(Clearwisdom.net) On September 15, 1999, 610 Office personnel from my workplace wanted me to sign a prepared document stating that I promised to stop practicing, and won't appeal for the right to practice Falun Gong. I refused to sign the document, and was arrested and sentenced to a 15-day imprisonment in a detention center. However, 15 days later I was not released, and on November 3 1999, I was given a two-year forced labor camp sentence.
During those two years, I was able to cultivate myself based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, with the state of mind of:
"Be resolute cultivating Dafa, the mind unstirred
Climbing in levels is what's fundamental
Faced with tests, a person's true character is revealed
May you Consummate--
a Buddha, Dao, or God"
("True Character is Revealed" from Hong Yin Volume II)
I endured painful tribulations from severe torture and ill-treatment, but I considered this to be part of my cultivation. When it was arranged for me to face people who were taken down an evil path, I told them, "Since you did things wrong, you can start over by validating Dafa." Since the evil forces were afraid of my actions, and for the sake of strict control, I was separated from those who wished to resume cultivation. In September 2001, I was officially released from the forced labor camp.
After talking with practitioners from the nearby county, I found out that since the persecution of Falun Gong began, some fellow practitioners stopped coming out or stopped practicing due to fear. There were only seven or eight of them who continued studying the Fa and practicing the exercises, using every possible means for validating Dafa and saving sentient beings. Since there was a short supply of truth clarification materials, I took the responsibility of transporting them. I took a bus, sometimes a taxi, or rode a bicycle, so that I could deliver an adequate supply of truth clarification materials, VCR's, and sometimes Teacher's new lectures in a timely manner. With Teacher's mighty virtue, and fellow practitioners' great efforts, seventy to eighty fellow practitioners renewed their Dafa cultivation, and more than thirty people helped to make truth clarification materials, giving hope to more sentient beings in this part of the world.
After the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party was published, every practitioner helped to distribute materials and clarify the truth in person, advising people to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and affiliated organizations, in order to save them. As for me, I was afraid to talk to strangers - I only talked to relatives, friends, and people I knew, about withdrawing from the Chinese Communist Party, and its two youth organizations. I was determined to eliminate this attachment, and sent forth righteous thoughts regularly to eliminate the interference, so that I could save more sentient beings.
It didn't take long before this substance of fear disappeared, my own space cleared up, and my righteous thoughts became stronger. During the Beijing Olympics, besides doing my daily routine of Fa-study, exercise, and sending forth righteous thoughts, I was able to perform truth clarification, and advise people to quit the Party with the rest of my time. I was able to help 40-plus people withdraw from the CCP and affiliated organizations on a better day, or less than twenty people on a so-so day.
On one occasion, a man with a three-wheel rickshaw carrying a passenger stopped in front of me, and said, "Tell him quickly about quitting the CCP." The man driving the three-wheeler had understood the things I told him previously about the CCP, and he wanted me to do the same for his friend. I did what he said, helping his friend to quit all of the CCP organizations.
On another occasion, I came across a group of four young people near the river having fun together. One of them had previously accepted my advice on quitting the CCP. Upon seeing me, he said, "We were just talking about quitting the Communist Youth League. Since you're here, why don't you tell them about it and help them to do the withdrawals." This experience helped me to comprehend that, as long as we clarify the truth thoroughly, those who have a real understanding of the truth will help us save their relatives and friends.
In the process of truth clarification and telling people about quitting the Party to save sentient beings, I've treated the process as part of my cultivation - I am not affected by people with various states of mind or their verbal abuse. I still treat them with compassion. Whenever my thoughts aren't upright, I immediately cultivate my mind, put myself back on the right track, and treat myself as a Dafa practitioner.
I clarify the truth of Dafa with compassion. I return ridicule and mockery with a smile and peace of mind, and other people's misunderstandings are dealt with leniency and tolerance. Regardless of whether or not people withdraw from the CCP, I always tell them to remember that "Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good."
On my cultivation path, human notions still exist within me. However, I strongly believe that I will eliminate all attachments. I will study the Fa well, and send forth righteous thoughts, clarify the truth, save more sentient beings, and walk the final cultivation path well.
December 6, 2009
