Cultivating Diligently and Doing the Three Things Well

(Minghui.org) The first time I held the book Zhuan Falun, I deeply felt, “this is my future.” When I read, “True Cultivation,” I often found myself in tears. I didn’t understand why then, but now I do. Master said, “Read the book more—the Fa is in the book, and everything I can use to help you is in the Fa—so that your karma can be eliminated.” (“Teachings at the Conference in Singapore”)

I was determined to practice Falun Dafa and strictly follow Master’s teachings. Every day, besides studying the Fa, I wake up around 3 a.m. and practice the exercises. I send righteous thoughts as often as I can, clarify the truth about the persecution, and do the three things that Master asked us to do. I’ve done this for more than twenty years.

I was born in a rural village in Hubei Province. When I was twenty I worked on a peanut farm. Someone told me, “You’re still young—why don’t you go work in the city?” So I went to the provincial capital. Everything in the city was new to me, and I thought, “Wow! City life is so romantic, like something out of a movie.” The following year, my mother passed away. I brought my younger sister to the city to work and started a small business.

Our neighbor was an elderly woman, and every day I saw her deeply engrossed in a book. Out of curiosity I asked, “What book are you reading? You seem so absorbed!” She smiled and told me it was a book about cultivation. When she said this, I felt an inexplicable connection and I said, “I’d like to cultivate!” With her kind assistance, I got a copy of Zhuan Falun, and I began to practice Falun Dafa.

I began selling goods in a street stall and gradually expanded to a small storefront. I read Dafa books while I ran my business. Over time, I got to know many practitioners in the city.

I went from renting a small place to buying my own apartment and I eventually moved into a high-rise building. I went from being a girl from the country who had nothing, to a confident young woman who practiced Falun Dafa. I understand that all of this was a blessing from Dafa. I knew I must maintain the enthusiasm and determination I had when I began practicing—I should strive forward diligently, and do the three things well to repay Master’s immense grace!

After I had my own home, other practitioners started coming to study the Fa, and we established a Fa-study group. More and more practitioners came. The persecution was at its peak, and whenever I felt fear, I sent strong righteous thoughts and asked Master to strengthen me. For more than ten years, our Fa-study group never stopped. Many practitioners who suffered from severe illness karma were able to identify their deep-rooted attachments through studying the Fa, discussing their experiences, and comparing themselves to Master’s teachings in this group environment. By rectifying themselves, they overcame their illness symptoms.

When these severely ill practitioners stayed at my home I often looked at the sky filled with stars and said, “The heavens are full of eyes, the heavens are full of divine beings!” I recited Master’s Hong Yin to strengthen my righteous thoughts and eliminate my fear. With Master’s protection and the assistance of divine beings, I was able to overcome one trial after another.

Identifying and Eliminating My Attachments

In the early days of my cultivation, the demon of lust often appeared in my dreams, and my reactions varied. I felt deeply troubled and saddened, and thought, “If this continues and I can’t overcome this test, won’t my cultivation be in vain?” No, I must make up my mind—study the Fa more, memorize it, constantly look within, and use the Fa to correct myself.

After I repeatedly examined myself I discovered the root cause of my attachment to lust. I read romance novels when I was young, and as my emotions awakened, I dreamed of a graceful young man I read about in the novels. This thought karma still lurked in deeper dimensions and I hadn’t eliminated it. Once I identified the root of the problem I repeatedly sent righteous thoughts to eradicate it. However, my effort was inconsistent—I was sometimes able to maintain my xinxing in dreams, but other times, I failed to resist the temptation.

One time, I had to collaborate with a male practitioner. A thought arose in my mind: “We have a pure and righteous relationship as fellow cultivators.” As soon as this thought emerged, the Chinese character “righteousness” appeared in my mind, and at that moment, I felt a deeper meaning of the Fa within it. I suddenly enlightened! I must eliminate the interference of lust, strictly discipline myself as a cultivator, constantly keep my heart upright, cultivate solidly, and strive to be a qualified Falun Dafa practitioner.

Master said, “One righteous mind subdues a hundred evil things.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Guangzhou,” Explaining the Teachings of Zhuan Falun) I kept Master’s teachings uppermost in my mind. The lust interference in my dreams was thus dissolved, and I finally overcame this tribulation.

I also sometimes had attachments to avoiding work and fearing filth. I tried to eliminate this and nurture a heart of compassion. Through this process, I came to experience the state of “...selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature,” Essentials for Further Advancement)

For example, a practitioner who ran a business coughed for a long time. I studied the Fa with her, practiced the exercises, shared insights, sent righteous thoughts, looked within for loopholes, and asked Master to strengthen our righteous thoughts. The first night, I felt a cold force suddenly attack me, but I remained unmoved, thinking, “You cannot affect me.” The next night, another wave of cold energy surrounded me. My first thought was to call, “Master!” and I recited the Fa rectification verses to eliminate it. That eerie chill quickly disappeared.

To clarify the truth well, save more people, and fulfill my responsibility and mission, I persisted in memorizing the Fa every day, sending righteous thoughts for extended periods, and going out to clarify the truth face-to-face. At first, I didn’t know how to talk about it, so I followed experienced practitioners and sent righteous thoughts while they spoke. Under Master’s guidance, I eventually learned how to clarify the truth about the persecution.

I approached people with compassion, speaking in a kind and gentle tone, and with a simple and sincere demeanor. People listened and many quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. Some initially resisted, but when they realized I only wanted the best for them their attitude changed, and they agreed to withdraw from the CCP.

I sometimes encountered someone who smiled at me. When I returned the smile and greeted them, we talked, and they agreed to quit the CCP. The other practitioners thought that I met an old acquaintance. But we never met before—People are waiting to be saved, and Master is bringing these predestined people to me.

For more than ten years, day after day, year after year, I’ve gone out to clarify the truth almost every day. I also encourage other practitioners to come along, and fulfill our historical mission as Dafa disciples.

I am deeply grateful to our compassionate and great Master for granting me the best of everything!