31. Falun Dafa Lifted Me Up And Made Me a Better Person

  By a practitioner in Singapore   

  In June 1998, a new colleague of mine gave me a copy of the "Falun Dafa Lecture in Sydney". It seemed like it was very easy for me to begin practicing Falun Dafa. That August, I met Master Li at the Singapore Experience Sharing Conference. Now looking back, I realize that I am indeed a very fortunate person.  

  As soon as I began to practice Falun Dafa, I loved to read the Falun Dafa books. Since then I have been constantly reading the books, which subsequently has had a positive effect on my ability to steadfastly cultivate in Dafa.   

  In November 1998, I attended a 9-day video lecture by Master Li and I started to practice the five sets of exercises. In the beginning, I realized that my enlightenment capacity was not very good. Although I loved to read Falun Dafa books, I could hardly remember anything afterwards, let alone understand some of the Fa and why we needed to study the Fa. Later, I went to a new practice site. With the help of other practitioners, I continued to study the Fa. I gradually began to understand the Fa and I came to a clearer understanding of what cultivation is all about. I then realized that Zhuan Falun is a book that genuinely guides people to practice cultivation.  

  Here I truly hope that those people who misunderstand or who don't know what Falun Dafa is could read Zhuan Falun, thus giving themselves a chance to know what it contains. What exactly is written in this book? What is Falun Dafa? Don't just follow the hearsay. One must understand the purpose and the meaning of life and one should be responsible for one's own life. I truly hope that everyone can come to personally experience Falun Dafa. Now, I shall relate some changes that I have experienced during my three years of cultivation.  

  I have been transformed from a sick person to a healthy man. Before I practiced Falun Gong, I would need to go to bed before 10 p.m. every night and when I woke up, my body would ache all over. My wife and son liked to go window-shopping during the weekend. This was an agonizing weekend duty for me. hey were enthusiastically walking around while I kept looking for a chair to sit down and if possible to lie down and have some rest. Now, I don't feel tired all day long and I feel very energetic.   

  My mental health also changed tremendously. Before I practiced Falun Gong, I just didn't know how to smile and I hadn't smiled for many years. Happiness was a strange word to me. Now I've changed into a happy man, and I smile to greet people at anytime and I can face life's pressures and challenges optimistically.  

  I used to be an intolerant man. Frequently, I would flare up over family trifles and petty matters. Now, I can remain calm in any conflict, reflect on the matter, and self-reflect for any mistake I might have made in the conflict. I have become a broad-minded man and now have a tolerant heart.   

  I used to be very mean, but now I take personal gain lightly and I have realized that many problems and conflicts were actually caused by my various attachments.   

 

    After I attended the experience-sharing conference in Taiwan in December 2000, I gradually developed a deeper understanding. At times, a word or sentence from a fellow practitioner could have a critical and intriguing effect on my advancement. Greater effects could be achieved if the word was incisive and could penetrate my heart. As long as one is able to always treat oneself as a practitioner and look inward, one will be able to quickly recognize one's attachments.   

  Master Li has repeatedly stressed the need to study the Fa. Some fellow practitioners have upgraded their character very quickly through studying the Fa. They took their own initiative in doing it, didn't rely on others, didn't wait for others and they put their hearts and minds into Dafa. I think this can be attributed to their constant study of the Fa and to their righteous understanding.   

  In the preface to Zhuan Falun, Master Li says, "'The Buddha Fa is most profound; among all the theories in the world, it is the most intricate and extraordinary science. In order to explore this domain, humankind must fundamentally change its conventional thinking. Otherwise, the truth of the universe will forever remain a mystery to humankind, and everyday people will forever crawl within the boundary delimited by their own ignorance."  

  This and other teachings from Master Li have opened up a whole new world for me, and made me into a different, better person.