PureInsight | February 17, 2025
[PureInsight.org] The term “test”, as the name suggests, refers to the process of evaluation and examination. It is a commonly used noun. However, when applied to our Dafa cultivation practice, its meaning transforms, taking on a sacred and solemn connotation.
We all know that a student, from elementary school to university and beyond, must face exams to progress to the next level. Each graduation invariably requires passing an exam. No matter how many years of education one completes, failing a graduation exam means not receiving a diploma, which society will not recognize. Isn’t that so?
Our Dafa cultivation practice operates in a similar manner. At every level of improvement, there are tests—small tests lead to small improvements, while significant tests lead to substantial advancements. Especially for us as practitioners, the ultimate perfect test we face is even more critical, more stringent, and profoundly sacred. This is because, as stated in Zhuan Falun, "the goal of spiritual practice—to ultimately become enlightened, or divine."
Below, I would like to share some of my understanding of the concept of the perfect test.
1. Ultimate Test for Perfection
From the 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, we can observe that whether in Buddhist or Daoist cultivation, regardless of the school or lineage, their disciples must go through an initial entrance test and a final test for perfection. The test for perfection can be categorized into two types: group tests and individual tests. As we know, Daoist cultivation or practices passed down in a single lineage typically focus on individual tests for the disciple. In Buddhist cultivation, especially for us as Dafa practitioners with a large number of disciples, in addition to individual tests, there may also be tests aimed at achieving overall perfection as a collective.
Veteran practitioners have already experienced such tests. Today, I want to share some insights based on my personal experiences of two group-level tests, primarily for those fellow practitioners who have not been cultivating for very long and have yet to face such tests. I hope these reflections can provide some guidance.
2. Failure to Pass a Test
Although I am a veteran practitioner who obtained the Fa at the end of 1994, my understanding of the Fa improved very slowly. For many years, my comprehension remained at an emotional level rather than a rational one. So, in 1999, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its full-scale persecution of Falun Gong, I felt lost and unsure of how to respond.
Master said in A Prophecy as Reference from The Essentials of Diligent Progress II, " the year 1999, seventh month / From the sky will come a... Terror / In order to bring back to life the... king...” refers precisely to the few people with ulterior motives in the Central Committee of the CCP using their power to initiate a comprehensive, vicious suppression of Dafa and Dafa disciples. They have arrested people, beaten people, sent people to labor camps, sentenced people to jail, and destroyed the books; they have used the army, the police, secret agents, and diplomatic means; and they have used all radio stations, television stations, and the press to spread lies and carry out the persecution in a villainous fashion. Its overwhelming magnitude seems to threaten to bring down the sky, while their evilness has spread throughout the entire world. With degenerate notions, the old forces arranged this for the purpose of “examining” Dafa in a destructive manner."
This was a major test for Dafa disciples worldwide, especially in Mainland China. At the time, many practitioners in our area planned to go to Tiananmen Square in Beijing to validate the Fa. Naturally, as a Dafa disciple, I wanted to go too. However, my shallow understanding of the Fa meant that my intention to go to Beijing was not based on the enlightened resolve to let go of life and death to validate the Fa. Instead, I harbored a human mindset, imagining I could fight and struggle against the CCP like the student protesters of the "June 4th" movement, hoping to achieve victory through such efforts.
Thus, when I boarded a train to Beijing, I hadn’t even reached my destination before the local police tracked me down. They intercepted me and took me straight to the Beijing Railway Station Police Station, then transferred me to the Fengtai Sports Stadium. Two days later, the local police escorted me back to my hometown.
Master said in Rationality from The Essentials of Diligent Progress II, "Getting arrested is not the goal. Validating Dafa is what’s truly magnificent, and it is to validate Dafa that you step forward. Since you step forward, you should try to succeed at validating the Fa—that is the real goal of stepping forward." I came to understand that although I had physically stepped forward, my xinxing had not reached the required standard. As a result, evil exploited this gap, blocking my efforts. Since I didn’t achieve my goal, this test was a failure for me.
Master said in Teachings at the Conference of Changchun Assistants, “Opportunities like that certainly don’t come around often. Perhaps in the future there will be other forms—perhaps there will be, perhaps there won’t. This is all unknown. But if you don’t change yourself fundamentally you won’t pass them regardless of how many chances there are.”
I understand now that the reason for failing the test is due to the lack of solid cultivation. I haven’t fundamentally transformed myself or truly understood the principles of the Fa on a rational level. Without solid cultivation and a strong foundation, claiming to let go of life and death at critical moments would be nothing more than empty words.
3. Another Opportunity
After the major test on “July 20”, 16 years passed, and in 2015, Master compassionately gave us another rare and significant test—the “Suing Jiang” initiative.
Through more than a decade of tempering in harsh environments, my understanding of the Fa, like that of other practitioners, had elevated from an emotional level to a rational one, gradually maturing.
So, when I received the “Suing Jiang” notice from the Minghui Editorial Department, I understood that this was another major test for Dafa disciples—a test to examine whether we could let go of life and death and move toward perfection. I thought to myself, I didn’t do well in the last test, but this time I must meet the standard.
When discussing this matter among local practitioners, some questioned the notice, asking, “If it’s a notification, why isn’t it published directly on Minghui’s website? Why send it through email?” This reflected doubt about the notice’s authenticity. Some practitioners were enlightened to the fact that since the evil forces also monitor Minghui, publishing the notice directly could alert them, enabling them to interfere and obstruct the process. If that happened, could the “Suing Jiang” initiative still succeed? Others expressed concern, saying, “We’re using our real names and addresses to sue Jiang—isn’t that openly inviting the evil to arrest us?” From an everyday person’s perspective, this might seem like a valid concern. However, if we view this matter from the perspective of cultivation, it’s entirely different. What is a test? What does it mean to let go of life and death? What does it mean to progress toward consummation?
When I came to understand these principles, I made a firm decision to follow Master’s requirements. I then began drafting my letter of complaint about Jiang Zemin. After finishing, I copied it seven times. Two copies were sent to the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, two copies to our provincial high court and procuratorate, and two copies to our city intermediate court and procuratorate. When I sent these letters via registered mail at the post office, I had two remaining copies prepared for our district court and procuratorate. Since the district court was close to where I lived, I decided to deliver them in person. However, when I delivered the complaint letter to the district court, the staff there, after reading it, said, “We don’t take this here. You should go to a higher-level authority.” I replied, “I am reporting this step by step. I’ve raised this issue with you, and whether you handle it or not is your decision.” In truth, this approach was to align with ordinary human reasoning.
The day after sending out the letters, I checked online and found that all six institutions had provided a receipt, confirming they had received my letters. I then submitted my situation regarding the complaint to the Minghui Editorial Department in accordance with their notice.
From mid-May 2015, when Minghui Editorial Department issued the notification, to May 31, Minghui.net publicly released the first list of 232 Falun Gong practitioners nationwide who had filed complaints against Jiang Zemin. The list included each practitioner's name, address, and a brief description of their persecution. When I saw my name on that list, I was truly overwhelmed with emotion. I deeply understood what this meant as a Falun Gong practitioner and cultivator. How could I not feel immense gratitude to the Master for giving me this opportunity again?
4. Summary
Because my name was publicly listed on Minghui, I instantly became a well-known figure among local Political and Legal Affairs Committees, the "610 Office," public security departments, and neighborhood offices. Naturally, I also became a key target for their surveillance and prevention efforts.
Despite this, from the time of the "Suing Jiang" initiative until I left China—over a span of more than three years—although I faced many tribulations, not a single department of the Chinese Communist Party ever brought up the matter of "Suing Jiang" to me. Nor was I ever harassed because of it. Why? Because in this matter, I demonstrated faith in Master and the Fa, let go of life and death, and dared to use my life to validate the Fa. I passed this test as a qualified Dafa disciple.
Master said in Teachings at the Conference of Changchun Assistants, "Every incident, every occurrence of such magnitude, is the best test and best opportunity for students to make that best step toward Consummation. Some of us were able to step forward. Some felt that they [did the right thing by] not making a move for the sake of actual cultivation. If Consummation is at hand and you still won’t move, I wonder what you would move for. You don’t really want to achieve Consummation and only want to cultivate. What are you cultivating for? Aren’t you cultivating for Consummation?"
In conclusion, I hope all Dafa disciples can cultivate themselves well, become disciples who pass their tests, and follow Master to return to our true home.
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/293671
