France: Master Will Bestow On Us Everything We Need

Greetings Master,
Greetings fellow practitioners,

I used to often wonder why I attained the Fa so late - at the age of 51- but now I don’t worry about this and instead focus my energy on the Three Things Master asked us to do well. As a practitioner who has been cultivating for 3 years so far, an incident happened last year which made me realize that as long as we cultivate well, Master will bestow on us everything we need. I would like to share this experience here.

To Prioritise Fa Study and Improving Xinxing

Master said in ‘Melt Into the Fa’ from “Essentials for Further Advancement”: “As a student, if his mind is filled with nothing but Dafa, this person is definitely a genuine cultivator. So, you must have a clear understanding on the matter of studying the Fa. Reading the books and studying the books more is the key to truly elevating yourself. To put it more simply, as long as you read Dafa, you are changing; as long as you read Dafa, you are elevating. The boundless content of Dafa plus the supplementary means—the exercises—will enable you to reach Consummation. Group reading or reading by yourself is the same.”

I remembered this paragraph of Master’s Fa in my heart and I realized that reading the Fa is not enough, I need to understand the Fa and cultivate accordingly: for a true disciple, every thought and action needs to be righteous.

Now looking back, I realize I always struggled to comprehend the Fa after reading for some time half way into a lecture. Although I tried to comprehend the Fa, it always ended up in reading the Fa but not taking it to heart.

My family has complained that I don’t chat to them at dinner but only hurriedly eat then go to Fa study with my group. I realised I also need to balance my personal life so my family will not look at my cultivation and Dafa negatively.

I changed my schedule: studying the Fa when I felt the most energetic and finishing the lecture during the afternoon. Although I didn’t study the Fa for a long time all at once, I now feel like I can better comprehend the Fa. My relationship with my family has also improved, they don’t complain and say negative things about my cultivation anymore after I started spending time and chatting with them.

Moreover, I believe the process of studying the Fa and obtaining the Fa are inseparable from memorizing the Fa. I have twice tried to memorize the Fa in the last year. But each time I set myself a few pages a day to memorize, that goal made me nervous and restless. By looking inwards, I found it was caused by my desire to seek something and the desire to show off, because I wanted to show I could memorize the Fa.

Recently, I have a new understanding of memorizing the Fa, that is: Don't get attached to progress, but simply put oneself in the state that Master said above: "his mind is filled with nothing but Dafa." So, I started reciting the Fa again. My progress in memorizing the Fa was not set in stone. Sometimes I can recite two pages in half an hour, and sometimes I can only recite one sentence. I understand when I concentrate on studying the Fa but cannot memorize it, it is because I need to clear away my attachments related to the content of that passage. Then on a day like this, instead of doing everything I can to memorize the Fa, I will stop and look within. My Fa-study process has also become a process of constantly looking within based on what I've learned.

I have found many of my ways of thinking and behaviour do not conform to the Fa, after I understand a certain sentence while studying the Fa, I will gain many newer insights and a wonderful sense of sublimation. I have become more sensitive when faced with sudden challenges in my daily life, but I can deal with it quickly according to the Fa in my head, so I often pass a tribulation smoothly: for example, when someone is driving past me on the right side, I do not get annoyed anymore; I no longer think of going to the police when a tenant walks away without paying rent; I can keep my mind calm when being denigrated by a tenant at length on the phone... I can stay peaceful almost all the time. In the face of tribulations, I no longer become hot-headed, but I look within calmly, and I can find my own shortcomings every time: such as clinging to complacency, clinging to money, not listening to criticism, etc. As soon as I find these attachments, I send righteous thoughts to clear them.

I even managed to get through a sickness karma test in my sleep: one night, while I was sleeping, suddenly my left leg got cramp, and it felt as if the left leg was shortened, and pain suddenly hit me. I immediately sent forth righteous thoughts: I am a Dafa disciple, and I only acknowledge Master's arrangement, and I will not acknowledge any other arrangements. I will not acknowledge this false appearance of pain, which is not my true self. After reciting the mantra for sending righteous thoughts, the pain disappeared immediately, the hamstrings softened immediately, and my legs could straighten. When I woke up, I remembered everything that happened. Therefore, I believe in Dafa even more.

Persistently looking inward and sending righteous thoughts to clear my attachments made me feel protected, and perhaps avoided a lot of interference that should have occurred. Memorizing the Fa has allowed me to keep doing what Master asked me to do:

Solid Cultivation
Study Fa, obtain Fa,
Compare in studying, compare in cultivating,
Examine each and every deed,
Accomplishing is cultivating.
(Hong Yin October 7, 1994)

I believe after I get rid of more attachments, my speed of reciting the Fa will be quicker, all that will be loaded into my head will be the Fa, and my ability to assimilate into the Fa will also increase.

In addition, as a Vietnamese living in France, I started to study the Fa in French so that I can better communicate with local students. I suddenly realized that compared to Vietnamese, it is easier to understand the surface meaning when I study the Fa in French. This can help me understand the Fa better, and at the same time, I can see I have all kinds of thoughts, and my attachments and jealousy were also revealed in the process of studying the Fa.

This is the biggest reward I have gained during my recent Fa study. Master has given me many things. I will continue to focus on studying the Fa.

Cultivation in the Zhen Shan Ren Art Exhibition

In mid-June last year, when I was translating for NTDTV, I translated an article about the Zhen Shan Ren Art Exhibition in Texas and the comments of viewers. I was moved by the power of compassion and truth-telling as conveyed by the paintings. This is the first time I learned about the existence of the Zhen Shan Ren Art Exhibition. I asked myself why I had never heard of this project before. The next day, after asking fellow practitioners, I learned France had held many exhibitions before, and they were very successful. But the project was discontinued five years ago.

I asked myself, since this project is so effective in clarifying the truth, why not restart it? Moreover, I have seen many articles on the Minghui website about the Zhen Shan Ren Art Exhibition held around the world. These art exhibitions have great power in clarifying the truth and touched the hearts of many visitors.

Therefore, at the beginning of July last year, I had the desire to restart this project, hoping all sentient beings could use this new opportunity to understand the truth and be saved by Dafa.

Also, Paris is known as the capital of art. It is the number one tourist city in the world, with countless historic museums and cultural centres. I think this may be an intentional arrangement so the Zhen Shan Ren Art Exhibition can continue to be held in Paris.

To do this, the gallery had to be located in a place easily visible to passers-by, with shop windows facing the road.

After sending righteous thoughts that day, I checked some Parisian shop rental advertisements. I was surprised to see one shop had a much lower rent than others, the size of the shop was just right, and the location was very good. The real estate agent told me the shop is located in the gallery area of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, and it is often used for art exhibitions. I realized this is exactly what I needed.

The next day, I went to visit the shop. I told them about my plan so they knew the truth.

When I got home, I wrote a letter to the owner because he didn't turn up that morning. In my letter, I introduced my project in the kindest and most sincere tone, and I told him I wanted to rent the shop at a price 30% lower than the initial asking price. I thought, give it a try. Whether he accepts it or not, I'm going to rent this place because its price is so much lower than other properties. After the letter was sent, I received a positive response the next day. It didn't take long for me to learn there were three other people who wanted to rent the shop at the original asking price, but the owner refused them because he decided to transfer the gallery to me even if the price was reduced.

In addition, the solicitor handling the process had lowered his fees, and the real estate agents had made the same adjustments to commissions. The real estate agent even negotiated and successfully cancelled the first 3 months of rent and a security deposit equivalent to 1 year's rent. I really believe my Truth Clarification had worked: the people associated with the shop changed their attitudes. In the beginning, everyone was asking for big commissions, but now they've reduced them to a minimum.

I am very grateful for Master's compassion, which enables these sentient beings to hear the truth, be saved, and make the right decisions, so the project can be carried out smoothly. Over the next few months, there were many tests, the biggest of which was the sudden closure of my bank account holding the funds for the transaction, and without allowing any extra time, the funds deposited into the account disappeared in an instant. I realized this was to get me to give up my attachment to money and wealth. I sent righteous thoughts to clear this attachment. On the same day, I found another bank that would accept me as a customer. After a few days, the original bank transferred all my funds to the new account. Finally, the formalities were completed, and I waited for the day to sign the contract.

Unfortunately, this event backfired and the landlord changed his mind and demanded the contract be drafted according to a completely different procedure. This meant everything that was done before was in vain and the whole thing had to be done all over again with new administrative procedures, which was much more troublesome, three times more expensive and took longer than before.

The solicitor was angry and told me to stop trusting the owner. The real estate agent did not understand why either, and there was no way for the landlord to change his decision. I wanted to know why this happened. I sorted out the whole process from scratch, but I don't know which of my attachments caused this reversal of the contract. At this time, Master's Fa from Lecture One of “Zhuan Falun” appeared before my eyes: " This characteristic, Zhen-Shan-Ren, is in the microscopic particles of air, rock, wood, soil, iron and steel, the human body, as well as in all matter."

I think if I'm going to build a gallery with solid roots in the long term, I need things like stone, wood, soil, and steel to build the foundation, and since this gallery is going to be used to make sentient beings understand the Truth, it has to contain the necessary amount of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Maybe in my current cultivation state, I have not obtained enough such "raw materials", the owner asked me to destroy everything and start over, perhaps to better improve my xinxing.

So, I wrote to the solicitor and asked him to follow the landlord's instructions and redo the documents according to the new procedure. Since the solicitor understood my good intentions, the commission was reduced when doing the new procedure. After that, a series of tests took place. I faced the test with the mentality of a Dafa disciple, and I eliminated more attachments to money, losses, and benefits.

Finally, in mid-December last year, I signed the contract and got the keys. This process took a full 6 months, and such a transaction would only take 1 month for ordinary people to complete.

I realized everything a cultivator does is an opportunity to improve their xinxing, and only in this way can they achieve the state of "one cannot fall short even a bit." as Master said in Lecture Seven of "Zhuan Falun", so as to realize this project.

I named this gallery "Tianmen" (Heaven’s Gate). I found this name from Master's "Hong Yin", which contains many verses about "Tianmen", because I think the gallery is a place where all beings can understand the truth and be saved by Master.

During the process of establishing the gallery, Master made many arrangements for me. I own several houses, live on rent, and have a relatively high income, which is why I was able to commit to this project. Still, as the gallery was established, my everyday person’s work suddenly changed. With the same number of rental properties, my monthly income has suddenly increased, and I have found the increase is comparable to the monthly expense of maintaining the gallery. I realized it was Master who arranged the extra funds for me to maintain the gallery. As Master said in Lecture Four of "Zhuan Falun", “You are not really asked to lose anything materially”

Moreover, I found I no longer have to pay a lot of everyday expenses. Because, before starting the gallery, my eldest daughter left France to go to university in Canada, and I had to pay for her study abroad. My youngest daughter also started her first year of university in France. I am also financially supporting my niece as she is leaving Vietnam to study in Australia. Every year I spend about 30,000 euros for the schooling of these three children. Last September, halfway through the gallery program, my daughter in Canada was awarded a scholarship and a part-time internship that paid enough to cover all her expenses, so she no longer needed my help. After my younger daughter went to university, she was chosen to study a major with a monthly salary, so she also became financially independent. My niece in Australia also got a part-time job, so I sent her enough money last year to pay her to graduate from university.

In this way, my two children and niece became financially independent, which happened while I was creating the gallery. I was relieved from the heavy financial burden of my family. And all three kids did very well in study. Master not only provided me with the necessary financial resources to maintain the gallery, but also made arrangements for the children.

But Master's arrangement is not limited to this. After the gallery was established, Chinese tourists continuously came to rent a room in my largest apartment I let out. At that time, a Chinese practitioner needed accommodation, and I provided her with a room in this apartment. In this way, the Chinese practitioner was in touch with Chinese tourists and clarified the truth. Most tourists choose to quit the CCP and its affiliated organisations. One of the tourists did not quit, but he at least heard the truth.

When I was studying the Fa, I read this sentence in Lecture Four of "Zhuan Falun": “My fashen know everything—they know everything on your mind, and they can do anything. They will not take care of you if you do not practice cultivation. If you practice cultivation, they will help you all the way to the end.”

I was really moved at the time. Just because I wanted to provide sentient beings with a new opportunity to hear the truth, and I kept removing my attachments of a human heart during the 6 months of setting up the gallery, Master kept looking after me during this process.

Truth Clarification at the gallery
At the end of February 2022, our gallery opened to welcome the public. On June 11, 2022, I invited all practitioners from France to hold a formal opening ceremony. Fellow practitioners from Tianti Bookstore also came to the gallery to set up a small bookstore, where Dafa books, especially the multilingual translations of “Zhuan Falun”, were displayed in the window. We also held a screening of the film "Letter from Masanjia". Because we are showing traditional culture, we also promoted Shen Yun to visitors who come to appreciate the paintings, which is a good opportunity to introduce Shen Yun to them.

In the gallery, I get many opportunities to practice cultivation. I cherish every visitor because I think this may be their only chance to come by and they may never pass by again. Most of the visitors are tourists from all over the world, our gallery is located in a tourist area in the centre of Paris, only a 10-minute walk from Notre Dame Cathedral.

Everyone who has entered the gallery has learned the truth, and they have even written down their feelings in the gallery's guestbook. I believe it was Master's Law Bodies that brought people with predestined relationships here.

I was most impressed by a visitor from the Netherlands who passed by the gallery and saw books in many different languages, including books written in his mother's native language, (he spoke a different language to his mother). He immediately had the idea to buy the book for his mother. After the young man walked into the gallery and heard the truth, he became firmer in his decision, so he bought “Zhuan Falun” and “Falun Gong” as gifts for his mother. I thought to myself, in this beautiful Paris, there are so many gifts for his mother displayed everywhere, but this boy just looked at this book through our window and got the idea to buy a book for his mother. Was it not Master's law body that brought him here?

Another European lady exclaimed as soon as she entered the door, "Wow, so Falun Gong is here, why are they persecuted!". She said she had seen relevant news online, but had no idea why. I told her the truth. Because she just wanted to practice Falun Gong, she asked for some information about the practice sites, and then she left happily without looking at any paintings in the gallery.

I can't tell you all the stories of encounters with predestined beings in the gallery. I just want to say Master has arranged everything, and all we have to do is clarify the truth to the people Master has arranged, so as to establish the mighty virtue of Dafa disciples. Master has pushed us to a higher level.

I sincerely thank Master for giving us such a wonderful predestined opportunity to cultivate. Every time I open the door of the gallery, my heart is filled with powerful righteous thoughts, and I vow from the bottom of my heart to assimilate to Dafa, to be a disciple worthy of this title, and to diligently fulfil the vow I made in prehistoric times.

Thank you, Master, and thank you fellow practitioners.

(Selected to the European Fa-conference 2022 in Warsaw)