Click on the below-mentioned, numbered subjects:
- Welcome
- What�s Happening?
- Master Always Makes Perfect Arrangements For Us. Master is Always With Us
- The Word �Buddha�
- Musings After Summer Rain
- From an "Inferior" Person to a "Superior" Person
- Thoughts about Life: The Wisdom of Ordinary Kindness
- Happiness Comes from Giving
- 1. Welcome
Welcome to the August 2007 Falun Dafa India Newsletter.
In this issue, we have mostly picked up articles from Pureinsight that appeal for their simplicity of thought and insights. Also there are two articles by Indian practitioners. 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?
Some more schools in Bangalore invited practitioners to introduce Falun Dafa exercises to their students. Also, some missionary schools from Chennai requested practitioners to visit their schools to introduce Dafa. Some English and local language newspapers have given tentative schedules for interviews as well.
A practitioner from Iran had come for a conference to Bangalore and with the help of local practitioners introduced Dafa at the conference.
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- 3. Master Always Makes Perfect Arrangements For Us. Master is Always With Us
An experience sharing of an Indian Dafa practitioner retold
I would like to share my experience how by affirming that I am a practitioner and Master is with me, I managed to do things which at first seemed impossible. Also before I started on the job I thought to myself
�Perish the thought that it is impossible�. That way I would have righteous thoughts.
It all started at the end of May when I mentioned to a fellow practitioner that I want to celebrate June as a Falun Dafa month in our city. The practitioner said it is a good idea but would I be able to pull it off since we did not have many committed practitioners in our city and everybody was busy.
I sounded off some practitioners in the other cities and they offered to help me as much as possible. There are some practitioners in other cities who I think are great motivators and there are some who work silently and are great to have alongside. So when I got a nod from them, it boosted my confidence.
The first weekend in June, the practitioners in another city had organized
the �Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance� Art exhibition. Since most practitioners would be busy in that city I planned to step up the activity in my city in the second week. In the next week some practitioners who were planning to come to my city got busy. I thought to myself that I am not alone, and Master is with me.
I planned to hold the Art exhibition in a school owned by a practitioner which he offered during off-school hours for the whole month.
During one weekend, I planned to hold �Lotus making� games and quiz programs for school children. The other weekends we had exercise learning workshops for adults and screening of Dafa films.
The third weekend I decided to have practitioners from other cities over and have a Press Conference and Fa study and discussions.
Suddenly on the work front there was a deluge of work and some impossible deadlines. I was also feeling unwell. I did some extra Fa study and sent more righteous thoughts. I also thought to myself that I should have more compassion and tolerance to endure whatever tribulations and decided to look within. I work for the IT industry and to everybody�s surprise and my own I found a solution for something that was bugging our group for days in a couple of hours in the night. I was reassured that Master was with me.
I got some 50000 fliers and a couple of thousand posters and invitation cards printed.
The schools we visited asked for the posters to be put up on their boards. A lot of cafeterias and canteens also put up the posters because they found the Art Exhibition posters attractive.
After we conducted the lotus making workshop for children a lot of teachers requested us to go to their schools because they said traveling with the schoolchildren to our venue would be difficult and expensive for them.
There was not much of an attendance at the Art exhibition during the weekdays but some practitioners shared my understanding that if so many thousands had accepted our fliers happily and if Falun Dafa had registered in their minds, we had done our job. This insight I got when I felt that Master is always with us.
In fact, over a few weeks when some jobs got stalled and eventually turned out good I was convinced that Master makes perfect arrangements for us.
For instance, we were planning to have a small video film on Dafa to be shown on the cable TV during the events in our city.
A practitioner from another city had compiled and put together the visuals.
We were planning to dub it in the local language. I needed to translate the text in Telugu, the local language. I could not find a professional translator. I just happened to mention it to my colleagues and two or three people put their heads together and did a wonderful translation for me. Also, many volunteered to write the addresses on the invitation cards. I felt good that even though they were not practitioners, they had got might virtue for doing some Dafa related work. And, of course, Master had arranged this.
We decided to do the posters in English and Telugu during a weekend and a practitioner from another city came over to help me but had to wait the whole day and could not contact me because he had gone to organize the translations and could not find anyone. I was very touched when he did not complain at all. We got a local practitioner�s father to do the translation and went back to the print shop. The person worked late but could not complete the job. We requested him to come on Sunday and we would pay him extra money to finish the job. He did a good job on the English and Telugu posters for a nominal extra amount. There again I felt Master�s arrangement.
The third weekend in June, practitioners from different cities, some from very distant cities came to our city. We had a Press Conference which was covered well by the local Press.
Some practitioners had put together a few Fa conference Lectures and also experience sharing articles from Clearwisdom. We also read Lectures from Zhuan Falun during the weekend.
All in all, June was a memorable month and this was definitely Master�s arrangement.
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- 4. The Word �Buddha�
An American Dafa Disciple
Last Sunday we had group Fa study. A practitioner who rarely talks shared one of his recent experiences.
He said, he has cultivated for several years and has been actively taking part in Fa-rectification activities, but recently, because of being busy, he has not been able to gain a new understanding of anything from the book until the night before the group study when he assumed a peaceful state and held Zhuan Falun in his hands. He suddenly found an answer to a question that had come up every now and then after he read a lecture.
This critical question was, 'How solidly do the concepts of 'god' and 'Buddha' exist in one�s heart?' After all, he had not seen a god or Buddha with divine powers appear in front of him.
This time, he read in Lecture 1 of Zhuan Falun, �Let me tell everyone that �Buddha� is not a superstition. It is a word from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. When it was introduced to China, it was called �Fo Tuo.� There were also people who translated it as �Fu Tu.� As the word was passed around, our Chinese people left out one character and called it �Fo.� What does it mean in Chinese? It means �an enlightened person,� one who has become enlightened through cultivation practice. What�s superstitious in this?�
He had read the paragraph countless times before, yet it seemed as if he had only just read it for the first time to have understood that little bit. Indeed, if one cultivates one�s heart and practices a set of gong movements, he will start to live with a clearer and clearer mind and awaken from the illusion. Others will say this person now lives with clear understandings, or enlightenment. To use an ancient Indian term, this person is �an enlightened being� or �Buddha.� What is mysterious about this? As long as they have the will, everyone can do it. The more they cultivate, the more enlightenment they have, and the more clearly they live understanding. There is no mystery in this.
However, when we approach others and abruptly say that the goal of cultivation is to become a Buddha or a Dao, many can�t understand it and may even classify these as superstition. These are simple realities and have similar cultivation processes. Why are people�s attitudes so different just because they are introduced to them from different angles?
There is one point to note. Certain notions have been subconsciously fed to and reinforced in people bit by bit. This has occurred through the education that has been passed down from generation to generation over several thousand years, particularly in modern times. As soon as a god or Buddha is mentioned, it is automatically categorized as a superstition. Even the word �god� has been used to describe things that are incredible, incomprehensible or unacceptable.
�Buddha� or �Fo� in Chinese is only a translation by sound; the actual interpretation of the meaning of the word in Chinese should be �enlightened being.� The meaning, as plain as it is, is not known to many, causing them not to understand those who cultivate Buddhahood or the Dao. Once the meaning of �Buddha� in its original meaning as �a person enlightened through cultivation� is understood, people know that such a person becomes more and more sagacious and more and more conscious. How can he ever have �blind faith� in anything? (In Chinese this phrase has a similar sound to mi xin or superstition.)
This practitioner�s experience benefited us all very much. The more we read the book on cultivation, the more understandings we gain from it. Moreover, when we are talking with others about something and we are incapable of explaining it, it suggests that we do not understand the matter in our heart. The answer is in the book, and the answer appears obvious, but its real meaning becomes clear only after several years of cultivation.
Once we really understand it, we can use language that others understand when we discuss god and Buddha. Then we don�t have to beat around the bush, but can clearly tell others what the meaning of the word �Buddha� is.
(Pureinsight.org)
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- 5. Musings After Summer Rain
By an Indian practitioner living in the U.S.
The drizzle from Florida's summer rain dropped gently as I walked to the laundry room. Summer rain never seemed as wonderful and soothing as it did on this particular day, maybe because I was shifting residence, and it was my "day off" from everyday work and working on Dafa projects.
As my hair and clothes got wet, I realized once again how wonderful and rich nature's glorious tapestry was.
I used to enjoy watching and playing in the rain when I was an innocent young kid growing up in my ancestral home in south India. However, as I grew up into a youth in a society filled with modern day temptations, the simple pleasures of life seemed to lose their meaning. I took more delight in material and temporal temptations. I lost the simple happiness I felt when I reveled in summer rain; I lost the innocent elation I felt when the raindrops tickled my ears.
I was fortunate to obtain the Fa towards the end of 2001. Since then, I have changed inside out. Even though there were times when hardships piled on me one after another; even though there were times when I stumbled, wavered and even fell face down; even though there were times when I lost my temper or gave in to material temptation, cultivating in Dafa has made me kinder; it has enabled me to regain the lost innocence of my childhood.
I now understand the sweetness of gentle rain; the beauty of the silent and pretty flowers; the silent strength of the grand mountains; and most importantly, the peace that comes with a pure and kind heart that Dafa has enabled me to attain.
Watching the rain falling gently on the lawn outside the laundry room, I felt that every sentient being deserved a chance to feel this way; every sentient being deserved a chance to feel the beauty and peace that is made possible through the blessings of Dafa.
As I closed the dryer, I silently thought to myself that I should, indeed, do my best to help sentient beings learn the truth about Falun Gong, and obtain the blessings that come from establishing righteous thoughts towards the Fa-rectification.
Walking back towards my home, I felt elated as I looked forward to the day when spring would come to the human world and plum blossoms would blossom everywhere.
(Pureinsight.org)
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- 6. From an "Inferior" Person to a "Superior" Person
A Practitioner from Ottawa, Canada
There was once a cultivator who had cultivated for many years. Later, he found that he was becoming older and older, so gradually became suspicious of his cultivation way and master. He became not as diligent as before in cultivation and couldn't even sit in the double lotus position when doing meditation.
One day when he was in meditation, complaining in his mind, his master suddenly appeared in front of him. Pointing to a mirror covered with a thick layer of dust, the master said to him, "Wipe this mirror clean." He pretended not to hear and the master said again, "Wipe this mirror clean." He reluctantly got up and began to clean the mirror. When he had just cleaned a little, he saw his own image in the mirror. However, in this reflection he was young and handsome; he was wearing a beautiful yellow gown. He suddenly became enlightened... ...
What I just described is the scene I saw when I was sending forth righteous thoughts at noon yesterday. It played in front of me like a movie. Afterwards, I pondered why I had been allowed to see it. I felt scared afterwards, because I am very much like that cultivator I had seen. Although I have been cultivating in Dafa for many years, some doubts about Dafa and Master will still pop up into my mind when some "major" events occur. Although these doubts are quickly suppressed, how can an "inferior person" like me, who believes what he can see and not what he can't see, be worthy of the great name of "a Dafa disciple in Fa-rectification period?" On the other hand, I do, however, believe that as long as we sincerely do the three things well every day and measure ourselves at every aspect at every moment with the requirements of the Fa, we are turning from "inferior people" to "superior people" who are steadfast and diligent on the path of Fa-rectification.
(Pureinsight.org)
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- 7. Thoughts about Life: The Wisdom of Ordinary Kindness
Guan Ming
In this practical society, because all sorts of external environmental factors can influence people, it is very difficult for people to completely control their thoughts and feelings.� All kinds of different sentiments and feelings, joy, happiness, sadness, anger, etc, regularly disturb people's thinking. When one runs into someone or something he loves, one feels very happy. When one loses friends or relatives, he feels utterly bereft. Upon encountering someone or something that is difficult to understand, one often feels indignant or angry.� If someone can't deal with life's losses and gains with composure, then he won't be able to maintain his heart as calm as a tranquil pond.� Zhuge Liang, a famous ancient Chinese thinker of vast wisdom, once said,� "Be calm to cultivate one's character, be frugal to accumulate virtue. If one doesn't live without pursuit, he will not achieve his goal. If one doesn't maintain tranquility, he will not travel far." When it comes to any matter in the human world, only with a calm heart can one achieve the optimal state.
Modest living is a kind of sublime, profound wisdom. There is a publication called "Cartoon Weekly." In order to quickly increase interest in the publication and to increase circulation, the publication held a contest.� They called for submissions depicting "the World's Last Moment," asking the artist to depict what the artist or the artist's family would be doing at the last moment before the end of the world. Within a short time, submissions were sent in from across the globe and piled up like a mountain.�� In hopes of winning the prize money, readers used their imagination and energy to produce works of excellent quality. Some pictures were of lovers holding close with an emptied beer bottle on the side, some pictures were of people burning a big pile of money in the street, and then there were some pictures that were of people riding in a spacecraft hurriedly fleeing Earth...
But in the end it was a housewife who won the $100,000 prize.� Her entry was drawn with a pencil on a piece of wrapping paper. She drew herself at the kitchen sink just about to turn off the water after washing the dishes; her husband sits on the floor next to the table, there are also two little boys playing with building blocks.� The committee of judges praised this picture that appeared ordinary:� "we are astonished with the serenity of this family.� They are not tempted by things around them, nor are they terrified by the imminent danger. They understand the meaning of the world and life's highest aspirations."
When wonder and brilliance reach the very end, they become ordinary.� After taking up the path of cultivation I have encountered many kind and compassionate faces around me.� As cultivators put down worldly concerns for reputation, gain, and sentimentality and thereafter strictly require themselves to improve according to the "Zhen, Shan, Ren" standard, their hearts become clear like water.� On encountering danger they fear not, when praised they do not become excited, when humiliated they remain calm, they are free of anger and free of worries, in everything they are conciliatory.� They don't compete with others, they don't pursue worldly fame or gains, with this detached manner and character they earn other people's admiration, but this magnanimity and strength of character come only through cultivation.� It is their lofty spiritual realms that create their tranquil fields one by one. They are the light of the universe, and wherever they are they illuminate people's hearts.
(Pureinsight.org)
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- 8. Happiness Comes from Giving
Guan Ming
In modern society, almost everyone is continuously pursuing happiness. But what is true happiness?
What is the source of happiness? People rarely seriously contemplate this issue and very few understand what the meaning is. Some people are willing to continuously hurt other people as an expense of pursuing their own happiness. However they don't know that the result of limitless pursuing and grasping not only stops them from obtaining happiness, but it actually drives them further away from happiness. This is because true happiness comes from giving oneself to others. If a person sincerely gave himself to others as much as he could, it would be easy for him to obtain happiness.
After my mom retired, she grew a little vegetable garden on a plot of a deserted land in front of her little yard. She then planted all kind of vegetables including spinach, onions and tomatoes. After a few months of hard work including watering and fertilizing the plants, her little garden was ready for harvesting. Her relatives and neighbors urged my mom to bring vegetables that she couldn't finish eating to the market for sale. Although the individual prices of vegetables are very cheap, it could more or less provide some additional income for her. My mom smiled after listening to the idea and said "those vegetables are very delicious and I actually feel reluctant to sell them. I'd rather share my happiness with her neighbors and relatives." Hence, my mother started to give away the excess vegetables to the neighbors house by house. My mom was very happy when she felt the joyful and grateful spirit of the neighbors receiving the fresh vegetables. That happiness is beyond any language and words.
Decades ago, there was this little town in the southern United State where a young couple had just moved. Next door lived an old couple. The young couple went to visit the old couple and found out the wife was almost blind and paralyzed in a wheelchair. She could hardly move and she had only her husband to take care of her. But the old man wasn't in a good physical condition either. They had been taking care of each other in such a way for many years.
It was almost the Christmas time of year and the young couple was considering doing something nice for the old couple. After having a thorough discussion, they decided to give a fully decorated Christmas tree to them. Therefore they bought a little tree and decorated the tree with lights and different ornaments along with some other gifts. On the Christmas Eve, they gave the tree to the old couple. The old woman couldn't help crying out of gratitude when she saw the sparkling little lights on the tree. Her husband then said, "We haven't had any Christmas trees to look at and enjoy for several years" From then on, every time the young couple went to visit the old couple, the old couple would thank them for the Christmas tree over and over again.
From these two examples we can tell that people need not only outer material enjoyment but also inner spiritual comforts. The young couple in the story received a lot of happiness and satisfaction from giving the old couple the little Christmas tree. After I took the cultivation path myself, I got rid of my usual selfishness and always try to be compassionate inside my heart. I set a strict standard for myself by following� truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. To me, other people always come first. When I gave my heart to others, I received profuse happiness. We can turn every small thing in our lives into a source of tremendous happiness as long as we sincerely love and care for others. If we behave in such a way, we will benefit from the process endlessly.
(Pureinight.org)
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