(Clearwisdom.net)
In Manhattan, on a busy street in Chinatown, you can hear the music of Pudu and Jishi everyday. It has been this way for years, always in the same spot. I feel that this plays an important role in sharing the benefits and clarifying the truth about the persecution of Falun Dafa. There are usually at least two practitioners here at any given time. Those who have jobs come after work or whenever they get off early to take a shift.
Improvements in Personal Cultivation
Having faced the comings and goings of innumerable people, the practitioners have become more and more mature, able to more effectively "validate the Fa with reason, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and offer people salvation with benevolence" ("Rationality").
Teacher said "When we clarify the truth we are saving sentient beings, and at the same time it involves the matter of your own improvement and your elimination of attachments during your cultivation."("Lecture on the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Conference"). Practitioners gain more experience clarifying the truth each day, leading to similarly great improvements in cultivation. For example, a young woman with a baby stroller stopped to look at our pictures. A practitioner gave her a flyer about Dafa. At the beginning, she was not willing to take the information. "I don't understand Chinese, so I'll just look at the pictures," she said. The practitioner waited for her to finish and then thoroughly clarified the truth, explaining many of the Fa's principles from deep within his heart. She was deeply touched after silently listening to the practitioner's explanations. She said "Falun Dafa is very great. Can you give me more copies? I will give them to my friends and neighbors so they can know Falun Dafa is very great." There are many examples like this. When people don't quite understand Dafa, if they were willing to listen, they will come to know what it is.
Teacher Leads People with Predestined Relationships
You hear many impressive stories about people with predestined relationships obtaining the Fa here. They often say "I don't usually come down this street, so I don't know why I come here today. I am so glad that you helped me to understand Falun Gong," or, "I work out-of-state and only come back to New York every few months. I've never walked on this street before. After meeting you today, I better understand Falun Gong. I am going to buy the Falun Dafa books for myself before I go back to work out-of-state."
We sometimes meet practitioners who had left China after the persecution had begun in July, 1999. They say things like, "When I was walking across the street, I thought I could hear the Falun Dafa music. I followed to find you. I am very happy to see you. It's like meeting up with old friends. I came to the United States about a year ago. Due to the pressures of life, I have to work hard everyday. I haven't practiced for a long time..." After a practitioner clarifies the truth, they say things like "I will schedule time to practice."
People Discover Falun Gong When They Least Expect It
Our location is on the way to the main shopping street in Chinatown. Many people doing their errands or visiting from China visit here. They often stop to look at the pictures. Practitioners seize the chance to clarify the truth and give them information about Falun Gong. Most people take the information. Deeply impressed by the facts, they come to realize the truth.
Asking for Help Improving Health
Many people ask for remedies for their ailments, grimacing to say things like, "I have such and such disease and am in a lot of pain. Can it be cured by practicing Falun Gong?" Practitioners tell them sympathetically, "Falun Dafa is not for curing disease but for cultivation." They might then ask the location of a bookstore to buy Zhuan Falun.
Visitors from around the World Learn about Falun Dafa
There are many travelers from different countries who come to visit this street. They often stop to see the pictures and get some information about Falun Dafa. Many westerners want to donate money. We appreciate their kindness and explain that we don't accept any donations, which impresses many people to want to learn even more about the practice.
Learning about Falun Dafa Regularly Over a Period of Time
Many people regularly come to pick up a newspaper published by practitioners. Practitioners clarify the truth to them bit by bit so that they will gradually come to understand Falun Dafa.
People Will Be Enlightened Someday
Many people stop just to look at the pictures. They don't want to receive the information. Maybe they will finally be impressed with Dafa in the future.
Manhattan's Chinatown is the headquarters of most local Chinese associations. These associations have a deeply rooted misunderstanding of Falun Gong, having been misled by the propaganda spread by the Chinese Consulate.
Some people come to slander Falun Dafa, then leave in a rush. They never want to take any information explaining the truth. It once happened that someone abruptly tore the pictures up into pieces. Someone once slapped a practitioner's hand when the practitioner handed information to people around. Others have stood glaring at the practitioners.
Fellow cultivators, maybe you will gain some inspiration from the above examples of clarifying the truth. "As a genuine practitioner, one is able to do it better in spite of any difficulty." Take action! Overcome difficulty! Discover your own potential! Take your local conditions into consideration and make the best use of time to clarify the truth to the precious Chinese people there.
