(Clearwisdom.net) Several elderly practitioners in our city recently passed away due to illness, and I want to share my understanding on the importance and seriousness of solid cultivation.
Most practitioners I know started practicing Dafa before July 20, 1999. Some listened to Master’s lectures in person two or three times. Practitioner A attended a class and all of her illnesses disappeared after 20 days of obtaining the Fa. She went to many places, introducing Dafa to people destined to learn it. After the persecution began, she completely devoted herself to fulfilling the duties of a Dafa disciple.
She went to Beijing in late November 2000 to tell people, “Master is innocent; Falun Dafa is the righteous Fa.” After returning safely, she walked the streets and alleys, carrying bags of flyers and spoke to people to dispel the CCP's lies. She took up the load that other practitioners were not willing or not able to bear at the time. Due to her influence, her daughter and two grandsons became Dafa practitioners.
Practitioner B learned Dafa in 1995 and also benefited tremendously health-wise. However, she chose to stay home during the persecution and did the exercises in secret. She never told anyone about the wonders of Dafa. Her family restricted her freedom by forbidding her from having contact with other practitioners, or leaving home to talk about Falun Gong. She complied with that arrangement. Concerned with her non-action, other practitioners tried to visit and discuss matters with her, but she politely declined. Over time all of the old physical symptoms re-appeared. She passed away in late 2010. Master said,
“If you do not follow the requirements of the Fa, you are not a practitioner of Falun Dafa. Because you want to be an everyday person, your body will be reset to the level of everyday people and the bad things will be returned to you.” (Lecture Two, Zhuan Falun)
The contrast between these two practitioners helps us further understand Master’s teaching,
“Cultivation practice is a serious matter. The distance has become greater and greater. It is extremely dangerous to add anything human to cultivation practice.” (“Digging Out the Roots,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
Practitioner C is 85 years old but looks like 70. Like B, he also learned Dafa in early 1995 and told his family and friends. His wife, son, and daughter-in-law joined him in cultivation. He set off for Beijing to appeal to the government at the age of 74. He was fearless, even after being intercepted at a train station and sent back. He explained to the police the magnificence of Dafa and warned them of the karmic consequences of their actions, thereby effectively suppressing the evil. When we needed a place for group Fa study, he offered his home once or twice a week. He sent righteous thoughts four times a day, like clockwork. He also went to the government facility responsible for the persecution to send righteous thoughts outside in close proximity. He did it at least twice a week, without a break. He also visited former colleagues and told them about how Dafa changed his life and exposed the Party’s lies.
Practitioner D, 84, also went to that same facility frequently to send righteous thoughts. He once told me that he sent righteous thoughts daily at 7:00 p.m. in front of the TV at the start of news programs, as it was a great opportunity to eliminate the evil when many top Party officials showed up. He could see the effect through his celestial eye.
Just as Master said,
“The path each person is to take is different, because each person’s foundation is different, the sizes of their various attachments are different, the characteristics of their beings are different, their jobs among everyday people are different, their family environments are different, and so on.” (“Path,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Any project can be effective as long as our thoughts are based on the Fa, and we keep the salvation of sentient beings in mind.
Practitioner E is an engineer and started practicing before July 20, 1999. She believed in Dafa and introduced many people to the practice, including her daughter and son-in-law, both of whom were later sent to labor camps. She was also attacked on multiple fronts. Faced with these circumstances, her righteous thoughts weakened. She stayed home to “practice solitary cultivation” and had little contact with other practitioners. Her daughter was illegally arrested and sent to a labor camp again in 2009, which dealt practitioner E a huge blow. She pursued comfort and hired a housekeeper to whom she assigned all kinds of tasks, large and small. She would throw a fit when anything was not done to her satisfaction and behaved like an ordinary person. Soon, an illness claimed her life in the second half of 2009.
Master told us,
“Cultivation is hard. It’s hard in that even when a terrible calamity strikes, even when evil madly persecutes, and even when your life is at stake, you still have to be able to steadfastly continue on your path of cultivation without letting anything in human society interfere with the steps you take on your path of cultivation.” (“Path,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Practitioner F is 77 years old. One day he suddenly felt unwell and could not eat or sleep, and could only drink water. He firmly believed in Master and Dafa and studied the Fa daily, sent righteous thoughts and looked inward. In the evening on the ninth day, he saw evil creatures on his bed when sending righteous thoughts. He wanted to clear them away, but was powerless to do so. He pleaded with Master, and then through his celestial eye he saw Master come and instantly remove them. His health and well-being were immediately restored. He said one must have strong righteous thoughts and an unwavering belief in Master and Dafa; then no test is insurmountable.
Three practitioners went to a community in May 2010 to talk to people about Falun Gong and were arrested. The police officer was going to let two practitioners in their 70's go and take the other one, who was a little younger. The two older practitioners thought, “We are a whole body. We cannot watch her get persecuted, just to protect us. We came together, and we shall leave together.” They talked to the police while sending righteous thoughts for more than two hours. The police eventually returned their Dafa materials to them and agreed to let all of them go.
Practitioner G attended one of Master’s classes in April 1993. She had fear after the persecution started, so she stayed home. When other practitioners tried to visit and speak with her, she came up with various excuses and turned them down. She did not acknowledge herself to be a disciple of Dafa when people asked if she was still practicing. The old forces took advantage of her gap, and she developed illness symptoms. Instead of looking inward, she looked outward, and the tribulation became too great. She could no longer bear it and was hospitalized. She was diagnosed with cancer last year, underwent chemotherapy and is now in critical condition.
Master said,
“When disciples have ample righteous thoughts
Master has the power to turn back the tide”
(“The Master-Disciple Bond,” Hong Yin Volume II)
We really must understand the serious nature of cultivation, and practice true and solid cultivation, so that we can live up to Master’s expectations, rescue sentient beings, and not leave any regrets.
This is my personal understanding, please point out anything inappropriate.
