Maintaining Good, Compassionate Thoughts

(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1996 and experienced many ups and downs during my 20 years of cultivation. I went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Dafa. Despite the persecution, I continued cultivating in Dafa, and producing and distributing informational materials about Falun Dafa. I also included information about the persecution perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). My home was ransacked, and I was taken to a forced labor camp, as well as a brainwashing center.

Despite these challenges, I continued reading the Fa, and I came to understand that Master, the founder of Dafa, taught us the law of the universe and the principles that we should follow: Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. This was the guide for our lives.

Master’s teachings were etched in my mind and helped form strong righteous thoughts. I follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in everything I do. I remind myself that I’m a practitioner whenever I run into obstacles. I was able to overcome difficult situations when I had strong righteous thoughts.

I’d like to share one of my experiences with you.

I appealed for justice for Dafa in 2004, and was arrested and detained. It was only 8 degrees Fahrenheit that day. They took me to Cell 505, where people were detained for committing murders, arson, drugs, and fighting. Everyone slept in beds, but I had to sleep on the concrete floor because I was a practitioner. It was windy and cold, but they kept the windows and doors open. I was only given a bucket of hot water each day.

I reminded myself that I was a practitioner, and I told the detainees stories about Falun Dafa. I said the practice brought practitioners health and taught them to be good people. I also talked about karma and retribution, and they listened. They had to do manual labor work every day, and I helped them. They gradually stopped fighting and were quieter.

One day, a guard came to the gate and asked me, “Do you still want to practice?” I replied calmly, “I’ll practice as long as I’m breathing. Dafa is an upright practice, and you’ll gain blessings if you have positive thoughts about it.”

She summoned me to her office and asked, “What did you tell the inmates? They’ve been quieter ever since you came.” I told her that Master taught us to be good people with moral values. I shared Master’s words with her, told her to stop doing harmful things, and be a good person. She replied, “You’re such a kind old lady! But the government doesn’t approve of the practice, otherwise, I would like to talk to you some more.”

The detainees in Cell 505 slowly changed their attitude towards me. Some placed their blankets on the floor for me and said, “The concrete floor is too cold and we can’t stand it, not even for a few days. You’re old and have been sleeping on the floor for a month, and you’re still doing fine.” They saw how the practice kept my body strong, and they looked out for me when I did the exercises.

The cell “leader” ripped some cotton from her quilt so that I could pad my shoes. She said, “I haven’t done this for anyone else, but you’re a good person.”

Another inmate said she wanted to practice Falun Dafa with me after she was released. A drug addict who sold a large quantity of drugs should have been sentenced to death, but she was sentenced to 14 years in prison. I knew this was because she was kind to practitioners. I was happy for them.

When I was about to be released, they held my hands and were reluctant to let go. Some wept, and others said they wanted to be good people.

My understanding from this experience is that when we use our divine thoughts, that is, when we firmly believe in Dafa and treat everything around us based on the Fa’s principles, then things around us will change. Our environment and people’s thoughts will turn positive.