(Minghui.org) I haven't been working since I was released from prison, but I still receive a full salary. The company where I am employed has a very strict rule that if an employee is late, for even a minute, that amount of time will be deducted from their wages. This holds true even when an employee takes some personal days off or is on sick leave. One employee couldn't stand the harshness of this policy and went to argue with the one of the senior managers. He said: “She (referring to me) hasn't been working, why is she getting a full salary?” The manager replied: “I don't know. She's doesn’t work for me.”
I thought, that's right, I don’t work for you! True practitioners “work” for our Master. This is the understanding I came to during the time I was being persecuted in prison.
Arrested Because I Wasn't Cultivating Diligently
Looking back, I realize that the main reason I was arrested was because I deviated from my cultivation path and followed arrangements by the old forces. Thus, my human attachments were taken advantage of. I had a strong feeling that I would be arrested before I actually was. Indeed, it was Master hinting for me to be more cautious. Some practitioners had kindly tried to remind me to be more wary, but I wasn't clear-minded and didn’t take it to heart.
I took all my Dafa materials to another place and taught other practitioners everything about the project I was working on. I was thinking that if I got caught, somebody could take over my project. In fact, everything was done out of fear.
I took working on a project as practicing cultivation and was busy with it every day. On the surface, I looked very diligent, but I wasn't studying the Fa well and genuinely cultivating my xinxing. I even made a rule that I would study at least one lecture of Zhuan Falun a day, regardless of how busy I was. But instead of studying the Fa seriously, my mind was thinking about my project. I was just going through a formality to fulfill the daily task I had set for myself. As a result, my understanding of the Fa was unclear, and eventually I was arrested.
Forcing Myself to Look Inward
While I was detained in prison, I forced myself to look inward to find my problems, and tried to rectify them using the Fa principles. I didn't want to sleep too much and studied a handwritten copy of Zhuan Falun under my blanket at night. Although I felt extremely hot under the blanket, I still wanted to study the Fa every day. When I became tired, I asked Master to strengthen me. I would recite Lunyu and Hong Yin during the day, and tried to completely immerse myself in the Fa. Gradually, the Fa principles became clearer and clearer to me. I knew what I should do and how to cultivate myself. Since then, I have been full of righteous thoughts and able to improve in my cultivation.
When people were sent to monitor me in my cell, no matter how fierce they appeared in the beginning, all were eventually transferred out of my cell. I clarified the facts to them and they agreed to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Some of them even helped me with things. One of the guards shouted in anger: “Why do they listen to you? What kind of charm do you have?” The guards had always thought I was a diehard and unwilling to cooperate with them. For these reasons, they extended my prison term time after time, and reported me to the local 610 Office.
My salary was not withheld during this time, nor did it go down. Instead it was raised three times. When a guard questioned if I knew people in high places, I said: “Of course. I am a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple. I am under the care and protection of my Master.”
I know that as long as I meet the Fa's standard, Master will help me. Sometimes I am moved to tears and clearly feel Master's compassion. I said to Master quietly, “I am sorry that I have made you worry about me. I promise to study the Fa well and be clear-minded.” Since then, I have held fast onto one thought: I don't acknowledge any arrangement by anyone except from my Master. No one can sway me.
As soon as I was released from prison, I put my heart into doing the three things well.
Master said:
“When disciples have ample righteous thoughtsMaster has the power to turn back the tide”
(“The Master-Disciple Bond” from Hong Yin Vol. II)
Doing What I Must Do Despite Practitioners Being Arrested
Many local practitioners were arrested during the CCP's 18th National Congress. This caused a lot of concern among us, and many practitioners didn't dare to go out to clarify the facts. The head of the local police station is the relative of a fellow practitioner. One day, he told the practitioner that police had been arresting practitioners near the building where I lived. Thus, the practitioner told me to be careful. I said: “I have Master looking after me, and I will do what I have to do.”
During the day, I go out to distribute Shen Yun DVDs, clarify the facts and help people quit the CCP. At night, I put up truth-clarification posters on the street.
Practitioner A lived in the same building as me. She was putting up truth clarification materials in the neighborhood one day. An acquaintance saw the materials, collected them all and reported it to the local residential committee. Practitioner A was not known to the authorities for being a practitioner, as she only started coming out to clarify the facts recently. Since I was known for being a “diehard” Falun Gong element, people thought it was me. Staff from the residential committee and the local police came to arrest me, but I wasn't there. So they reported me to the municipal Political and Legal Affairs Committee and the 610 Office.
Practitioner A asked me: “What should I do? I can't let you take responsibility for all this.” I told her: “Don't worry. This was arranged by the old forces. What they say and do don't count for anything.”
Master said,
“... just by having your heart unaffected you will be able to handle all situations.” (“Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s)” in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Practitioner A and I sent forth strong righteous thoughts to clear away the old force elements trying to persecute us, and then carried on doing what we must do – clarify the facts and save sentient beings.
At that time, my thoughts were very righteous. However, practitioner A felt remorseful, thinking that she had hurt me. But I didn't think of it that way. I didn't blame her at all. I just thought that there must be something I needed to look at. When I looked inward, I found a lot of human attachments, such as emotional ties to my family. I remember when one of my children took a vacation and came home to see me, I slacked off in my cultivation to spend more time with him. The old forces tried to capitalize on this opportunity and exploit my loopholes. After I became aware of this attachment, I immediately corrected myself and negated the old forces completely.
Becoming Clearer in My Understandings
After 14 years of persecution, I've become more clear-minded. As Dafa practitioners, regardless of what kind of tribulations we have, we can't handle them with our human mentality.
Master said,
“We have said that good or evil comes from a person’s spontaneous thought, and the thought at that moment can bring about different consequences.” (Zhuan Falun)
We shouldn't nurture any demons. We must know that we are cultivators, and seize all opportunities to upgrade our xinxing. We must gauge our actions against the Fa. As long as Master and the Fa are with us, there is no tribulation we can't overcome.
