[Excerpt] " After reviewing our process of clarifying the truth about Falun Gong during the special historic period of the past year, we have found that there has been an obvious change in people's behavior." " The present situation is that [people] wish to learn about Falun Dafa and to support us. We should thereby not only gain people's support, but also let them attain Fa, and connect them with Fa. It has been a pressing task for us to help unlock people's hearts, awaken them to the truth, and help them understand what Falun Gong is." " We started from not telling people much about the facts of the brutal persecution, to telling people the truth, and further enabling them to know why such a thing has taken place. This is actually a process of cultivation, an arduous process of cultivation, and a process of relinquishing human beings' notions, thoughts, and attachments." " [W]e should completely break through human notions, refine ourselves in Dafa, eliminate things that obstruct ourselves and prevent others from attaining Dafa, and achieve sublimation in Dafa. We should also take responsibility for both our time and other living beings, and use our wisdom to tell people what Falun Dafa is."
After reviewing our process of clarifying the truth about Falun Gong during the special historic period of the past year, we have found that there has been an obvious change in people's behavior. In the past, in our contact with the society, the public, government and other organizations concerned about human rights, people would always avoid us when we handed out materials explaining the facts about Falun Gong. They seemed to try to ignore what was happening in China. But now, people put out their hands to ask for materials about Falun Gong and ask us to tell them what exactly Falun Gong is. This shows that Falun Dafa has gradually entered people's hearts. It has been a short period of time, yet it has been a long journey. Over the past year, we have unceasingly made known the truth about Falun Gong. Practitioners in China have constantly stepped forward to clarify the facts to people around them while under great pressure, and persistently used their lives to hold the Falun Dafa banners high in Tiananmen Square. Their heroic deeds awakened people's conscience. Without the great benevolence and great endurance demonstrated by the practitioners in China, and without the path paved by those practitioners with their blood and lives, the international communities could not have given us such admiration and respect and developed a further understanding of Falun Dafa. It is Falun Dafa that has secured the time for us to gain the world's understanding and support. It is the practitioners in China who have created opportunities for us to inspire people's kindness and conscience by providing the historic facts that shine forth in the human world, and that are witnessed by both Heaven and Earth. As a veteran practitioner said, "Under all circumstances, we should tell the truth and give others the best we have." Then, what is the best thing that we have? It is Falun Dafa, the great benevolence and great forbearance demonstrated by our fellow practitioners in China, and the historic event that is currently taking place. If we do not let people know the truth about Falun Dafa, how can they attain Fa? Although different countries have different cultural customs and characteristics, they all share the most fundamental character, that is, people have kindness in their hearts. Falun Dafa itself and the significant facts created by the practitioners in China can greatly arouse people's sympathy and kindness. In this arduous yearlong period, in the ferocious waves created by the few leaders of the Chinese government (only a few people initiated the campaign of the suppression of Falun Gong), practitioners in China have stood up firmly and stabilized the situation in the human world. They have demonstrated to the world and all human beings the mighty virtue and the rock-solid strength of Falun Dafa in the human world. The practitioners in China have endured countless indescribable tribulations and gained precious time for overseas practitioners to promote Falun Dafa and let the truth about Falun Dafa be known. However, there exists a problem, that is, while people generally respect the heroic spirit of Falun Gong practitioners and appreciate their peace, tenacity and unyieldingness, they all raise the same question --- "What is Falun Gong?" They expect to understand what exactly enabled these ordinary Chinese citizens to become so extraordinary. As we all know, after the public has attained a common understanding for something, people can take a stand easily and either support or oppose it; yet as for something that has not been fully understood, people will hesitate and raise questions. The present situation is that the great compassion and great forbearance of the practitioners in China have gained the respect and trust of people around the world, and that is why they voluntarily ask us, "What is Falun Dafa?" They wish to learn about Falun Dafa and to support us. We should thereby not only gain people's support, but also let them attain Fa, and connect them with Fa. It has been a pressing task for us to help unlock people's hearts, awaken them to the truth, and help them understand what Falun Gong is. At present, when we talk with people about the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China, they all show respect for them. It is because our fellow practitioners are so courageous and great that their spirit and conduct have truly manifested the greatness of Falun Dafa in the human world and left their great contributions and achievements throughout the ages. Just like Mark Palmer, the vice-chairman of Freedom House (a leading human rights organization), said at a July 20, 2000 Washington press conference: "I think each era has been defined, and is identified with a peaceful, nonviolent movement. [I feel that] what I went through and what other members of the American Civil Rights movement went through was very minor, I think, in comparison to what the Falun Gong is going through. But, as somebody who has been through that process myself, I want to say that I have immense admiration and respect for this process. ... I want to say in all seriousness that I believe your movement, the Falun Gong, is the movement which will define our time, at the beginning of the 21st century. When people look back, they will say: 'There was [the Falun Gong movement] that defined its era, and ultimately it was successful.'" (See original at http://www.minghui.ca/eng/2000/July/28/MR072800_1.html) It is not the brutal torture itself that draws the worlds attention, but the unprecedented spirit and moral strength embodied by the people tortured (the practitioners in China) that have inspired people. Those practitioners calmly gave up everything they have for the sake of Falun Dafa, and for the sake of enabling people to attain Falun Dafa. As overseas practitioners, we are duty-bound to tell mankind about such great compassion, forbearance, selflessness, and fearlessness, and to enable every predestined person to be renew his or her life in the process of spreading this righteous Fa (Law and principles) in the human world. Today, it is extremely important to tell people what Falun Dafa is. People who genuinely maintain the nature of kindness and justice will not be frightened by the brutal suppression. Instead, they will develop a better understanding of Falun Dafa practitioners and yearn for Falun Dafa even more. As overseas practitioners, it is very important whether we can go beyond human beings notions and whether we can march in front during the process of promoting Falun Dafa. All the people of good will and kind hearts around the world are waiting for Falun Dafa, and waiting for that majestic and solemn moment in their lives. We started from not telling people much about the facts of the brutal persecution, to telling people the truth, and further enabling them to know why such a thing has taken place. This is actually a process of cultivation, an arduous process of cultivation, and a process of relinquishing human beings' notions, thoughts, and attachments. For the sake of the heroic sacrifice of the practitioners in China, for the emergence of the new era in the near future in the human world, and for the future destiny of tens of thousands of fortunate people who were born into an era when Falun Dafa is being spread widely, we should completely break through human notions, refine ourselves in Dafa, eliminate things that obstruct ourselves and prevent others from attaining Dafa, and achieve sublimation in Dafa. We should also take responsibility for both our time and other living beings, and use our wisdom to tell people what Falun Dafa is. An Overseas Practitioner August 1, 2000
