(Clearwisdom.net)
There are two female practitioners, Ms. Ma and Ms. Zhu, that go to the park in the city every day to tell tourists the facts about the persecution of Falun Dafa. These two women have made many people aware of the defamation of Falun Gong and the extent of its persecution.
One day, public security officers arrested Ms. Ma while she was chatting with a middle-aged doctor. This was witnessed by Ms. Zhu, who remained composed and quickly sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil. Then, she telephoned members of Ms. Ma's family, alerting them to put all Dafa materials in their home in a safe place to avoid losing them.
The police detained Ms. Ma for a night. She sent forth righteous thoughts all through the night, and refused to cooperate with the unreasonable and unjustifiable demands of the police. As expected, the police raided her home the next day. However, they found nothing and released her. Ms. Ma thus returned home safe and sound.
As usual, Ms. Zhu continued to clarify the facts at the park. One day, as she was clarifying the facts to an elderly gentleman, two plainclothes policemen interrupted her. One of them ferociously said to the gentleman: "What was this person telling you just now?" The gentleman calmly looked at the two policemen and said: "This woman just sat down and has not said anything." Then, he got up and walked away. The policemen arrested Ms. Zhu anyway.
While Ms. Zhu was in detention, she continually sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil, and refused to sign anything or have her picture taken. The police had no choice but to ask the leader of her work unit to come to the police station. Although they assaulted Ms. Zhu physically, humiliated her, made rude remarks to her, and slandered Dafa, she faced them peacefully, and took the opportunity to clarify the facts to everyone present. The police were at a total loss as to what to do with Ms. Zhu, so they allowed her to leave the police station.
Many practitioners around us have had similar experiences. While clarifying the facts one can encounter problems. There are quite a few practitioners that are inhibited by some fear when encountering certain situations, and so have not been able to step out of it. I feel that this is a very urgent problem.
Many fellow practitioners persist in using human ways of thinking when encountering such problems. Some practitioners' family members are against their involvement in Dafa, so the practitioners only clarify the facts to people who would accept their points of view. Since their work units are watching them all the time, the practitioners go elsewhere to clarify the facts. They will only go to places where people are receptive to their clarifying the facts. If they encounter anyone against their clarifying the facts, they become disinterested in speaking to them; they do not search within themselves to find out where the problems are; they do not use their wisdom to find some way to overcome the problem. Sometimes they feel that their family members or the leaders of their work units will argue with them and so they avoid them and quietly go and talk to others.
After clarifying the facts for some time, are we still encountering the same problems? If so, the attachments have not been resolved. Their own environments are still not good, and they still emphasize that everyone has their own path to tread. At this juncture, should they not calm down and study the Fa, and think about why it is that their own environments have not improved after they have been clarifying the facts for so long? Why do they have to hide the work they are doing for Dafa from their families or why should they have to go along with the wishes of the non-practitioner members of their families? Why is it that they cannot be forthright in the cultivation of Dafa, be upright and aboveboard while clarifying the facts? Cultivating Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance is absolutely not wrong. Then what are they afraid of?
Have they remained calm and thought about this problem? Have they compared their attitudes to what they have read and learned when they study the Fa? To clarify the facts is to let the people of the world know the truth. It is not to seek endorsement of what we say.
There are some fellow practitioners who have their own methods. They feel that some methods of clarifying the facts are safer and others are dangerous. Their level of reasoning is that of ordinary humans -- even if it appears to be from experience. Actually, while clarifying the facts anywhere, one can be safe even when faced with "danger." In the stratum of the human world, we must always pay attention to using precautionary measures, and be prepared. This is being responsible to the Fa, responsible to fellow practitioners, and is not a matter of an individual's fear. But, precautionary measures cannot be a substitute for everything, because as long as there is fear, no matter how you go about clarifying the facts you will encounter danger. A common person at home could be electrocuted, poisoned by gas, robbed by vicious intruders, or meet any kind of danger. As an ordinary person, where can one find a genuinely safe location? Only when you establish true faith in Dafa and Teacher can you discard fear. Furthermore, overcoming fear is the duty of practitioners on their paths of cultivation.
Nowadays, in clarifying the facts, if family members obstruct us, or even if we meet with police officers or scoundrels, they should not be considered as sources of danger. The real danger lies in the individual not being totally faithful towards Dafa or Teacher. This is truly dangerous. As a matter of fact, for a cultivator, bearing hardships, resolving difficulties, cultivating the heart, and elevating oneself are all important aids. We should value this most precious period of time and the opportunities before us. If the pressures and the vile and complex environments are lost, we would become very comfortable, light, and relaxed, the people of the world would all welcome us and praise us; how joyful we would be! Could that be a cultivation environment? Could Dafa practitioners establish their mighty virtue and moral character?
On many occasions, fear is just being unable to withstand hardships, afraid of being fatigued, trying to avoid inconveniences, and dreading having our things being seized by others. If we genuinely cultivate our hearts and rectify our behavior, we should be able to cultivate ourselves under the most complex situations, and correct all elements that are not upright.
Though this article mentions the inadequacies of fellow practitioners, it is not to take anyone to task but to sound a warning. In posing these problems, we can all see clearly that our circumstances are varied. Inside and outside China, the most prominent problem among practitioners is fear, and many of us cannot calmly face such problems ourselves. This should be brought to the attention of fellow practitioners. The reason for raising these questions is to truly assist us in our cultivations towards consummation and with the hope that within the shortest period of time, the greatest effort by Dafa practitioners will be brought into play, so that more people in the world can be saved.
