(Minghui.org) I was arrested by a plainclothes officer when I was delivering informational materials about Falun Dafa. Inside his car, he said that if I massaged his head (to get rid of his headache), he would let me go. Otherwise, he would take me to the police department. He gave me a few minutes to consider his request. I told myself that only Master Li had the final say. I could not do something that went against a cultivator's principles. I made up my mind and told him I wouldn’t do it, even if I was detained or imprisoned.
I must have passed the test since I didn’t encounter any further danger. After returning home, I looked within to see what I didn’t do well. I realized that I had an attachment to lust and being selective in who I clarify the truth to.
Master said,
“Saving people is just that, saving people, and to pick and choose would not be merciful.”(Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference)
Eliminating Fear and Selfishness
With a deeper understanding of Master's teachings, I recognized two shortcomings.
First, I only approached the elderly, women, and those engaged in low-end occupations. I also talked to people who I thought looked “healthy” or friendly. Then what about the young, middle-aged, high-ranking, seriously ill, and unfriendly looking people who are waiting for me to tell them the truth?
This was due to being attached to increasing the number of people I saved and my fear of failing and danger. It is easier and safer to talk to the elderly as they are retired and have more time to talk. Furthermore, many of them do not have cell phones.
Whereas the young or middle-aged people are busy and use smartphones. As such, it could be more difficult to persuade them, and it wasn’t very safe since they could record our conversation or take a picture of me. In reality, I was being selfish and fearful.
Master said, “…attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism.” (“Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
I am far from the above requirement!
The second shortcoming was my fear of talking to more than two people at a time. I didn’t dare to say anything if more than two people were in front of me. If I had a compassionate heart, without personal thoughts, and tried to break through this attachment, maybe I might be able to make some improvements.
I once talked to a lady who was picking up her friend at the station. She refused to take the informational materials I tried to hand her and didn’t want to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Her friend and another person got off the bus, and I thought of leaving. After a while, the other person left, so I gave the materials to the lady’s friend instead. At that time, the lady told her friend that it was information about Falun Dafa. Her friend replied, “That’s good! If you don't want it, I’ll take it.”
The lady also said she wanted a copy, too. I asked her friend whether she had quit the Party. She said that she had and said to her friend, “Falun Dafa is major and relates to everyone. It is safer to quit.” The lady then agreed to quit the CCP.
People who understand the facts about Dafa are helping us clarify the truth. It is just like Master said:
“When you tell your friends something is good, they’ll know you mean it. And the same goes for what you tell your family. So people trust what’s being said. Advertisements can’t achieve that kind of effect.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference”)
Being selective in who to save was only about protecting myself under the guise of fear. It was also about being selfish without considering sentient being’s safety. I must eliminate selfishness, then I can truly have a heart of compassion focused on saving others.
If one truly wants to improve in cultivation and make a breakthrough in saving people, one should start by removing selfishness and being selective. Of course, one should pay attention to safety and consider the situation as well, but this also can’t be forced if one’s heart is not in the right place.
