(Clearwisdom.net) I have practiced cultivation for eight years. Within these eight years, the Fa has completely changed me from a narrow-minded person full of illnesses, to a Falun Dafa practitioner with an extraordinary body and mind.
Stepping out of Qing and Saving Sentient Beings with Benevolence
When I began clarifying the truth to people, I was entangled by many sentimentalities. I always worried about my family and wished for them to learn the truth quickly, begin cultivation practice and be completely saved. Thus, I repeatedly spoke with them, wishing to eliminate their notions and replace them with the thoughts of a practitioner. Due to my attachment of qing, the results were always poor. Sometimes I pushed too hard, making my family members very impatient, and so I would be disappointed. A few days later I would again think of talking to them. I wanted to try again, and clarify everything, completely disclose the good and the bad, and show that I truly wished to help them. However, the consequences were always the opposite of my wishes. I always started enthusiastically, only to end in vain. I even spent much time just worrying about them. Sometimes it was clear that I should not always be in such a state, but I simply could not let go of it in my mind.
As time elapsed, I realized that it must be my problem and that I had to look within to find my faults in this matter. I was always worried about my family and could not let it go. Isn't this interference from the attachment of qing? Teacher has always told us to save sentient beings. There might be many people who do not know the truth and who have not yet received the truth-clarifying materials and CDs. Therefore, I needed to step out of qing and save sentient beings with a pure heart.
After realizing the problem, I began writing truth-clarifying materials and sending them to people I did not know so that they could learn the truth and be saved. I did this for a while until I felt that it was too slow, and the hand-written pages did not look as good as printed pages from a computer. To do a better job of saving sentient beings, I began printing materials in 2003. I started from making a small amount and expanded until I printed 300 to 500 pages per day. Whenever the materials finished printing, I would immediately distribute them in hopes of bringing people the truth so that they might be saved.
Giving up the attachment to qing brought me a new feeling. It was as if I was gradually split from my family. I knew that it was Teacher helping me in taking lightly the sentimentality and thus eventually eliminating the attachment altogether.
When I gave up qing and clarified the truth to more people within a larger range, four of my relatives obtained the Fa and started practicing cultivation. One of them said, "When watching the TV programs attacking and persecuting Falun Gong before, I felt that I was separated from Falun Gong by a membrane. When my husband heard your speech and told me about it the other day however, the separation vanished and I felt how close Falun Gong really is to us. Now that you have come again, I feel as though we've been acquainted forever. Your words are from the bottom of your heart and are different from other people's words." Afterwards, I taught her the first four sets of Falun Gong exercises. At night, she felt her legs were stronger in walking, and a few days later, she said she behaved according to the requirements of the "Fa" and was friendly to people. Previously, she had conflicts with her neighbor, yet now she could greet her. She remarked that the Fa is very wonderful. She had practiced for only a few days, and already she did not get short of breath when running, and she even felt an easiness in her body. Later, she would introduce the Fa to her younger sister.
Here is a story about another young fellow. He had a dream after learning Falun Dafa. In his dream, the sky was full of colorful Faluns and bright red lights, which were so beautiful. It was a wonderful, new experience for him. After a few days, his skin became tender and looked as young as a child's skin.
Cultivating Oneself Well to Better Save Sentient Beings
Teacher said,
"You know what? Just on the one issue of cultivation alone it's so complex at the cosmos's lower levels. But it becomes simple at higher levels, where there's no longer any concept of cultivation but only the concept of karma elimination. At levels higher up, all troubles are to pave the way for ascending to Heaven. And at even higher levels, concepts like eliminating karma, enduring hardships, and cultivation no longer exist, and it's just a choice! This is the principle at high levels of the cosmos: you think someone is good enough, so you choose him--that's the principle." ("Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference")
I should practice cultivation following the principles of the cosmos' higher levels. I want to be a qualified Dafa disciple, and I hope Teacher chooses me and determines if I qualify to be a practitioner. When people or things come to me, if they are related to God and Buddha, then I take them; otherwise I let them go. I can let go of even that which is difficult to give up because I truly seek to be a higher-level life.
One time a man spoke foul words, and he continued for quite a while and without seeming to want to stop. After listening for a while, I realized that he was insulting me. I smiled at others, saying, "He is insulting me." I took it lightly and did not complain. For trivial things in daily life, I am always careful to be enlightened and follow the Fa. For example, in choosing between watching TV and studying the Fa, helping Teacher in Fa-rectification, between eating/sleeping and sending forth righteous thoughts, I try to make the choice based on the Fa. Gradually, it is as though a Fa lamp is lighted inside my heart. Whomever I encounter, I can illuminate.
I am trying to comprehend the principles of the Fa taught by Teacher. I feel that I am a life that came here to help Teacher in Fa-rectification. Thus while cultivating and following the Fa, I should do my best and not miss this opportunity for which I have waited for thousands of years. After Teacher's article, "My Version of a "Stick Wake-Up," was published, I began to make "truth clarification" CDs. CDs have remarkable strength. The picture/video can be accompanied by articles, and much content can be presented. The CDs are moreover very welcomed and easily understood and accepted. I can make up to 80 CDs in one day. Some people even view the CD, then duplicate it and pass it on to others. When spreading the truth-clarifying materials, I intentionally distribute the CDs to those who do not get flyers, and I spread the CDs over a large area and along a long path.
Wherever I go and whoever I meet, I behave strictly according to the condition Teacher described, "...he is full of great aspirations while minding minor details" ("Sage" from Essentials for Further Advancement). I validate the Fa by my own behavior, exhibiting the greatness of the Fa and letting people see how wonderful the Fa is and how good Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance is.
When visiting my relatives, I helped with the household chores, and I told them about Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance while making meals. Once, a couple was arguing, so I told them that treating others with benevolence is also treating oneself with benevolence. I clarified the truth to them and told them the stories of my own cultivation. When I was thirsty, I drank unboiled water. They were surprised and went to make tea by boiling water for me. I told them not to bother and added, "I was full of illness before. The stomach disease itself caused me to suffer for decades. Drinking warm water made me feel bloated, and I could only drink hot and boiled water. Now the disease is gone because of Falun Gong." When having dinner, I ate the leftovers. The host told me not to eat the leftovers. I smiled, "I am not picky about food. I was once in poor health, and the doctor asked me to increase my nutritional intake. But the delicious, nutritious foods did not improve my health. After practicing Falun Gong, however, my health became wonderful, and I can consume any foods because all the diseases are gone." The host told his neighbor that I am very nice and just like a family member to him. And so from me, they saw the wonderfulness of the Fa and deduced the truth. They also helped to clarify the truth and told their friends and relatives that reciting, "Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance is good," and, "Falun Dafa is good," will bring a wonderful future.
I realize that cultivation demands focus on the improvement and sublimation of oneself. When one is well cultivated, he will bring the greatness of the Fa everywhere he goes, which easily moves others and makes his words easily accepted. If one does not cultivate well and has the attachment of qing, or does things emotionally, then his words hardly move others, barely have any power, and are hard to accept.
I Am a Life that Came for the Fa
While I continuously improve, Teacher's writings on the Fa always appear in my mind. It is almost as if someone is reading the Fa to me and showing me the inner meaning of the Fa. For example, the meanings of qing, "communication," "offer salvation to all beings," and other phrases in the Fa are explained to me. For example, "communication" is a two-word phrase in Chinese. The first one is "give," meaning to give to, i.e., you give it to me and I give it to you. The second word is "flow," meaning to flow around, i.e., it flows around among the disciples. These two words comprise the term "communication." Now, I feel that if I do well the three things Teacher told us to do, then I am in a very good state, doing things smoothly, and all the tribulations working against me are in vain.
Although we have limited monthly compensation, we never stop using our own savings to buy materials for truth-clarification. I believe I have come for the Fa and that my money is also here for the Fa. Spending money on the Fa-rectification is thus very proper.
I once knew nothing about computers and printers. Now I can print truth-clarifying materials and books, and burn CDs. It is as though everything is prearranged. I mastered all these technologies without spending much effort learning them. Meanwhile, I feel that my energy field is getting stronger and stronger. A 16-year-old boy spent one night in my bedroom. The next morning he left the bathroom touching his face, saying, "Wow, it's so strange. After one night of sleep, all my acne is gone and my face has cleared up." He felt surprised and wonderful. What is going on? I told him that it was because, "the Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities." There was a man suffering from facial nerve paralysis. He had a dinner with me and then he regained feeling in a 2-cm area around the tip of his lip.
I have been transformed from an everyday person with illnesses, a fellow suffering all kinds of qing in life, to a practitioner with a bright Fa lamp in his heart. Nothing in the world can stir me up and no fame, profit or sentimentality can disturb me. I feel that my body is a huge matter of positive energy and that evil cannot enter me. I have received all these from our great and benevolent Teacher. It is Teacher who brought me to the path of cultivation and who protects and enlightens me constantly so that I can walk righteously the golden path of true life. I don't know how to express my respect and gratitude to Teacher. What I will do is follow Teacher's instructions, improve in doing the three things and cultivate myself well so as not to disappoint Teacher.
