(Clearwisdom.net) In early 2002, just over one month after my release from a forced labor camp, I began to feel uncomfortable and my body was very itchy. I developed a widespread rash on my body, and later it became more severe. Finally, my body and hands were covered with festering sores. My body was so itchy that I had trouble using the toilet. The pus dripped everywhere that my hands touched. While eating, I was unable to hold chopsticks. Also, it was difficult for me to hold a spoon. In the evening I could not fall asleep due to the severe itching. During that period of time, I was in extreme pain, and I suffered both mental and physical tribulations. The officers of the local street committee and the police station often came to my home to harass me. One time, they attempted to arrest me. At the time, I had a strong attachment of fear. Therefore, I lay in bed most of the time and rarely went out. I studied the Fa and did the exercises less. I also experienced interference while sending forth righteous thoughts and clarifying the facts. I barely did the three things and experienced tribulations for over one year.
My younger sister was a Dafa disciple as well. She reminded me to reject the illness. I also thought that I should reject it. I understood it in terms of the Fa principles, but how could I reject it? I should not acknowledge it. However, when I was extremely itchy and in pain, I unconsciously acknowledged it. I really did not know what I should do. During this time, I often thought that when I recovered, I would go out to clarify the facts. Nevertheless, I did not recover.
Master told us,
"Some people may think, 'I'll practice cultivation after my illness is cured.' There is no precondition for practicing cultivation, and one should practice cultivation if one wants to." ("Lecture One" from Zhuan Falun, 2000 translation version)
I realized that we should clarify the facts unconditionally, and the sickness karma should not become a barrier in clarifying the facts. Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are the Fa-rectification period Dafa disciples' missions. I studied Master's Fa teachings (lectures in several regions), one after another. In Master's Fa lectures, Master taught us absolutely not to acknowledge the old forces' arrangements, including the old forces themselves. In addition, Master taught us that each disciple should have a job and we should work well. I suddenly enlightened. As a matter of fact, my younger sister reminded me in the past about getting a job, but I did not want to and had difficulty doing so. At the time, I decided to find a job and realized that it was the best negation of the old forces.
A fellow practitioner suggested that I sell socks because it needed little capital. In addition, it would not affect sending forth righteous thoughts and clarifying the facts. I thought it was a reasonable idea. Therefore, I decided to go to the wholesale market to buy socks the next day.
The next morning, as I prepared breakfast, boiling water spilled on my hands, and I immediately felt terrible, hot pain. The festering, in addition to the blisters, completely covered my palms. My fingers were also covered with blisters.
I immediately realized that it was the old forces' interference. The old forces attempted to prevent me from being diligent, but their efforts were in vain. At that time, no one could shake my determined righteous thoughts. The more the old forces interfered with me, the more I knew I should go. I wore mesh gloves, but the blisters on my hands broke and stuck to the gloves. Despite this, with the help of the fellow practitioners, I bought some socks at the wholesale market. At 4:00 p.m. I set up a temporary stall near my home. When someone bought socks, I took advantage of the opportunity to clarify the facts to them. At 5:40 p.m. I stopped working and went home on time. The gloves were stuck to my hands, so I soaked the gloves with water. As a result, my hands were in extreme pain. At the time, I remembered that Master taught us to negate the old forces' arrangements. Therefore, in spite of the pain in my hands, I washed them as usual and then sent forth righteous thoughts.
At 6:00 a.m. the next morning, after sending forth righteous thoughts, I went out to set up the temporary stall. Two hours later, I returned home. In the afternoon I went out again and returned before 6:00 p.m. As I sold the socks, I clarified the facts. If nobody came to buy the socks I went to the next stall to clarify the facts. I no longer thought a lot about my hands; I just did what I should do. Instead, my hands were gradually healing. In addition, I was more diligent in my studying the Fa and doing the exercises. About one week after I began selling the socks, my hands completely recovered. The sickness karma, which I had for over one year, disappeared in a week.
I deeply realized that this period of time is very precious. If I had been diligent immediately after I was released from the labor camp, these phenomena would not have occurred at all. If I could have improved my understanding based on the Fa, after the sickness karma occurred, it would not have lasted so long. If I had cultivated myself unconditionally and clarified the facts, and was worthy of being a genuine cultivator, I would not have run into this long-term tribulation.
Category: Improving Oneself