PureInsight | August 26, 2008
On July 16, 1993, Master came to Qiqihar (a city in Heilong Jiang province) to give classes and teach the Fa. I was lucky to attend the class. Since then I have been walking on the most significant path in my life. During the last 15 years, as I have kept on studying the Fa and cultivating my xinxing (mind-nature), and as I went through all kinds of tribulations, I felt more and more how miraculous Dafa is, how profound Dafa is, and how lucky and happy I am…
1. Establishing my predestined relationship with the Fa
On July 13, 1993, some of us qigong practitioners went to the City Qigong Association to ask whether any qigong Master was coming to our city. We were told that our city invited the secretary general of the China Qigong Science Research Association, Li Zhinan, and the founder of China Falun Gong, Master Li Hongzhi to give classes. They gave us copies of the China Sports Newspaper, which had an introduction to Falun Gong. They also gave us some tickets for the classes. So after we went back, we read the introduction and were immediately fascinated by the “Falun” that the newspaper introduced. Two days later, six of us went to the qigong seminar. First, Li Zhinan gave a qigong report. Then he introduced Falun Gong to the audience. He talked highly about Falun Gong. He said that his inviting Master Li Hongzhi was fulfilling a promise he made to the qigong practitioners of this city several years ago. (Please note: Li Zhinan came to our city many times to give qigong seminars; once he promised that he would recommend the best qigong Master to us.) I personally felt that Li Zhinan was conscientious, knowledgeable and honest, thus I thought the qigong Master whom Li Zhinan recommended must be very good. At the end of Li Zhinan’s seminar, he invited Master Li Hongzhi to adjust the bodies of everyone in the audience and asked Master to start the seminar. When Master appeared on the stage, I saw Master had a benevolent and kind look and great breadth of spirit. But at the same time, Master was also courteous and affable. I was greatly impressed without being aware of it. When Master adjusted our bodies, I felt my whole body was very warm, which relieved the pain I had felt for years. While listening to Master, I was attracted by the cultivation of mind that he described, being kindhearted following Buddha Law, as well as the dual cultivation of nature and longevity. The next day we all eagerly attended Master’s class.
At that time, I had already been practicing Buddhism for two years. I had learned many qigong practices but my cholecystitis (gall stones), neurosis and rheumatoid arthritis were still the same. Later on, I focused more on reading Buddhist books, hoping that could free me from my karmic debts. I was focusing more on Zen Buddhism. I can still remember that in order to find “self” and understand “self,” I spent day and night repeating, “I am who? Who am I?” As a result, I got a headache and nausea. One year later, I still didn’t know who I was. At that time, I admired Huineng, the sixth patriarch in Zen Buddhism, and felt that his enlightenment was so good. I criticized myself for my poor inborn quality, and I was often dejected that I didn’t live at the same time and in the same world with the Buddha. When I learned that Falun Gong was one of the Buddha schools, I was very happy. I attended Master’s class because I was still thinking of “taking the best of every school” and I wasn’t aware that Falun Gong is beyond all of Buddhism.
However, once I was in the class, what Master taught was way beyond what I learned in Buddhism. Moreover, I had never heard many of the things before. I was very confused at that time. When Master mentioned Sakyamuni, Master didn’t suffix his name with “Buddha,” but Master explained so clearly and so well about compassion, xinxing and the relationship between gong and xinxing. Naturally, I had the question: “Who is this Falun Gong Master? Is he beyond Sakyamuni or below?” On day four, I couldn’t help asking a Dafa disciple who came there with Master. I asked him directly, “Is Teacher Li beyond Sakyamuni or below?” He smiled, “Go and study the Fa well. Teacher Li is far beyond Sakyamuni!” I doubted his answer, but on the other hand I thought if it was true I would be really lucky. Perhaps Master knew my doubts. In the following days, Master mentioned clearly that Sakyamuni, Jesus, Laozi, etc. were around the classroom and guarding the field. Master also mentioned that he bore a lot of suffering to save sentient beings. At that time I didn’t fully understand what Master meant. After so many years, now I understand deeply that in order to save us, Master bore enormous sufferings and tribulations! It is beyond description!
After I got to know Falun Dafa, due to the fact that I had studied Zen Buddhism before, I often compared the books Falun Gong and Huineng’s Platform Scripture of the Sixth Patriarch. After careful thinking, I felt Falun Gong was beyond average, thus I wanted to attend more Dafa classes. It was really as they say, “a wish come true.” Under Master’s arrangement, I took advantage of three business trips to attend the Dafa classes in Dalian, Harbin and Guangzhou. Otherwise, there was no way for a busy person like me to have time to travel to other cities. I remembered that in the Guangzhou class, I asked Master a question related to Buddhism. Master’s answer completely convinced me of Master’s “level.” My question was, “Is the Falun Holy King you mentioned in your past lectures the same Falun Holy King that was mentioned by Shakyamuni in The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra?” Master answered, “In history, Buddha Shakyamuni did mention the Falun Holy King. Buddha Shakyamuni mentioned things about the Law Wheel and the Falun Holy King many times before. When people later on tried to recall those things Buddha Shakyamuni said, they could no longer fully express them. So people later on couldn’t understand the original meaning of what Buddha Shakyamuni said, which caused misinterpretations. Then, things like ‘silver wheel,’ ‘iron wheel,’ ‘bronze wheel,’ etc. came about, which were all made up by people afterwards. And they talked about Buddha Shakyamuni turning the Law Wheel and so on. With regard to that, Buddha Shakyamuni was not at all talking about turning the Law Wheel himself. Buddha Shakyamuni was able to predict the future, and he saw and knew that such a thing would happen in the future” (Zhuan Falun Fajie – The Law of Zhuan Falun Explained, “Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Guangzhou”). I felt Master was so familiar with The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra that he knew very well about the gold wheel, silver wheel, iron wheel and bronze wheel and he could even correct the scriptures. I further thought that the reason Master knew The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra so well was not because Master had read it before, but because Master saw what really happened 2500 years ago by using his “divine power of Buddha Fa” (Fofa Shentong). What’s more, I knew that many monks didn’t know about The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. For example, once I went to Lingyin Monastery in Hangzhou, and when I asked the monks some questions regarding The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, they said that they had never read it before. Not only did our Master know The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, but also Master knew the wording of the “four wheel kings.” As you may know, the book The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is very thick! It takes at least 30 minutes to find the paragraph about “the four wheel kings.” But Master said it on the spot. At that time, based on my knowledge, I firmly believed Master was beyond Shakyamuni. Now when I look back, I realize my perspective in judging whether Master’s level was high or low was totally based on human notions, not based on my understanding of Dafa. However, it was enough for me to decide to cultivate and enlighten in Dafa.
Speaking of enlightening in the Fa, I can say confidently that not only are my illnesses all gone, but also I have really enlightened to who I am and have enlightened to the principles of the Fa at my level. I feel happy and lucky to have chosen the right way to return to my original self. I didn’t enlighten to any of this in studying Buddhism in the past many years. Looking back at the “sudden enlightenment” in Zen Buddhism, it is nothing but letting go of one’s attachments quickly, such that one can see his Buddha nature, namely his “true self.” Today’s people are unable to enlighten this even if they chant, “Who am I? I am who?,” because today’s people have enormous karma and human notions. How could they see their “true self” all of sudden? But cultivating in Dafa, even a person with enormous karma like myself could still achieve this!
2. Enlightening to the Fa regarding “pulling teeth”
When Master came to Qiqihar to teach the Fa, the most important and unforgettable lecture for me was the one regarding “pulling teeth” which everybody knows. This lecture is in the section “Hospital Treatment and Qigong Treatment” in Lecture Seven of the book Zhuan Falun. This lecture will be kept forever. Speaking of “pulling teeth,” back then, lots of ordinary people in Qiqihar witnessed it. I met the guy many times at the second entrance of Longsha Park. He was pulling teeth for people and selling his medicine. The extracted teeth were as high as a small hill. As I look back, that scene is still so vivid in my mind. But I never thought such a small thing would one day become part of the law of the cosmos, implying high-level and profound principles.
At that time, Master stayed in the Wuyi Hotel, which was near the second entrance of Longsha Park. Sometimes Master took a walk in the park in the morning. Many people saw him. A practitioner once saw Master cure a disabled kid. That kid was unable to walk on his own. Master saw that and asked his parents to let the kid walk alone. Under Master’s guidance the kid started to walk slowly by himself. His parents were so happy. When they hugged the kid with joy and looked for the benefactor, Master had already gone. Master always silently taught his disciples by his own actions.
Master put the story of “pulling teeth” into Zhuan Falun to reveal high-level and profound Fa principles. It looks like the story of “pulling teeth” is an example that Chinese ancient herbs are better than modern Western medicine. However, from this, I enlightened to the principle that nothingness exceeds existence. Because the invisible yellow vapors of the chemical solutions could loosen the deeply rooted teeth even when just touching the outside of the patient’s cheek, it must travel in another dimension. The sophisticated instrument in the dental office, although it can remove the tooth, is often a painful experience for the patient. In comparison, it is inconvenient for both the dentist and the patient. So this lecture breaks away from our modern scientific notions and also tells the high-level and profound principle of “nothingness.” Similarly, when I look at our sending forth righteous thoughts nowadays, I realize that it is just like the yellow vapors that can pull teeth. The vapors are invisible but can pull teeth; our righteous thoughts are invisible too, but can eliminate evils, bypassing mountains and rivers, bypassing tall prison walls and iron wire mesh. Our righteous thoughts are like the strong yellow vapors, only stronger and more powerful. Eliminating evil is like pulling a tooth from a tiger’s mouth. It seems very hard, but our righteous thoughts can completely eliminate the dark minions, wicked CCP (Chinese Communist Party) spirits and meddlesome demons. This power can’t be achieved by any of modern technology’s fighter planes or missiles. It manifests the high-level principle: “A forward move, myriad things come into being; A step back, all turns to nothing, forever to be a mystery” (Hong Yin II, “Nothing”).
Today I wrote out my enlightenment about “pulling teeth.” I hope all my fellow practitioners look at the evil as small teeth. Though the teeth might be hard, let’s send forth strong righteous thoughts to uproot them in other dimensions, and then pop them out by the flick of “Quitting the CCP.”
3. The hardships of teaching the Fa
Master ran into many obstacles when he taught the Fa in Qiqihar. I remember that on day three, there was a very unusual rainstorm, which caused much inconvenience to Master and practitioners. Some people in the class also made trouble. For example, a guy who sat behind me talked nonsense all the time. When Master talked about something, that guy always talked about something opposite. However, everyone just ignored him. In the end, in that righteous field that guy went off without being seen.
In order to save money for Dafa practitioners, the tuition for the class was very low. At the beginning, the tuition was 42 Yuan (about $5 US) per person. Several days later, it was only half the price. As a result, 300 people attended the class on the first day, and by the last day, there were 400 people. The fee collected from the whole class was not much. Besides, according to the contract, a certain percentage of the fee was given to the local Qigong Association. The Qigong Association was after money. Therefore, they were unhappy that the tuition for the class was so low. When the class ended, the Qigong Association didn’t even offer a ride for Master to go to train station. In order to save money for Dafa practitioners, Master sacrificed dignity and convenience. On the last day of the class, Master and the staff members didn’t take a break and went directly to catch the 11:00 PM train.
I remember that on the last day, because Master didn’t want us to go to the train station to see them off, we stood at the front door of the Culture Palace where Master would see us on his way to the train station. Each of us had tears seeing Master off in the dim light of night.
When recollecting the days when Master taught the Fa in Qiqihar, the happiness, precious memories, Master’s boundless grace and the wonder of Dafa are beyond description. Simply put: I am really lucky to practice Dafa in this human life! When we obtained the Fa, our eons of waiting ended. The happiness of obtaining the Fa is like eating honey. Nothing in this human world can compare with it. Master’s compassion and wisdom, Master’s demeanor and smile, Master’s care and effort……will forever stay in Qiqihar and in the heart of every Dafa practitioner.
For me, no matter how big the tribulation I need to go through, I will walk firmly on the path that Master has laid out until I reach consummation!
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2008/6/30/53576.html
