The Buddha-Light Illuminates Everywhere

Preface

She walked toward me slowly and appeared to be very old and weak. As the parade of Dafa practitioners passed her by, I went up to her and gave her a copy of our newspaper. She gestured toward her purse and said that she had gotten a copy already. I then took out a beautiful bookmark and offered it to her. She stopped, took out an identical bookmark from her purse, and said, “I have that too.” Watching her honest yet long-suffering face, I could not stop myself from putting down my backpack and taking out a copy of our booklet “Women of Conscience.” When I handed it over to her, she accepted it with both hands. With a touch of disbelief, she carefully asked, “Is this really for me?” I nodded my head, bid her goodbye, and turned to leave. She suddenly turned around and said in a slow but determined voice, “Please stay, we need good people.” For a moment, I did not know how to respond. From my teary eyes, I saw a boundless blue sky in front of me. As we “use benevolence to spread the Fa and offer people salvation (from “Rationality”), we are also the ones that are being saved and elevated.

Dafa Aims Directly at One’s Heart

When we heard that Congress was considering a resolution in support of Falun Gong practitioners in China, another local practitioner and I immediately decided to go to Washington DC a week ahead of the experience sharing conference being held there. A year ago in July of 2000, I had visited the offices of a few congressmen from my home state with several other local practitioners. Back then I thought my goal was to spread the Fa and to garner support from them. Later, my understanding on this improved. The truth is that we are not asking them for support and help, but instead the reverse is true. We are simply using this form of action in the human society to give them a chance of obtaining Dafa. Because of this, when I participated in a number of similar activities later on, I was able to let go of many ordinary human attachments that placed too much emphasis on the results. My feelings this time have changed yet again. This time, I knew clearly that we were participating in the Fa rectification effort. Because of that, I knew the importance of our work. I kept on asking myself, “What do we have to do in order to be considered as participating in Fa rectification?” I did not quite know what the real answer was. Many congressional offices keep receiving faxes and letters from us. In light of that, it became even more necessary for us to increase both the power and depth of our message as we clarified the truth to them. I told myself that as long as my actions conformed to the standard of the Fa, I would naturally do the job well and also gradually come to understand what the right approach is.

In the morning of July 16, we began to send our righteous thoughts from our hotel room after practicing the exercises. Afterwards, one thing became clear to me: Dafa created everything, and everything was designed for and used by Dafa. If anything does not meet the standard of the Fa, it is something that we need to use the power of the Fa to rectify. We should try our best because we understand our responsibilities and the importance of our work.

We then left for the Capitol. Most of the Congressmen and their chiefs of staff were in their offices that Monday. We felt like uninvited guests, knocking on one door after another. We dragged a huge bag filled with packages of Dafa material with us. Because our plan was to cover close to fifty congressional offices that day, we were in somewhat of a hurry. This mentality caused immediate problems for us. As we carried around this type of energy field, everyone we met was in a hurry as well. Even though in most cases we were able to meet with staff members in charge of matters concerning us, because we did not have prior appointments, their attitudes were rather poor. Each conversation was very brief and lasted only a couple of minutes. It was obvious that they were just trying to fulfill their duties in a perfunctory manner. The situation became very obvious to us after the first few visits. We both felt dizzy and tired. It seemed that we could not find the right words to express ourselves. We immediately decided that we needed to take a break. We went outside, sat down on a bench near the street, and began to examine ourselves inwardly. We realized that we needed to change our own mentalities first, and we should not allow ourselves to be influenced by the external environment, including the rudeness and indifference of the people that we met. At the same time, we started to send our righteous thoughts to eliminate the interference. A mere ten minutes later, our heads became clear. Things began to change right after that. The officials that we met with became more patient, and we were also more at ease. Some congressmen gave us appointments in the same afternoon, and many conversations lasted well over fifteen minutes

Taking part in the Fa rectification process is a serious task. If we have problems within ourselves, the interference from the outside will start to show up. If we cannot correct ourselves in a timely manner, everything that we did would be controlled, and we would feel powerless. Therefore at all times, we need to solidify our Main Consciousness!

That evening after we went back to the hotel, we started to study the Fa and discuss our experiences during the day. We discovered many problems within ourselves. We realized that sometimes our own attachments to certain things weakened our message. Because of that, once the discussion started, we would sometimes lose track of the big picture and begin to concentrate on specific subtopics. Even though on the surface it seemed that we were making a lot of sense, the truth was that we were ignoring the people that we were meeting with. Once we started to focus on specific topics of discussion, the other people would feel that we were asking for their support. Once this “selfishness” surfaced, the Fa would restrict us because of our own attachments. If we genuinely wanted what was best for him/her and knew that the reason that we were doing this was to open up their own benevolent thoughts, the words that we spoke would be completely different. Many times during that day, I felt that I was talking with my mouth and not my heart.

Once I realized this, many of the knots that I had tied around myself began to disappear. In the past, we had spent a lot of time discussing “how to deal with people” and “what are some of the good techniques.” But I still could not find the answer to one fundamental question.
Nearly all of us look ordinary and appear unremarkable. Sometimes we cannot even express ourselves clearly because of the language barrier. It is so easy for the governmental officials and congressmen to overlook us. We do not carry a large number of votes, nor do we have the ability to make large financial contributions to their political campaigns. On the surface, our issues lie so far apart from what they are most interested in. There is no political pressure to them at all if they do not want to support or help us. For many congressmen, there is not even a single Falun Gong practitioner in their district.

Then how could we still do this? I thought and thought, and came to a sudden realization. This is the majesty and greatness of Dafa. The Great Way is formless and aims directly at one’s heart.

During this special historic period of Fa rectification, all beings are being re-positioned. The only thing that decides a person’s proper position is Dafa. It is the only standard. We are simply its messengers and bridges. The more ordinary and plain we appear to be, the easier it is for the true nature of Dafa to shine through. It is entirely up to each individual to choose how he wants to respond to it and what thoughts occur to him. If the opposite were true, if we had many “strengths”, techniques and fame in the eyes of ordinary people, then they would use these things to make decisions after giving careful consideration to what they stood to gain or lose.

Only Dafa practitioners are given the privilege of “assisting the Teacher to rectify the Fa.” Of course, this process also includes tests to our xinxing standards and steps to establish our own mighty virtues. Master Li said in Zhuan Falun, “The second requirement is that you should not add personal things to Dafa.” I have been enlightened to a deeper inner meaning behind these simple words. We need to place Dafa above all else at all times. We need to use our purest hearts and greatest benevolence possible to participate in the Fa rectification process. Even though we talk about human rights and persecution, which on the surface appear to be topics discussed in the ordinary human society, we need to be conscious of the fact that we are Dafa particles and have been rectified. The foundation of our words needs to be based on the Fa. Only then can we carry the power and majesty of the Fa when we clarify the truth. Because our states are higher than those of ordinary human beings, as long as we have pure and righteous hearts, the Fa will correct everything. Therefore there should be no such things as public relations ploys, proper techniques, brilliant strategies, or VIPs, who are given such titles based on the notions and class structures of ordinary humans and on the basis of how “useful” they could be. As we clarify the truth, when we say some people are VIPs, we are saying that others are not. The truth is that in this dimension we have no idea who is really important and who is not. If we try to do so, the first, immediate, implication is that we have searched for things externally, which does not conform to the principles of the Fa. The second thing is that this is a deviated notion and we should not use it at all. In the Fa rectification process, we cannot mix in anything that is impure or deviated. The rectification of Fa means rectifying everything that is deviated. How can we let it take advantage of gaps that remain in our minds?

Good or bad results depend on one’s heart. A difference in one single thought could bring different results. That evening, I also gained a deeper understanding of “Expounding on the Fa.” During the Fa rectification process, we need to use our righteous sides to look at things and suppress the human thinking at all times. Only then can we enlighten to the principles of Fa, free the sides of ourselves that have cultivated well, and do things according to our “enlightened, original nature.” Therefore, I have come to understand that as long as we are clear-headed and do not allow ourselves to be restricted by anything in the human society; we are free to use all forms of action in the human society. As long as Dafa particles participate in a certain activity, its results and developments will be altered. As long as Dafa participates in a certain activity, that activity will have contributed to the Fa rectification process. Master Li said, “Even if only a tiny bit [of your body is fully cultivated], even if one cell of the human body reaches a realm beyond the Three Realms (one becomes an Arhat upon going beyond the Three Realms, so the cell reaches the realm of Arhat), it would dominate your entire body (from “Lecture at the Conference in Europe”).” Therefore when tens of millions of Dafa particles melt into the Dafa rectification process without waiting for or depending on others, “As long as something is good for Dafa, you should take the initiative to do it, take the initiative to work on it (from the article “To All Students at the Nordic Fa Conference).” If all of us do that, won’t the moment when the Fa rectifies the human world be coming soon? Therefore, Fa rectification means rectifying ourselves first. Once we position our hearts properly and improve our states of mind, everything will change accordingly. If our states of mind do not improve, then we are just humans doing things for Dafa.

“Bitter Efforts and Overcoming Difficulties”

When we went back to the Congressional Offices the next day, it was as if I had turned into a different person. I was filled with energy, and we no longer worried about whether we would have the opportunity to meet the right officials in each office. Instead we began to treasure every person that met with us. I started to realize what a precious opportunity it was for each of them. It is not everyday that they have the opportunity to meet with Dafa disciples. I began to treat everyone equally, whether it was the secretary that answered the phone or a powerful congressman. I told all of them the same facts of persecution of Falun Gong in China. Each time, I made sure to stress that they were being persecuted because they persisted in their beliefs in “Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance.” I reminded myself over and over again to mention these three words. The people with benevolent thoughts will remember them in their hearts.

That Tuesday was an especially busy day at the congressional offices. The vast majority of important staff members were either working on legislative drafts or attending meetings outside of their offices. It was a good opportunity for us to spread the Fa to other staff members, such as secretaries and receptionists. We made many trips up and down the halls of the building. On the surface, it appeared that we were trying to make appointments with the key officials. In reality, we were clarifying the truth to all the “ordinary” staff members. In many offices, the person on duty changed from day to day. Everywhere we went, we saw the sympathy and support that they felt after learning the truth. Many of them did everything they could to help us. On the final day, we were finally able to talk to key officials in two offices, and the conversations went very well. We could tell that the words spoken that day came from the bottom of our hearts. I was genuinely glad for those who “supported” and “helped” us.

The person that left the deepest impression was a legislative aid in one office. He started his job only a week earlier and looked like a young summer intern. After he talked to us, he said that the Congressman was traveling outside of DC, and he had to go through other legislative aids in the office if he wanted to talk to the congressman on our behalf. But because of his persistent efforts, that congressman signed on as a co-sponsor to the resolution. As I talked to everyone, I also did my best to correct some of their notions, such as whether this resolution would be effective against a “dictator.” I tried to use my own personal experience to explain the power of Dafa in just a few words. I knew that I brought with me the power of Dafa. Despite repeated refusals, we visited those offices where nobody wanted to see us at least three times, and left behind packages along with a note, to make it easier for the person who agreed to pass along the information to read the truth. We fought through the occasional cold indifference and our own fatigue. We were both extremely determined and clear-headed. We asked ourselves to do our best regardless of the attitude of the people that we met. I did not feel a trace of anger or sadness when we were being treated rudely. All I felt was a great benevolence. Only one thought occurred to me, “This is so sad for him. This is so sad for him. Maybe he is having a tough day today. Hopefully he will be given another chance in the future.”

Wearing uncomfortable dress shoes, we walked up and down the hard marble corridors again and again. Once, when we were too tired to walk, we sat on a bench outside to read a passage from Zhuan Falun. When we casually flipped open the book, the first thing we saw was the section where Master Li talked about how wandering around in society is quite difficult. Our understandings deepened from our real experiences, and Dafa gave us the power to continue.

On the third day, we delivered packages to congressmen from three states other than our home state. We knew that the deadline for a congressman to sign on as an original co-sponsor was that evening. Time was running out. Under normal circumstances, our efforts to get more co-sponsors for the resolution were unlikely to be fruitful, but we also knew that the results were not important. What was important was the actual process. At 4:30 PM, we went to visit the final out-of-state congressional office on our list. The receptionist said that we might be able to talk to the legislative aid half an hour later. She gave us a business card, and told us to call back half an hour later. We read on the card that that person was only a temporary employee, or maybe just a summer intern. However, we thought that, no matter who she was, it was a good opportunity for us to meet with her and clarify the truth to her. Therefore we decided to wait. Half an hour later, we called back and were told to wait another 15 minutes. When we called back again, we were told that she was still attending a meeting, and we had to wait some more. We finally decided to wait for her in her office. Just as we were walking toward that office, a person that we had never met before saw us in the corridor. He noticed the Falun Gong badge that I was wearing, and immediately asked, “Falun Gong?”

When we answered yes, he immediately invited us to his office and eagerly talked to us. He said that he had been following Falun Gong stories faithfully, and had been supportive of us for several years now. When we took out a copy of the resolution and asked him if he thought his congressman would consider being an original co-sponsor, he grabbed it from us and said, “Of course, no problem.” We told him that the deadline was that evening, and it was already after 5 PM then. He said that he would place the call immediately. His congressman’s name indeed appeared on the list of original co-sponsors for that resolution. Only after we stepped out of his office and read the nameplate outside did I know which state he was representing. His state was not on the list of states that we had planned to cover. If everything had gone according to our plans, we would have never met him. Was our encounter purely coincidental?

The three-day session at the US Congress made me understand the meaning of “Bitter Efforts and Overcoming Difficulties” in Master Li’s article “Buddha Nature and Demon Nature.” What we need do is to be persistent, steadfast, hold on to our beliefs firmly, and overcome all difficulties in “assisting the Teacher in the human world.”

Translated from:
http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2001/8/6/11182.html