. Millions of practitioners are taking action. As a practitioner, I followed every step of the way. Following Master's words and harmonizing with what Master wanted is the biggest expression of compassion in the universe. As a matter of fact, I didn't understand the deeper meaning. This reflected in my slacking off, attachments, one-sided view of practitioners, and concealing selfishness, etc. Everything I did was only meant to accomplish a task. I felt that I was pushed to do projects. However, what Master told us is glorious and sacred.
For a period of time, I was negligent. I repeated the same thing every day. I didn't feel like I had any breakthroughs in my cultivation. Life was good, and I quite enjoyed the time. Master taught us that cultivation is related to hardship. I knew that life without hardship was not a good thing for cultivation. Enduring hardship leads to consummation. At that point of time, compassionate Master opened up my memory, and I suddenly enlightened to my life's mission.
This event occurred on a sunny morning. After sending forth righteous thoughts, I felt something extraordinary was happening. A vision emerged in my mind. I felt like I was observing the distant past, at a very sacred and spacious place. The Master of the Universe was majestically seated. His compassion encompassed all beings.
Numerous divine beings stood silently in front of him. The surroundings and the entire universe were silent. All beings were awaiting a solemn moment. Divine beings were listening to the Master of the Universe speak about a major event that would happen to the celestial bodies. This event would decide if a life will be kept or eliminated. The Master of the Universe told the divine beings: "The celestial bodies from the top down, every level had deviated from the Fa. I will right the Fa, I will rectify the Fa. I will go to the lowest level. If you want to help me, you can sign your name next to the tasks in the book that you can do. All tasks are part of one thing I intend to do. However, upon descending to the lowest level, your memory will be erased. You will forget who you are or where you are from. You may be contaminated, and that may cause you to not be able to return."
Divine beings sensed the seriousness of the matter and the responsibility. They held their breath and listened attentively. "But, you will have ways to return. I'll tell you two things - One book Zhuan Falun and three words (Master's name). By that time you'll come across each other. You'll be assimilated to the characteristic of the universe. And then you will be able to return. Think it over. If you wish to help me, then sign your name". The divine beings understood that since they defend the universe, they have the inherent responsibility to protect the universe. The Master of the Universe solemnly announced "Let's begin". Divine beings came to the Master of the Universe, selected items that they would work on and signed their names. After all the divine beings signed their names, the Master of the Universe told them, "You shall support each other". He then pointed to the big vortex and said "You can descend from here". The vortex was formed by rotating celestial bodies. The divine beings jumped into the vortex one after the other. A stream of blood came out of the Master of the Universe's body.
That scene suddenly opened up my mind. I had a clearer and more coherent vision of the purpose of my life - to assist Master to rectify Dafa, save sentient beings, and achieve consummation. This event also completely cleansed the atheist brainwashing I endured from the Chinese Communist Party.
I finally had an explicit understanding of our vows, our responsibility to save sentient beings, and return via cultivation. In other words, my mission here contains three elements that are integral and interdependent. That is also the definition of a practitioner during the Fa Rectification period.
Master said,
"Dafa disciples: the things you are faced with are magnificent, your responsibilities are major, and then there's your origin, of course--it's taking all these things into consideration that I say you're magnificent. You need to be worthy of the title "Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple"! That's something that the cosmos won't have again. This only happens once since the beginning of time--it only happens once since the beginning of time in the cosmos." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston [4/27/2002]")
Master's teaching strengthened my belief and the path that I've undertaken.
When I realized this point, I suddenly enlightened to Master's hint in the poem "Vastness" in Hong Yin:
"Infinitely distant is Heaven's vault,
But with just one thought
'tis right before the eye "
I read that poem in February, 1999 at the Los Angeles Experience Conference. In the conference, this poem was written on scrolls hung very high. I didn't understand its meaning. Now I understand: I was a great divine being in the remote past. Now I'm a Fa-rectification period practitioner. The remote past and the present are linked. In the Divine Performing Arts show, Master showed us scenes to tell the world who practitioners are. It also deepened my understanding of who I am in the past and present. The one thought to help Master to rectify the Fa and save sentient beings is happening today.
Master said,
"I know all of the suffering of my disciples. The truth is, I treasure you more than you treasure yourselves!" ("Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s)" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
"No matter which level a God comes from, once he enters the Three Realms he can never return. This is absolute." ("Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. Fa Conference")
I enlightened to the fact that Master treasures us due to our courage and unselfishness to descend to the three realms and assist Master in rectifying the Fa. Master treasures our past and our present. If we think back to Master's lectures, we will find that Master pointed out the practitioners' mission multiple times. For example, regarding the vow, Master said in "Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples,"
"Disciples, be diligent! Everything that's the most magnificent and the most wonderful is developed in the process of your validating Dafa. Your vows will become testaments of your future."
Regarding saving sentient beings, Master said,
"Saving beings should permeate every single aspect of your daily lives at this time. If you can all understand and really see its importance, I think you'll probably save more beings." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference")
Regarding consummation, Master said,
"This is true, but don't underestimate yourselves. Perhaps the future Consummation that awaits you will be a truly magnificent realm." ("Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Fa Conference")
Not only that, Master's many lectures told us that the purpose of our life is to assist Master in Fa Rectification, save sentient beings, and reach consummation.
When this understanding helped me to break through my human notions, I felt that my heart was unimpeded, steady and determined. All of the barriers between me, Dafa and Master were eliminated. Barriers between me and practitioners were eliminated. My life was immersed in Master's boundless compassion and Dafa's boundless power.
Everything that happens to me is related to Fa Rectification, saving lives and consummation. During the Fa Rectification process, if I don't catch up on the things that need to be done, then I have not done well in Fa Rectification. If I don't do well, then I have failed to save lives that I should have saved. If I don't cultivate well, if I can't achieve Dafa's requirements or if I do bad deeds, this will result in the loss of consummation and interfere with the whole body. As a Fa Rectification Period Dafa Practitioner, I believe that I need to view these issues from that perspective.
Now during Fa Rectification, when saving sentient beings, personal cultivation, or coming across other problems with everyday people or between practitioners, I will not be buried by these problems, even though occasionally I feel puzzled and disappointed. I know that these do not really exist. Moreover, I can usually sense the true meaning behind these problems and be relatively clear about my goal. Apart from studying the Fa, taking the Fa as the Master, or breaking through the illusions, a determined belief is critical for a practitioner while Master is rectifying the Fa.
Regarding responsibility, Master said,
"Throughout the entire course of my lectures on the Fa and cultivation practice, I have been responsible to society and practitioners. The results we have received have been good, and their impact upon the entire society has also been quite good." ( Zhuan Falun)
I should also take responsibility for my vows.
There are many projects for truth clarification and saving people. When facing difficulties, I used to wish that I had more expertise. For example, I would like to speak English fluently, in order to navigate mainstream society and media when clarifying the truth. As a matter of fact, what we have and what we can do are the result of our choices. Therefore, we need to fully utilize our capabilities. As long as we're using our hearts, we will be able to do well. If everyone does his or her part, the full body is complete. The power of Fa will be enormous.
When coordinating or participating in projects, I usually feel that some practitioners are more difficult to cooperate or communicate with. This issue has bothered me. After studying Master's "Touring North America to Teach the Fa", I finally realized that during the process of creating human culture, we have played different roles. Sometimes we were enemies. For example, some people were virtuous while others were not. Some practitioners acted like thieves while others behaved like they were being robbed or killed. One party will owe the other party and receive karma. Today, we're all Dafa practitioners. There are still karmic relationships, which causes awkwardness. But if we think of the vows and our courage to descend with Master, then we have already experienced innumerable hardships. We come to this world with the one mission. Along the way, the roles we performed are the will of the Master of the Universe. It's the need of the Fa Rectification, it's our mission. We're one family, assisting Master on the same mission. Let's not be moved by the favors given, resentment, love and hatred when acting in the world. If we have this perspective, we will forgive and appreciate fellow practitioners. Barriers will no longer exist.
Master said,
"In history's past, you brought to humankind the splendor it should have; in history's present, Dafa has bestowed upon you the mission of saving all sentient beings; in history's future, everything of yours that is pure and righteous will be what ensures that the colossal firmament has formation and stasis, but not destruction. Walk your paths well. The beings who are saved are to be your sentient beings. All that you do establishes all that you will consummate." ("Congratulatory Statement to the New York Fa Conference")
When I read it again, I feel Master's compassion and greatness deeply, as well as the significance of our responsibility.
The immense power of Fa Rectification sweeps away all decadence. The difficulty that Master bears for the future of the universe and for us is colossal. In order to save sentient beings, Master endures a tremendous amount of hardship. In addition, Master also needs to point out when practitioners are not diligent. As a practitioner, when I recall how I didn't cultivate well, or didn't do well in many areas and wasted precious time, I feel ashamed. Today's experience sharing is limited to my level and my personal understanding. This is also used to look inward and to encourage myself. In the future, I will do better and not disappoint Master, disappoint sentient beings, nor disappoint myself.
Please point out anything inappropriate.
Thank you Master!
Thank you fellow practitioners.
