(Minghui.org)
My first experience of clarifying the facts to tourists about Falun Dafa and the persecution was an extraordinary one. I felt relaxed, almost as if someone was helping me. As I spoke, I remembered the title of the first section in Zhuan Falun: “Genuinely Guiding People Toward High Levels.” Although I'd read this many times, I truly experienced it that day.
I encountered all types of people at the different sites. At first, I only handed out informational materials about Dafa. Unfortunately, I was not focused on saving people. Instead, I cared more about how many brochures I'd handed out. Eventually I realized that I was trying to validate myself instead of validating Dafa. After I realized that perhaps I had an attachment to selfishness that was causing this, I focused on the reason I was there – which was to save people. After I adjusted my mindset, more people were willing to take the materials from me.
As I spent more time at the tourist sites, I gradually realized the urgency of what we are doing, and I began to hold myself to a higher standard. Instead of waiting for people to come to me for the materials, I started to look for them. When they were reluctant to accept them, I talked to them about the persecution. Sometimes, when I just said the simple lines, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” their expressions changed—from suspicious to a nod and a smile. In “Couplet/ The Source of All Fa” in Hong Yin IV, Master said,
“Zhen Shan Ren—three sacred words have boundless Fa powersFalun Dafa is good—true thoughts alter all disasters”
I firmly believe that it was the Fa that changed their attitude.
Eventually, I became dissatisfied with the way I clarified the facts – I wanted to say more! Master saw my wish and soon people began asking me about Dafa. Once, a little boy came up to a display board with an illustration of a Falun Gong practitioner having her organs harvested. He studied the picture and asked his mother “Why is she in so much pain?” His mother asked me. I explained about the forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China.
When local practitioners met, I talked about how other practitioners helped me by showing me how to put up Shen Yun posters. Afterward, I was assigned to promote Shen Yun to physicians and invited other practitioners to come with me so that we could all learn from each other.
Master said, “We stress holistic improvement and holistic upgrade. If xinxing is improved, everything else will follow up.” (Zhuan Falun)
I realized that I should not function as an individual but, rather, work with the other practitioners. After all, aren't each of us a particle in Dafa?
Master also said:
“Throughout the entire course of my lectures on the Fa and cultivation, I have been responsible to society and students. The results we have received have been good, and their impact upon the entire society has also been quite good.” (Zhuan Falun)
I realized that I should be responsible for the other practitioners involved in the project and help them when they encounter problems. Master said, “That’s because on your path of cultivation there is nothing that is by chance.” (“Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference X)
I read an article by a practitioner who described how cultivating with others is similar to sailing on a huge ship: we have to look after each other to ensure that no one is left behind. Since we are all part of a whole, we should encourage each other to validate the Fa and fulfill our prehistoric vows.
Master said,
“The Buddha School emphasizes cultivating Shan of Zhen-Shan-Ren. Because the cultivation of Shan can generate great, benevolent compassion, when compassion develops one will find all beings suffering and thus develop an aspiration to offer salvation to all beings.” (Zhuan Falun)
After I listened to the practitioners from Taipei talk about their experiences promoting Shen Yun, I saw my own shortcomings. I decided to go to the Kaohsiung Cultural Center to help promote Shen Yun. Through this experience I was able to identify where I needed to improve.
The first time I went there, everything went smoothly and I managed to hand out several brochures. Even though there was an even larger crowd the second time I went, things did not go as well. I realized that the first time I went my only intention was to save people, but the second time I handed out Shen Yun materials, I cared more about the number of people who listened to me.
When I looked inwards I saw that I was focused on the number of flyers I handed out and the number of people I talked to, instead of how effective I was. I was thinking like an ordinary person, instead of like a practitioner
When I talked to people at tourist sites, I constantly reminded myself not to take it to heart whenever they refused to listen. I knew that what was most important was my intention and how I interacted with them.
Now that I've found I have the same problem when I promote Shen Yun, I know that I still haven't completely eliminated my attachment to validating myself.
Master said, “The entire cultivation process for a cultivator is one of constantly giving up human attachments.” (Zhuan Falun)
I will continue to work on eliminating my attachments and assisting Master to save more people!