After coming back from the SOS Urgent-rescue Walk from Edinburgh to London last year, the manager of the restaurant I work in asked me to be an acting manager. As a practitioner, I knew I should work diligently and be a kind person in all circumstances. However, because I didn’t study the Fa sufficiently, I didn’t look within and often dealt with problems from a low level perspective. For instance, I didn’t restrain myself strictly, and often felt that time was so tight that I couldn’t focus much energy on the restaurant’s business after studying the Fa, practising the exercises and clarifying the truth? As a matter of fact, much of my time was wasted by my own laziness. When not diligent enough, not only did I feel in agony, but I would also have a negative influence on the people around me. When studying the Fa during that period of time, the “Compassion” often mentioned by Teacher Li often shone to me, and I was often moved by the Compassion reflected by fellow practitioners’ deeds.
After studying Master Li’s new articles, I realised that whatever we do will have impact on the everyone. If we do not restrain ourselves strictly and do a good job, it would prevent people from obtaining the Fa and affect the foundation laid for their future. This summer, I went to Edinburgh and worked for a restaurant there. I always demanded myself to demonstrate a Dafa practitioner’s compassion, and tried my best to help others. Since most of the employees were from China, and did not speak English, they often came to me for help in their daily lives. I took initiative in helping them as long as I knew what they needed.
During that period time, I was establishing a database. Since the information in the library in was not sufficient (it was a small town), I rushed to several cities nearby during my lunch break to collect information. It must have been arranged that I was able to help others on the way, because it has long been my wish to help others and my schedule was so tight. For instance, I would enquire if there were any English learning program conducted by schools for people who have never learned English. I often brought back some information for the Chinese people in the restaurant and this gave them a surprise every time. In fact, whenever they needed help from me, it would be a test, because I was so busy at work and there were also a lot of Dafa work waiting for me to do. However, my attitude has been changed. While running into this kind of situation, I would be very happy to stop the on-going work to help them. If I was not available or could not finish it that day, I would make another arrangement to work with them a few days later, because I truly wanted to help them. It was a miracle that I was able to help them smoothly! Many problems seemed to be very difficult when looked at from an ordinary perspective, but I solved them with ease. I squeezed my sleeping time to help them. As I slept very little every day, they perceived that Dafa is supernormal and thus called me a superman. It seems that Dafa work and helping others may be in conflict with each other. Teacher Li mentioned in “To all students at the Nordic Fa Conference: “So during the current process of clarifying the truth and exposing the evil, everything we do is embodying Dafa. Whether we’re clarifying the truth, exposing the evil, or participating in other Dafa activities, including our Fa conferences, we should demonstrate Dafa disciples’ mercy as well as the goodness that Fa-ratification cultivation bring out.”
I thereby tried my best to engage in both matters at the same time by making arrangements beforehand. In addition to the strength obtained from Dafa, I also underwent much trouble. But I endured it patiently, and helped others happily as usual. Everything I did was witnessed by them, and touched their heart deeply. One of them mentioned to me: “You are really magnificent.”
Teacher Li mentioned: “As cultivators, your performance is pure, and many people will feel that you are great when seeing your performances.” Thereby I won their respect and admiration gradually. They thus called me “Falun brother”.
Teacher Li once mentioned that we create the environment. In the beginning, people may have misconception on Dafa more or less. They might have some doubts when I clarified the truth to them, but they gradually perceived Dafa practitioners’ goodness from me. Some people told me: “I think Falun Gong is truly good. If I hadn’t cared about the persecution after going back to China, I would have practised Falun Gong.” They were only with me for three weeks during the Fa-conference in Edinburgh; however, they volunteered to prepare food for our practitioners, and carried the food from a small town to Edinburgh. Though it was something trivial, it was a manifestation of their kind nature. A practitioner asked me the reason why they would like to help us voluntarily. Suddenly, I didn’t know how to answer the question. Fortunately that practitioner himself replied: “Buddha light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities.”
Dafa disciples can change environment. Seeing I am always optimistic and enthusiastic and like to help others, they also became optimistic gradually, and led a happy life with joyous laughter. In addition to getting along well with me, they started to learn English from me. Some of them signed up for the English class in another city that I introduced them to. One of them even called me his teacher after he learned international phonetic symbols and was able to study English with them. They all said that Falun brother is really great.
I became the main topic of their everyday conversation. In their eyes, I was always very busy. Except for work, I went to the library frequently. After coming back in the evening, I continued to study, and sometimes worked until dawn. We often talked about how to study English. To avoid bothering me too much, they came to me only when they really have some questions to ask me. They all knew that I would try my best to help them whenever they ran into any problems. They can now surf the Internet in a public library and download some Chinese software or read the information on Epoch Magazine’s news website, as opposed to confine themselves in the restaurant or the place they live all day long.
They experienced the kindness of Dafa practitioners from me, and started to understand us. They took the initiative to ask for [Dafa truth clarifying] materials from me. They gathered around my laptop to read our practitioners’ articles and my experience sharing articles. They realised that Teacher wants us Dafa practitioners to be considerate of others first in all matters and situations. They realised the selfless realm of Dafa practitioners. One person, after he finished reading my experience article, he said to me, “Now I understand all of you [Dafa practitioners], [what you are doing] is for the sake of [..] others.”
Because of some reason, I had to leave this town to work in another place. They were all very sad. They held on to me and said, “You are too good to be true, we don’t want to part with you!” One person told me that when that “student” of mine talked to him about this, he couldn’t finish talking because if he did, he would cry. They said that if the place I work has a vacancy, I must recommend for them to go there too. In this way, we can be together again. In a short span of three months, beautiful memories were left in their hearts –beautiful memories of a Dafa practitioner.
Being enthusiastic in helping others did not affect me doing Dafa work. On the contrary, the work in my hands progressed very fast and smoothly during this period of time. Due to the restrictions of work and the geographical location, I was unable to participate in group activities of Dafa. I thus created my own [cultivation] environment by doing the desk work of a database. A few databases were completed during this period of time. When I work till six or seven in the morning, feeling my vision becoming hazy in front of the computer, when someone asked me to help but I am busy with Dafa work in my hands, I would used the standards of a Dafa practitioner to deal with the matter. I was still able to do well. Here I am not saying how well that I have cultivated, actually I still have many areas that I have not done well in. In fact, my fellow practitioners are all quietly emitting the radiance of a Dafa practitioner in their own positions. I am only saying that this period of experience let me realise that: Dafa is extraordinary, no matter how difficult, as along as we preserve our righteous thoughts, we will definitely do well.
The reason why I related this story is because there is similar problems in front of us: When we are doing Dafa work, if another fellow practitioner needs my help, but I am busy with the work in my hands, and we are kept busy till late at night, how should we deal with the situation. I think this story has some lessons that we can draw from.
Master said, “His things are your things, your things are his things.” How can this be manifested? This is because what we are cultivating is the righteous mentality of “selfless without self, others first before self”. Whether towards the sentient beings, towards fellow practitioners, we all must manifest the demeanour of “others before self” that a Dafa practitioner possesses. We must not just stop at understanding it from the reasoning “doing it is cultivating”. We should think of others first in everything and everywhere. Fellow practitioners are all doing their utmost in Fa-rectification work, all have important work in their hands, sometimes they are unable to take care of everything from all aspects. When we feel that we are unable to take it anymore, Teacher said, “Steadfast righteous thoughts is the best solution.”
It is not that all of us must all go to do the same thing. But sometimes if we are too obsessed with the work in our hands, we may have neglected the cooperation and aid among fellow practitioners. This is also a loophole. I remember one article on a Dafa website: The gods were watching Dafa practitioners. They were not watching what Dafa practitioners were doing, but whether Dafa practitioners can cooperate and coordinate with one another. Despite what the magnificent reality will be in the end, only when Dafa practitioners closely coordinating amongst themselves will they perform the tasks much better; And we will definitely be able to coordinate well, because we are Dafa practitioners. In fact, Dafa is extraordinary. In “Zhuan Falun ”it is said : “The key to increasing gong lies in our cultivating xinxing and becoming assimilated to the characteristics of the universe. The characteristics of the universe will then not constrain you. Once you upgrade xinxing, the element de will transform into gong that constantly grows upward to a high level, thus forming a gong column. Whatever the height of this gong column, that is the height of your energy level.” “Zhuan Falun” also said : “The higher one’s level, the greater one’s gong potency.” Therefore after we upgrade our xinxing, the constraints of the matter is released much more, the higher our levels we will be able to put into play our functions more effectively. Therefore whatever the situation, no matter how difficult, as long as we are able to hold steadfast righteous thoughts, and use the standards of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance at different levels to measure ourselves, the miracles of Dafa will display itself in front of us.
Teacher mentioned in the section [in Zhuan Falun] on the Celestial Eye: “Because in the course of cultivation practice we try to return to our original true selves, and through persistent practise we will be able to constantly compensate for it and recover it. Therefore, one must pay attention to xinxing. We stress holistic improvement and holistic upgrade.” In the section on heavenly circuit, “This is nothing. When will the practise be good enough? Hundreds of one’s energy channels must gradually become wider, with energy getting stronger and brighter. In the end, thousands of energy channels will join together and turn’s one’s body into one without any energy channels or acupuncture points; they will join together to make one whole body. This is the ultimate purpose of opening energy channels. It’s goal is to have the human body completely transformed by the high-energy matter.” Thus from the perspective of cultivation, the purpose of our cultivation is [to acquire] “the righteous mentality of selfless without self, others first before self ”, always putting others in front of oneself, even if one needs to forbear a bit more. As a particle in Dafa, we are continuously upgrading our xinxing during this period. We are constantly elevating and perfecting ourselves. If every particle can do this, then the whole body will elevate and the whole body will upgrade. Manifested in this period, during the work amongst us, we can be considerate towards others, take the initiative to help others and cooperate and coordinate with one another, until we form a whole body. This is a natural manifestation after upgrading our xinxing.
Master said, “I know that everyone is very busy and having a difficult time, some practitioners even sleep very little every night. Doing so many things, still have to study Fa and certainly also other things. Therefore sometimes I cannot say you have to do this or do that. In the specific matters, it has to depend on everyone to arrange for yourselves. You have to think about how do it and how to better arrange it.”[unofficial translation]
I brought up this issue so that we can do better.
These are my personal understandings, if there is anything inappropriate please it point out.
Translated from
http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200211/14428.htm
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