Resolutely Eliminating Tribulation

[PureInsight.org] I obtained the Fa in the spring of 1996 and have cultivated for 18 years. However, because I didn’t internalize the Fa and my enlightenment quality was poor, my xinxing upgraded very slowly. I ran into many difficult tests and tribulations and took a long time to eliminate them.

One night a few years ago, the teeth on the right side of my mouth began aching. They ached no matter whether I stood, sat, walked or curled up. The next day, I looked in the mirror only to find that the right side of my face had become so swollen that my mouth was off-centered to the left. Any food that touched my teeth would cause pain, so I had to slowly spoon-feed myself with porridge. I sold merchandise for a living. I didn’t give the pain much thought and still went out the next day with my facemask to sell merchandise and clarify the truth. Halfway through the day, I felt like something was pricking my cheeks. I gently felt it, and my teeth hurt so badly they exploded and burned my gums. I immediately took off my facemask and began ripping out and throwing the pieces of broken teeth onto the ground. The customer said to me, “Why did you come out today when your face was so swollen? What are you throwing on the ground?” I replied, “Teeth.” That person responded, “You’re so ruthless. Why don’t you go to the hospital?” I replied, “It’s nothing.” That person took the merchandise and left. I pushed my cart forward and felt another tooth moved and I ripped it out too (it didn’t hurt at all). Three to four days later, the teeth on the right side of my mouth had healed, my face was no longer swollen and I could open my eyes. However, the same situation then occurred on the left side of my face, which became so swollen that my mouth was off-centered to the right. This time, my teeth didn’t explode, and my gums didn’t burn. However, a small piece of my gums fell out of the left side of my mouth (it didn’t hurt at all). I was surprised when I saw it in the mirror. Two of my teeth’s roots were showing. I thought to myself, “I’ll just let it be!” I went to sell merchandise as usual. Three days later, my entire face, mouth and teeth recovered normally.

I was very happy and became too engrossed. The evil exploited this loophole and another “tribulation” came. This time my face was not swollen, and my teeth didn’t hurt. However, my bottom teeth felt like cotton. Whenever they touched food, it felt like they were collapsing inward and unstable, so I couldn’t eat. My husband sent me to the hospital. The doctor said, “Your gums won’t last much longer. When they stop swelling, I’ll take them off for you!” Right then I understood: I am a Dafa disciple. Master said, “But how could a divine being have ordinary people administer treatment on him? And how could ordinary people heal a divine being's sickness? (Applause) (Teacher laughs) These are Fa principles. But often the case is that you really don't come across as having all that strong of righteous thoughts. When you can't handle yourself well, then go ahead. If your mind is unsteady, that means you are not meeting the standard to begin with, and prolonging the process won't lead to any changes. And if someone holds out for the purpose of saving face, that is adding attachments on top of attachments. In such cases there are only two choices: You either go to the hospital and thus give up on trying to overcome the test, or you completely let go of everything, behave like an upstanding and noble Dafa disciple who has no resentment or attachments, and leave it to Master to arrange whether you stay or go. When you are able to do that, you are a god” (Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles). Thus, I decided to go home.

My child said, “No mom. If you don’t have money, I’ll pay for it.” Even the doctor shouted as I left, “You can’t leave this untreated. Let me give you some medicine first.” I said, “I don’t want any medicine.” I dragged my child away and left. As I walked, I told my child, “I’m not going anywhere else. I’m just going to listen to Master!” As I walked, Master’s Fa appeared in my mind again, “And whether you can cultivate, that all depends on whether you can endure, whether you can make sacrifices, and whether you can take the hardship. If you’re able to steel your will, no difficulty can block you, and I’d say it’ll be no problem” (Zhuan Falun). Master’s Fa strengthened my righteous thoughts even further and reinforced my tolerance and faith. I also realized that the teeth are sentient beings as well, so I should communicate with them. “Teeth, you are sentient beings. I am a Dafa disciple. The fact that you grew in my mouth was your wise decision. You’ve done well in these past ten years, so I thank you!” Before I obtained the Fa, two big teeth in the back of my mouth had holes in them, and the nerves were showing. The nerves would frequently ache and cause my brain to ache as well. I thanked them from the bottom of my heart. “It is now the very end of the Fa-rectification period. I will first promise to you that I will cultivate myself well, but you must coordinate with me too. You must assimilate to Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. Grow well and stable, and walk with me to the day when the Fa rectifies the human realm, and you will definitely have a good future.” Just like that, I became resolute and stopped worrying about them. I focused on doing the three things Dafa disciples should do, clarified the truth as usual, and then everything became better. The tribulation had been eliminated. It has been four to five years now, and my teeth have behaved well. I can eat whatever I want. I could even crack and eat pumpkin seeds at weddings!

Another “tribulation” I have is when I meditate or send forth righteous thoughts, a pressure frequently builds up from my ankle to my calves, where the pressure starts pushing outwards. It is so extreme that it feels like my calves are about to explode. The pain is intense and makes one cry, especially because it keeps coming back over and over again. It happens around three times each time. That’s when I became resolute and recited Master’s Fa, “It’s hard to endure, but you can endure it. It’s hard to do, but you can do it” (Zhuan Falun). I asked for Master’s reinforcements, and this “tribulation” was eliminated as well. It has not reappeared since.

After several experiences of resolutely eliminating tribulations, I deeply understood that the process of becoming resolute is the process of having more faith in Master and the Fa and strengthening one’s righteous thoughts. Once you become resolute, you must do what Master said, “We’ve also got to have great endurance”, “Practitioners have to endure”, “Maybe you can endure it but you can’t get it off your mind. That’s not good enough”, “When you can really do that, then you’ve achieved the initial Arhat Fruition” (Zhuan Falun). Only when one has the ability to endure, sacrifice and suffer can one eliminate the “tests” and “tribulations” along the cultivation path.

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/140067