The Path is Difficult - We Need to Cultivate More Diligently

Since the large-scale persecution of Falun Gong started in July 1999, Falun Dafa disciples in China have suffered under unimaginable physical and mental torture. During the past few years, my house has been searched five times. I lost two computers, three printers, one MP3 player and many other personal belongings. I have been detained five times, including one sentence of two years of forced labour. (Later I was released for medical treatment) I firmly came through each form of persecution but suffered tremendous physical and mental tortures. Because I couldn't calm myself down and catch up on Fa-study, I had a thought to go out and relax for a while. In early April, I took a train and headed to Mount Wudang (one of the holy places for Taoism). [Tao pronounced 'daow', also known as "Dao," a Taoist term for "the Way of nature and the universe"; also an enlightened being who has achieved this Tao.]

I had a special feeling about Mount Wudang that was indescribable. Thus no matter how tired I was, I would still want to keep climbing. In fact, this persistence is what I should have in my cultivation. As Master said, "It is hard to do, but you can do it." As long as I am in the Fa [law or principles in Falun Gong], my diligence in cultivation will always be there. I met a 19-year-old monk, and later I met a college student who studied western medicine and came to the mountains to visit his master, a lady Taoist, before his graduation. We talked with each other. The young monk said that he wanted to go to Mount Wudang to find a cave to cultivate alone. He said that it had become more difficult to cultivate in temples since they had become tourist sites. He repeatedly said that he wanted to find a good master. Then I started to introduce Falun Gong to him and told them that I was a Falun Gong practitioner. The young monk did not have any reaction, but the young student felt uneasy, perhaps influenced by the propaganda. Later I told them about the spreading of Dafa around the world and other information.

We felt hot and thirsty on the road. The young student asked us to go to his master's place to stop for some water. We walked another section of the mountain road and saw three thatched houses in the distance. A lady Taoist wearing Taoist attire was working in a field in front of the houses. The young student called her from far away. His master then waved to us with a smile. We entered a room and began drinking water when another Taoist arrived. When he saw me, he whispered to another Taoist, saying that he already saw me coming last night. A Taoist told me and the young monk that we were cultivating different systems, told us to cultivate more diligently and said that in several years there would be a chance for people to be granted godhood for the third time; that there would be a large scale weeding out of humans and that many of today's people were no longer human anymore. Later I told them that I practised Falun Gong, and they were surprised to hear this. Although they could see something in other dimensions, their levels were limited and they had some prejudice about Dafa. I thought that it was not just a chance meeting with them, and I told them the facts about Dafa. I thought that they also belonged to those who should be saved.

The lady Taoist later hoped that I would stay with them. I was very clear on the issue of "no second discipline," so I politely refused, saying that I already had a Master.

In the afternoon, I continued my journey with the young monk. We reached the summit of Wudang on the second day and stayed in a hotel near the top. In the afternoon, two middle-aged ladies visited my room, and then another gentleman who was with them came in. When he saw me, he immediately told the two ladies, "She has good inborn quality." He also said that I came down from heaven to the earth to cultivate many times, and other things.

The two ladies told me that they were cultivators and had the ability of knowing fate. The middle aged gentleman went on and told me where I had cultivated in the past. I was shocked after hearing this and felt anguished in my heart. I finally understood that, in the past, Master told us that we have cultivated numerous times in history in waiting for the Fa, yet I could not completely comprehend the Fa with rationality, so my understanding seemed to only remain at the superficial level of words, was blocked by human notions and I did not let the Fa melt into the microcosmic part of my life. Today, I seemed to be able to see the scene of Dafa practitioners in history suffering all kinds of tribulations so that they could obtain the Fa and cultivate. The discovery was like a heavy hammer that pounded my chest. Later on, that gentleman told me that he saw something in my abdomen in another dimension. He drew it for me, and I told him that it was a Falun [Law Wheel]. I said that I was a cultivator of Dafa and many Dafa practitioners have suffered severe persecution in the past several years. I also told him about the spreading of Dafa all over the world and other facts about Dafa.

This middle aged gentleman also saw that many gods from heaven had come down to the earth to cultivate, and he also said there were still many among the ordinary people with a Fruit Status who had gotten lost in the human world. I showed the main text of Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun to them, and pointed to Master's picture, telling them that this is my Master. He took the book and looked at it seriously. He said, "Your Master wants you to cultivate yourself well so that you can do well in validating the Fa." He continued, "Your Master said that you will be able to see him when you complete your cultivation, and he wants you to mind your speech and virtue."

Afterwards, I realised that what I heard in the past few days had been mentioned by Master in the Fa. What Master has taught our Dafa practitioners are not limited to just these things! It looked like my effort in studying the Fa was not enough, thus at a crucial moment, I took a detour and wasted quite some time, and was not able to directly receive enlightenment from what has been taught to us by Master in the Fa. It might also have to do with the issue of being firm in one's belief. Master has told us that the test in this aspect will always exist until the end of cultivation. In fact, I'm grateful for Master's protection; otherwise, my attachment to supernormal powers and the attachment to looking outward to prove something would have easily brought unnecessary trouble and interference to my cultivation.

I know merciful Master has been watching over me all the time, letting me cultivate more diligently in the Fa; yet, all this time, I looked at tribulations in cultivation with human thoughts. In fact, how can a person cultivate to a higher place without sacrifice and suffering? Completely rejecting the old forces' arrangements cannot be achieved just by words! Moreover, for cultivating during the Fa-rectification period, no matter how much a practitioner sacrifices, it will not be significant compared to what Master has endured for us and what we will receive at the end.

That night, as I lay down on the bed, I could not fall asleep. For some reason, I felt extremely agonised in my heart. I did not sleep for the whole night. I deeply understood the great, historic mission that we Dafa disciples undertake in saving sentient beings. I hope that I can join all the other Dafa practitioners in being able to further give up human attachments and cultivate more diligently, cherish the precious time we're given and do well what Dafa practitioners are supposed to do.