Three Short Stories: "Looking Inside When Conflicts Arise," "I Didn't Chase Him or Hit Him" and "A 'Foolish' Teacher"

Looking Inside When Conflicts Arise

One day, I went to the classroom to give a lecture to some students. I saw that Xingxing was crying. A student on duty told me that Bingbing had beaten Xingxing and made him cry.

After the class, I brought the two students back to my office and said, "Don't be afraid. Tell me what happened whenever you are ready." Quickly Xingxing said, "Teacher, this is my fault." "Well, you were the one was beaten. Why is it your fault?" I asked. "I was passing by Bingbing's desk and knocked his books to the floor. If I had quickly picked his books up and put them back in the original spot and if I had said, 'I am sorry,' he would have not beaten me."

Bingbing replied "No, no, it is my fault. He did not intend to do this and was trying to get back his seat in a rush, therefore, he knocked my books accidentally. I should forgive him and I should not beat him."

I commended them on how they looked inside themselves when conflicts arose and pointed out that it would be even better if they could do this before the conflicts became more serious. Both boys repeated from memory the meaning of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" and they walked hand in hand back to the classroom.

"I Didn't Chase Him or Hit Him"

One day after school, our class gathered as usual and summarised how we had done that day, according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. Students tried to speak out one after another.

Weiwei, who used to fight with the other kids, raised his hand and reported. "I was knocked down by a kid from Class No. 4 on my way to school this afternoon when he ran up from behind." "Did he help you up?" I interrupted. "No, he did not. I tried to get up slowly and he continued running without even a look behind him."

"Did you catch him and hit him?"

"No I did not."

I asked, "Why didn't you catch him and beat him?" Weiwei replied, "First of all, he did not knock me down on purpose (I am taller and stronger than him. He might have wanted to help me up, but was afraid to do so, because he was afraid I might beat him up). I must forgive what he did to me. Secondly, if I did not hurt him, I would receive virtue from him. In reality, I didn't hurt him so I paid back any debt I might have owed him. Thirdly, a Falun Gong practitioner should think about other people first before oneself and follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."

His speech brought a big round of applause from the class. I took him to the stage and lifted his pant leg and we saw a big bruise on his knee. Students gave him another big round of applause and complemented his exemplary behaviour.

A "Foolish" Teacher

On the eighth day of the Chinese New Year, I complained to my friend after having a big dinner at his house that I still had to pay a New Year's call on two families to bring gifts and money.

My friend asked, "Who are they?" I told him that the two were my kid's teachers.

Congcong, the daughter of my friend, said in a hurry, "No, don't do that. My teacher doesn't want to have any New Year's gifts. Once my teacher returned gifts to those who sent them and said in front of all the class, 'Please let your parents know that I have my salary and cannot accept any gifts from them. It is also a waste of time to send them over and then have me return them. I express my thanks to students and parents.' "

I replied, "I think that he might want more or he could be foolish by doing this."

Congcong started to cry, stamped her foot and said, "Don't say that. He just did not want to have any gifts from us." Wiping tears from his daughter, my friend confirmed, "Their teacher actually does not accept any gifts from us. He has returned a lot of gifts back to students, such as a nice piece of fabric, and money in the amounts of 50 and 100 yuan (1)."

I was surprised, "Is it true that there is such 'a foolish' teacher?"

My friend replied firmly, "Yes, because their teacher is a Falun Gong practitioner."

Note:

(1) Yuan is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.