(Minghui.org) In China, under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), those who are honest are at a disadvantage and are considered fools. After practicing Falun Dafa, I cultivated my mindset and let go of attachments in every aspect of my daily life. My thoughts became pure and selfless, and my body and mind completely transformed. I have witnessed the wonder of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.
Before practicing Falun Dafa, I was influenced by CCP ideology and teachings and had become shrewd and selfish. My mother-in-law said I was unreliable. After practicing Falun Dafa, I followed the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, striving to be honest. I kept my promises and did what I said I would do. Here are some small examples of my experiences.
I had two power washers and promised to give one to my brother, but when I looked for them, I discovered that I only had one. My child may have given the other away to his friend, but I still gave my brother the power washer since I had promised to do so.
One day, after my brother borrowed my car and wanted to wash it for me, he could not find the power washer in my garage and realized I had given him the only one I had. My brother was touched and wanted to return the washer. I turned him down and said, “Since I promised you one, you keep it.” My relatives and friends have commented that they find me to be trustworthy and pleasant to be around.
I planned to drive to my hometown thousands of miles away for the Chinese Lunar New Year two years ago. It began to snow heavily as I started out, but I had promised to meet a friend and so decided to return home despite the heavy snow. It was not easy, the highway was sealed in certain areas, and the snow made traveling very hard. I left early that morning and did not arrive home until late that night. I met my friend the following day and he was impressed with my efforts: “There is a saying ‘A promise is worth a thousand gold coins’, and yours is ‘A promise worth a thousand miles!’”
We cultivate truthfulness, so we must cultivate ourselves through the ordinary things we do every day. Sometimes, when I promise to do something for someone, in order not to forget, I do it right away and never procrastinate. The ancients valued integrity, and a promise was as good as gold. But in today’s Communist China, people no longer know what integrity means. However, as a disciple of Dafa, I must be sincere and return to tradition. Even if I suffer losses, I must never compromise.
I wanted to buy an electric scooter, and a friend recommended a particular brand, saying that he had just bought one himself and it could travel 80 kilometers on a full charge. I then purchased one for 4,600 yuan. After riding it for a while, I discovered that this model is classified as a motor vehicle, requiring an additional 300 yuan for mandatory insurance, third-party liability insurance, and a motorcycle license to drive on the road. I don’t have a permit and am too old to take the test.
My friend said, “Everyone else rides a vehicle like this without a license. Besides, the traffic police don’t care.” However, I believe that driving is not only about my safety, but also the safety of others. Driving without a license is against the law, and it is not being true to Dafa. I felt very uncomfortable and planned to return the scooter. The store owner said the same thing as my friend: “Nothing is wrong, you can ride it without worry.”
I still wanted to return the scooter, but the owner did not understand: “I’ve been selling cars for so many years, and I’ve never encountered someone as determined as you.” I replied, “I practice Falun Dafa and believe in being truthful in everything I do. Please refund my purchase.” Seeing my firm stance, the shop owner said, “We can only sell it on your behalf, and we’ll have to deduct some of the value.”
Two days later, the shop owner called, saying someone had offered 2,200 yuan and asked if I would sell. This price was absurdly low. The shop owner said I had ridden it for two months, so the buyer could only offer that much. I agreed immediately.
Although I lost a lot of money, I feel at peace. Isn’t the truth what I cultivate? Over the last two decades, I have experienced the joy of speaking the truth and doing things in a down-to-earth manner.
I was once someone who couldn’t stand being taken advantage of; after practicing Falun Dafa, I no longer haggle when buying things or pick and choose when buying vegetables. When I go to the market to buy vegetables, the familiar vendors are very friendly, and sometimes they give me a little extra. I say, “Don’t do that; running a small business isn’t easy.” I don’t take advantage of others; it’s not easy for people to make a living these days.
Falun Dafa has made me increasingly compassionate and kindhearted. Every time I go downstairs to take out my trash, I also pick up any litter I find on the stairs. I also pick up other debris on the ground in the neighborhood and deposit it into the trash cans. One time, the garbage truck spilled garbage all over the neighborhood. The drivers left without cleaning it up, so I got a shovel and carefully carried the garbage to the trash bin, scoop by scoop.
There was a drainage well in the neighborhood with a manhole cover that had been crushed by a heavy truck, creating a hole the size of a basketball. The surrounding tiles were also shattered, and the ground had sunken in. Cars had to drive around this well very carefully. At first, I thought the property management would fix it, but no one bothered for a long time, and it got worse and worse.
I bought a bag of cement, got some sand, leveled the sunken area with bricks, and smoothed it with cement. My family scolded me: “Are you uncomfortable when you see work that needs to be done and you’re not doing it?!” Actually, that’s exactly how I felt. I treat everything that happens around me as if it were my own business. It only required a little effort, and making life easier for others is a good thing.
One winter, there was a large pile of snow at the corner of the subdivision. It was not cleared by the snowplow, and it had formed a block of ice. The road was narrow, and pedestrians were slipping because of it. I got a shovel and a pickax, and shoveled away the ice, making it easier for cars and pedestrians to pass.
One day, I went to a fellow practitioner’s home in the countryside with two other practitioners. The ten-mile dirt road was rough, and we took a bus to get there, but had no transportation back, so we walked home. I noticed several large stones the size of bowls along the road, which could cause danger to vehicles traveling at high speeds, so I picked them up and threw them to the side of the road. As we walked, I continued picking them up. My fellow practitioners had already walked far ahead, but I cleared the stones until we reached the town. My hands were covered in dirt, and I was covered in dust. My fellow practitioners commended me for my hard work.
Before practicing Falun Dafa, I had a bad temper. After practicing Falun Dafa, I realized that cursing and fighting are immoral and generate karma. Only by being tolerant can one resolve conflicts peacefully.
It is challenging to change one's character. Master asked us to study the Fa more and assimilate to Dafa so that our hearts can change. I study one lecture of Zhuan Falun every day. I have studied it more than a thousand times, and without realizing it, I am changing.
I have come to realize that cultivating great forbearance is not easy. Every time I went through a difficult situation, I endured pain that cut deep into my heart. When I could not bear it anymore, I thought about how to measure it with the Fa.
A relative of mine runs a business and often asks me for help loading and unloading goods. I never refuse and always do my best. I have also helped him sell nearly a thousand items. When he was short on funds, I didn’t hesitate to lend him 300,000 yuan. On the surface, he was very polite and respectful to me, but behind my back, he was scheming against me.
My wife underwent a minor surgery, and this relative knew the doctor. He asked me to give the doctor 500 yuan in a red envelope, saying, “I’m close with the doctor; this is a friend’s price.” Later, a fellow patient in the same room revealed the truth, and I found out that two hundred yuan was the actual price. For my wife’s minor issue, two hundred yuan was more than enough (in Chinese society, patients give doctors a red envelope containing money, with the hope of securing a smooth operation and recovery).
Once, I heard my relative was driving to the area near my hometown, so I asked if I could hitch a ride. He readily agreed, saying, “No problem, I’ll let you know when I leave.” I waited for two days without hearing from him. Later, I heard he had already returned and felt really upset. Then I thought maybe he had something urgent to do or forgot, but regardless, he helped me improve my character. I should cherish that and thank him.
Another test came shortly after that. This same relative wanted to rent my warehouse. Before signing the lease, he invited me to dinner and generously said, “Whatever others offer, I’ll match it. Don’t ask for less.” He said, “If you expand the door a bit; I’ll definitely take it.” I immediately hired someone to modify the door. After it was done, I discussed with my wife how much to charge. She said, “We previously rented it to others for 8,000. Since he’s family, would 4,000 be acceptable?” I agreed.
I called him, but he hesitated and said, “Never mind, rent it to someone else.” I guessed that he thought the price was too high, so I said, “If it’s too high, I can lower it a bit.” He replied, “Forget it, I don’t want to rent it.” Later, his wife hinted that, “If the price was 1,000 yuan, that would be okay.” Even though rental prices have dropped in the past two years, 1,000 yuan was still too low! This is taking advantage of the family! I felt resentful at the time: “You don’t want it after the door was modified. What kind of person does that?” I knew the standard of improving xinxing had elevated. I refused to hold a grudge; I am a cultivator.
A few days later, I told the relative, “It’s my fault for not telling you the price in advance. If I had been clear, you wouldn’t have been in such a difficult position.” Relatives are also sentient beings, and their attitude toward the Fa and Dafa disciples is critical. I can only save people, not destroy them.
My wife used to have a hot temper; her character was domineering and overbearing. This led to many hardships for me, and I often wondered why life had to be so hard. After deepening my understanding of the Fa further, I learned to look within. I tried to look at things from her standpoint and became more kind and patient with her. I learned to focus on her goodness and overlook her shortcomings.
When my xinxing improved, I noticed that she also changed. She often asked what I wanted for meals and became more patient. When I talked to people about Dafa, she would chime in.
Looking back on my path, I am filled with emotion and have so much to say. I am deeply grateful to Master for rescuing me from the sea of suffering, cleansing me, and teaching me how to be a better person, a noble person. Falun Dafa has indeed transformed me.
(Selected Submission in Celebration of 2025 World Falun Dafa Day)