(Minghui.org) I became a Falun Dafa practitioner in May 1995. After I finished reading the book, Zhuan Falun , I knew that this was the spiritual path I had been seeking. I wanted to relinquish my attachments and adhere to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
I was a selfish and hot-headed person before I was a practitioner. Through studying the teachings, I remembered to “Let joy be found in hardship” (“Tempering the Will” from Hong Yin) when conflicts emerged. At work, I used to never want to do anything more than what I should do. After I practiced Falun Dafa, I would volunteer to do the hard and filthy jobs. There used to be a person who cleaned the floor where I worked. The person stopped coming and the floor got dirtier each day. I wanted to be a good person following Falun Dafa's teachings so I volunteered to clean the floor every day.
Once there was a pay raise for two people in my department, where there were eight people. I was the chief of the department at the time. I never took any leave and I did the work of the person who constantly took sick leave. I knew that I deserved a raise and everyone told me so as well. When it came time for the evaluation, I began to wonder whether I should fight for the raise.
Teacher said,
“Sometimes, you think that something should be yours, and others also tell you that it is yours. Actually, it is not. You may believe that it is yours, but in the end it is not yours. Through this, it can be seen whether you can give it up. If you cannot let it go, it is an attachment. This method must be used to get rid of your attachment to self-interest. This is the issue.” (Zhuan Falun)
The director asked me to handle the evaluation process and I thought it would be inappropriate for me to compete for one of the two spots with the rest of the department. I asked to be taken out of the evaluation process. Everyone told me, “You deserve it. Who has not taken any leave and has worked as much as you?” “No one would thank you for what you did.” “Are you becoming dumb because of the practice? You don't want what is yours, who is going to give you this?” I was not moved by these comments. I thought I was doing what I should as a practitioner. I told them that as a practitioner, I was perfectly healthy and was always in good spirits, which was better than any material thing I could get. A month later, the evaluation results came out. Twelve spots remained and my supervisor ordered to put me on the list of those who would receive a pay raise. It was truly like what Teacher said in Zhuan Falun: “If something is yours, you will not lose it.”
Through studying the teachings, I learned how to put myself in others' shoes first and gradually eliminated a lot of selfish attachments. One day the chair of a workers' union told me that he was going to reward me for actively participating in the union's activities. I told him that he should offer it to other workers.
Teacher said,
“One practitioner works in a textile factory in X city of Shandong Province. After studying Falun Dafa, he taught other coworkers to practice. As a result, the factory has taken on a new look. He used to take home pieces of towels from the textile factory, and so did the rest of the employees. After practicing Dafa, instead of taking things home he brought back to the factory what he took home before.” (Zhuan Falun)
I knew that I should not take advantage of others as a practitioner. I have worked in the factory for over 20 years and have taken many things home. I estimated the cost of the things I took home and gave the money back together with a letter to the supervisor in the financial department. I explained in the letter that I should not have taken the things home and listed all of them. I said that because of the teachings I learned from practicing Falun Dafa, I decided to give 500 yuan back to the company. The supervisor was very shocked and said, “It's common that people in the factory take things home. It is extraordinary that someone stopped taking things home and even returned money.”
After the persecution of Falun Gong started in 1999, I went to Beijing twice to clarify the facts about Falun Gong to the central government. I was arrested and sent home both times. The factory director tried to talk me out of practicing. I told him how wonderful Falun Dafa is and how it improved the practitioners' health and moral level. The director understood the truth and did not carry out the order from the 610 Office to fine me 4000 yuan. The director told the agents in the 610 Office, “She makes 300 yuan a month. What do you want her to do after that?” He also arranged for me to do a less strenuous job. He said, “Why don't you clean the offices and the yard? I will give you a room so that you can study your Falun Dafa when you have time.”
During that time, the factory business wasn't doing well and many workers were fired. Some were not happy and told the director, “Are you letting us go and keeping a Falun Gong practitioner?” In a meeting, the director said to everyone, “If everyone in the factory acted like the Falun Gong practitioner (referring to me), production would be much better.”
Category: Improving Oneself
