PureInsight | October 18, 2004
[PureInsight.org]
1. Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions
Practitioner 1: Coming to Manhattan really feels like being on a main battlefield where not a single moment of slack is allowed. Even with the slightest slacking-off, the evil will take advantage of you. When handing out flyers, holding the banners, or holding anti-torture exhibitions, we need to constantly have righteous thoughts. For the past several days the dark clouds were above us, but with our righteous thoughts it didn't rain at all.
Practitioner 2: I've acted the torture victim in several anti-torture exhibitions. If I sent forth righteous thoughts before acting, there would be less interference. One time I sent forth righteous thoughts before acting and as I continued while sitting in the cage, I felt my energy field turning into waves being emitted outwards. It was very beautiful. On another occasion, as I sat in the cage and sent forth righteous thoughts, I felt I was floating in air. Nevertheless, one time when I relaxed a bit during the acting and didn't send forth righteous thoughts, I felt pain all over while sitting in the cage. One day I when sat on the "Tiger Bench" during the exhibition, a Caucasian lady approached me with a smiling face and compassionately touched the soles of my feet. I nodded at her and she smiled and walked away. Later when I thought about her smile, I couldn't help have tears roll down my face because I was happy that she understood the truth.
Practitioner 3: Handing out truth-clarification information should not be the same as handing out advertisement flyers, but rather handing them out with righteous thoughts. It should be done from the heart and by telling them, "The Great Fa that you've been waiting for has arrived." When people walk by we should say, "Falun Dafa is great." In addition, I would think, "If you don't awaken, I will awaken you." With these kinds of righteous thoughts, many people would take the flyers. If I relaxed a bit and didn't care if people took the flyers or not, the results would definitely not be good.
Practitioner 4: I feel that we need to take the initiative in whatever we do, including holding posters, holding banners, handing out information and explaining the facts. Several of us practitioners held up posters in Manhattan at one time and formed a mini parade. Some held posters; some explained the facts and some handed out flyers. The march got better and better, and many people accepted the handbills and spoke with us.
Practitioner 5: Compassion can melt everything. Four of us practitioners got together on one occasion and two of us demonstrated the exercises while the other two handed out materials. As I demonstrated the hand gestures, I felt a strong compassionate energy that made tears well up my eyes. Many people came and took materials and a few came to take pictures and ask questions. I had a feeling that in the near future, many people would come and understand the truth about Dafa and would awaken. During this process, two persons came and interfered with us. Passersby suggested to us to call the police and they helped us get rid of the two persons.
Practitioner 6: If we walk a righteous path, then our energy fields will touch and melt people's hearts. Today as the anti-torture exhibition was coming to an end, everyone was tired. There were very few practitioners still there and only one practitioner handing out flyers. Two elderly female practitioners had been holding a banner for quite some time, so I walked over and relieved them. I held the banner on my own and stood there watching the unconcerned worldly people ignore the anti-torture exhibit right before their eyes. I felt tears in my eyes as I thought, "Unconcerned worldly people, even now you have not yet awakened and you may think that this anti-torture exhibit is nothing other than a street sideshow." I started sending forth righteous thoughts and right away a large group of people approached us and surrounded us. They focused right in and I saw in their eyes compassion and concern. This process made me realize that whether or not we are using a god's righteous thoughts or using human notions to handle situations is a decisive thought.
Several times we had conflicts over how the posters and anti-torture exhibit should be arranged. Later I realized that these matters aren't important. What's important is where our hearts and minds are and what affects common people - our selfless contributions and selfless acts are what affect the worldly people.
Practitioner 7: A few times we held anti-torture exhibitions without permits. Initially I didn't tell other practitioners about it and I would send forth righteous thoughts on my own. Later I realized that we were one body and that I should let the others know. When the others found out, they didn't waver as well. We did what we were supposed to do and nothing happened. When the police officers nearby understood the truth, they even told us that they were protecting us. What I've experienced in the past few days is that when we cooperate well as a whole, many things go smoothly. If we don't cooperate well, then there will be much trouble.
Practitioner 8: In order to allow everyone to be at peace when handing out flyers and holding anti-torture exhibits, I was assigned to look after everyone's belongings and miscellaneous other things. I thought since I'd been designated to take care of the task, then I should do the job well because everyone has his/her own assignments. So I did what I could do. While looking after the bags I held up a poster for passers-by to view. I would turn the poster toward the crowds and someone actually ended up taking a picture of me.
The Story of a Pot's Glass Cover
Due to the special circumstance of the Fa-rectification in Manhattan, more than ten Toronto practitioners rented a place together. These people all have different backgrounds and different lifestyles but yet managed to live and eat together, even when new people kept replacing the previous ones. We've lived in that place since August. Due to certain lifestyle issues we've had many conflicts and disputes. Here is an example.
One evening we had arguments over minor issues, a few related to lifestyle habits and the others related to anti-torture exhibits. At first, no one was willing to give ground, and instead brought up other issues that had accumulated over time. Everyone's attitude was uncompromising which made the atmosphere very tense. The discussion went on until the early morning hours. The next morning, three hours later, everyone got out of bed and discovered the glass lid of a pot had shattered into pieces by itself. A very good pot cover shattered into pieces just like that.
During experience sharing the next evening, we all reflected upon ourselves - about our words and actions the night before. We all recognized our attachments and mistakes and recognized the solemn nature and special circumstance of this Fa-rectification in Manhattan. In this environment, the Fa has much higher and stricter expectations for us. This Fa-rectification in Manhattan is an issue that concerns the entire body, so if the entire body has conflicts, then Dafa disciples' energy fields would be counter-productive and thus result in a weakening of the entire body's strength. This is exactly what the evil wants.
After going through a period of time where conflicts and conformity took place, our group has become very much at peace. The ten or so people had many touching stories to relate. Even though they are trivial, insignificant and minor, we feel that these touching stories can't be ignored and must be recorded.
There were always practitioners who would take care of various chores, such as grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning the bathrooms, tidying the rooms, and planning what to purchase. There was one practitioner who would cook for everyone. He would let others eat first and he would finish the leftovers. Sometimes, when too much was left over, he would eat it the next day. Another practitioner would quietly do things for the group. Even when others had doubts about or issues with her, she would ignore them and continued to do the everyday chores.
During battles in the olden days was this saying, "Before the great army moves, the food and hay come first." It was exactly because of these practitioners who were always silently giving and sacrificing for others that the big troop was able to rectify the Fa in peace every day. Every day, everyone would return home to home-cooked meals and didn't have to worry about everyday chores. Because the entire body cooperated within, a lot of time was saved and this allowed everyone to have time to study the Fa, share experiences and practice the exercises. Our environment became more and more peaceful and serene. When there were contradictions, everyone was able to let go of oneself. When a conflict did occur we would discuss it and achieve compromises without taking the conflict further. Everyone used righteous thoughts and righteous actions, influencing each other and harmonizing the entire body in this environment.
I would like to point out another issue for discussion with fellow practitioners. There have always been practitioners who do not view daily living as part of cultivation. To them, it's as if only distributing materials, clarifying the truth, and holding anti-torture exhibitions are part of Fa-rectification. The fact is that without practitioners who are meticulous and always giving, the whole body in this environment would be in a mess. The Fa-rectification in Manhattan belongs to the entire body. Master said in "Touring North America to Teach the Fa," "Remember back when you first started to send forth righteous thoughts? Those evil beings that were persecuting Dafa disciples came over immediately, lining up in formation and beating their drums." When the evil forces attack Dafa practitioners, they know all about lining up in formation so we should also use the strength of the entire body to face the evil and cooperate well in every way. Only when the entire body is harmonious and in collaboration, can we eliminate the evil and save sentient beings.
Translated from part 1: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2004/9/27/29279.html
