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2005 New York Conference: Offering Salvation to Humankind with Compassion
By a Falun Dafa practitioner from Taiwan
Shared at the 2005 New York Falun Dafa Conference
(Clearwisdom.net) On September 14, 2004 our group of 15 people left
Taiwan for Manhattan to clarify the truth for three months. Here, we
would like to share with everyone our experiences in truth clarification during
those three months.
1. In every aspect -- food, clothing, housing and transportation -- we
worked together as one body
The fifteen of us were of different ages and professions. Some were young and
strong and able to speak English; some were elderly retirees; some had been
prominent government officials; and some were successful businessmen or
homemakers. For three months, fifteen of us from different backgrounds were
going to live together. With these differences, in order to do the best possible
job in clarifying the truth, we studied the Fa and shared our
thoughts with each other. Our Fa study group helped advance our understandings
of the Fa. Meanwhile, we corrected our shortcomings. Through learning from the
good virtues we saw in one another and accepting our differences, we were able
to utilize the different capabilities of each of us. That yielded the greatest
results because we worked as a team, coordinating and cooperating with one
another.
We were one of the earliest groups from Taiwan to come to New York City to
clarify the truth, and we encountered numerous difficulties at the beginning of
our stay. All these obstacles provided us with opportunities to upgrade our
xinxing. For example, we were not familiar with the living
environment and the local life styles. Most of the elderly practitioners in our
group did not know how to speak English and were not accustomed to the
English-speaking environment. The younger practitioners who spoke English
fluently took on more duties. The younger peers led the group when taking
subways, buying train tickets, taking care of our accommodations, and
coordinating many other projects. The older practitioners took on the role of
"parents," taking care of everyone's housing, food, and other daily
needs. Initially, we met with some challenges. For example, upon arrival in
Manhattan, the toilet at our boarding house was broken. After clarifying the
truth on the streets for a whole day, we had to share the same bathroom
amenities in the evening with another group of 15 Dafa disciples. If one wanted
to go to the lavatory, he or she had to wait in a long line. If one wanted to
take a shower, it could be long after midnight before one's turn came. The next
day, we resumed our truth-clarification activities. On one occasion, after Dafa
group study in the evening, we got off the subway at the wrong station. We
hurried back to our dormitory in the rain, and it was already 2 o'clock in the
morning. Regardless of the black circles around the eyes caused by the lack of
sleep, the next day we reported on time and started once again clarifying the
truth on the streets. In addition, we spent a lot of unnecessary time traveling
places. About a month into our stay in Manhattan, we realized we could have
saved about 40 minutes commuting time every day by switching to different subway
lines.
We woke up at five o'clock every morning. After sending forth righteous
thoughts, we did the tranquil cultivation exercise for an hour and then we read
Zhuan Falun. It was usually ten o'clock in the morning by the
time we had breakfast and cleaned the house. Then, we went to the assigned
locations to participate in clarifying the truth or anti-torture exhibits. The
activities ended at 6 o'clock in the evening. Some practitioners continued to
distribute flyers at subway stations to people who had just gotten off work.
Some practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy to send forth righteous thoughts.
Towards the end of our stay in Manhattan, we even joined the efforts in
distributing truth-clarifying newspapers in the early morning at subway
stations. We devoted ourselves to clarifying the truth from dawn till dusk.
With the little remaining time, we were able to take care of our personal
lives, like buying groceries, cooking meals, taking showers, doing laundry,
cleaning house, etc. With 15 people living together, it became necessary to
adjust personal lifestyles to fit the group living space. We all needed to
overcome our shortcomings in everyday life despite the fact that we all had
different positive points in us. At times, conflicts would arise over trivial
things. Therefore, having Dafa group study and exchanging experiences became
very important in order to achieve harmony and agreement among us. In such a
busy and fast-paced living environment, it was indeed easy to expose the
insufficiencies in our cultivation. Besides, we felt at times that it was very
exhausting to live and work with other practitioners. However, such an
environment helped us become better persons.
"Learning and cultivating under guidance, (from "Solid Cultivation," HongYin, unofficial
translation)
Also, it was a good way to eliminate our attachment to comfort. If we could
really look inward at ourselves every time a conflict arose, if we could
cultivate ourselves at all times according to the standards for practitioners,
and if we could endure suffering and not be afraid of hardship and obstacles,
our xinxing would be holistically elevated in such a difficult
environments and we would become a particle of this great Dafa.
2. Stories of clarifying the truth on the subways
One day, a practitioner carried a truth-clarification display board onto the
subway. Another practitioner observed a Westerner looking at the board. Despite
the fact that this practitioner was not good at English, she wanted to let this
Westerner hear the truth. She started reading the truth-clarification article
from the English flyer out loud to the Westerner. However, he really did not
understand what she was talking about. Another Westerner sitting beside him
said, "I have heard about this persecution. Let me read it to you."
At the beginning of our stay in Manhattan, we observed one thing through
studying the Fa and sharing experiences. Most of our practitioners clarified the
truth in Manhattan wearing Dafa clothing. When our group of practitioners
boarded the subway, nearly the entire train was occupied by us. If we took up
all the seats, then what would the New Yorkers think of Dafa disciples?
Therefore, one practitioner proposed that we should give up our seats so that we
would leave a good impression.
On one occasion, after a practitioner was seated he thought about giving up
his seat as we had discussed during Fa study. So, he rose up and gave his seat
to an American. This provided him with an opportunity to clarify the truth to
that man. By the end of their conversation, his whole family and seven friends
of his all understood the truth.
As for myself, I was accustomed to distributing truth-clarifying materials to
people while sitting on a subway train or while waiting for it to come. I
thought, they are all beings coming for Dafa and they need to know the truth.
Wouldn't this be a great opportunity for them to read the materials while riding
the subway train or waiting for the subway? One time, I distributed a flyer to a
gentleman who said he had already read over the truth-clarifying newspapers.
Then, he sincerely told us that what we were doing was very great and most
respectful, and he thanked us and wished us victory and success.
One day, on the subway, I was handing out some flyers related to the
"Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" art exhibit to a group of
teenagers. Originally, they were playing with one another and causing a big
disturbance on the train. After I gave them the flyers, they all began to
quietly read the materials. In no time, I saw the quick transformation in these
kids. The intense and pure energy emitted from the pictures in the flyers
changed those kids' behavior from rebellious and rambunctious behavior to
peaceful and harmonious. I couldn't help but think how powerful the
"Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" paintings were!
3. Stories of clarifying the truth on the streets
At the beginning, we were responsible for distributing flyers at the
intersection of 8th Avenue and 34th Street, and for sending forth righteous
thoughts in front of the Chinese Consulate. Often, we were subdivided into
groups of 3 or 4 people. Some of us had the job of finding the locations on the
street and setting up the display boards. The elderly practitioners in our group
were responsible for doing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts;
practitioners who were capable of speaking English were responsible for talking
to passersby and giving out flyers. One time, a practitioner happened to see a
movie producer come to see our display board. After he finished listening to the
truth, he showed interest in making a movie with our stories, so that more
people would know about the truth of Falun Dafa and the persecution. He very
enthusiastically inquired as to where he could obtain more information.
Another time, a gentleman passing by walked back and forth looking at our
display board, and then he shouted with anger, "That's unbelievable!. These
people are so peaceful and kindhearted, how could they be beaten to such extent?
Please tell me a website where I can get more information. My friend is a news
program producer and I must tell him about this situation."
Once, two elderly ladies passed by and saw us doing the exercises and sending
forth righteous thoughts. They came to us and asked what we were practicing.
They both said our exercise movements looked so peaceful and graceful, and that
it made people feel really good. We told them that this was Falun Gong and how
millions of people from more than 60 countries had been helped to obtain a
healthy body and mind through the practice. We told them that teaching the
exercises is always free and they asked if we were willing to come and teach in
their community.
Another touching story occurred when a gentleman came and browsed through our
display board and flyers, and did not leave for a long time. He told us he had a
very wonderful and peaceful feeling while watching us practice the exercises and
hand out flyers. The gentleman then was very happy and immediately learned the
exercises. He said that what we were doing was a very extraordinary undertaking.
He felt very proud of us, and hoped one day he could also join us and be a part
of this extraordinary work.
4. Stories on participating in anti-torture exhibitions
Sending forth righteous thoughts needs to be emphasized when organizing an
anti-torture exhibit. The impact of clarifying the truth with an anti-torture
exhibit is enormous. Just because of this reason, the evil and dark minions find
every way to disrupt our truth-clarification efforts. For example, on several
occasions while clarifying the truth to some gentlemen in front of the
anti-torture exhibit site, I immediately experienced an excruciating headache.
It felt like my head was capped under a big cover. After I endured the pain and
finished clarifying the truth, the headache immediately disappeared. In August
2004, large numbers of evil beings and dark minions started to concentrate in
Beijing and Manhattan, and this was also about the time we first arrived in
Manhattan and started fighting off the evil. We encountered numerous
tribulations. For example, as passers-by stopped and watched us sending forth
righteous thoughts, our practitioners' hand gestures suddenly became weak and
out of place. Not until passersby walked away did the hand gestures return to
the original forms. Or, Westerners with very indifferent facial expressions did
not want to receive practitioners' flyers. At the anti-torture exhibit site,
there were disturbances from many areas. Gusty winds all of a sudden came out of
nowhere and blew away big display boards, desks, chairs and flyers. Or, the evil
took advantage of human attachments, causing conflicts and arguments among
practitioners. All these tribulations were the evil and minions' doings, trying
to hinder our truth clarification efforts. At that time, we recognized those
were disturbances caused by the evil. We also realized the necessity to have
practitioners calmly deal with tribulations, never compromise with the evil, and
persistently eliminate the evil with our righteous thoughts.
We also encountered tribulations during anti-torture exhibits. Sometimes when
tribulations came, they were quite serious and difficult. With continuous Fa
study, experience sharing, and organizing more anti-torture exhibits, those
tribulations rapidly disappeared into nothing. What emerged instead were deeper
mutual respect and consideration among our practitioners, as well as a more
elegant virtue. I think that's primarily because our xinxing, in the
process of staging the anti-torture exhibits, was quickly and continuously
upgraded and becoming more in accordance with Dafa. Our shortcomings were
replaced by real compassion.
I had a clear view of the results of annihilating a large quantity of dark
minions through sending forth righteous thoughts at set times around the world.
I recalled that one day I was trying hard to distribute flyers at the
anti-torture exhibit sites, but not too many were given out. However, at six
o'clock, after practitioners around the world sent forth righteous thoughts, a
large number of people started coming up to us ask for materials and to ask us
questions. It was a completely different situation, compared to not being able
to give out many materials earlier on.
During our anti-torture exhibitions in the freezing cold weather of New York
City streets, we stood with both hands cuffed, and knelt or sat in the cage for
2 or 3 hours in a role as persecuted victim. It is not something that could be
done by an ordinary person. Only Dafa Disciples with compassion to offer
salvation to all human beings can do this. We had to clearly understand that the
goal was to offer salvation to humankind. Several practitioners said that they
didn't feel tired as they played the role of a victim and were able to endure
the cold, gusty wind. They had feelings of being weightless, like flying in the
clouds. They could accomplish this as long as they maintained righteous thoughts
and actions, recited teachers lectures and Lunyu and sent forth
righteous thoughts. During experience sharing, one practitioner said she
realized her coming to New York City was for offering salvation to humankind,
not simply sitting in the cage for two to three hours as a pitiful victim. When
she deeply understood this meaning, she could not help but have tears of
compassion streaming down her face while she played the role of a victim in the
cage.
Several times while clarifying the truth in front of anti-torture exhibit
sites, sorrow arose from the bottom of my heart. It was as if the imprisonment
and persecution of our fellow practitioners from Mainland China were happening
in front of my eyes. When New Yorkers came to see the display and understood the
truth, their sense of justice, benevolent thoughts and conscience were revealed
without their being aware of it. It's very touching, especially when they yelled
out, "How come no news media ever comes out to report such persecution? Why
on earth is there such cruel persecution? What could we do to help you?"
Sometimes people seriously looked at our display and walked away with tears
in their eyes.
One day, when Manhattan practitioners had other activities planned, no
anti-torture exhibits were held. I went to Wall Street and set up the display
boards and started clarifying the truth. Soon, a practitioner from Canada joined
me. She was responsible for handing out flyers and talking to people, and I was
responsible for practicing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts.
That day when I practiced the exercises, I felt especially tranquil. The
practitioner from Canada said that more people came to get our
truth-clarification materials and ask questions on that day. When I closed my
eyes while sending forth righteous thoughts that afternoon, I suddenly saw my
surroundings become blurry. It was as if a scene from a science fiction movie
were playing right in front of my eyes. At that moment, I saw a crack in the
sky, out from which stepped out a huge Buddha's enormous foot. The huge Buddha's
enormous foot was just hanging in the air, over all of Wall Street. When I saw
this scene, immediately, tears welled up in my eyes. I felt immensely touched
because, sometimes at the superficial level our truth-clarification activities
seem no different from those of ordinary people. However, our truth-clarifying
project was a much more spectacular event in another dimension. I deeply felt
that it is incomparably great to be able to validate the Fa and clarify the
truth alongside Teacher rectifying the cosmos with the Fa.
Looking back on those three months in Manhattan, because every practitioner
wanted to do well in clarifying the truth and offering salvation to people, they
endured numerous tribulations. Also, in order to validate the Fa, offer
salvation, and leave no regrets in our great wish, we went out clarifying the
truth and setting up anti-torture exhibits regardless of rain or shine or how
little sleep we had. Some fellow practitioners quietly worked hard and continued
to contribute great efforts to make up for any shortcomings in our group. One
practitioner, who was a homemaker, even studied English in the evenings so as to
better clarify the truth. Originally, we were practitioners scattered in various
parts of Taiwan. Each of us had ordinary people's thoughts and various
attachments. Through this truth-clarifying project, we went from not knowing
each other to developing valuable friendships. Especially during these three
months, I sensed that every practitioner in our group was rapidly elevating
their xinxing levels and bringing about transformation within themselves.
When our coordinator, who was in her fifties, smiled, she looked like a pure and
happy eighteen-year-old girl. The homemaker who took responsibility for
clarifying the truth displayed a face naturally radiant with great compassion.
The elderly practitioners playing roles in anti-torture exhibitions experienced
their skin become as smooth as a baby's. As for fellow practitioners who worked
all day long, they became younger and younger, radiating with elegance. I felt
that everyone's xinxing levels were continuously elevated through our
ongoing efforts to clarify the truth. As a result of immersing ourselves in the
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance of Dafa, we have all become more
compassionate and capable of thinking of others before ourselves.
I would like to end by citing Teacher's poem, "Righteous Thoughts and
Righteous Actions," to encourage all fellow practitioners:
"A Great Enlightened Being does not fear hardship
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