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My View of Handling Funds for Materials
Written by a Falun Gong practitioner from Northeast China
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently I have read some articles concerning the
handling of funds that practitioners receive for Fa-validating tasks. This issue
has had a major impact on some local practitioners in our area. They realize the
seriousness and solemnity of cultivation. They have decided to correct their
words and actions, so as to treasure every single penny that practitioners spend
in offering sentient beings salvation. I hereby chronicle how we have saved and
spent and how we think about this. If some parts are inappropriate, please
kindly point them out for us. Since getting out of a forced labor camp in 2002, I have diligently done the
three things. I distribute materials, clarify the truth,
set up materials production centers, make DVDs, and deliver materials to other
practitioners. Thus I have gradually taken the role as a coordinator. I did not
initially know what to do, but all along I had only this one thought in mind: as
long as something is a Dafa task, I will do everything! Due to the special circumstances in Mainland China, I worked by myself and
only had contact with one other practitioner the whole time. I was acting as an
intermediary and had to deal with all kinds of matters. Of course I have seen
fellow practitioners' shining aspects during the process and my own shortcomings
as well. We should always use our proper mindsets to carry out Dafa tasks. Once
our correct thoughts are present, we can do everything well. We can only succeed
in what practitioners should do when we study the Fa well and constantly adjust
our perspectives. When working with fellow practitioners, sometimes a word you say, or one
thing you do, can affect the others. I have experienced many difficulties. When
conflicts occurred I wanted to quit and simply go on the street and clarify the
truth face to face. Master said in "To the France Fa Conference," "... even less
should you retreat from adversity." After studying the Fa and with Master's
help I realized I was wrong and hence continued [the other Dafa tasks]. Today I
would like to share with you my view on handling a budget. In 2005, practitioners trusted me to take charge of the money for the
materials printing and distributing center. I knew that nothing was coincidence.
Master trusted me to take this on responsibility; hence I should not let Master
down. I adjusted my mind well and constantly remembered what Master said, "However, make sure the funds are not handled inappropriately. I know
we have had problems with the management of funds for some projects and in
some places. I don't want to get into that, though. If there is a problem with
you in this regard, it seems to me that you don't want to cultivate anymore.
All the gods are watching you. If a cultivator has this problem, it is
terribly serious." ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Los
Angeles") (Feb. 2006) In practice, I steadfastly studied the Fa well. Once my xinxing level had
improved I could do all Dafa tasks well. But, since I was attached to my own
decisions, as soon as I started, my doubts arose. I was afraid of being
unreliable, unable to handle the money well, offending fellow practitioners, and
interfering with my own cultivation. Thus, whenever I got some money, I would
immediately hand it over to another coordinator, regardless of that
practitioner's situation. I was only worried about my mental peace because I
knew that I could always get money when I needed some. Later on, one incident
provided me insight. An out-of-town practitioner needed to buy some materials. I
told him to go get some money from the other coordinator, but he was unable to
find that coordinator. Because of that, time was wasted offering sentient beings
salvation. I learned from this incident that I needed to let go of my ego. I was merely
concerned with shirking my responsibilities. However, Master has taught us
several times that we need to cultivate selfless compassion and do everything
for others. Fa study made me righteous thoughts become more mature, and I
remembered that fellow practitioners saved their money for the purpose to offer
sentient beings salvation [through printing flyers and other things]. Having
been given this opportunity to handle the money demonstrated that Master trusted
in me. I had the responsibility to take care of the money. I should make sure
that every single penny would be spent in the right place. I would not let
Master down. I would not let fellow practitioners down. From then on, I would
put the money in a safe place. When the amount was large I would deposit some
with responsible practitioners who I felt had fewer human attachments. I never
comingled this money with my personal savings. I only buy personal items when I
have money, and have never spent the designated funds on personal items. After
spending money on materials, if some change was left over, I would supplement
what was lacking from my personal money to make up an even amount. It would be
easier to save and remember. If a certain practitioner needed to use some money,
and if I did not have enough at that moment, I would give him some of my
personal money, but I would not take the amount out of the fund. I believe that
fellow practitioners' money was used to make Fa-clarification materials.
Practitioners put this fund together, so it is special. Hence, when I added some
of my money to the fund amount, it was like contributing my part. When I can, I
will contribute more. Although I don't have a high income, I have some privileges. My family
allowed me to spend my own salary on anything I want, while my husband's income
is enough to support the family. (If your situation does not permit, do not copy
me). When fellow practitioners needed money, we should share with practitioners
and find out what purposes the money will be spent on. In doing so, we are being
responsible for Dafa and fellow practitioners. We should help control spending
of the fund. Initially I did not have experience, therefore had made some mistakes, which
could have been avoided. Once a fellow practitioner from a large materials
production center simply took 3,000 Yuan. Unfortunately, within three days,
police ransacked the center; all the money was taken and the practitioner was
arrested. I was heartbroken. If I had compassionately spoken with him to find
out his circumstances, and whether or not he had studied the Fa well, and if he
was mentally up to finish the task. Had I known his mindset, I could have
reminded him to study the Fa to correct his thinking. Had we done that, the evil
forces would not have used the loophole. This taught us a lesson - that we
should always use our correct thought processes in doing every Dafa task.
Everything has to be done well. We should always use the Fa as our guide and
remember Master's teachings. When things happen, we should use the Fa to decide
what is right and wrong. Only when we reach this level could we do things well. Mysterious things happened occasionally during the past few years. There
seemed to be endless funds, and we had never been short of money. One
practitioner is a businesswoman who has contributed over 100,000 Yuan through
me, but she lives a simple and thrifty life. She even wears patched clothes.
Sometimes I told her not to contribute that much, but use some of the money to
buy herself some clothes. However, she replied happily, "I'm making money
for Fa. Before I practiced Falun Gong, I didn't make any money, but I was full
of illness. Now I'm making more and more money, and all my illness is gone. I
feel the money I earn should be used to offer sentient beings salvation. This is
the task that Master and Dafa grant me." One practitioner always used her own money to cover the trips she took to buy
materials for truth-clarification. She never uses the fund for lodging and
meals. When there was not enough money she would use her own to make up the
difference. The amount she contributes ranges up to 1,000 Yuan each time. After
returning from those trips, she would not get reimbursed. Her husband is also a
practitioner and has contributed a large amount as well. Their child even
contributes his allowance. The whole family supports Dafa. We never waste anything in any of the material production centers I know. If
machines break down, such as a copy machine or a stapler, we fix them. In the era of Fa-validation and saving people, we save every penny. I found
that a few practitioners compiled Master's lectures from 2001 to 2006 into two
thick books so that it is convenient for them to study the teachings. Yet, in
doing so, they lay aside the books of the single lectures. Because we have
always compiled Master's lectures into books and given every practitioner a copy
every time a lecture was published, I collected all the extra copies from
practitioners, and have them compiled into new books, with new covers. After
that, I would give these copies to those who either just started practicing or
who have just returned home from a labor camp. In doing so we have saved money,
and at the same time have lessened the financial pressure of fellow
practitioners. It is also respecting our Master and Fa. Some practitioners are good at saving money. They even use the wrappers from
the reams of paper and print all kinds of truth-clarification information on
them. They seldom waste any paper. We have never changed our machines; however,
everything continues to work smoothly. It is a miracle. Some practitioners make
CD cases from CD wrappers and print, "Happiness has arrived" on them.
They sometimes print the lyrics of the songs from Divine Performing Arts on the
wrappers or compile them into booklets and give them away. They look beautiful.
Every time I go out, I always take some materials with me. I handed a woman a
DVD. She looked at the cover and read attentively, "Happiness Has
Arrived." I told her it is fortunate for a person to hear and understand
the truth of Falun Gong. "Quickly take this DVD home and show it to your
family, relatives and friends to offer them salvation." She repeated,
"Yes, I will. Thank you very much" If all practitioners could consider things from the standpoint of the Fa and
be responsible for each other, our fellow practitioners probably would not
suffer persecution. We all make mistakes, but we should correct our mistakes as
soon as we realize them. Fellow practitioners, we must walk our path correctly. We must do everything
righteously. We need to study the Fa well, and do the three things diligently.
Only when we are able to abandon all attachments without omission can we go home
with Master. This is all I want to report at this time.
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