(Clearwisdom.net)
Excerpt: Why did the practitioners in our local area want to establish our own materials site? In the beginning as we emerged from confusion, we knew that Dafa disciples must do the three things well. However, we didn't have a computer, didn't know how to access the Internet, couldn't read Teacher's recent lectures and we couldn't read Minghui Weekly. Without truth clarification materials, we didn't know what to do other than to study the Fa and practice the exercises.
When we started learning how to use a mouse, we spent a lot of effort just to learn how to double-click. We often mixed up the left button and the right button. Our materials site started from scratch but is relatively mature now. Not only can we make various truth clarification materials suitable for our region, we can also make high quality Dafa books and Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party books. Our truth clarification materials not only meet our region's needs, sometimes we can also supply surrounding areas.
Greetings Teacher!
Greetings fellow practitioners!
We would like to take this opportunity of the Fifth Internet Experience Sharing Conference for Practitioners in China to share the maturation process of our materials site; from starting with nothing to what it is today. Through this process, we have deeply sensed Teacher's compassionate protection and step by step guidance along the way.
1. From waiting, relying on and asking other practitioners to buying the first computer
Our group lives in a mountainous region. Dafa did not spread to this area until 1997. Two years later on July 20, 1999, the CCP began its persecution of Falun Gong and many people stopped practicing openly. We were the only ones who publicly insisted on practicing. Later, we were sentenced to labor camps and brainwashing sessions one by one. Because we didn't have a good understanding of the Fa at the time, we were forced into brainwashing sessions in labor camps. In 2002, we returned from the labor camps. We knew that we had to do the three things well. However, we didn't have a computer and didn't know how to access the Internet, so we couldn't read Teacher's recent lectures or Minghui Weekly. Without truth clarification materials, we didn't know what to do besides study the Fa and practice the exercises. We didn't learn how to send righteous thoughts properly and we didn't understand its true meaning. Nor did we know how to clarify the truth. Perhaps Teacher saw our diligent thoughts, so an out-of-town practitioner was arranged to meet with us.
Once we made contact, all of our truth clarification materials, editions of Minghui Weekly, and Dafa books were brought to us by this practitioner from a place over 100km away. It didn't matter what we needed. We just called her and she would bring it right away. We knew that this travel was difficult and tiring for her, but we didn't know how to change the situation. Other out-of-town practitioners also noticed this problem, so they brought us a computer and an inkjet printer. However, our hearts were not in it and we were afraid to go on the Internet or to install a broadband connection. We didn't know how to print and felt that it would be faster for the materials to be brought to us. This increased our attachment to waiting, relying on and asking things of other practitioners. The old forces took advantage of this attachment to persecute fellow practitioners.
For a while, we lost contact with the practitioner who brought us materials. We waited every day for her to bring us everything we needed. After a month, there was still no word from her. We finally realized the seriousness of the matter. Later on, we heard that this practitioner had been arrested. Besides being sad and sending righteous thoughts for her, we thought about how to walk our path going forward. After some sharing, we decided to gather money to buy a computer, a color printer and a CD burner.
2. Elevating through clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings
Even though we had a computer and were able to go on the Internet, our system didn't have any type of software that made PDF files. The files we downloaded were in Word format and it was very onerous to print. We couldn't satisfy our region's truth clarification materials needs by a long shot. We could only make copies of the truth clarification CDs brought to us by practitioners from other regions and print a single sheet or a small booklet for further copying at a copy shop. We were nervous when copying at the store, but we knew that Teacher and Fa were with us. We sent righteous thoughts to remove any interference. After some time, our xinxing elevated. We felt the responsibilities of saving sentient beings more strongly, so we went photocopying more frequently.
Once, a fellow practitioner was arrested while photocopying things. We immediately came together as one body to send righteous thoughts near the detention center for a long period of time. We also made truth clarification materials exposing the persecution and wrote some letters to local "610 Offices" and Domestic Security Divisions. The arrested practitioner had strong righteous thoughts and refused to cooperate, continuing to do the three things in jail. After one month, he was released. From this experience, we learned more deeply how "When disciples have ample righteous thoughts, Master has the power to turn back the tide." ("The Master-Disciple Bond," Hong Yin Vol. II).
After this we decided not to photocopy at the store anymore. It was unsafe and also very costly. We put some money together to purchase a small photocopier. It was much better this way even though it took more time.
As we continued to study the Fa and elevate our understandings, we enlightened to more of the Fa and felt the weight of our responsibilities. We always felt that the materials were not enough for the many sentient beings that didn't know the facts. We only had one computer, one slow printer and a slow photocopier. The practitioner with the computer at home was often very busy with work and couldn't produce the quantity of materials that we needed. I wanted a computer, but this hope seemed far-fetched because of my financial situation. Still, I had a very strong wish to purchase a computer. I was hoping to get one after my child graduated from university, but that would take three or four years. I wanted to save more money and buy it within one year. Surprisingly, after two months, my husband received some extra money, and I persuaded him to get me a computer. I was thinking then that Teacher was always looking after his disciples.
3. Under Teacher's compassionate protection, the materials site functions normally
We then had two computers, two CD burners, a small copier, an inkjet printer and soon after we bought a more efficient laser printer. This site started to grow in scale, but we still lacked computer skills. I had never used a computer and had to start by getting familiar with the mouse. When we started, we spent a lot of effort just to learn how to double-click. We often mixed up the left button and the right button, causing the computer to function abnormally. The computer repairman came frequently. At some point, he began asking us to pay for his travel expenses, so we realized that relying on him wasn't a long term solution. After some sharing, we decided to find a fellow practitioner who had computer skills, but where could we find such a person? Who should we seek out? We believed that Teacher was beside us and he would help us. We called a practitioner from another region and asked if we could visit her. She was able to find us a practitioner with good computer skills. We were very touched, it was just like what Teacher said:
"Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master. It is good enough if you have this wish. It is the master who actually does this, as you are simply unable to do it." (Zhuan Falun, Lecture One).
The practitioner with computer skills came to our area and reinstalled a complete system on our computer, including PDF software, anti-virus software, software for downloading, a firewall, etc. We also gained a lot of knowledge about computers and printers, which gave us a sense of opening wisdom. This practitioner also brought many prepared documents for us to copy and print. For example, in the past we could only download the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party from the Dajiyuan website and print them on A4 paper, because we didn't know how to do layout. An entire Nine Commentaries would be nine booklets, which was expensive and difficult to distribute. After we had the PDF software installed, we had a much easier time obtaining various documents from the Minghui website. We also put together VCDs of the Nine Commentaries.
Ever since getting instructions from this practitioner, our site has functioned well. Not only can we make various truth clarification materials suitable for our region, we can also make copies of Zhuan Falun and other Dafa lectures. The quality of the books has gotten better and better. Some ordinary people couldn't believe that these books weren't made by hand. We understand more deeply that when cultivators want to do things, Teacher will help us and Dafa will give us wisdom as long as we have righteous thoughts. This truth clarification materials site had a significant impact on saving sentient beings in our area.
We know that every single piece of machinery used in the process of saving sentient beings is a Fa implement. Each piece contains life, and therefore we clarified the truth to the newly purchased equipment. Before each use, we had conversations with them to cleanse the evil elements within their field, and smoother operations followed. Once in a while, we would encounter technical problems, and then we would call a repair service. We never felt unsafe about having people come to repair the equipment. We thought each repair worker was destined to be saved, since they are able to fix these machines that can save people. We gave each one of them the truth clarifying information to help them to understand what was going on, because we saw that this was their opportunity to be saved.
Before the Chinese New Year in 2008, we decided to produce more Nine Commentaries for mass distribution, but our copier was very slow. Our materials sites were all based in our homes and fellow practitioners had limited time. We were taken by surprise when Teacher arranged to have practitioners from other areas provide two boxes of beautiful Nine Commentaries. These two boxes of books meant a lot to us, and again we deeply sensed the meaning of "Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master." (Zhuan Falun, Lecture One). We felt the wonder of cultivation. The story here was that when we heard that a practitioner could install the NTDTV satellite dish, we invited him here to install it. He brought along the Nine Commentaries. Teacher is truly beside us at all times. He knows best about what we need the most.
4. Elevating and maturing together by coordinating well as one body
Our materials site started from scratch but is relatively mature now. Not only can we make various truth clarification materials suitable for our region, we can also make high quality Dafa books and Nine Commentaries books. Our truth clarification materials not only meet our region's needs, sometimes we can also supply surrounding areas.
The success of our site and our steady progression to date have all depended on Teacher's compassionate protection and everyone's effort to coordinate. First, we got help from practitioners from other areas, and second, the practitioners in our area were able to work together and make compromises with one another. The sites in our region are all home-based. Now the four or five of us who produce truth clarification materials all have computers. We share responsibilities and support each other. Someone might be responsible for copying the Nine Commentaries, another will take care of the ready-made materials, another is responsible for printing cover pages or truth clarification paper money, someone might print small booklets in color, and someone will be responsible for burning truth clarification CDs. After the materials are made, whenever someone needs them, we coordinate for distribution. When ordinary people receive various kinds of materials, they spread the news and see the truth more easily.
Some practitioners from other areas make materials individually instead of forming one body. I believe the effect is different. I think the quantity of the truth clarification materials is not the what is most important--what's important is letting go of self, harmonizing as one body, and elevating during the process.
If we want to make good quality materials in order to save more sentient beings, we must study the Fa more and send righteous thoughts more; the three things must be done well at the same time. Only then will our xinxing truly elevate. For most of us making materials, we have to work, so we study the Fa together in the evenings. We study together five nights a week, and for two nights a week we distribute truth clarification materials, read Minghui Weekly, and study Teacher's other lectures. Studying the Fa together is the cultivation format Teacher has left for us. We clearly feel the difference between studying together as opposed to studying individually at home. Studying together, we are sure to take the time to study, we can overcome sleepiness, and we can be more focused. The power of our righteous thoughts is even greater when we send them together, as well. We can remind one another if our hand gestures are incorrect and we can share our issues promptly. Most importantly, this is what Teacher has asked us to do. Whatever Teacher has asked us to do is the best thing, though sometimes we can't see or feel the benefit in it at that time.
Whatever a cultivator can accomplish is all arranged by Teacher's Law bodies, coming from the power of the Fa. We couldn't have done anything without Teacher and Dafa. Only by cultivating diligently can we hope to not disappoint Teacher's compassionate actions, and to accomplish our vows made in the past. If there's anything not in accordance with Dafa in this experience sharing, please kindly point it out.