Nine-Year-Old Ni'er's Cultivation Story

Greetings to Respectable Master!

Greetings to fellow practitioners!

I am called Ni'er (which means little girl) and I am nine years old, a fourth grader, and a young Falun Dafa practitioner. Although I am very young, I am a veteran practitioner because I started to practise Falun Gong in the summer of 1998. I wish to take this opportunity to share my cultivation story.

Part I

My grandma started cultivating Falun Dafa in May of 1998, and she has watched over me since I was born. She tells me that there is a magical story of how I started to cultivate. In the summer of 1998, I was just a year old. One day my grandma waved a copy of Zhuan Falun up high, and asked me, "Ni'er, are you a little Falun Dafa disciple?" I said quickly, "Yes, yes, yes!" My grandma asked me again, "Ni'er, Are you going to learn Falun Dafa when you get older?" I said, "Learn, learn, learn!" as I was trying to reach the book. My grandma was shocked, "Ni'er, how did you talk?" because I had never spoken before. After that, every time I saw Zhuan Falun, I would find Master's photo and kiss Master's photo eagerly. My grandma always put the book somewhere I could not reach in case I would get the book dirty. When I was a little older, I would request to greet Master each time my grandma studied the Falun Gong teachings - the Fa. My grandma would open the book, and I would heshi (press hands together in front of chest) to Master and say, "Greetings, Master!" Then I would request to greet the lotus flower. My grandma would turn the book over to show the lotus flower on the bottom cover, and I would heshi and say, "Greetings, flower!"

My grandma said I am a child that has come down to assimilate to the Fa, so I need to diligently study the Fa. She often reads the Fa to me, plays Master's teaching tapes for me, and I love to listen to them. After I started to talk, grandma taught me to recite Hong Yin. My grandma often carried me on her back when she was hanging Falun Dafa banners. For each banner she hung up, I would shout from her back, "Big Falun is Good!" because I could not clearly say "Falun Dafa is good!" yet.

One day at the beginning of the winter of 2000, when I was a little over three years old, my grandma, carrying me, went to Beijing together with eight other fellow practitioners to appeal for a stop to the persecution against Falun Gong. On Tiananmen Square, I wore a banner that said "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance" in front of my chest. We unfurled ten banners near Tiananmen Gate that said "Falun Dafa is good!" It was a very beautiful sunny day, and the scene was very sacred. Some policemen spotted us, and they drove their vehicles over. They tried to drag us onto the vehicle and pulled one fellow practitioner's hair. I was reciting Master's poem Mighty Virtue (from Hongyin),

Dafa does not leave the body,
The heart harbours Zhen-Shan-Ren;
In the world is a great Arhat,
Spirits and ghosts fear greatly.

Although I was reciting Master's poem, I was a little scared inside, however I saw that all the ladies who had come with us were free from fear. We walked from the north end of Tiananmen Square to the south end and left the Square. Master was guiding us the whole time, and we took the train on the same night and returned home safely.

I could read since the second semester of the first grade. I started reading Zhuan Falun on my own. In the winter of 2004, when I was in second grade, we established a Fa-study group, and have kept it to this day. We take turns reading Zhuan Falun. I was reading too fast and quietly. Fellow practitioners pointed it out to me and so my reading has improved. Comparing in studying, comparing in cultivating with adult fellow practitioners has helped me upgrade very quickly.

During each vacation, my grandma and I would spend half a day studying the Fa, and half a day passing out truth-clarifying materials. We pass out the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and persuade people to quit the Party. When school is in session, I get up to send forth righteous thoughts every morning at 5:50, then study the Fa for half an hour (I always recite Lunyu first). I have read Zhuan Falun on my own many times, have memorised Zhuan Falun once, memorised both Hongyin and Hongyin II, and read all the new scriptures. Now I am reciting Zhuan Falun for the second time. Master taught us in "Melt Into the Fa" (Essentials for Further Advancement),

"To put it more simply, as long as you read Dafa, you are changing; as long as you read Dafa, you are elevating."

Studying the Fa is one of the three things that Master has required us to do. Therefore, studying the Fa is very important.

Part II

Master requested us to send forth righteous thoughts, but I could hardly concentrate when sending forth righteous thoughts. I would look everywhere or my mind would wander all over the place. I was very eager to improve. Just like Master described in "A Calm Mind" (Zhuan Falun),

"When a lot of people do the exercises their minds can't become still, and so they go all over the place to ask qigong masters, "Teacher... what can I do? Why can't my mind become still when I'm doing the exercises? As soon as I become still I start thinking of all kinds of things all over again, I daydream about everything." It's really wild, like a raging river, and everything comes up, and you're just not able to still your mind. And why can't you? Some people don't understand it, and they think there's got to be some secret of success, so they seek out famous masters, "Please let me in on your special tips, and then my mind can become still." But the way I see it, that's still looking outward. If you want to improve yourself, you need to look inward and work hard on your mind. That's the only way you can truly improve, and that's the only way you can become still inside in meditation. Being able to still your mind indicates your mastery. Your power of concentration is a reflection of your level."

Because I study the Fa, when I come across problems and conflicts, I always seek inside. My mind is getting broader, and I can calm down during sitting meditation. I try not to think of anything and just concentrate on eliminate the evil. One time, I had a good experience of tranquillity, and the golden character of "Fa" appeared in front of my eyes. My grandma said that Master was encouraging me. I was very content.

Sometimes, I see people that don't know the truth that peel Falun Dafa stickers off and throw them on the ground. I pick them up, take them home, and fix them so that they can all be reposted. I often pass out truth clarifying materials and the Nine Commentaries with my grandma. I was quite fearful at beginning, but that fear went away soon. I know Master is looking after us, and not any beings dare to touch us. Once, I saw a person staring at us when we were passing out truth clarifying materials. A righteous thought of mine quickly emerged: saving sentient beings is the most sacred thing, and no beings are allowed to interfere. "the Fa (Fa) rectifies (zheng) the Cosmos (qian kun); the Evil (xie e) is completely (quan) eliminated (mie)." As soon as my strong divine thought came out, that person left. It was just like Master was said in What's There to Fear (Hongyin II),

"Once your thought is righteous, evil will collapse"

I faithfully remember Master's teachings, that we must have righteous thoughts and righteous actions.

I also go to people's houses to clarify the truth together with my grandma. My grandma does the talking, and I send forth righteous thoughts quietly to support her. If there are kids, I watch over them on the side so Grandma can talk more effectively. I would be so happy for those who did the three withdrawals, and very sad for those who refused to listen to the truth.

I always remember that I am a young Falun Dafa disciple, and my actions can validate Falun Dafa. I always greet the neighbours amicably and always help the elderly by carrying their things for them. In order to create a better living environment, I often wash our stairs and hallways together with my grandma or mom. Master taught us that Falun Dafa practitioners should be good people everywhere we go. I discipline myself in school according to the standards of a cultivator. My eyesight has greatly improved each year, and it was totally normal at the beginning of my fourth grade year. My grades are getting better and better. Classmates have praised me and told me that I tolerate others well. My teacher also said that my progress is the greatest of all the girls. I thank Master who gave me wisdom!

In the evil persecution, my family is enduring huge hardships, just like millions Falun Dafa disciples' families. One of my family members has been tortured to death, and two were sent to forced labour. My house has been ransacked twice, and my family members are living under close monitoring. Policemen and officials have come to our door to harass us countless times and tried to force us to give up our faith. These persecution means do not effect Falun Dafa disciples and only make us believe in Falun Dafa more firmly, and our faith in Master is more solid. Our steps that follow Master forward are more steady.

Please point out any shortcomings!