(Minghui.org) I attended Falun Dafa seminars in Dalian on March 27, 1994, and July 1, 1994, in which Master gave lectures in person. It has been 30 years since. I feel so blessed and honored whenever I recall the precious time with Master. Master pulled me back from hell, purified me, and made me a Falun Dafa practitioner. He has guided and protected me all the way to this day. I miss Master even more around the upcoming World Falun Dafa Day and Master’s birthday. I write this article to express my infinite gratitude to Master.

“Opportunity Knocks But Once”

Master held the first Falun Dafa seminar in person in the evening of March 27, 1994, in the auditorium of the Dalian Foreign Language Institute. I came to the auditorium with several of my colleagues. We sat down and waited for Master.

The auditorium was full. All of a sudden there was loud applause. Everyone stood up. Some shouted, “Master has come! Good evening, Master!” Among the applause and cheers, I saw Master! Master looked kind and compassionate, smiling. He waved to us and came on stage. “Hello everyone!” Master greeted us. I felt a current of warmth. Applause came up again.

Master then began his lecture, which continued for 2 hours, from 6pm to 8pm. Master didn’t drink water, didn’t look at any notes, and didn’t have a break during these two hours. Master revealed high-level principles to us and purified our hearts and minds. He lifted us to the beautiful realm of peace, rationality, selflessness, and consideration for other people that Falun Dafa promotes.

When Master ended his lecture, practitioners didn’t want to leave. They surrounded Master. Some wanted to shake hands with Master. Some wanted to get Master’s autograph. Some wanted to take photos with Master. Master was tightly surrounded by practitioners. I wanted to be closer to Master, but I told myself that I shouldn’t do that. I stood a bit further away. Master was busy with the practitioners. These happy moments would stay in the practitioners’ memories forever.

The practitioners wanted to be with Master a bit longer but forgot to give Master a break that night. The staff members had to make a path for Master to walk out of the auditorium. On my way home, I decided to bring a camera with me and find an opportunity to take a photo with Master the next day. This way I wouldn’t waste Master’s time.

I took my camera the next morning. During the break, I saw Master walking out of the auditorium. I then waited for Master on the path that Master would definitely go through. When I saw Master, I was so happy that I almost jumped. I ran to Master and said, “Good morning, Master! I want to take a photo with you. Is that okay, Master?” Master looked at me and said, “That’s okay. But opportunity knocks but once.” I said okay. Master went to stand against the wall.

Many practitioners saw Master was going to take a photo with practitioners, and came to surround him. Master was tall and kind. Looking at Master and the practitioners, I couldn’t help but press the button and take a photo of Master and the practitioners. I then realized that I was not in the photo. I hadn’t gone and stood by Master’s side. Other practitioners took a photo with Master, but not me. What should I do? When I came back to my senses, Master had already walked far away. I then ran to Master and shouted, “Master! I didn’t take a photo with you.” Master looked back at me and said, “Opportunity knocks but once. Consider others first.” I didn’t quite understand what Master meant at the time. I regretted it so much.

Master came to Dalian for the second time to teach the Fa on July 1, 1994. The Dalian Jiche Gymnasium stadium was packed. People had to sit in the corridors, on the stairs, and on the floor. New practitioners as well as veteran practitioners had come from all over the country. A course attendance permit was issued to me. After the seminars finished, I also got a certificate of completion stamp for the second Falun Gong seminar with Master. I have kept the permit and certificate safely. Though I attended Master’s lectures twice, my wish to have a photo taken with Master didn’t come true. But luckily I remember Master’s words “Opportunity knocks but once. Consider others first.”

As time went on and as I studied the Fa more, I gradually understood Master’s words.

Master said,

“The primary purpose of my coming to the public is to guide people to high levels, genuinely guiding people to high levels.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

“Cultivation practice is not child’s play. It is more serious than anything of everyday people—it isn’t something to take for granted. Once you miss the opportunity, when will you be able to get a human body again in the sixfold path of reincarnation? Opportunity knocks but once. Once the illusion that you cannot let go of disappears, you will realize what you have lost.” (“Practicing Cultivation After Retirement,” Essentials for Further Advancement)

Thirty years have passed. I now understand what Master expects from us disciples and why Master has worked so hard for us. Master pushes us to the level our xinxing had reached in the very beginning of our cultivation. He requires us to be beings of the new cosmos who always considers others first. He urges us to cherish the opportunity to cultivate. Though I was not able to have another opportunity to take a photo with Master, Master’s Fa is immensely precious and profound. Master regards us as real disciples and genuinely guides us toward high levels.

Master Opened My Third Eye

My third eye opened after I attended Master’s lectures twice. I could see Master and Buddhas, Daos, and Gods in other dimensions, and Master is often with us and by our sides.

What I Saw at a Practice Site

I went to the practice site by the Lotus Pond at the Laodong Park for the first time one spring day. We practiced the first four sets of the exercises, and when I sat down to do the meditation, I felt very comfortable with the beautiful exercise music and Master’s clear voice resonating. It was magical and sacred. I entered into tranquility and sat in the full lotus position quickly. Previously, I could only sit in full lotus position for ten minutes at most, and my legs had kept falling down.

I felt very comfortable and beautiful after I closed my eyes. With my Third Eye, I saw a radiant sky with bright lights shining on practitioners. I saw Master sitting on a lotus flower in the sky waving to us. Thousands of lights surrounded Master. Countless Buddhas, Daos, and Gods flew down with the lights. I was wondering if the heavenly deities came down to our practice site to do the exercises with us. I saw these wonderful scenes with ultimate joy until the meditation music finished. I hoped to continue seeing the magical views, but they stopped when the music stopped.

I realized that Master’s powerful energy had strengthened me and enabled me to meditate in full lotus position for one hour. Other practitioners also felt the huge energy at the practice site. Empowered by the huge energy field, I saw Master and so many deities coming down us. I also saw other magical scenes.

My Third Eye Saw Master Strengthening a Little Disciple Who Led Practitioners to Do Exercises

Falun Dafa widely spread in our local area after Master finished the seminars. Practitioners organized many practice sites and attended the group practices and Fa studies every day. Each practice site was full of people, from elderly people to toddlers. The practice sites were huge.

We studied the Fa from 6pm to 8pm, and practiced the exercises from 8pm to 9pm, at our practice site every day. Practitioners went to work during the day and came to the practice site directly from work. Everyone came on time. An assistant led the practitioners to study the Fa first and then have discussions in groups with everyone sharing their cultivation experiences.

One autumn evening in October 1998, the assistant went to the practice site with a tape recorder. When she pressed the play button, the tape recorder didn’t play. She tried many times, but the tape recorder wouldn’t work at all. At that time a five or six-year-old little practitioner came with his parents and grandma who were also practitioners. He was still in kindergarten.

He came to the assistant and said, “Auntie, please lead us to practice the exercises.” The assistant knew the little disciple. He had helped elderly practitioners with their leg crossing and studying the Fa together. The assistant saw him and said without thinking, “Fu Bao (alias), you lead the group to practice the exercises.” He agreed.

He stood in front of the crowd. He said to the crowd, “Next we will practice the exercises.” As soon as he finished, the practitioners lined up. “Let’s start the first set of exercises.” The boy recited the verse and spoke with a pure heart and a strong voice. Sentence by sentence, his voice sounded just like the one on the recording. It was amazing.

It was an autumn night with strong wind and flying fallen leaves. Our clothes and hair were blown about by the wind. The little disciple must have been cold.

With my third eye, I saw Master in a kāṣāya come and squat in front of the little disciple, and then pick him up. Master put a kāṣāya on him, and then stood up and threw a big kāṣāya into the sky. The kāṣāya became a big tent which covered all the practitioners. I couldn’t hear the wind after that. My hair and clothes were no longer blown around. I felt warm.

I saw Master lead countless deities, male and female, old and young, wearing colorful ancient dress, to fly down to the front of our lines. One of them was the Primeval Lord of Heaven with white hair and white mustache in a white ancient gown. Beside him stood a little boy in white. Master said to him, “Look at my little disciple. How does he compare with your little boy?” The Primeval Lord of Heaven stroked his beard with his hand, and nodded his head smiling. He held the hand of the little boy and went over to the little disciple. He looked at him carefully for a while and then said with a smile, “Very good! Very good!” Master led the deities to watch the practitioners doing the exercises for a while before they flew away.

I have practiced Falun Dafa for 30 years. Thank you, Master, for your compassion and salvation.

(Selected submission in celebration of World Falun Dafa on Minghi.org)