The Ladder

In the article "Broad and Immense," Master said, "The principles of Falun Dafa can provide guidance for anyone's cultivation practice… This is the principle of the universe, the true Fa that has never been taught…Its broad and immense, profound inner meaning can only manifest itself to, and be experienced and understood by, practitioners who are at different levels of true cultivation. Only then can one truly see what the Fa is." ("Essentials for Further Advancement") Looking back on my seven years of cultivation, though I fell and stumbled amidst tribulations, my xinxing and realm have been rising imperceptibly while studying the Fa and cultivating my heart. My understanding of Master's words quoted above also deepens as days go by. Now I've written a few of my personal experiences to share with fellow practitioners.

1. "Let go of everyday people's attachments, Already a god when obtaining the Fa."

In December 1994, by a predestined relationship, I attended Master Li's fifth lecture series in Guangzhou Sports Stadium together with many professors and technical experts in various areas. Zhuan Falun was not yet published, so many practitioners started their practice by learning the exercises and listening to the audio tapes. Until early 1995 after Zhuan Falun was published, some intellectuals who were only interested in curing illnesses and improving their health began to develop obstacles once they started to read the Fa. Some of them delved into the meaning of each word, using a scientific mindset to judge them. Some were afraid of it being "superstitious," and dared not to practice, which is so pitiful because they "had a predestined relationship but could not enlighten to it." I remember that once, when some intellectuals were studying the Fa, in an attempt to clarify the level and scene of the Falun Paradise, they got into a heated argument. Finally everybody left unhappy.

I was a professor with a fairly good (academic) reputation in Canton (Guangzhou). At that time I was also very confused, but I had already personally felt the strong power of Dafa in purifying my body during the lecture. So I tried to deal with the confusion by thinking in a way contrary to ordinary people: What if everything the book talks about is all true? What if the areas I find mysterious and incomprehensible are the result of my level not being high enough? Wouldn't it be very pitiful to quit so easily just like some people?" So I resolutely eliminated interference, let go of my pride, joined the outdoor exercises and Fa study, and started to read through Dafa. One day I saw a scene in my dream. A group of people including a few of those intellectuals who only delved into the meaning of each word while studying the Fa and I were soaked in mud so deep that it reached the level of our waists. We were arguing over something when a ladder stretched down to the ground from the gloomy sky (it felt just like a heavenly ladder). Some of those uneducated people around us immediately caught the ladder, got rid of the mud on their bodies and started to climb, while these "technical experts" began to debate on what this ladder was used for, what was above, who put the ladder here, and so on. Yet, no one climbed up. I took a glance at them, stopped debating with them, struggled to pull out both legs from the mud, caught hold of the ladder and climbed up….

From this hint, I realized that my choice was right. I had truly stepped onto the path of returning to my true, original self. From then on, I became even more serious in Fa study and exercise, and also participated actively in hongfa [promotion] activities. Very quickly my body and heart were purified. I also unknowingly experienced supernormal abilities described in many mythological stories. For instance, my primordial spirit subdued demons and evil spirits in other dimensions, I could fly at will, precious things in my body emitted light and penetrated walls, and other things like that. Sometimes I was even lifted to a certain level of heaven by sitting on my Gong column. Everything in that realm appeared completely in front of my eyes. This kind of state lasted for 7 or 8 months.

Sometimes, when I took a nap on a sofa in the afternoon, I would enter the dimension where I could fly freely at will like a god. Initially I thought it was just my own personal state. It was not until I promoted Dafa in the country and talked about this to several Dafa assistants in Guangzhou did I know that they had already had these similar experiences. In this way, I improved from a half believer to a practitioner who totally believes what Master said, "Put down everyday people's attachments, Already a god when obtaining the Fa." (From "Saving All Sentient Beings" in Hongyin, Master Li's book of poetry, Unofficial translation) Initially I did not pay much attention to it, but then I became attached to this supernormal state. When I started to show off in front other practitioners, such abilities consistently became locked. But when I encountered interference from demons when promoting Dafa in various areas in Guangdong, organizing group activities, or publishing Dafa materials, my divine side became very strong once my righteous thoughts came out. I would think "I am a god. I am a disciple of Li Hongzhi. The root of my Master is in the universe." Sometimes I could feel lightning flashing, with the assistance of Buddhas and gods, the evil was easily wiped out like "crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood". I was invincible.

2. There is holiness in the Fa. Only with our righteous belief can this holiness manifest

After Zhuan Falun (Volume II) was published, The Research Association sent me a copy by mail. It was noon, almost the end of the work day when I received the book. I was engrossed once I started to read it in the office. The vast and profound theory of the book touched me deeply. Every cell in my whole body and spirit was dissolved into the Fa. I forgot about turning on the light, ignored the ringing phone, and read through the book all the way to the end only to discover that it had already gotten dark outside.

With only a few words, Master revealed heavenly secrets and exhibited the formation and structure of the universe in Zhuan Falun (Volume II). "Actually, the universe is in essence composed of energy. The smaller the substance is, the stronger its radioactivity will be. This is the most essential point." ("Preaching the Law at Lantau Island", Zhuan Falun (Volume II). When I read the Fa, I felt that Master opened my mind and connected it to the universe with my mind penetrating the two extremes of the universe. Once when I sat in meditation, Master's words echoed in my mind. "Many people who possess the supernormal powers have observed the sun. After gazing at it for a while, they find the sun is no longer hot; then they find it's black; and then they find it's a cool world." (From "Degeneration of Mankind and Appearance of Enlightened Beings" in Zhuan Falun (Volume II). Then I felt that I was flying towards the sun. Starting with a bright ball emanating dazzling light, it grew bigger and bigger, into a softer ball of light. Finally I entered the sun and saw mountains and people and more inside it. At that time I just felt that the sun was no big deal at all, my radiation might be even stronger than the sun's. Later on I found I could really look directly at the sun and very quickly make it cool down and turn blue. This ability helped me a lot in my driving in America later on. No matter how dazzling the sun was, I would not be affected by it.

I started to memorize Zhuan Falun since early 1997, and my understanding of the Fa improved. When I memorized the part explaining about other dimensions in the section "Why Doesn't Your Gong Increase With Your Practice," Master let me experience twice the enviable state of the other dimension where "the body can become big and small". Once I felt my body enlarge very quickly. The sun looked like a bright bulb in front of me. I mischievously moved my body so as to observe the shadow of myself reflected on earth. Then I shrunk onto the toy bricks my son plays with. Standing on it, a small block appeared even bigger than Tiananmen Square…

Another time I dreamt that I traveled to heaven with another practitioner. We entered a room in the middle of which were suspended a group of shinning, revolving galaxies much bigger than the Milk Way. Master told us to find where the earth was. We tried so hard but could only find the tiny spot of light from our solar system. Amidst the big bright ball of light it was really just a piece of dust. On seeing this, I further realized how broad Dafa is and how tiny humans are.

3. Righteous Belief and Righteous Thoughts Can Eliminate Evil

Before July 20, 1999, I had already received my passport and visa for a government-sponsored visit to America. At that time the situation [in China] was already very tense, most of the Dafa practitioners who were in charge of local activities were under surveillance. I postponed the trip to America again and again since I could not let go of my work at the assistance centers.

One day when I sat in meditation, Master sent an enlightened being (I could even clearly remember the Buddha name of the enlightened being.) to give me a "Killing Demon Sword" so that I could fulfill my wish. The part of me that was completely cultivated accepted the sword and immediately made a scratch in the area of Guangdong in the human world, and made a wish to completely eliminate all poisonous worms in that area. With just a little lightning from the sword, everything finished in a blink of eye. After coming out of ding, my human side did not fully understand the meaning of this act (this happened before the banning of Falun Gong on July 20). I even asked myself if I had been too relentless. But not long after that episode, the persecution by the evil began. My experience as well as the mild situation in Guangdong for quite a long period of time made me realize that this was an example of Master's compassion to me and to all practitioners in Guangdong.

In September 2000, I attended the parade in New York protesting against Jiang Zemin's persecution of Dafa practitioners. At that time we still held some hope for him. One day while I sat in meditation, I found myself climbing a mountain with many Guangdong practitioners. It seemed just before dawn and the sky was grayish blue. When we almost reached the peak, an elderly female practitioner suddenly shouted to me, "Quick look at the sky, the head of the demons is coming." I took a look and thought "Isn't that the demon face of Jiang Zemin on the photo taken from outer space and published not long ago on the net?" I told practitioners not to be afraid of it, and in the mean time I sent out a powerful thought. "The earth is but a speck of dust in the universe. So what if your demonic face covers half the sky?" I showed my extreme disdain for it. Before this thought was finished, the whole sky began to swirl rapidly just like a Falun. With just two spins in the clockwise and counterclockwise direction, the (face) was completely destroyed. In an instant, the sky became clear and bright, and all stars were repositioned in order. Practitioners jumped for joy, celebrating joyously. Coming out of ding, I realized that for such a vicious and ugly chief demon, it was time to expose it, and eliminate it.

I put together information gathered by disciples worldwide and at once, drafted a notice pinpointing the crimes committed by the chief demon Jiang against Dafa. Since then, its disguise has been removed layer after layer under the combined efforts of both Mainland and overseas disciples.

Since May 2001, Master has endowed Fa rectification disciples the right to eliminate evil with righteous thoughts. This is the first time this has happened since the beginning of the universe. I greatly treasure this opportunity. I say the Fa rectification verse with a pure, righteous heart each time I send out righteous thoughts, thoughts so powerful that they can penetrate heaven and earth. I often sit half an hour (to do it). My experience is, the better we study the Fa, the stronger our righteous belief and righteous thoughts will be, and the better the effect it has on eliminating the evil. In May when we first started to send righteous thoughts as a group, the evil often confronted us in groups within the three realms. Once when we sent righteous thought as a group on top of Stone Mountain in Atlanta, GA, I saw countless evil beings in another dimension gathering into clusters of black fog and floating towards us. Together with other practitioners, I silently recited, "The Fa rectifies the Cosmos, the Evil is completely eliminated."; "The Fa rectifies Heaven and Earth, immediate retribution in this lifetime." I saw a vast Falun forcing the entire three realms to rotate, with thunder and lightning, flaming fire rushed up to the heavens. Disciples also used various supernormal powers, and quickly cleared up a large dimension. Within moments another group of evil beings came floating out from other segments, but were again eliminated in an instant…. Now I find that it is rare that evil beings gather in large groups to go against the Fa. The evil force in the human world has already become like grass without roots. The time for the three realms - this special dimension- to become truly clear and bright is not too far away.

Translated on December 8, 2001 from http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2001/12/3/12736.html