PureInsight | September 17, 2014
[PureInsight.org] Greetings, Master. Greetings, fellow practitioners.
I’d like to share my experiences of participating in the signature drive in Michigan.
I obtained the Fa in March 1996. Since then I have never stopped Fa study or doing the exercises. All my diseases were gone after cultivation, and I felt so happy and relaxed physically and mentally. After July 20, 1999, I personally experienced the evilness of the communist regime’s suppression of Falun Gong. I was kidnapped twice and suffered torture during the illegal detention. With Master’s protection and fellow practitioners’ rescue efforts, I was able to be released. Although on the surface I was set free, I found out the police still tracked and monitored me. My daughter in the US asked me to leave China as soon as possible, so I came to the US and started a new course of cultivation during the Fa-rectification.
Here I can freely practice, clarify the facts to people without interference, and expose CCP’s brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. As time went by, I got to know more and more persecution facts. I realized as overseas practitioners, we bear great responsibility of exposing the CCP’s atrocities and helping reduce the persecution suffered by practitioners in China.
Joining the signature drive
When I heard CCP’s live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China, I felt extremely sad, as if my organs were taken out. I decided I must clarify the truth to Chinese people as well as local Americans to expose the evil that had not been seen on this planet, and offer salvation to people with a predestined relationship. Falun Gong practitioners’ rational and peaceful anti-persecution has lasted 15 years. For me, in addition to calling Chinese people to persuade them to do the Three Withdrawals and to help with Shen Yun promotional projects, I have participated in the signature collection to stop the CCP organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners.
When I first joined the effort, I felt without speaking English it is hard to directly collect signatures. So another elderly practitioner and I just demonstrated the exercises and sent forth righteous thoughts to help clear the field of surrounding areas.
Master said, “If the vast majority of the people in this world today have really come from high levels to obtain the Fa, think about it--they aren't just some simple beings, then. Even a Tathagata represents a gigantic group of beings. But they aren't limited to Tathagatas--those who've come to the human world all have great abilities. Many cosmic bodies' Kings and Lords have come here, and they represent gigantic cosmic bodies.” (“Touring North America to Teach the Fa”)
Thinking of Master’s teachings and seeing people passing by without signing the petition, I felt very anxious. I couldn’t fall asleep after going home. What should I do?
Master said, “Pause for a moment of self-reflection, and increase your righteous thoughts
Thoroughly analyze your shortcomings, and progress with renewed diligence”
(“Rational and Awake” in “Hong Yin II”)
I got up and searched for cardboard boxes and wooden sticks to try and make display panels for the signature collection. The big carton could be placed on the ground with a stent for people to read the facts; the small ones could be held in the hands to collect signatures. I taped on the panels printed documents with vivid and detailed facts made by fellow practitioners. From then on I started the cultivation of collecting signature to stop organ harvesting.
Breaking through notions
I am a senior who cannot speak English or drive a vehicle. I have to ask others to drive me to places and I don’t want to burden young practitioners. However, for the sake of saving people I should put down this concern. When there are large-scale events, such as an auto show in Birmingham and Artfest in Ann Arbor that many mainstream American people attend, those of us living in the senior apartments would call around other practitioners to give us a ride. At the events, we expose the CCP’s atrocities and call on people’s consciences.
Take the recent Ann Arbor Art Fest for example, here is what I did:
I put the big display panel on the ground standing, and held a few small boards in my hands so that I could ask several people to sign simultaneously. I kept moving from one place to another to find more people. I would start with a simple “hello” to attract attention, then hand them the board and flyer to let them know the reason of petition. People understood right away by reading the flyer. Although I could not understand what they said, I could tell they were very sad. An old lady even burst into tears after reading the flyer, it must be that CCP’s atrocities aroused her anger and compassion. After signing the petition, some would go bring their families to sign; some had passed me then saw the big display panel and came back to sign. I really feel happy for those kind hearted people.
In addition to spectators, I went to each booth to collect signatures. The booth owners also signed right away after reading the flyers and oftentimes customers at the booth would sign the petition too. The whole process was very smooth, as if those people were waiting for us to find them. I realized that I had broken through the notion that elderly practitioners could not collect signatures from being unable to speak English. That day I collected 315 signatures. I enlightened that as long as one has the heart to do it one can achieve it; and essentially all are done by Master.
Looking inward to save the day
Cultivation is serious, cultivation during Fa-rectification period is more serious. We should constantly remind ourselves not to indulge in human thoughts. When I attend truth clarification activities and make phone calls to persuade the Three Withdrawals, I often remind myself to keep righteous thoughts and righteous actions. In the trivia of daily lives, however, I sometimes forget I am a practitioner. Here is a lesson.
One morning in July, I wanted my husband to help me scrub the rust on the pot, but his friend came in asking him to help repair a car. I was not happy and thought, “You want my husband to help repair your car, then you should help me scrub the rust.” I lifted the pot and before I knew it, “bang”, my whole body fell to the ground. My foot and hand both swelled up, and my rib also mustered up. I had pain and fever all over my body. I immediately realized I was wrong. Master told us as a cultivator if you fall down you should enlighten to it. I shouted out, “Master, I was wrong, I was wrong!” I realized I was very selfish and not willing to let my husband help a friend. I started to send forth righteous thoughts right away, “I am a disciple of the Lord of Buddhas. I do not allow the old forces to persecute me even though I have omissions. I do not acknowledge anything that my Master doesn’t acknowledge.” Since I looked inward and negated the old force’s arrangement, the pain quickly disappeared. I saved the day and continued to do housework. This is a profound lesson to me. We should always be vigilant of the interference from human thinking and attachments, so as not to leave a loophole for the old forces to take advantage of.
Last, I’d like to revisit with my fellow practitioners the first paragraph of Master’s “Lun Yu”:
“‘The Buddha Fa’ is most profound; among all the theories in the world, it is the most intricate and extraordinary science. In order to explore this domain, humankind must fundamentally change its conventional thinking. Otherwise, the truth of the universe will forever remain a mystery to humankind, and everyday people will forever crawl within the boundary delimited by their own ignorance.”
Let’s “fundamentally change conventional thinking”, strive forward together firmly and diligently, and save more sentient beings to be worthy of Master's merciful salvation!
Thank you, Master. Thank you, fellow practitioners.
