What Kind of Book Is Zhuan Falun?

Yu Ming

(Clearwisdom.net) Ever since the Chinese government started to suppress Falun Gong two years ago, it has been criticizing Falun Gong in the state-run media. In their attacks on Falun Gong, the government has cited passages from Falun Gong books on many occasions. However, it has never allowed the populace to read the true and complete teaching in the Falun Gong books. For the sake of the unadulterated truth about Falun Gong, I have compiled the following statistics on Zhuan Falun.

The founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi, has published 19 books to date, among which Zhuan Falun is the most important title. Take the Chinese version of Zhuan Falun published by China Broadcasting and Television Publishing House (first edition published in December 1994; third printing in May 1996; number of words: nearly 167,000; number of pages: 332) as an example: the book contains 9 chapters and 60 section titles. Below is the statistics on the frequency of appearance of certain words in the book:

Cultivation practice: 785 times; everyday people: 468 times; cultivation level: 448 times; Buddha: 425 times; qigong: 334 times; body: 309 times; universe: 234 times; matter: 216 times; practice: 207 times; xinxing (mind and heart nature): 200 times (that includes: upgrade xinxing: 15 times); de (virture): 162 times; enlightenment: 147 times; energy: 125 times; primordial spirit: 118 times; attached to: 117 times (that includes: attachment: 87 times); life: 114 times; cultivator: 99 times; Falun Dafa: 94 times; karma: 91 times; master: 86 times; practitioners: 85 times; demon: 77 times; Sakyamuni: 74 times; human body: 58 times; trance: 51 times; disciple: 45 times; purify: 29 times; moral character: 25 times; time-space: 16 times; value de: 8 times; lose de: 7 times; Laozi: 7 times; assimilate to the characteristics of the universe: 4 times; politics: 0 times; democracy: 0 times; human rights: 0 times; party: 0 times.

According to the statistics, "cultivation practice" appears most frequently at 785 times. From this, we can safely infer that Zhuan Falun is a book about cultivation practice. Other words that appear relatively frequently are "cultivation level," "Buddha," "qigong," "body," "supernormal capabilities," "matter," "practice," "xinxing" and "attachment." All of these are related to cultivation practice.

Mr. Li said in Zhuan Falun: "Throughout the ages, only 'the Buddha Fa' has been able to perfectly provide a clear exposition of humanity, every dimension of material existence, life, and the entire universe." According to Falun Gong practitioners, this book teaches people how to cultivate, how to upgrade xinxing, how to be good people and how to return to one's true self. In fact, "cultivation practice" in Falun Gong is to "assimilate to the characteristics of the universe" -- "Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance)." Though the later two phrases do not appear as frequently in the book, the entire book is all about them through the dissertation on qigong, matter and life.

Reviewing the statistics, words such as "democracy," "politics," and "human rights" do not appear in the book at all. To label Falun Gong an "anti-government political organization" is therefore groundless. Could it be possible that words such as "Buddhas, Taos and Gods" in the book offend the atheistic principle of the XX party? The chance is very slim because the XX party took great pains searching for the reincarnated child of the living Buddha in Tibet.

Then what makes Jiang's regime so fanatical as to suppress Falun Gong? The answer is none other than "Zhen-Shan-Ren." Falun Gong was not introduced to the public until 1992. However, in just a few years, without a penny of financial backing from any country or organization, Falun Gong spread quickly just by word of mouth. By 1999, in Mainland China alone, according to a Chinese government survey, about 70 million people were practicing Falun Gong. How many people have experienced both mental and physical improvement from the practice of Falun Gong? The Chinese government has the statistics and they know the number very well. However, Jiang's regime went against "Zhen-Shan-Ren." Extremely jealous and upset about the popularity of Falun Gong among the masses, Jiang has engaged in all kinds of slanderous name calling.

After exhausting all despicable means, Jiang still cannot achieve his goal of crushing Falun Gong. In fact, the firm belief to uphold the truth and the unyielding spirit that Falun Gong practitioners display during the persecution have moved many more people, thus validating the righteousness of Dafa.
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2001/8/31/15673.html

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