By a Falun Dafa Practitioner in Taiwan

(Clearwisdom.net, October 6, 2003) On September 23 and 24, some visiting scholars from Mainland China came to our university (National Chiao Tung University at Xingzhu) for a symposium. We took this opportunity to clarify the truth by doing exercises, distributing flyers and giving photo exhibits at a location that they would pass every morning. We had a photo exhibit in front of their building at lunch breaks to clarify the truth and to let them know that there is a Falun Dafa organization in Chiao Tung University. It was also a chance to spread the Fa to students. The following is what I learned from this experience.

When we distributed truth clarification materials to the visiting scholars on the first morning, it worked pretty well. More than half of the people accepted our materials. Some of them even stopped to look at our truth clarification photos. I became a little complacent and thought it was enough, and that they would learn the facts and pass the materials to each other. My fellow practitioner A had strong righteous thoughts and suggested, "It isn't enough. Let's display the photos again at noon today. And we should come back tomorrow morning and noon. It isn't easy for them to come. We should take advantage of this chance, 'Lose no time and save them, hurry up and tell them.'" (from "Hurry Up And Tell Them") My human notion began to work on me. I thought it would waste too much of my time. But I realized my shortcoming and selfishness. I didn't think about the precious Chinese people and the sentient beings longing for the truth behind them. As Teacher mentioned in "Fa Rectification Period Dafa Disciples", "Actually, there are a few students who have always been reluctant to do things that are for destroying the evil and clarifying the truth--as if that would be doing something for Master, or as if that would be putting in extra for Dafa. As soon as you heard me say that you had reached the standard for Consummation, you felt like a big burden had been lifted, you slacked off, and didn't want to do anything anymore, instead of taking what Master told you--something so sacred--to be motivation for becoming more diligent." ("Fa Rectification Period Dafa Disciples")

Fellow practitioner B and I sent forth righteous thoughts around noon on the first day. Both of us had the attachment of fear. When we were hesitating if we should go clarify the truth directly to the people from Mainland China, a Taiwanese professor came to look at our photo exhibit. He made a suggestion to us, "There are a few people from Mainland China chatting over there. You need to give your materials to them and invite them to look at your photo exhibit. We suddenly realized that our compassionate Teacher was pointing it out for us. We took some materials and went to clarify the truth to them. We were grateful for Teacher's help, otherwise, we would have lost this opportunity. When B and I talked about it later, we realized that both of us had an attachment of fear, which had kept our spiritual side from rectifying the Fa. B said, "It wasn't as hard as what I had thought. I will start making phone calls to Mainland China to clarify the truth. See, we waited for a whole lunch break in order to talk to them for ten minutes. Isn't it easier to make phone calls? As long as I make the call, I will be able to clarify the truth to the precious Chinese people.

Practitioner A had a class around noon on the next day and could not come on time. Before he showed up, B and I discussed if we would do it in the same way as the day before. Out of fear, I made a suggestion, "What about trying another way? We will leave the photos and materials here and let them browse and take what they need by themselves. When there is nobody around, they may be more willing to look at the photos and take some materials." So, after we set up everything, we went to send forth righteous thoughts from a distance. As a matter of fact, no more people went to look at the photos and none of the visiting scholars went to pick up any material. I know clearly that due to my fear, I didn't clarify the truth to them directly. I was afraid they would be annoyed, ignore me, curse me, refuse to listen to me, etc. Even though I clearly realized my attachment of fear, I didn't dare to face it, break through it or reject it. Instead, I chose a "clever" way around it. Of course the evil force took advantage of such a big loophole, and they didn't take any truth clarification material. Almost nobody came to look at the photos. Because of my attachment of fear, I lost an opportunity to clarify the truth to them. Each opportunity will not occur again.

When I studied Essentials for Further Advancement the next day, I read in "Digging Out the Roots:" "You cannot always rely on me to bring you up to a higher level while you, yourself do not move. Only after the Fa is explicitly stated do you make a move. If it is not taught clearly, you do not move, or move backward. I cannot recognize such behavior as cultivation practice. At the crucial moment when I ask you to break away from humanness, you do not follow me. Each opportunity will not occur again." I asked myself, "If fellow practitioner A hadn't initiated this truth clarification activity and I had been by myself, would I have initiated any activity to clarify the truth? If next time the visiting scholars from Mainland China come and I am by myself, will I be able to break away from humanness, break through my fear and clarify the truth to them by myself? This experience allowed me to see the gap between myself and my fellow practitioners and clearly realize my shortcomings.

The above sharing is what I have learned though these experiences. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2003/10/6/58439.html