|
The Power of Compassion -- Some Understandings Through Clarifying the Truth at the Airport By Chen Shizhong (Clearwisdom.net) Since I obtained the Fa [law and principles] I have
taken part in English related projects because of my good grasp of the English
language, so I rarely had a chance to clarify the truth directly to my fellow
Chinese countrymen.
Once when I helped to write a few Emails to the people in China I suddenly
realized that what I had in my mind and what I wanted to say fell far short of
clarifying the misunderstandings of my Chinese compatriots who are living amidst
lies and deception.
I might not truly understand the doubts they have in their minds. Under those
circumstances, the articles I wrote might look very good to myself but might not
be accepted by everyday people. It would be the same for the activities we held,
which we might feel are very important but might not be accepted by everyday
people. If everyday people cannot relate to what we say and do then how can we
clarify the truth in a more detailed way?
I thought that if I wanted to change the situation I had to take part in more
activities that directly involve clarifying the truth to the fellow Chinese
countrymen. Therefore I took part in some activities such as sending faxes and
Email, as well as making phone calls.
Though it was a short time and I did not do much, it seemed that it opened up
a window that was helpful in my thinking in other projects. At the same time I
discovered some attachments, which were normally very hard to notice.
I still remember that the first time I went to the airport to hand out truth
clarification materials I felt very proud. I had heard a practitioner say that
some of the visitors were very evil. However, I thought that I was an eloquent
speaker and would be able to suppress their arrogance no matter what. Not long
after, I met a tourist group from China. I went up to talk to them but the
result was not good. Though I tried to keep my voice down and talk clearly and
logically, other tourists still found an atmosphere of debate that prevented
them from taking our truth clarification materials.
On seeing the situation, I calmed down and asked myself why I was there. The
visitors clearly misunderstood Falun Gong, otherwise there would be no reason
for us to go there to hand out truth clarification materials. In this case, I
should not deepen their misunderstanding and push them further away in the first
place. Therefore, I kept a close look at myself not to argue with the visitors.
At the very beginning I felt uneasy, particularly when meeting people whose
attitude was very vicious. However, what our Teacher said in Zhuan Falun instantly
appeared in my mind,
"Wandering around in the society is rather torturing. He will beg for
food and run into different kinds of people who will scold him, insult him, or
take advantage of him. He will encounter all kinds of things."
[Zhuan Falun, Second Edition, English Version]
This left a glow in my heart. Teacher knows everything and has told us
everything before hand.
On the surface, it looked like I spoke gently and was not attached to my
speaking ability any more. However, in my heart I still could not keep
completely calm, partly because I anticipated saving sentient beings and partly
because I still had some impure factors such as impatience. On hearing fellow
practitioners being pushed away when handing out truth clarification materials I
would turn around and mumble, "Humph, I will give you the opportunity any
way. If you take it or not is your choice but this is the last chance."
This sentiment was impure and easily affected each of us practitioners so
that the negative side was reinforced. However, when I calmed down and listened
to what the visitors said, I found that they are different from two years ago.
The reason most of the visitors did not take our truth clarification material
was, "If I take it then I can not return home."
As a matter of fact they did not really misunderstand us, on the contrary
they were just afraid of the evil political clique. What's more, we did not know
whether it was his or her last chance or not and we could not jump to the
conclusion that it would be. Maybe he had seen our pure, compassionate behavior
this time, reducing his misunderstanding, so that next time he might take the
truth clarification materials somewhere else.
I realized that I could not look at things, especially the enormous task of
saving sentient beings, with such a narrow mind. Teacher said,
"Whether they're receptive or not, you should always treat them with
compassion, and you can't get competitive with ordinary people or look at
sentient beings with human thoughts. Just do whatever you should with
compassion, regardless of whether they're receptive or not."
("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Washington DC Fa Conference")
In the past, I felt it was very easy to understand the Fa from the surface.
However, I had gradually realized that in the practice of actual Fa
rectification it's very hard to assimilate to these Fa principles if I do not
check myself in the practice and look within in the process of this practice.
After I set the requirements for myself, I became more and more gentle and
peaceful. However it was still an external calm. One day when some practitioners
and I finished handing out truth clarification materials we began to talk about
our experiences before we gained the Fa. We all said surprisingly, "We are
lucky to have obtained the Fa, otherwise no one knows what kind of circumstances
we would have. Maybe we would be doomed." Only then did we realize that we
were really very lucky. Because we know the truth, we stepped forward to clarify
the truth. If I put myself into the visitors' position, how would I react if a
Dafa practitioner came to me and handed me the truth clarification material?
Probably I would reject it.
In thinking of that I felt calm and completely at ease. When I talked to
others I tried my best to talk to them as if I was talking to myself and had not
yet obtained the Fa. At that time, I found that it was not necessary to talk at
too high a level. Actually, because the Dharma-ending period has come to this
stage, if you tell people who do not practice Dafa that certain events will
happen in this human world and tell them that this truth clarification material
is really for the good of their life, it will result in their aversion because
they do not believe in it and are afraid of these things.
When you can really put yourself in the position of the other party in
clarifying the truth, then the calm and gentleness is from your inner heart, and
they can see the gentleness and compassion that comes from your inner heart.
This itself is a strong contrast to the propaganda. Teacher said,
"You are cultivators, whose conduct is [supposed to be] pure and
righteous. There are so many people who think you're great just by having seen
how you act. If we don't pay attention to our own behavior in our daily lives,
everyday people will see our actions and, since they can't get to know you at
a deep level such as by studying the Fa, they will just look at how you act.
And it's possible that one sentence or one action of yours will make them
unsavable or create a bad impression of Dafa. We need to think about these
things."
("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston")
Actually everyday people pay close attention to us. More often than not, when
we turned around after giving out the truth clarification material we saw
several people watching us and turn their eyes away in no time. Whatever we say
or do will result in their questioning the Chinese regime's propaganda or change
their mind instantly causing them to accept our material.
On many occasions if I helped visitors to carry their luggage or answered
tourism-related questions for them. It helped to change their mind from
rejecting the material to accepting it. Going to the airport frequently makes me
knowledgeable about the airport. To find a transfer, a luggage check-in or
boarding gate is like doing a familiar job with ease. Because of the cordial
feeling I showed to my countrymen, it has greatly shortened the distance between
us. It was quite unexpected that my speaking ability did not work but silent
compassion and peacefulness has helped to hand out more truth clarification
materials.
Of course, this does not mean that I do not talk. The key is that I will not
start an argument, will not lead him to say anything bad and will not let him
feel coerced. After a brief kind-hearted talk, if the other side still refuses
to accept the material I usually say, "Maybe your lucky chance hasn't come
yet. Wait until next time." This usually makes the other person give up
their hostile attitude. At the time I found that I had not hoped that it would
be his last chance, but on the contrary I sincerely hoped he might have the
affinity to come across my fellow practitioners at the next stop of his journey
and get the truth clarification material.
Doing Dafa projects, it is very easy to have a mentality of accomplishing
things. For example, I always counted the copies of materials to check how many
I had handed out and I even mumbled, "Another life is saved."
Therefore, I would have a feeling of achievement when I handed out more
materials, however my feelings would be affected if I was unable to hand out
more materials.
As a matter of fact, I was only thinking about myself. Handing out truth
clarification materials is very important, but my feelings should not fluctuate
because of it. Some people took the material but threw it away after a glimpse,
but others who did not take our material would stretch their neck to read the
material from the person beside him.
Is this to say that another life is saved? Maybe there are other unknown
factors but this is the power of Dafa. Therefore, I should only hand out the
materials calmly. Like people would pick up the newspaper left by others, if I
left enough truth clarification materials in the airport's waiting room other
people would pick them up and read.
One day I gave a few copies of material to several high school students. When
I saw them take the materials willingly, I gave each of them a VCD. However,
when I turned around they threw all the materials to the ground. I went there
straight away and picked them up. I had no intention of blaming them, but my
heart ached. I was surprised to see that these kids were embarrassed. They came
over and explained that they did that because they were afraid. I explained that
I had not had anything in mind, but only felt that these materials were printed
with the money from many people who saved from their food and clothing. Their
purpose was to let people know the truth. They said they had read similar
material in Singapore and their parents took it away.
Several times I would bump into classmates or colleagues that I had not met
for quite a long time. They felt uncomfortable and asked me if I spent all my
time there. Once I even spent half an hour to help a handicapped person with her
luggage and at last the lady took the material.
There are many stories like that and it's impossible to tell them all, but
one thing is very clear to me. I had gradually let go of the method I had used
at the very beginning, trying to persuade others with reason, and changed to
only wanting others to see the fine quality of our Dafa practitioners without
paying attention to what method I was using.
This means that I will not seek anything from the other person and have no
attachment to reach a certain goal. One day I suddenly understood:
"...The Buddha's School does not attach any condition or seek
returns..." [Zhuan Falun, Second Edition, English Version]
That kind of enlightenment which comes deep inside a life cannot be expressed
with language, however, it was very clear and unforgettable.
Because I was involved in other projects I did very little in directly
clarifying the truth with my fellow Chinese. Other practitioners might have
similar situations. Those practitioners who are mainly involved in direct truth
clarification to Chinese asked me, "You are so busy, leave this kind of
simple thing for us to do." Many times we divide the things we are doing
into simple and complex. It seems that I am the one who should do the complex
tasks and therefore should naturally be the leader.
In recalling this I feel very much embarrassed. Compared to many fellow
practitioners who directly clarify the truth to the Chinese compatriots my
enlightenment in this aspect is very shallow. The reason I said it is that I
want to share with you all that clarifying the truth with Chinese compatriots is
something every one of us can do and it suits every one of us to do. It doesn't
matter how long you can spend on it. The most important thing is persistence. Posting date: 10/24/2003 |