2004 European Conference: Learning from past lessons, Clarifying the Truth More Thoroughly

Hello everyone, my name is Zhao Lili and I am a Falun Gong practitioner from Italy. I came across the practice of Falun Gong in 1996 and I then came to Italy for work training in October, 2000. At that time, not many Italian people had heard of Falun Gong. As far as I was informed, there were only a small number of practitioners in the whole nation. I took part in many activities against the persecution and decided to stay in Italy to continue this work. Now I would like to share the experience and lessons which I have learned from during my cultivation in Italy with my fellow practitioners.

Save sentient beings with righteous thoughts

Though I wanted to continue my campaign work against the persecution, I did not know what reason I could have to remain in the country. But I was clear that whatever the best way is, being a Falun Gong practitioner, I could not break the laws and rules in Italy. If I could not get a legal residence as soon as possible, I would go back to China on the day before my visa expired even if I may face persecution at home. Later, a lawyer suggested that I apply for a refugee status. At the end of 2000, two other Italian practitioners and I went to a police station. A practitioner explained our purpose to two policemen. At first, the policemen not only distrusted us, but also suspected that we might have some bad intentions.

At that time, I believed that it was definite that I should remain in Italy, the police could not decide anything, but the reason for us to come here is to clarify the truth to them. Thus, I asked another practitioner to translate my words, I told the police the story of my family and I because of believing in ‘Truth-Compassion-Tolerance’ that we even lost our job and were illegally detained in China. While I was talking, from my heart, I hoped they could know the truth and therefore make the right decision, not for myself but for their own future. After listening to my words, they not only helped me with getting a legal residence, but also kindly helped to find free accommodation for me. By clarifying the truth this time, I came to realise that when we sincerely hope other people to be good and think about others with a compassionate heart, the result would turn out to be good. This is because practitioners’ righteous thoughts are very powerful.

Be clear with practitioners’ responsibilities, clarify the truth solidly

I have always regarded myself as hard-working in activities regarding the clarification about Falun Gong to people, in the past, I was the only Chinese practitioner in Rome. Besides, Rome is a tourist city with many Chinese visitors. During that time, I went to the tourist sites and Chinese communities nearly every day to hand out leaflets. However, a local Chinese person once asked me a question which made me feel very shocked and I had to ask myself how I clarified the truth after all. In fact, I could not remember what that question was really about, which was not important, but what concerned me is that I had been clarifying the truth there for two years but she had still got such a question, and before this, I actually thought she had already known the truth.

I asked myself how could this happened and where the reason lay. Then I realised that I put too much effort on the formats of the surface, going out everyday to clarify the truth and hand out leaflets, even travelling on my own to a city which is a long way from mine but has got many Chinese residents to give out leaflets. I had spent such a lot of time and overcame money problems to travel a long way to hand out leaflets, but when I came to the stage of talking, I forgot my responsibilities and did not put my heart into it, instead, I just made short shift of doing things which was the real status of my Xinxing [heart/mind nature] level. I was cheated by my own active action on the surface, and I always had a good estimation of myself.

I did not notice that many times my Xinxing status was just like what Master says in the poem “Getting oneself busy in building temples and worshipping gods, not realising work with pursuit would end in vain”. Cultivation is very serious, saving sentient beings is also not an ordinary people’s work, and it is definite that there is no such saying of ‘Even if my contribution is not counted, my hard-working should be at least appreciated’. Think about this notion carefully, in fact, a substantial element lying behind it is selfishness. What’s more, the reason why I did not put my heart into clarifying the truth is because my lack of Dafa practitioners’ responsibilities and compassion.

In ‘Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Washington DC Fa Conference’, Teacher says ‘When we've passed through this part of history and we take a look back, if every Dafa disciple is able to say, "I've done what I was supposed to do," (applause) then that's the most extraordinary. But, there are a lot of students who've done a disservice to themselves, and who haven't fulfilled what they wanted to do and what history bestowed upon them.’ When I looked back, I felt very painful indeed, but there is no use to regret myself, the damage was committed already, what I can do now no other than to stand up and catch up with double effort.

I understood that in order to clarify the truth better, communications among practitioners is very important. I remember for a period of time I always did not know how to answer challenging questions like ‘What level have you reached after practising Falun Gong, can you fly to the skies?’ raised by the Chinese people, especially tourists from mainland China. Sometimes, I was driven by my everyday people’s attachments and started to argue with them, and if I had not an argument, I still did not know how to answer their questions. After sharing with other practitioners, I realised that I have to first keep calm, I should not be affected by everyday people’s notions.

So when I came across such kind of questions again, I would smile and speak to them very calmly: ‘Regarding your confrontational words, I would not even talk to you if I am not a Falun Gong practitioner, but now I can tell you straight forward and righteously, I dare to say that all my words are truthful, I no longer tell lies, I can think about others more often in my daily life and I am not that selfish any more, I could be a good person, this is the level which I have reached-to be a good person.’ After listening to my words, normally, the other side’s confrontational attitude just disappeared and nodded with a smile ‘Yes, you are right, it’s very rational’.

In ‘Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference’, Teacher says ‘The way gods see it, saving sentient beings is absolutely not something done in a manner like in human society, where after someone makes some mistakes human means are used to correct him. Gods are merciful and have the greatest capacity to forgive, and they are truly responsible to beings, instead of focusing on a person's actions at a given time. That's because gods awaken a being at a fundamental level, and enliven a being's Buddha-nature at a fundamental level. So looking at things from this perspective, you still need to step up your clarifying the facts some, and still need to do it in greater depth, do it better, and do it more solidly; you absolutely can't just go through the motions. Only when you do it earnestly can you save that many people.’ I understand that in fact when we are clarifying the truth to everyday people, we are gods, how can gods be affected by ordinary people’s notions? At that moment when we clarify the truth, if we can be clear-headed and remember our responsibilities, apply gods’ compassion and practitioners’ tolerance, then things will be done better.

Breaking through ordinary people’s view, save more sentient beings

Because of the language difference, I have always been afraid to clarify the truth in depth to Italian people. I only distributed some leaflets and gave simple introduction of the persecution in China. One day in 2002, one fellow practitioner told me that a Rome based national newspaper which has got very big impact on society published an untrue report about Falun Gong. It leads to very bad impression. According to the way I used to think, I would say: ‘oh, my Italian is no good, how can I talk to them?’ But on that day as soon as I heard that news, my only thought was: I will let everyone in that newspaper office know what Falun Gong is, let the lie die itself.

At that time, I didn’t think about what the result will be, neither the language obstruction nor how to book an appointment with the reporter etc. I just went there continually for three days distributing leaflets at the rush hour time. Nearly everyone in that building got a leaflet. After two days, there were even people who came over to me to ask for leaflet. A few days later, a practitioner told me that the newspaper office had rang her and told her that they all knew Falun Dafa is good, nobody will believe in those lies anymore. They also announced that things like this would not happen again.

The result was out of my thought. To think about it carefully, I think the crux of the matter was: at that moment, I only hoped those people understand Falun Gong and not to be cheated by lies, I didn’t really count on them to do anything. In fact, when everyday people know the truth, their hearts become righteous and naturally they will know what to do.

Study the teachings of Falun Gong well, have infinite faith in Master, firmly believe in Dafa

I had been going through some tribulations for a long while. It mainly appeared in everyday life. Though I studied the Fa [law or principles in Falun Gong and sent forth righteous thoughts, I still could not find the basic reason. Sometimes I thought I have found the root, it seemed to be slightly better, but it wouldn’t work after just a couple of days. Eventually, the tribulations were getting worse and worse, even eating and living became a problem for me. When I was studying the Fa I was still thinking of how to get through this hardship, there were even times when I thought Master doesn’t look after me anymore. I (my thought karma, rather) kept thinking that since I was so useless that I couldn’t find a job, I should find barren mountains and gullies and stave myself to death there.

In Zhuan Falun Master says: “Cultivation is not hard, but what’s difficult is to drop ordinary people’s attachments.” However, how come I felt so painful and hard? I started to ask myself whether I still wanted to cultivate or not, whether I truly cultivated or not, whether I trusted Master or not. I realised that the reason why I was cultivating is not for assimilating the Fa, more likely I cultivated for no more suffering. I was afraid that I had attachments then the old forces would be able to take advantage of my loopholes. I was afraid of the suffering of life hadn’t got any assured source. I was also afraid that Master couldn’t help me because of my attachments. All in all, I didn’t have any righteous thoughts as Dafa disciples.

At that time, the only righteous thought I had was in whatsoever condition, I would carry on cultivating. After studying the Fa, I gradually realised that the key reason for me to behave like this is because I did not have an infinite faith in Master nor firmly believed in Dafa. As my understanding about Dafa’s principle got clearer and clearer, I realised that as a practitioner in cultivation, to have attachments is not something to fear. The key is to be firmly confident in Master and Dafa and to have righteous thoughts. Even on getting rid of our attachments, it is not something that we are able to do, it can only be done when we have this heart and then Master clears it away. As soon I understood these, I no loner feared attachments and tribulations anymore.

Master says:” When your righteous thoughts are firm and when you can repel those things, I remove them for you bit by bit; however much you can do, that's how much I remove for you and diminish for you. But since you're a cultivator, you have to truly hold yourself to the requirements for a cultivator. Even though sometimes you still can't quite get there yet, you've got to at least have those righteous thoughts, and you've got to cultivate yourselves.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference). I know I still have got attachments, there might be more tribulations in my future cultivation way, but these are nothing to be afraid of. Because I want to cultivate, Master has the methods to make me realise those attachments and get rid of them, and what’s more, Master is helping me to become a new being which assimilates to the universe’s law.

Thanks to our great and compassionate Master, and thank you all, my fellow practitioners.