Stories of a Seven Year-Old Female Practitioner

(Clearwisdom.net)

I am 7 years old. My mom attained Dafa when I was age 4, and I have practiced Falun Dafa with her since that time. I am off and on with my practice. I am fond of food and I like to play. Although I know that my liking these things is an attachment, I can't get rid of them easily. Nonetheless, I always remember that I am a young practitioner. Sometimes when my playmates hit me or swear at me, I don't hit them back. I cry when it really hurts and feel miserable at heart. Then I realized that this is the type of forbearance of an everyday person. Teacher says, "To endure completely without anger or grievance is the forbearance of a cultivator. " -"What is Forbearance?" Gradually I learned to behave with a cultivator's forbearance.

Since July 20, 1999, [Note: Date that Jiang Zemin banned the practice of Falun Gong], people from the county government and the police station came to my home to confiscate Falun Gong books and pressure mom to give up practicing. Mom did not give them any of the books, nor was she afraid of those people. Instead, she introduced Falun Gong to them. After they left, Mom asked me, "Now the bad people do not allow us to practice Falun Gong, and they attack us with slander. If you keep on practicing, they will arrest you and beat you up. Will you continue to practice?" I said, "Falun Gong is not at all like what they say on TV. Those are lies." But when I thought about being beaten, I was filled with fear. Mom encouraged me: "We practitioners are on a path to become better and better people. Why on earth should we fear? It you are not afraid of them, they will be afraid of you. If you are afraid of them, they will not be afraid of you." Gradually my fear of the police disappeared.

Last year, the people in the county government and the police station deceived mom into going to the detention center. Only my aunt and I were left at home, and I missed mom very much. I heard that life in the detention center is hard. The detainees only have two pieces of cornbread a day. One can find mouse droppings in the bread, and the meal served is vegetables boiled in water. During the winter, frost appears on the bed. The wall is wet from condensation due to poor air circulation, and the roof leaks. Two detainees share one blanket, sleeping together with one's head at the other's feet. When there are many people in one cell, they all huddle on the same bed and can't move while sleeping. The toilet is also inside the cell. People are detained in the cell all the time, not allowed to go out for a break.

When I finally saw Mom during a visit to the detention center, I cried out loudly. Mom said seriously, "Why are you crying? Do you look like a young practitioner..." Later, when I visited her again, I didn't cry.

My mom is very firm. She refuses to follow the demands of the police and does not sign repentant letters.

(I wrote the following letter to my mother with the help of an elementary school friend of mine.)

Mom,

I've missed you. But what you do is quite right. Do not worry about me. I will practice well. Please remember what Teacher says in "Tempering One's Mind and Heart" from Hong Yin (draft translation): "Achieving Buddha's fruit upon Consummation; Hardship suffering treated as joy; Physical suffering can hardly be counted as painful; Cultivating one's heart is most excruciating; Every pass must be broken through; Everywhere are demons; Hundreds of hardships drop at once; To see how one lives. With suffering in the world endured; Leaving the world as a Buddha."

Mom, I am looking forward to your coming home.

Your Daughter.

Three months later, my mom and her sister-in-law returned home from the detention center with dignity.

I often tell my friends and my relatives the true stories of Dafa and introduce Falun Gong to them. One day when I went out to spread the truth-clarifying literature, I asked mom to hold me up so that I could post a flyer on the wall. Suddenly, Teacher's words popped into my mind: "To live with no pursuits, To die with no regrets; All excessive thoughts extinguished, Cultivating Buddhahood is not difficult." ("Non-Existence" from Hong Yin, draft translation).

Now I can recite many articles written by Teacher and all the verses in Hong Yin. I can almost read the book Zhuan Falun by myself.

I know I have to put more effort in cultivation practice, make rapid advances, and "follow Teacher closely, steadfastly cultivating Dafa."

(Written by Mom on August 22, 2001 according to the account of her daughter.)
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2001/10/1/17320.html

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