(Minghui.org) Dafa practitioners know that only after eliminating our selfishness can our compassion emerge. “Selflessness and altruism” is the nature of beings in the new universe, and is also the standard that we should do our best to meet. I have never stopped examining myself according to this standard, and have never become lost during the crazy persecution by the evil forces. I've been continuously elevating myself while doing the three things well.
I. Hints from Master
Because I distributed truth-clarification materials, I was persecuted in 2001 by the evil Party and put into a detention center. I clarified the truth there to the other inmates. One night I had a dream. In the dream I and another fellow practitioner whom I didn't know were sitting face to face with our Master by a round table. Master didn't say a word. When I woke up, I didn't understand what Master's hint really meant. I simply thought that Master was encouraging me. Therefore no matter which cell of the detention center I was transferred to, I clarified the truth to everyone in the cell. They all listened very attentively and were very respectful to me. After I left the detention center and returned home, I clarified the truth to everyone I met whenever I took a walk with my wife and kids on the street.
In 2002, agents working for the party took me away to a brainwashing center. Because I refused to be “transformed,” I was sent to a detention center. I started a hunger strike to protest my persecution. In late 2002, I returned home under Master's protection. When I studied “Non-Omission in Buddha Nature” (from Essentials for Further Advancement) , I was deeply touched from the bottom of my heart. I then remembered by heart one sentence in this article:
“I also want to tell you that your nature in the past was actually based on egotism and selfishness. From now on, whatever you do, you should consider others first, so as to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.”
I repeated this sentence again and again. Suddenly I was enlightened that this is exactly what Master tried to say to me at the round table in the dream. The round table represented consummation. For sure I will cultivate and attain “the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism,” and follow Master back to heaven after attaining consummation.
II. Lenient Toward Others, Strict With Myself
After the persecution started, I felt that Master lectured at higher and higher levels. I understand that the deities from the old universe are based on egoism and selfishness, which is why the rule of the old universe is formation-stasis-degeneration-deconstruction. Master's standard for the lives in the new universe during the Fa-rectification is “selflessness and altruism,” which is why the lives in the new universe will never perish. Once I understand the Fa, I am more strict with myself, pay more attention to my image as a Dafa practitioner, and wash away my selfishness with the Fa, with each and every thought.
I learned martial arts when I was young, and became a kung fu instructor when I was a young man. When I was middle aged, I had already taught kung fu to many students. Because of this, I developed an arrogant personality and I always wanted to be the strong one. I now want to save others, and to save more people, I must completely put down the “airs” of a kung fu instructor and do away with my stern face. In Chinese, the word “save” is written in a way which means to “ask for help instead!” So whenever I am outside I approach as many people as I can, regardless of their age, and clarify the truth to them. The neighbors from nearby villages all know that I became a very warmhearted person after I obtained the Fa, and they liked to ask for my help whenever they were in need. For example, they asked me to write couplets for the wedding ceremonies and to do bookkeeping during funerals. I always arrived early and returned late. My fellow compatriots were all satisfied with my help. As a result of my efforts for them, I could then more easily clarify the truth to them.
There are very few local Dafa practitioners in my area, and among them two study secretly, and are unable to step out. For more than ten years, I have gone to the city to pass on the list of people who are quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations, and to obtain Fa lectures, DVDs, and truth-clarification materials. On each trip I cover a distance of more than 50 kilometers (31 miles). Because of this, I've worn out two bikes. Last year my wife said that I should buy an electric bike. I said, “With a bike it's more convenient to clarify the truth when I meet someone I know.” During my trips I never spent money on food or drink. My wife blamed me, saying that I'm too stingy with money. I said, “If we can save one more yuan and use it to saving sentient beings, that would be even better.” My wife works and is not always home for dinner. On these days my meals are always mixed gnocchi. My kids said over the telephone that I shouldn't save too much money. I said, “I'm not picky with food. They are all delicious to me. But mixed gnocchi is much easier.”
When bad people or someone “crazy” mocks me for practicing Falun Gong, I have sometimes lost my temper for a moment, and scolded them. I said in my mind, “I was not even afraid when holding the banner and facing the wicked policemen in Tiananmen Square. What are you?” But after I lost control of my emotions I realized that I wasn't guarding my xinxing, and I apologized to the person right away. I would also slap my face after such an incident so as to make myself remember this well in my heart. My experiences have taught me that only when we treat others well no matter what we do, and are strict with ourselves at every moment, can we advance and make progress like a rocket on our cultivation path to obtain righteous enlightenment.
III. Genuinely Moving Others Brings About Better Results--Cordially Receiving a Supervisor Twice
On one autumn afternoon, I saw on the street near the door of my house that there was a man in his fifties pushing his electric bike along. I greeted him and asked him to come into my house to charge the battery. After he entered my house, I offered him a cup of honey tea. When I mentioned Falun Gong, he said in a high voice while drinking the tea, “It's illegal!” I said, “Hey, calm down. You'll understand after listening to me.” I told him about the staged Tiananmen Square self-immolation incident. He was not attentive when listening but couldn't leave, because his bike was being charged. I then took some meat out of the fridge and began cooking in the kitchen, (my wife had gone to work and was not home). I let him watch the DVD featuring my son's wedding ceremony in the living room. At lunch time I played the DVD of “Dafa's Spread in the World” and the “Rock with Engraved Characters” for him. He then understood the truth and quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. He said to me, “The CCP educated me for more than ten years yet I was changed by you just within two hours. Falun Gong is so magical!” Actually he used to live in the city but came to the local area to work as a supervisor after he invested in a construction project here.
A few days later he came to my house again to charge his bike's battery and invited me to dine in a restaurant. I firmly rejected the invitation. Instead I again cooked and received him. After the meal he took out one hundred yuan, saying that it was to pay for two meals plus for having his battery charged twice, but I refused to accept the money. He was very touched and said, “Many people in this area don't greet strangers, but Dafa practitioners are so warmhearted to everyone. I truly admire you!” I said, “There are thieves here who commit crimes even during the day. That's why people dare not to trust strangers.” He laughed and asked me, “So, aren't you afraid that I might be a bad guy who is here to get to know the situation first?” I said, “Practitioner's homes are protected by Master's law-bodies. Even if you are some bad guy, if you come to my house that means we have a predestined relationship. I will receive you, clarify the truth to you, and help you to part with the evil.” He said emotionally, “You Falun Gong practitioners are seriously the best people in the world! For sure I will tell my family, friends and relatives about you.”
Kindly Treating a University Student Whose Wallet Was Stolen
I went to town for some business during the summer. When I was waiting for the bus I started to clarify the truth to those who were also waiting for the bus. After talking with two people, I noticed that at the bus stop was a young man who was sitting with his head lowered. I walked towards him. After I mentioned Falun Gong, he turned his head away, saying that he was a university student who came back to visit his family, and said that he didn't want to listen to me. I bent my body and patiently told him the truth about Falun Gong. But he wouldn't listen. He said his wallet was just stolen and he was still worried about it. I asked him how much money he needed to buy a ticket. He said ten yuan. I took out my wallet and handed him ten yuan. He asked me, “You only have ten yuan left. Is it enough for you to buy your own ticket?” I said that I had enough money. He said, “You Falun Gong practitioners are so kind!” When I started to clarify the truth with him again, he was very attentive this time. He also agreed when I asked him to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. He asked for my address and said that he would come to my house to thank me. I said, “If you really want to thank someone, thank Master Li Hongzhi, who teaches me to be a good person!” He kept nodding his head.
Inviting a Homeless Mute Person to Watch a DVD in My House
A mute person came to my house two years ago, begging for food. His clothes smelled very bad. His hair was such a mess that he looked like a lunatic. I took out some good food for him and then invited him to the living room. After that I played the Shen Yun DVD for him. He watched for half an hour. When he left, he could even talk! I later always used this incident as an example when I clarified the truth. I said, “Who would let a smelly mute person enter their living room to watch a DVD? The deity saw that he sincerely accepted the fact that Falun Gong is good, and allowed him to talk.” Those who listened to the truth said that it was magical.
Saving People Selflessly
For many years I never bargained with anyone who came to my house to buy waste products, food and cotton. I offered them tea, clarified the truth, gave them DVDs, and asked them to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Almost everyone who came to my house to do business was saved. Last autumn a person came to my house and bought over 25 kg of cotton. The price that he offered was too low but I didn't bargain with him, I only paid attention to the result of my truth-clarification. After understanding the truth, he accepted DVDs and quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. When he paid for the cotton, he gave me an additional ten yuan. I firmly refused to accept the money. But when he started the car, he threw the ten yuan out of the window.
When I am working or eating at home, and whenever I find a person on the street outside, I put down my work or stop eating, and go out to clarify the truth. My experience during the process of clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings is that only when Dafa practitioners are not selfish, but completely kind to others, can we truly save people, and save more people.
