(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1996. I served as the local assistant responsible for coordinating projects after the persecution began on July 20, 1999. At the beginning of this year a practitioner who ran a materials site was persecuted. It was subsequently shut down. I looked within as soon as I heard this.
Master said,
“As your xinxing standard improves, so grows your gong.”(Zhuan Falun)
I realized that I did not pay attention to upgrading my xinxing. I hadn't shared with my fellow practitioners and elevated together with them. For example, I felt that Practitioner A could handle important work because she was well educated and sophisticated. But isn't that just a notion?
Master said,
“Even if someone were to grasp all of mankind’s knowledge, he would still remain an everyday person.”(“What is Wisdom?” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
Cultivation is solemn. Practitioner A is an office worker and seldom had time to study the Fa. This caused her to have problems, and the old forces took advantage of her. I was really frightened when I looked within. I felt that I was responsible for her being subjected to persecution by the old forces. I was wrong and I needed to rectify the situation. I should accept the Fa as my master and return to the righteous path. Practitioner A and I shared our experiences many times. Our thoughts became aligned. We studied the Fa from the perspective of the Fa. Only by studying the Fa well could we cultivate and do the three things well. Practitioner A improved quickly. She benignly resolved issues with her family. Her husband changed from being fearful to understanding her and eventually supporting her cultivation practice. Practitioner A developed a broadminded, tolerant, and magnanimous attitude, befitting a Falun Dafa practitioner, towards her step-daughter. She lived by the Falun Gong principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
As Master said,
“The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities.” (Zhuan Falun)
Her step-daughter gladly accepted the copy of Zhuan Falun that she gave her. Recently the material site at Practitioner A's home began to operate again.
Three practitioners were arrested while clarifying the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution and locked up at the local police station in July 2011. Their families immediately went to the station, clarified the truth to the police, and demanded their release. The 610 Office refused to release them and secretly transferred them to a detention center that evening. I was very anxious when I got this news and felt an immediate sense of urgency to rescue my fellow practitioners. It was the middle of the night—what could I do? I felt desperate and many attachments surfaced. I searched for the shortcomings of other fellow practitioners. I fell asleep as I was looking for complaints against my fellow practitioners.
I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and did the five exercises. I suddenly realized that I had been blaming and criticizing my fellow practitioners. Therefore, I had not fulfilled my responsibility to coordinate and instead had followed the old force arrangements. My negative thoughts had emitted bad substances towards my fellow practitioners. I asked myself, “Is this what my fellow practitioners need? Is this what Master wants?” I broke out in a cold sweat. I looked within and found many attachments, including a complaining and critical mentality. I ordinarily feel embarrassed and fear losing face by pointing out where other practitioners are lacking. I said to Master in my heart, “Master, I was wrong. I know what I need to do.”
I contacted every practitioner first thing in the morning and asked them to send righteous thoughts to disintegrate the evil and rescue the detained practitioners. We collectively shared our experiences afterwards and divided up the tasks that needed to be done. The young adults went everywhere to clarify the facts about Falun Gong. Some waited outside the police station from morning until late at night, some went to the police department and the 610 Office, and others visited family members of the police. They always kept in mind the desire to save these people and tried to encourage the authorities not to commit crimes against Falun Dafa practitioners. Their behavior was benevolent, dignified, awe-inspiring, dauntless, and full of noble aspiration and daring.
We shared experiences with the children of the practitioners we were in the process of rescuing. They reverently recalled the teachings of Master. They regarded rescuing their parents as an opportunity to clarify the truth and save sentient beings in the course of their cultivation. One of the practitioners' sons spoke to the director of the police station about Falun Gong and demanded that he release the practitioners. The director said, “Can you guarantee that your mother will stop handing out fliers about Falun Gong?” He replied, “My mother is a Falun Dafa disciple. You think I can stop her from saving sentient beings?” His words resounded in the minds of the director and the police, and they were stunned.
Master utilized this illegal detention and persecution as an opportunity for practitioners to improve themselves. They didn't disappoint Master for the pains that he took on their behalf. All of us that participated in rescuing the practitioners studied the Fa well, sent righteous thoughts, and clarified the truth. We went to the district where the director lived and put up truth clarification materials. This really frightened the authorities.
The three practitioners were very steadfast while detained. They looked within, returned to their true selves, recited the Fa, did the exercises, sent righteous thoughts, and clarified the truth to save sentient beings. They didn't cooperate with the detention center because they hadn't committed any crimes. One of the practitioners sought out the director of the detention center, clarified the truth to him, and warned him to treat Falun Dafa practitioners well. She told him that practitioners are innocent based on the law and that it is a violation of the law to imprison them. The three practitioners handled themselves in an impressive manner.
On the third afternoon of their detainment, the 610 Office called their families to inform them that they would be released the next day. This was the result of the arrangements and mighty power of Dafa.
Looking back, practitioners enlightened that everything was under Master's control.
Master said,
“Everything has been prepared, and all that’s missing is for you to carry it out.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa Conference”
Everyone progressed. We saw a new beginning. What we will achieve is improvement and elevation as one body.
Thank you, Master, for all the hard work that you have done for Dafa disciples.
Category: Improving Oneself
