Assimilating to Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance (Irish Fa-Conference 2003)

I have been a Dafa Disciple since May 2003. I knew that Falun Gong was being persecuted when I was in China and my parents do know that Falun Dafa is good. However, Jiang’s regime persecutes Falun Gong, and has also spread slanderous rumours throughout the world. Under this pressure from the Chinese government, I didn’t get a chance to learn more about what Falun Gong was. Then I got a visa to come to Ireland. I knew a lady when I was in China and her daughter was in Ireland, so she asked her daughter to look after me when I arrived. I was moved by her warm-heartedness, I think she really is a good person. When I arrived in Ireland, she came to collect me from the airport. Since that second I felt I had a special predestined relationship with Ireland and didn’t feel lonely at all. Both this lady and her daughter are Dafa disciples.

During the Christmas holiday, she brought me to her place where many Dafa disciples live together. We studied Fa together and all the Dafa practitioners were so nice. After reading Zhuan Falun I knew this was exactly what I was looking for. My understanding is that our most compassionate Master has organized all these arrangements, because Master wants to save all sentient beings! When I got the precious book Zhuan Falun, I finished reading it all at once. Then I decided to cultivate Falun Gong. Later I moved to live with Dafa practitioners and started to learn the exercises. But suddenly I received all sorts of pressure from my parents and friends in China, my parents were particularly concerned about me and threatened to disown me if I didn’t give up practising Falun Gong. But I know Falun Dafa is good so I would not give it up. I clarified the truth to my parents; however, they wouldn’t listen to me at first. Their opinion was that once I practiced Falun Gong I wouldn’t love my life anymore. In the past I always saw money as the most important thing in my life. With my change in attitude they thought that I wouldn’t become outstanding among everyday people. After that I clarified the truth to my parents, telling them about my personal experience. I have benefited a lot from practicing Falun Dafa. I caught rheumatism when I was very young. I will never forget how painful my joints used to be. But since I began practicing Falun Gong all of my bad conditions were miraculously, completely gone. My own experience made my parents start to have a positive view of Dafa. Finally my parents stopped no longer opposed my practicing Falun Gong anymore.

When I started cultivation I had a serious reaction while dissolving karma, I think Master sees me as his disciple so I didn’t worry about anything. I obtained this precious Falun Dafa so how could I be afraid of a little hardship? I always see it as dissolving my karma when I meet hardship. After I read all the books, the lectures which Master gave in many different places around the world, then I had a thinking that maybe it is too late now; will I have enough time to cultivate? Can I catch up? Why have I obtained the Fa so late? with great help from fellow practitioners, I realise now this was a superficial understanding of the Fa. I have already heard the Fa, I should make the best use of my time for genuine cultivation. Cultivation depends on my own efforts, while the transformation of Gong is done by our Master. If I always think I am a new practitioner then it will become an attachment and also will stop me from take further steps. Everyone’s road is different in cultivation, we should cherish every minute for cultivating, and we can’t think of Gods with everyday people mindsets. We won’t let our Master down if we genuinely cultivate.

I had a period of time when I was very busy with my job. The old forces tried to make me have no time to study Fa and do the exercises, but I didn’t realise that, and so many everyday people’s attachments kept appearing in my mind and I encountered a lot of trouble from my work. In particular, I often changed my jobs, which brought lots of trouble to my cultivation. But I think we should think of other people first as Dafa disciplesy Xinxing, so I looked inside myself and begab to do my best in the work. Gradually through my efforts my boss became very pleased and promised to raise my wages. To my understanding if my energy field is righteous then the field can rectify all abnormal conditions also at the same time through cultivating Forbearance I have up. My boss always has a bad temper, so when she is in a bad mood she is often rude to me. I knew this was testing mgraded my Xinxing. ”Forbearance is the key to improving one’s xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is a cultivator’s forbearance.”( Essentials for further advancement)

Since I started cultivation up until now, the test of emotion has been very difficult for me, especially when recently my parents asked me to go back to China. I really did feel under great pressure from this emotion and I was unsure as to whether I should practice or not. After all, my parents looked after me for so long. Now I am facing the fact that the Falun Gong is still being persecuted, so I can’t go back to China. I felt so sorry for them because they will feel very sad. Through studying the Fa I’ve understood that my real parents are those who gave the birth to my main spirit. Master said that the entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments. Cultivating and returning to our original, true selves. Going back to where we came from. ”Those who are attached to affection for family will definitely be burned, entangled, and tormented by it. Grabbed by the threads of affection and plagued by them throughout their lives, they will find it too late to regret at the end of their lives.” (Essentials for further advancement, Cultivators’ Avoidances), then naturally I gave up the attachment of sentimentality for my family.

When I think of the Dafa disciples who have experienced the persecution, it reminds me that I have not done well enough. Through this Dafa conference I hope to do better the 3 things that Dafa disciples should do. Try not to lose any chance for saving sentient beings and getting rid of fundamental attachments, have righteous thoughts and righteous actions.

Fa rectification hasn’t finished yet, but the evil will end soon. They can’t restist for a much longer, I hope all Dafa disciples can cherish this time and try our best to save sentient beings, assimilating to truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.

The above is my understanding at my level; fellow practitioners please correct me if there is anything incorrect.