(Clearwisdom.net) Since January 6, 2001 when Falun Gong practitioners in Washington DC initiated the first Minghui School, Minghui Schools have been established in other countries, such as schools in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa, Canada; several cities in Taiwan; Thailand; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, Korea; and in New York City and New Jersey in the U.S. Some other countries are also preparing to establish Minghui Schools.
Education is a profession in which the teacher shapes the conscience of his or her students, and this has a corresponding impact on society's collective conscience. In recent years, declining societal values have had a steady impact. However, there is a group of people in recent years that have silently devoted themselves to education in order to improve the future. They believe that education is essential in students' individual growth and development, but also should consider the benefit of the future society.
In recent years, due to the influence of an ever more money-conscious society, the warped thinking of "survival through competition" has eroded people's kind nature.
More than 100 million people in the world have received education from Falun Dafa, and improved their attitudes towards life. In order to let "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" pass on from generation to generation in society, the Minghui Schools were established. Minghui School curricula are based on the teachings of Falun Dafa. While offering courses such as Chinese language and culture, they also teach children to take "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" as a standard to conduct themselves, and learn the simple and effective five sets of Falun Gong exercises, so that they can benefit both physically and mentally.
Everyone's conduct affects society, and the state of society in turn affects our lives. People cannot be detached from society. The Minghui Schools teach students to apply "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" to everything in their daily life. Society is composed of many individuals. If everyone in society could be considerate of others in every simple thing, society would naturally become harmonious and happy, prosperous and healthy.
People in ancient times were taught to first clean their minds and adjust their breathing before studying.
"Back then school students put value in meditation, they emphasized good posture in sitting, and it was considered important to control the breathing and direct qi when they picked up their brush-pens. People in every line of work made a practice of clearing the mind and adjusting the breathing, and the whole society went by that." (Zhuan Falun, the Seventh Talk)
People in modern society emphasize only techniques and skills, acquiring and accumulating knowledge. Neither Eastern nor Western education systems are able to educate students to value virtues spontaneously and be compassionate from the depth of their hearts. Most educators may not know the true goal of being human beings, that is, cultivating one's character based on "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance", which will enable one to return to one's original true self.
Master said,
"The human society of the future is one without religion, and everyone will be a part of society, people will be participating in everything of that society, and perhaps the Fa-truths at this level of human beings and their inner meanings at higher levels will be integrated throughout the textbooks that students study." ("Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
The establishment of Minghui Schools today enables children of both practitioners and non-practitioners to have a good environment where they can study the Fa and cultivate themselves. It will also enable all of society in the near future to fundamentally rectify human notions.
History is made up of bits and pieces of everyone's lives and experiences. Upgrading social morality is recognition of the origin of culture and a reflection of the meaning of life, and restoring the good virtues of the ancient people. Minghui Schools are open to all people, regardless of age, race or belief. In the near future, Minghui Schools will be developed all around the world. With wisdom and capability given to us by Dafa, we will display the wonderfulness of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" all over the world.