Memories of April

[PureInsight.org] Several years ago, in April, was the first time I met Ning Xin. I was new to Falun Gong back then. I had heard that the Teacher had published several new books and articles. Practitioners told me that I could get them from Ning Xin, but by the time I reached him he had already run out of books and articles. Nevertheless, he was warm and offered to help me locate the local coordinator who had more books.

It was about seven in the morning and neither of us had eaten breakfast. "Let's get something to eat," I said. I was quite hungry after traveling a long way to find him. At that time my xinxing was like that of an ordinary person. Since I was asking him for help, I didn't want to seem too stingy and offered to buy each of us a bowl of fried noodles with eggs. Ning Xin said that he wanted something simple and just ordered a bowl of plain noodles in a clear broth. After the meal, I went to pay, but found that he had already paid for our food while I wasn't paying attention. I felt a little embarrassed.

Following breakfast, I wanted to call a cab to pick us up, but Ning Xin shook his hand and brought out his bicycle. With a wide, sincere smile, he said, "Let's ride my bike. You can sit in the back. It's convenient and I guarantee you a smooth ride." What else could I say? I just did what he said.

We moved quickly through the streets on his bicycle. White cloud puffs were floating in the blue sky. The air was clean and refreshing due to water that had just been sprayed on the streets by street-cleaning trucks. My heart was pure; my eyes were clear and my mind was as broad as the blue sky.

The second time I saw Ning Xin was in April of 1998. It was at a Falun Dafa experience sharing conference attended by about 200 people. Ning Xin was one of the speakers. The first time I met him, he was so down-to-earth that I was surprised to learn at the conference that he was a college graduate and had a very good job in the city's finance department. He told us about an example of cultivating xinxing at his job. Every holiday season during the city's budgeting process, the companies looking to receive favors would give the employees at the city's finance department free shopping vouchers or gift certificates. As a Dafa practitioner he didn't want to take advantage of others by accepting the certificates. But on the other hand, if he refused them, others would be offended. So he locked up all the free vouchers and gift certificates in his drawer. This story made a deep impression on me. As Dafa practitioners cultivating xinxing, shouldn't we first improve ourselves by doing small things well?

That was the last time I saw Ning Xin. In April of 2000, I asked many friends about his situation. A friend heard from another person that Ning Xin had became a Falun Gong "fanatic." He refused to be "transformed" by the government and was said to be "obsessed" with the practice. Indeed, in today's Chinese society, others would call one a fool for being a good Samaritan. How could Ning Xin not be considered "obsessed" for practicing Falun Gong, as the minds of the public are filled with lies!

In a later April I was put in a detention center and lost my freedom. My inmates were robbers, burglars, gang members, thieves, scam artists and drug users. Every day was like a year. The most educated amongst them had only graduated from junior high school. Most had not even completed junior high. Some of them were extremely unreasonable and hard to get along with. The "strange" thing was that none of them thought I was a "fanatic." Even they knew the Chinese dictator Jiang could not tolerate the increased number of Falun Gong practitioners and began to persecute Falun Gong out of fear of losing his power. Some of my fellow inmates had previously shared prison cells with other Falun Gong practitioners, so they knew that Falun Gong cultivated Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. They knew that Falun Gong practitioners do not tell lies or fight with others. Even during the most difficult time the detained Dafa practitioners were clarifying the facts to people. Some inmates told me, "You're a prisoner of conscience. You are also an intellectual and are well educated. We will not bully you. One day your case will be overturned."

It was also here in detention that I heard a most touching story. About 20 days after I was placed in the detention center an inmate who was in his 60's was transferred in from another city. After hearing that I practiced Falun Gong he told me about two female Falun Gong practitioners in the detention center that he had came from. Both practitioners were around 30 years old. The older one was a high-ranking official at the local education bureau with a promising future (perhaps a deputy chief of the bureau). Everyday the two women insisted on doing the sitting meditation exercises and clarifying the facts to the inmates. Their actions angered the detention center officers. The officers used wooden planks to hold their hands against the wall for a long period of time. Everyone is made of a flesh body and they had cried and screamed at the pain, but they never gave in.

The elderly inmate commented, "How steadfast these two girls were! The detention center officers said that if they sign a pledge promising not to practice Falun Gong, they would be released right away. But they refused to do it. They were put in the detention center for a year and a half and were sent to a labor camp two weeks ago."

My heart was weeping when I heard what the elderly inmate had said. How firm and courageous are these two practitioners! Since then the thoughts of them followed me and accompanied me through the most difficult days. In the detention center I continued to send righteous thoughts and clarify the facts to fellow inmates. It was Teacher's words and encouragement from fellow practitioners that forged my strong, unshakable faith.

Once again it is April and I feel as if I can hear the quick growth of these fellow practitioners. Although we might live in the same city I can not meet them face to face, but in my heart I will never forget them. They are my true friends and family. Without Teacher and fellow practitioners the blossom of my life would wither. How I want to get together with my fellow practitioners and continue our lives, jobs and studies! Most importantly I yearn to share with fellow practitioners understandings on cultivation, unearthing our own shortcomings, and making diligent progress together!

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2004/8/1/28479.html