Click on the below-mentioned, numbered subjects:
- Welcome
- What’s Happening?
- Essays on Cultivating Xinxing (1): Attitude toward Other Practitioners' Attachments
- The Phenomenon of "Falun Dafa Is Good"
- Persevere in Studying the Fa
- Interesting Stories from Falun Gong Exercise Practice Sites -- Predestined Relationship
- Walk Our Paths Well
- Thoughts on Breaking Through Old Force Arrangements
- 1. Welcome
Welcome to the April 2009 Falun Dafa India Newsletter.
In this issue, we have a compilation of experience-sharing Articles gleaned from Clearwisdom that always shine through because of their insights and fine quality of sharing. It is important to read the Clearwisdom, Pureinsight and other Dafa sites.
We make an effort to select Articles from the Archives which people don’t go back to and are relevant even today. Contributions are welcome from practitioners.
Heshi! Hope, you like the selection of Articles and gain some new insights!
Note: "All the contents in this newsletter - except for quotations and excerpts of writings of the founder Mr. Li Hongzhi - are only ideas and experiences of practitioners and do not represent Falun Dafa in itself."
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- 2. What’s Happening?
The Bangalore practitioners had a 3 day session from 24 to 26 March at the College campus at Tumkur on the outskirts of Bangalore.
Practitioners in Mumbai conducted a workshop from 27 to 29 March at the Times Foundation.
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- 3. Essays on Cultivating Xinxing (1): Attitude toward Other Practitioners' Attachments
By Yunni
(Clearwisdom.net) Other practitioners' attachments used to bother me, especially when they were obvious, such as the competitive mentality, big egos, not being considerate of the overall situation, and even, under certain circumstances, lying. I regarded all of this as bad behavior even before I started cultivation. When I saw it in some practitioners from time to time, my heart was always moved. I knew that cultivators should sincerely follow the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance." I also understood that they were not perfect embodiments of those principles. Each and every one of the practitioners, including myself, has to go through a process of constant improvement and make breakthroughs from their different starting points. Still, I was obsessed with their attachments and seriously disturbed. How could practitioners behave like that? It was unbearable for me.
In studying the Fa and in everyday life, I got some hints that I should let go and open my mind to see what Fa-rectification disciples are doing in the world, and what they are going to accomplish in the future. Seeing that, how can I not let go of what was bothering me? For quite some time when I encountered similar problems I would think, "Yes. I should let it go, but..." On second thought, I turned back to the usual way of looking externally, "It's somebody else's attachments... What is there that I should let go of?"
I saw that some other practitioners had the same confusion. With continued Fa-study and self-reflection, one day I came to some understandings. First, other people's attachments are their deficiency. If I could kindly point it out to them and help them do things better, I should do it. It is a reflection of treating others with benevolence.
Secondly, it is not benevolent to have an opinion, or a conclusion about someone just because he has held onto his attachments for a long time. Dafa teaches us to deal with the matter without holding anything against the people involved in it. In other words, in any situation, we ought to support each other, be tolerant, and improve together, rather than having bad thoughts about others because of what happened in the past.
Thirdly, other people's attachments cannot be excuses for us to have attachments or to not cultivate ourselves. When our hearts were moved by their attachments, isn't it through our own attachments and emotions? Why didn't I cultivate myself, rather than looking for faults in others? I didn't cultivate my own heart when something happened. I was still blaming others. Isn't it obvious that I have an attachment I haven't let go of? Shouldn't I let go of it and make progress in assimilating to Dafa? Master says in "Lunyu",
"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."
At the Fa-conference in Singapore in August 1998, a practitioner asked a question, "I don't understand why certain Dafa cultivators do not assimilate to the Fa and lie." Master answered,
"Letting you expose your weaknesses during frictions among one another is how I enable you to improve most rapidly. Nonetheless, as soon as you encounter a problem, you push it aside and point out others' shortcomings instead of examining yourselves. How can you cultivate, then? This is precisely the best way that I enable you to improve. So you must turn your mindset around. As to our students telling lies, there are indeed some people who exhibit poor xinxing. If you can help people like this, then point out [the problems] to them. But I think that it's still up to them to make real improvements. If they don't study the Fa themselves, no problem will be resolved. Put another way, however, improving themselves is their own business. If they fall behind and don't want to improve, it's they themselves who won't make it in cultivation."
Here, the phrase "you must turn your mindset around" was repeated. Conflicts cannot be used as excuses not to cultivate ourselves, or to justify not being kind to other people.
Understanding all this, my heart became more peaceful, tolerant, and patient. With Master's benevolence and tolerance I am able to keep on cultivating and improving. In the future, I will try to be more benevolent, open hearted, and more like a Dafa disciple in the Fa-rectification period.
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- 4. The Phenomenon of "Falun Dafa Is Good"
By a Falun Dafa Practitioner from China
(Clearwisdom.net) I had been thinking to myself after reading a few articles about miracles that had occurred after someone said, "Falun Dafa is good" and "Truthfulness, compassion and tolerance are good." While many colleagues, friends and relatives know the truth of Falun Dafa, even though they are not opposed to Falun Dafa, they may not readily follow my suggestions to read the Fa and do the exercises. However, if miracles could happen when you ask them to say "Falun Dafa is good" and "Truthfulness, compassion and tolerance are good," then they might accept those suggestions.
I am not so sure that it would work for everyone at first, so they might stop saying it before it has had sufficient time to take effect. Therefore, I was afraid of asking people to say, "Falun Dafa is good." I thought that my difficulty was probably related to the insufficient development of my own moral character. If I had doubts about it myself, then I wouldn't be able to convince other people, let alone validate the Fa and save sentient beings.
One of my colleague's father-in-law was once involved in an auto accident. He was over seventy years old and suffered severe internal injuries accompanied by edema in his chest. His abdomen had become distended, both legs were fractured and he was in critical condition. Seeing my colleague so worried, I began to feel compassion in my heart, and thought that I must save his elderly father-in-law. After briefly clarifying the truth of Falun Dafa to my colleague, I told him to please ask his father-in-law to say, "Falun Dafa is good" and "Truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance are good." Perhaps then, he would be miraculously saved. It will work if the heart is sincere. Then, I told him the miraculous stories that I had read on the Internet, in which liver cancer patients and patients with fluid accumulation in chest were completely cured by saying, "Falun Dafa is good." The next day, my colleague appeared very happy. He said that it had been a real miracle. His elderly father-in-law's edema was gone and he had begun eating again. He said that he felt much more energetic. Previously, he would have had to undergo exploratory surgery to check his internal injuries. I said, "Teacher Li is the one who is taking care of your father-in-law. The old gentleman should keep saying "Falun Dafa is good" and thank Teacher for this favor." After going home, he suggested that his father-in-law say, "Teacher Li is good; Falun Dafa is good." After two weeks, his father-in-law was released from the hospital, and after two months, had completely recovered. The old man was so thankful that he knelt on the ground. Indeed, his whole family was thankful to Teacher and Falun Dafa.
After researching five similar cases, I have reached the conclusion that by saying "Falun Dafa is good" and "Truthfulness, compassion and tolerance are good," the divine, miraculous power of Dafa is precipitated. Teacher bestows these supernormal abilities upon us so that we might use them to save sentient beings. These abilities are both effective and convenient, and they are the keys that open the doors for sentient beings to obtain the Fa. At the same time, utilizing these words demonstrates that the divine, miraculous power of Dafa is not just an idealistic teaching, but is something of supernormal science. Meanwhile, they enable those who accept the truth of Falun Dafa to be instantly rewarded.
Nowadays, everyday people have become very grounded in "reality" and their inclination toward attributing anything to the divine is very slight. Many people have such poor enlightenment quality that they would do so only if they saw a personal benefit. Despite this situation, Dafa can still create opportunities for sentient beings to learn Dafa. When we clarify the truth, if the party seems to understand, we can ask them to sincerely say, "Falun Dafa is good." They will certainly be rewarded.
Many practitioners know people who have suffered from major illnesses or calamities. If those people truly want to become kinder people, and they can sincerely say, "Falun Dafa is good," then Dafa will certainly show its divine, miraculous power. The power of the cosmic Dafa is boundless. A Great Bodhisattva does not display its power just because the human heart is unrighteous and unwilling to accept the existence of the divine, or because humans exhibit a reckless disregard for the divine consequences of their actions. Therefore, we can instruct those people who understand and accept the truth of Falun Dafa to say, "Falun Dafa is good." This will reduce their karma and they will also be rewarded. Many things in the new cosmos await our creation of them.
In "Teaching the Fa at the Discussion on Creating Fine Art," Teacher said: "You've followed me here to save sentient beings. And the meaning of our saving sentient beings also includes how we save human morality, how the people who are saved will be in the future, how they'll live, and what kind of conditions they'll live in. In other words, Dafa disciples are not only saving sentient beings, they're also blazing a true path for the existence of human beings." If just one person is seen to have benefited from saying "Falun Dafa is good" and "Truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance are good," then those around him will see the power of Dafa and will validate Dafa. The lies that are propagated by the state-run Chinese media will be exposed. From the few examples that I have personally experienced during truth-clarification, I can relate to what Teacher said: in "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference.""As you clarify the truth, the words you speak and the energy you emit have the effect of intimidating and eliminating the evil. You are crucial in determining whether the beings in this world stay or get eliminated." If we do well and maintain powerful righteous thoughts, many more sentient beings will be saved. Finally, let's be encouraged by Teacher's poem, "Falun Dafa Is Good," and take another solid step toward our grand wish to save sentient beings.Dafa Is Good
The colossal firmament illuminated by the Fa's light
Only after the immense force of Fa-rectification sweeps through
Are the boundless wonders known
Falun Dafa is good
Gradually entering the human realm
The sentient beings need not worry
Gods and Buddhas are already smiling
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- 5. Persevere in Studying the Fa
By a Taiwan Practitioner Living Overseas
(Clearwisdom.net) I thank Teacher immensely for arranging me to witness the iron will of a fellow practitioner who persevered in studying the Fa. Somehow I feel in my heart that it is important to share the story with those fellow practitioners who might encounter the same type of interference from time to time when studying the Fa.
I recently made a trip back to Taiwan. During my stay I often went to the practice site nearest to my parents' home in the morning for group exercise and Fa study. On a particular chilly, windy morning, practitioner A and I were the only ones attending the group practice. After the practice, we decided to study one chapter of Zhuan Falun together before we left.
When we were half way through, A's voice gradually subsided. She stopped and said, "Why don't we call it quits for the day and finish off what we started tomorrow morning? I stayed up clarifying the truth to Chinese people on the chat rooms until 2:00 AM. I feel I could fall asleep any minute." Just when I was about to get up and bid her farewell, A sat down again and declared, "No! I must not leave! I must finish studying one whole chapter of Zhuan Falun! How can I be so easily defeated by the evil?" I saw a sheer determination to combat the evil interference register on her face. An admiration of her righteous thought grew in my mind. I encouraged A with a smile.
"Let me send forth righteous thoughts first to eliminate the interference," A said. I immediately followed. To help A combat the evils, I focused powerful thoughts on saying, "I shall eliminate all the evil interfering with A's Fa study right now," after I finished saying the formulas.
As we proceeded in sending forth righteous thoughts together, I could feel that peace and tranquility had been restored in her energy field. Afterwards we resumed studying the Fa with ease, with improved focus and very keen senses. Before we knew it, we had finished reading a chapter. She looked up at me with a truly happy smile, and I saw her eyes sparkling with joy and her face glowing with the kind of radiance you find when a Dafa practitioner has truly studied the Fa.
"I know how you feel," I thought. I have always felt this happiness when I have truly studied the Fa.
I thank Teacher immensely for letting me witness a fellow practitioner successfully combat the evil interfering with her Fa study. I was truly moved beyond what words can describe. From then on, I would think of her and her iron will to combat the evil forces every time I felt distracted or sleepy during Fa study, and I would combat the evil forces with the same determination.
I hope that, by sharing her story, we will spread her righteous spirit like a fire on the prairie, and we will never let the interference get to us ever again.
I'd like to tell you another rather inspirational story.
I had the opportunity to attend a local experience-sharing gathering in Taipei where a group of Mainland practitioners were invited to share their personal Fa-rectification experiences in China. B, a practitioner from China who spoke that day, was detained in multiple prisons and labor camps where she successfully rectified the environments with her righteous thoughts and actions.
Finally she was transferred to a psychiatric institution where she was first given a general anesthesia that knocked her into unconsciousness, and then was administered eight large bottles of mixed unknown drugs for two whole days during unconsciousness. When her husband visited B, she stared into the air without blinking and drooled all over her pillow. The "doctor" at the institution announced that she was a goner, and that she would never regain consciousness, or walk, for the rest of her life because those drugs had caused direct permanent damage to her central nervous system. The hospital had to release her, but within three days B was able to do the sitting meditation and read Zhuan Falun. A week later she was able to walk again.
"How did you do it?" That was the question we all had.
"I think I was able to walk this Fa-rectification path from a little uncertainty to a complete faith in Dafa because I have been studying the Fa diligently. I acquired the Fa 1½ years before the persecution against Falun Gong began in China. During those 1½ years I would devote each and every weekend completely to studying the Fa. I read from morning until bedtime every weekend. If not for the good foundation I had built by studying the Fa diligently, persistently, and thoroughly, I feel I would not have had the adamant faith in Dafa that truly helped me validate the Fa and combat the evils when I was totally alone, surrounded by the allies of evil in those evil environments."
Studying the Fa will surely reinforce our faith in Dafa, but on the other hand, I have come to understand from A's experience that persevering in studying the Fa is also a manifestation of faith in Dafa.
It is pretty obvious that the evil old forces will stop at nothing to shatter our faith in Dafa, for when our faith is weak every effort we make becomes fragile. We mustn't satisfy them even one bit. This is why it is so important to persevere in studying the Fa.
This concludes my understanding on the subject. Please kindly point out anything erroneous.
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- 6. Interesting Stories from Falun Gong Exercise Practice Sites -- Predestined Relationship
(Clearwisdom.net)
Falun Gong has always been taught for free at practice sites that are now in over 60 countries around the world. Falun Gong is often practiced outdoors and this has allowed many people to learn more about the practice. Here are some short stories of how people discovered Falun Gong.
Madrid, Spain
There was one lady from Venezuela who came and stood transfixed watching the exercise practice at a site in Madrid. When practitioners gave her a leaflet, she said: 'I don't need a leaflet; this is definitely what I want.' In fact, she said two days ago she had a dream and in the dream she kept repeating some movements and heard a voice telling her, 'This is just what you have been looking for over thousands of years.' At that time, she did not know what it actually meant until today when she passed by our practice site and saw practitioners doing the same movements she did in her dream. Soon after, she started to learn Falun Dafa's movements. One week later, she also brought her husband and daughter to the exercise class.
Paris, France
One day, a lady from Peru came to the Paris Falun Gong exercise site to learn the movements. As soon as she came out of the underground, she started to run because she did not want to be late. At once, she heard a voice in her mind: 'Don't run, don't worry: you have already discovered the thing you have always been waiting for.' When she arrived at the exercise class, she told everyone her amazing experience; her eyes were filled with tears.
Santiago, Chile
A 14-year old student who lives near the Santiago practice site, once looked up the phrase 'sitting in meditation' on the Internet and found Falun Dafa's website. He then discovered the movements showed in the pictures on the web were exactly the same as the people at a practice site outside his house were doing. He soon switched off his computer and went out of the house. He only needed to cross one road and he was at the exercise site, where he started to learn. Now his parents, friends and schoolmates all know Falun Dafa, and some of them even started to practice. Every time this student comes to the exercise site, he asks for many Falun Gong leaflets to hand out to people.
A 75-year old elderly lady from Chile has a daughter who lives in Switzerland. Not long ago, her daughter saw Dafa practitioners holding a peaceful appeal outside the UN headquarters in Geneva. Her daughter later called her mother in Chile and told her about this. Now, she and her mum are both practitioners. One practices in Switzerland and the other practices in Chile.
A young Korean student who lives in Chile was once traveling back from the United States to Chile when he met some practitioners in a California Airport. The practitioners offered him a leaflet. After reading it, he called the Falun Gong contact person in Chile straight away. The next day, he came to learn the exercises.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
There is a practitioner in Buenos Aires who has practiced Falun Dafa for nearly a year, but he did not take cultivation very seriously. He did not do the exercises regularly and he couldn't do single leg crossing properly in the meditation. However, after he took part in the first Latin America Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference in March this year, he came to understand Dafa more deeply and firmly through talking with other practitioners. After the conference, when he did the last exercise at home, to his amazement he found himself sitting in meditation with both legs crossed.
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- 7. Walk Our Paths Well
By a Taiwan Practitioner
(Clearwisdom.net) Who ever learns Falun Dafa does so due to a predestined relationship. After three years of cultivation, I have realized this fact: under Teacher's arrangement, every Dafa practitioner will be able utilize his or her unique talents and strengths to create opportunities for beings to learn about Falun Dafa.
I received an outstanding teachers' award from the Bureau of Education last September. This event was held for the purpose of promoting teachers' dedication. To participate in the competition, each elementary and middle school from the whole county was to recommend one or two teachers. After several rounds of appraisal, examination and interviews, the head of the county was to make the final decision.
I still remembered the questions asked by the main examiner during the interview. He asked, "Being a model teacher, will you encounter any hostility from other teachers?" To this, I replied, "When treating others with honesty and kindness, I'll be able to accommodate others amicably. I believe everyone has his or her merits that I can learn from." He then asked, "If you win the award, it's a high point of your teaching career. Would that put pressure on you?" I replied, "Winning is only a mark in my teaching career. My emphasis is on teaching whatever students need to learn. I do not worry about gain or loss. I don't think there will be any pressure on me." My replies were based on what I learned from my practice of Falun Dafa. At the end, three elementary school teachers were given outstanding teacher's awards, and I brought honor to our school by winning the highest mark.
After winning the award, I was encouraged to excel even more. The whole school knew that I practice Falun Gong, but I hope more students could learn about Falun Dafa. Each week, I taught students, who were interested, the Falun Gong exercises for 80 minutes during community activity time. I also taught them about the principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance". Below are comments from my students after a semester of studying Falun Dafa:
Yingxun: "I taught Falun Gong to my family after I learned it in school. My younger brother used to be in poor health, and now he rarely gets sick."
Qiaoyuan: "After practicing Falun Gong, I am more considerate towards others and do not get upset any more."
Meihui: "I am quite happy that I have the opportunity to practice Falun Gong. How I wish my mother would also learn Falun Gong, since she is always so tired and I am worried about her."
Peijing: "Falun Gong helped me to become a healthy and happy person. I love to read the Dafa books and share my experience with others and be a helpful person."
Jingru: "I'm always eager to attend the Falun Gong classes; after understanding the principle I was calm again, I could finish my homework with ease."
Xiurong: "Since I've come to understand the principle of Truthfulness, Compassion Forbearance", I do the exercises doing good deeds and helping others, I no longer bully other students."
Yuling: "When I became impatient with my homework, I would practice the exercises for a while. When my mind with happiness each day."
Lixiang: "I've become so energetic that I haven't taken any sick leave at all recently."
After sowing the seeds of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" in my students' hearts, I will lead more than three hundred fourth grade students to demonstrate the five sets of exercises in our school's annual celebration event. I have joined the teaching staff of a Minghui School recently. This is only the starting point; I know that I am taking one step at a time to fulfill my pledge, to walk my own path well.
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- 8. Thoughts on Breaking Through Old Force Arrangements
A Western Practitioner
(Clearwisdom.net) A couple of days ago, I realized that my attachment to waiting for changes was having a big impact on my cultivation and Fa-rectification work. I would like to share my understandings with fellow practitioners.
Often when doing anything - be it studying the Fa, sending forth righteous thoughts, clarifying the truth, doing the exercises or doing everyday work - I realized that I often had this mentality of finishing what I was doing quickly and going on to the next thing. As a result, I was not putting in my best effort and was not focused in what I was doing.
A couple of days ago, I realized that there was something wrong with my mentality. Why was I always uncomfortable with my present conditions and what I was currently doing? Why was I always eager to "get over with it" and rush to do something else? For instance, while studying the Fa, I often couldn't concentrate, and I would think, "Oh, let me finish Fa-study quickly, since I am not good at it, and let me do Fa-rectification activities well." As a result, I would concentrate even less on Fa-study. When I did do Fa-rectification work, I would be thinking, "Oh, I have so much Fa-rectification work and everyday work to do. How can I do it well? Let me do this quickly and go on to everyday work." While doing the exercises, I would think, "Let me finish the exercises quickly so that I can go to study the Fa well."
When I finally looked within, I realized that hidden deep within me was an attachment to perfection. I wanted everything to be perfect before I put in my best effort. The old forces must have arranged this for me. Even though I was trying to do my best on the surface, deep down, I was passively waiting for changes in external conditions and myself. I was thinking, "Oh, if my friends and family are more open, I could clarify the truth to them better." "If my work and home conditions are better, I could do a better job at Fa-study and Fa-rectification." "If I was more calm and clear-minded, I could do a better job at everything I do." "If I had no fear, I could clarify the truth to the Chinese students I meet with more confidence." etc.
Thus, whenever I was doing anything, I was always passively waiting for external and internal changes so that I could do better. Once I came to understand my mentality, I realized that I should not wait for any changes, but rather do the best with what I currently have. Waiting is the old force arrangement. Stepping forward and breaking through that arrangement is my responsibility as a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple.
Soon after realizing my attachment and how to solve it, I tried to put it into action. That evening, my mind wandered much less than usual during the exercises, and I was finally able to study almost one whole lecture of Zhuan Falun without any interfering thoughts! I was also more confident when approaching Chinese students to talk to them, even though I was still as 'imperfect' as before. While sending forth righteous thoughts, I was much more focused.
I believe that whether we are perfect or not, or whether our external conditions are conducive or not does not matter very much. We should step forward and do the best we can with what we have. We must deny the old force arrangements and step forward to save sentient beings without delay.
Above are just a few understandings at my current level. I request fellow practitioners to compassionately point out anything inappropriate.
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