(Clearwisdom.net) Under Teacher's compassionate care and protection, I have been walking on my cultivation path for seven years, leaving many footprints along the way.
Obtaining the Fa
My husband and I obtained the Fa together at the end of January 1999. Before I finished listening to the first audiotapes of Teacher's Fa lectures, I was already attracted to Teacher's profound Fa. After listening to Teacher's Fa lectures once, I was very excited. I borrowed Zhuan Falun and The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa from a neighbor. I was thoroughly convinced and did not have any doubt about Teacher's words. I learned to practice Falun Gong standing exercises by imitating the pictures in The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa. Since the moment I listened to Teacher's Fa lectures, Teacher has been guiding me. When I practiced Falun Gong exercises at a neighbor's home with my eyes closed, I saw my celestial eye turning red and blossoming like a flower opening. I immediately went to a bookstore and purchased all the Falun Gong books, audiotapes and videotapes available.
I used to suffer from severe myocarditis, cervical spondylosis and other illnesses. For many years, I had to depend on medication and injections. Life was pain. However, after I studied the Fa and practiced Falun Gong exercises for just one week, my health underwent a fundamental improvement.
My husband suffered from severe chronic hepatitis. The two of us looked after our two children and my mother-in-law, who was nearly 80 years old. After he had studied the Fa and practiced Falun Gong exercises for just over a week, my husband no longer felt pain in his liver area and his dark, yellow complexion turned rosy. I became illness free as well. It feels so comfortable to be free of illness. There are no words that can describe my gratitude to Teacher. Since then, my family has been blessed with joy.
Facing the Evil Persecution, We Were Not Lost
When Jiang Zemin and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, I had been practicing Falun Dafa for only a few months. When the CCP declared its decision to ban Falun Gong on July 22, 1999, my entire family was in Qindao City, Shandong Province. That night we saw the CCP's wicked smear campaign against Falun Gong on TV. We felt terrible and did not understand why the CCP would ban Falun Gong. The reports about Falun Gong were exactly the opposite of what I had witnessed and experienced from practicing Falun Gong. They were talking nonsense. My husband and I had taken our kids to Qindao for sightseeing, but now we were no longer interested in having fun. We decided to return home the next day. While we were packing, I suddenly saw my husband's body overlapping with his exact form made of gold. This vision lasted for a while, and I dared not even blink until the vision disappeared. At the time both of us enlightened to the fact that the truth in another dimension was revealed to us because Teacher saw our steadfast faith in the Fa. It must have been an encouragement from Teacher.
My husband returned to work, and I took the two kids back to Jinan. When I was half asleep at home, I saw a colorful, giant Falun in front of me. I could even see the srivastsa symbol in the center. As it came near me from a distance, I was surprised and opened my eyes. Then I no longer saw the Falun, but I knew that Teacher was trying to tell me that I was right: Falun Gong is good and Teacher is most righteous.
When my husband returned home, the first thing he said to me was, "What should we do?" I told him about the giant Falun that I saw. We immediately made a decision: "We shall follow Teacher to the end!" We have never stopped studying the Fa or doing the Falun Gong exercises for even one day. We have not been interfered with during the evil persecution. We became all the more determined in practicing Falun Gong. As a result of the hate propaganda against Falun Gong on the Chinese media, people talked about nothing but Falun Gong. I would explain what Falun Gong is and share my personal experience of practicing Falun Gong, particularly to my friends and relatives. I made sure they understood what Falun Gong is. Besides, they all knew my husband and I used to suffer from severe ailments and had recovered our health because of practicing Falun Gong. The majority of my friends and relatives believe that Falun Gong is good. Some of them have been studying Falun Gong books.
When we saw the wicked CCP announce a bounty on Teacher on TV, we were crying in our hearts when we looked at Teacher's photographs. Even our children were worried for Teacher's safety. I told them, "Don't worry. Even if the police stand right in front of Teacher, Teacher will make Himself invisible to them."
Teacher said,
"I am rooted in the universe. If anyone can harm you, he or she would be able to harm me. Put simply, that person would be able to harm this universe." ("Characteristics of Falun Dafa" in Lecture One of Zhuan Falun)
I memorized this passage of the Fa when I studied Zhuan Falun for the first time. I have never doubted what Teacher said. I may have obtained the Fa relatively late and I didn't understand as much Fa as I do now, but I knew that Teacher was the most magnificent being and that no one can compare to Teacher. In the face of the evil persecution that started on July 20, 1999, I was not lost. I became all the more determined because of Teacher's compassionate care and protection.
Step Out and Validate the Fa!
It is a regret of mine not to have validated the Fa by appealing for Falun Gong at Tiananmen Square. I had never been to any local Falun Gong group practice sites, so I knew very little about fellow practitioners. At the time I knew only one fellow practitioner, who later moved away. Later, with Teacher's guidance, I became acquainted with a few fellow practitioners. After that, I was able to get Teacher's new articles and exchange cultivation experiences with them. I have improved a lot in understanding the Fa as a result.
In 2000, Teacher published "The Knowing Heart," "Towards Consummation," and "Rationality" on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website. I studied these new articles repeatedly and attentively and exchanged my understandings with other practitioners. At the time, many practitioners stepped out to validate the Fa.
Teacher said,
"Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy" ("Rationality" in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Because the Fa bestowed wisdom upon me, I thought of many ways to save sentient beings. One way I used was writing facts about Falun Gong on walls using chalk and oil-based markers.
Due to the media's terrible propaganda, the environment in China was very hostile to Falun Gong. Everyday people shied away from Falun Gong when we tried to clarify the facts. Very few people believed what we said about Falun Gong. Only our friends and relatives would give us opportunities to clarify the facts about Falun Gong. Hence, we started with our friends and relatives. We didn't have truth-clarification materials at the time, so I wrote down what we enlightened to on the Fa and our personal experiences of practicing Falun Gong. Then my husband and I edited the materials together before we passed it to fellow practitioners. After the draft was finalized, I asked my kids to type it and save it on a disk. Next I printed out the truth-clarification materials at work, folded them and wrapped them in red paper envelops with double-sided tape on the back. At night, I went out and posted these red envelopes on household doors. Sometimes when I returned home in the rural area, I would take some copies with me. This was the first truth-clarification material that we made. Up until 2002, my husband and I wrote the truth-clarification materials that the practitioners in our area distributed.
Establishing a Truth-Clarification Material Site at Home
Teacher published "Fa-rectification Period Dafa Disciples" on the Minghui website on August 15, 2001. After studying it repeatedly, I felt an important responsibility on my shoulders. Teacher said,
"Clarify the truth thoroughly, eliminate the evil with righteous thoughts, save all beings, and safeguard the Fa with determination" ("Dafa Is Indestructible" in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
With the progress of the Fa-rectification, many fellow practitioners improved a lot in their cultivation practice. Many fellow practitioners stepped out, so we needed more truth-clarification materials. But now we could download truth-clarification materials from the Minghui website, although there were very few choices. Sometimes there was only one article available. I volunteered to photocopy the material at night when my kids had returned home or when my husband got off work. Sometimes it would take me a few trips to finish photocopying the material. Fellow practitioners treasured these materials when they received them. In short, there was a lot of hard work and we were pretty passive.
When Teacher published "Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People," every practitioner was shocked. New, veteran, old and young practitioners all sensed the important responsibility on their shoulders. They stepped out to clarify the facts about Falun Gong and distributed Falun Gong truth-clarification materials. It is a mission Teacher has bestowed upon us to fulfill our prehistoric grand pledge. Teacher said,
"The Dafa disciples in Mainland China, more than anyone, should step up their efforts and do well the things they are supposed to do, staying always diligent." ("Greetings")
I thought my number-one priority should be to establish my own Falun Gong truth-clarification material site because this would help clarify the truth on a larger scale. I decided that this must be the cultivation path Teacher had arranged for me. Meanwhile, I resolved to learn to use a computer.
My husband is also a Falun Gong practitioner, so he naturally supported my decision to make truth-clarification materials at home. He told my kids to shop for a printer right away. We didn't need to buy a computer because we already had one. At first, I didn't know how to use a computer. I didn't even know how to turn it on or off. Besides, I was already in my 50's. But, nothing could make me give up. I held on to one thought: "I shall succeed. I shall learn to get on the Minghui website. There is Teacher and there is the Fa. No challenge shall prevail over me." With help from my kids, I quickly passed the test. I learned to use the computer, get on the Internet, and print out materials independently within two weeks. My kids followed the instructions in "Minghui Weekly" and installed software to break through China's Internet blockade. They installed a Firewall and other software to erase my tracks. They also taught me how to use all the necessary software. When my daughter visited the Minghui website for the first time, which has a Teacher's photo on its main page, my entire family was so excited that we put our hands in front of our chest to pay respect to Teacher.
Since then, I get to see Teacher's photograph daily. I learned quickly to download truth-clarification materials, Minghui Weekly and Teacher's new articles.
After I started to make truth-clarification materials at home, I was able to deliver Minghui Weekly, truth-clarification materials and booklets to fellow practitioners on time. For two years, I have never delayed production. Each time I print out truth-clarification materials, I send out a powerful thought: "Teacher, please reinforce my righteous thoughts to disintegrate all the evil, for no one must interfere with my truth-clarification work." In addition, I send righteous thoughts towards every piece of truth-clarification material so that it will be able to save sentient beings.
Most importantly, I started to put more emphasis on studying the Fa. In the section "Practitioners Exchange Experiences and Insights" on the Minghui website, many fellow practitioners reminded those practitioners who make truth-clarification materials to study the Fa more and send forth righteous thoughts more. This is something I can definitely relate to. When I first started making truth-clarification materials, I was very excited and was not familiar with the work. I was attached to doing things and neglected my Fa study. As a result, the evil exploited my loophole and I had a close encounter with danger. My husband and I immediately searched within ourselves. Fellow practitioners in our area also sent forth righteous thoughts and disintegrated the evil. The police did not know what was going on before the crisis was over.
We learned our lesson. Every morning, I first study the Fa for an hour and a half. I memorize the Fa and study Zhuan Falun and then Teacher's new articles. I do the Falun Gong exercises in the evening. Before I get on the Internet and make truth-clarification materials, I always study the Fa, even a small passage of the Fa, or I recite Lunyu. Hence, it has been smooth sailing. A while ago, the CCP frantically blocked the Internet. One day I experienced difficulty in getting on the Internet. Then I remembered a poem Teacher wrote. Teacher said,
"When disciples have ample righteous thoughts
Master has the power to turn back the tide"("The Master-Disciple Bond" in Hong Yin II)
I have sufficient righteous thoughts and Teacher's protection, so no one can stop me. I got to our Dynamic Web successfully and saw a new version of the anti-blockade software. I was so excited that tears flowed down my cheeks. After I got off the Internet, I put my hands together to thank Teacher and the fellow practitioners outside of China for their timely help. This must be the result of the mighty power of the Fa, as well as the power of Falun Gong practitioners as one-body. I feel strongly that studying the Fa well will result in smooth sailing in our truth-clarification work.
It has been over two years since I started making truth-clarification materials. I have learned to download and print truth-clarification materials. I have also learned how to arrange the layout of truth-clarification materials; to make booklets, truth-clarification greeting cards and Falun Gong amulets; and to send articles to Minghui and publish statements of withdrawal from the CCP.
After The Epoch Times published Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, I started to make copies of it. I decided that I must not depend on others and I should try my best. I downloaded the book, but the font was too small for older people to read. After I downloaded it and rearranged the layout. It has a total of 200 pages. I bought an awl, a paper cutter, a large clip, and a large stapler. After I print out a copy, I secure the pages with the giant clip, cut the pages neatly in the center with the paper cutter, and bore holes with the awl. It does not take much effort to bore the holes. Then I staple the pages with the large size staples. Finally, I put double-sided tape and glue on the book cover. On the book cover there is the logo of Broad Books. In one morning, I can put together five or six copies and my hands and arms do not feel sore. These copies of the Nine Commentaries that I make have a refined look. My kids did not believe they were handmade until they saw the entire process. Fellow practitioners adore them. Fellow practitioners in our area distribute the copies of the Nine Commentaries that I make. I want to make them beautiful so that people will value them and not want to trash them. This will help reach the goal of saving sentient beings.
I am able to accomplish these things because of the wisdom Teacher has bestowed upon me. I feel as though I learned to use the computer almost unknowingly. There are so many things that I have done with incredible ease as soon as I decided to do them. As long as we have the wish to clarify the facts, Teacher will give us a hand. We are Falun Gong practitioners in the Fa-rectification period and the Fa will give us all the capabilities we need to clarify the truth.
It Is Necessary to Harmonize with the Family While Validating the Fa
I have a large family. My husband and I live with my mother-in-law, our two children, and a niece of mine that has been living with me since she was little. My husband is very busy at work, so I take care of all the housework. I sleep for four hours at most, but I rarely feel sleepy. I do the housework and look after my mother-in-law as fast as I can and spend the rest of the time studying the Fa, doing the Falun Gong exercises, making truth-clarification materials, clarifying the facts about Falun Gong, and distributing truth-clarification materials.
At first, my mother-in-law disapproved of Falun Gong because she was under the influence of my younger sister and her husband. She complained when we studied the Fa or made truth-clarification materials. When fellow practitioners called on us, she would say nasty words in front of them. Later she noticed that my husband and I are both in excellent health and that I never neglected her even in my busiest hour. I always fulfill her requests and needs and have never lost my patience.
Finally, in April 2005, my mother-in-law asked to listen Teacher's Fa lectures. Since then, she has been practicing Falun Gong. She is illiterate and has difficulty hearing. Besides playing the Fa lectures for her, I wrote down poems from Hong Yin and Lynyu in a notebook in a large font and taught her to read them word by word. Now she can read them on her own. In fact, she has memorized them. I also taught her to practice the exercises. She is very diligent in her cultivation practice. She is an elderly woman in her 80s. She used to suffer from many ailments and spent over 3,000 yuan every year in medical costs. Now Teacher has been cleansing her body for her. When she underwent the process of eliminating karma, she understood perfectly well what it was all about. Sometimes she even grunts about not being able to help me with the housework. She talked to my younger sister, my nephew and my older sister and persuaded them to withdraw from the CCP. Her nephew, her nephew's wife, her granddaughter and grandsons also believe in Falun Gong and have withdrawn from the CCP because of her.
In my opinion, it is extremely important to harmonize with our family in the process of validating the Fa.
Thoughts about "It is Difficult to Save People Without Compassion"
I read an article titled, "It is Difficult to Save People without Compassion," on Minghui Weekly (Chinese only: http://big5.minghui.org/mh/articles/2006/9/26/138675.html.) The author wrote, "The world's people are inspired and awakened by Falun Gong practitioners' pure kindness. Falun Gong practitioners have touched and saved the world's people with their great compassion and forbearance." This is something I can relate to. Most people are receptive when I clarify the facts about Falun Gong to them. I have felt the power of compassion from these experiences.
A while ago, I clarified the facts about Falun Gong to my husband's driver. He is a young man from Jilin Province. He did not believe what I told him. He countered me, saying, "TV reports say that Falun Gong practitioners kill people, burn down people's houses, and set themselves on fire. Why would the Chinese government tell lies?" I explained the truth to him based on what he said. In the end, he became silent and stopped arguing. He works with my husband every day and witnesses my husband's character. Sometimes he has dinner with us at our home. I also look after him when I can. One day he came and told me, "Aunty, I have been thinking about the things you told me about Falun Gong. You and your family are kindhearted people, so I believe Falun Gong is good." I gave him a Falun Gong amulet and he accepted it gratefully. He even asked for another one for his wife. Later he told me that he wears the amulet every day. After he withdrew from the CCP, he told me, "From now on, don't forget to tell me about good deals like this." Because of him, his wife and older sister also withdrew from the CCP. Even his parents-in-law accepted the truth about Falun Gong and have Falun Gong amulets.
When I clarify the truth, some people tell me, "I don't believe what other people tell me, but I believe what you tell me." Some families have even obtained the Fa and withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
During the process of validating the Fa, I came to realize that each and every thought of mine will determine whether the world's people will be saved or not. If we fail to cultivate our kindness, we will not have compassion. Without compassion, we will not achieve the purpose of saving people.
Awakening Lost Fellow Practitioners
A neighbor of mine introduced Falun Gong to me and helped me obtain the Fa. Because she did not have a thorough understanding of the Fa, she was deceived by the CCP's hate propaganda on TV and gave up her cultivation practice after July 20, 1999. Because of her influence, her daughter, nephew, two younger sisters, and her sister-in-law stopped practicing Falun Gong as well. Her husband destroyed all of her Falun Gong books, audiotapes and videotapes. (Her husband is a very stubborn member of the CCP and has not agreed to withdraw from the CCP to this day.)
When I heard that she had given up on her cultivation practice, I called on her and asked her not to give up. But she did not tell me what was on her mind during that visit. Later I ran into her on the street and tried to persuade her again. This time she still refused to listen. She even said bad things about Teacher and Falun Gong. I cried when I heard her blaspheming the Fa, and she made fun of me in return.
She had attended Teacher's Falun Gong classes with her younger sisters and sister-in-law. They even had their photographs taken with Teacher. Even her four-year-old nephew was practicing Falun Gong with her. The little boy saw many things in another dimension, including Teacher's fashen, with his Celestial Eye. They have such a great predestined relationship with Teacher and the Fa. They have such a great foundation. It would be a pity to give it all up. I never gave up on her. I often communicated with her and showed her Teacher's new articles. I told her that Teacher was still waiting for her.
Finally, one day in the second half of 2002, she was awakened and burst into tears of regret. When I told the news to fellow practitioners, everyone was joyous. They helped bring all the Falun Gong books to her. Her daughter, nephew, two younger sisters, and sister-in-law started practicing Falun Gong again. They decided to be twice as diligent to make up for the loss. Her younger sisters, sister-in-law, and she have all been doing the three things well. They clarify the facts wherever they go. Every week, for five weeks in a row, she delivered a long list of people wanting to withdraw from the CCP and the CCP's affiliated organizations. The longest list had 109 names and the shortest one had 40. She clarified the facts even to the plumber repairing the water pipes in her house, garbage men, and passersby who asked for directions. She cut back on her personal expenses to save money to make truth-clarification materials. They are fulfilling their vows to be twice as diligent to make up for the loss and to become genuine Falun Gong practitioners in the Fa-rectification period.
Fellow practitioners, it is our responsibility to awaken those lost fellow practitioners. Teacher has not left us much more time. Hurry up and take action. Grasp the fleeting opportunities to awaken fellow practitioners that have strayed and help them fulfill their prehistoric grand pledge. Let's return home together with Teacher.