(Minghui.org) On the occasion of the Chinese New Year, Dafa practitioners in India expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, for teaching them the moral guidelines of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. They also hope that more people around the world will help end the persecution of Falun Dafa in China, which has been ongoing since July 1999.
Practitioners in India come from different walks of life: They include doctors, professors, police officers, lawyers, teachers, artists, filmmakers, fashion models, engineers, government officials, students, and homemakers. They have one thing in common: After incorporating Falun Dafa’s teachings and principles into their lives, they have experienced positive changes in their health, mindset, and worldview.
Dr. Suhas Khandare, 59, the head of the microbiology department at Bajaj College of Science, Wardha, Maharashtra, has been teaching for more than 35 years. She began practicing Falun Dafa in 2016.
Dr. Khandare said the declining moral standards in today’s society are severely impacting the younger generation. She firmly believes that by following the three principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance—the moral tenets of Falun Dafa—students will naturally grow up to be “good and responsible people in every respect” and will serve their communities well.
“The teachings of Falun Dafa helped me in my profession,” she said. “When I try to be compassionate in everything I do, my students notice, and they feel comfortable reaching out to me with their problems related to studies, family, or life in general. Falun Dafa’s profound yet simple teachings helped me to connect with my students in a better way.”
Dr. Khandare said she feels heartbroken regarding the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of teachers, professors, and students in China for practicing Falun Dafa.
“Teachers, hand-in-hand with parents, help shape the overall personality of their students,” she said. “A strong and stable country is founded on good citizens. How long can a nation survive if it can’t respect and protect its law-abiding citizens, its teachers, and its younger generation? The CCP’s persecution of these innocent Falun Dafa practitioners, who belong to different walks of life, is really alarming for China’s future.”
Eshita Chahande, 13, started practicing Falun Dafa when she was just 4 years old. She says she is thankful that the practice’s moral teachings laid out in the book Zhuan Falun helped open her mind at such a young age and equipped her with the ability to make wise judgments.
“Zhuan Falun talks about the universe in detail and the deeper meaning of human life. It lists all the principles on how to be a good person and improve oneself through cultivation practice. I feel calm and composed after reading the book. I feel that my mind and body have been cleansed,” she said.
Eshita dreams of following her father’s footsteps and work in the IT industry, and said that Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are, “very important for the younger generation because they can make them aware of what is right from wrong and keep them away from the bad things in society.”
She added, “These principles have allowed me to keep away from electronic gadgets and spend more time on studying. I am not anxious during exams. Practicing Falun Dafa helped improve my mental and physical health.” Eshita also said that Falun Dafa’s five gentle exercises helped her develop a longer attention span.
She says she doesn’t compare herself to other people, nor is she picky when it comes to food, like most teenagers. She enjoys helping with household chores and tries to listen to her parents and not talk back.
The teen says the spiritual discipline has guided her to cultivate a compassionate heart and helped her let go of the competitive mentality. She is now able to help her friends whenever they are in need without expecting anything in return. She said practicing forbearance enabled her to forgive others and let go of her grudges.
“If I am not being true to myself, then I won’t be able to make any improvement,” she said.
Dr. Giridhar, 30, has an MD in pharmacology and works as a senior resident at Sion Hospital, Mumbai. He’s been practicing Falun Dafa since he was in the 6th grade. The young doctor says the self-improvement practice of Falun Dafa can benefit our world and help eliminate substance abuse and other forms of addiction and the associated ill-effects, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. He said following Falun Dafa’s moral values in his daily life made him “calmer, patient, and anxiety-free.”
Dr. Giridhar said, “After reading Zhuan Falun several times and understanding the principles, a person becomes so clear headed that nothing can affect him. No matter how much difficulties he suffers he won’t become depressed. He will find seemingly overwhelming problems to be trivial and easier to face. Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are the righteous universal principles to which all of mankind can agree to. I am grateful to Master Li Hongzhi for teaching us these profound principles and for guiding us toward the path of compassion.”
He added that most Indian medical professionals are still not fully aware of China’s forced organ harvesting from living people and “are clueless about it as the awareness hasn’t been created.
“The forced organ harvesting happening in China is a terrible crime. Most doctors would never want to do such things, so this shows how much the Chinese medical professionals are being brainwashed or forced by the CCP authorities. I want to tell doctors in China to stop participating in this activity and not let this crime continue,” Dr. Giridhar said.
Sangeeta, 50, originally from Pune, India, but now living in the U.K., began practicing Falun Dafa four years ago. She used to be weak and frail due to a severe digestive disorder and was completely dependent on medicines. Unable to find relief through various alternative methods, she happened to hear about Falun Dafa.
Sangeeta said, “As I embraced the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, my health started improving. I turned to Master Li Hongzhi’s teachings for guidance. With dedicated study, exercise, and letting go of fears, I experienced a remarkable recovery. This spiritual discipline has been an extraordinary journey of self-discovery and healing for me. I experienced a remarkable improvement in my overall well-being, which not only helped me regain my physical health but also enriched my mental and spiritual outlook.”
Sangeeta thanks Master Li and wishes him a happy Chinese New Year
She says that Falun Dafa’s five gentle exercises and profound teachings have allowed her to cultivate “inner peace, balance, and resilience.” She used to be a short-tempered woman who’d often blame others. But after practicing Falun Dafa, she learned how to genuinely look within to find how she can improve.
“I changed from a woman who was often angry and irritated to one who is at peace with herself,’’ Sangeeta said. “Falun Dafa completely changed my life. I was once thin and frail, but I’m now a healthy woman who no longer depends on medication. I extend my deepest appreciation to Master Li for sharing the profound wisdom of Falun Dafa, which has brought about positive changes in my life, empowering me to embrace a healthier and more harmonious existence.”
Bhavani, 65, from the southwest coastal state of Kerala, began practicing Falun Dafa 12 years ago. She is grateful to Falun Dafa’s founder, Master Li Hongzhi, for guiding her to become a “righteous, confident, and courageous person with a sense of security.”
Bhavani also helped translate Zhuan Falun into her native language of Malayalam. She says practicing Falun Dafa helped her understand that “nothing is truly impossible,” and that with patience, determination and a strong will power, one can overcome any obstacle or life crisis. She says the beauty of Falun Dafa is that it can enable anyone to elevate their moral nature and cultivate true compassion and forbearance.
She said, “My life changed completely for the better when I embraced Falun Dafa. I used to be quite emotional, even over trivial things. I felt sad and distressed. With the gradual deepening of my understanding of Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, I was able to gain mental courage and confidence. Forbearance is the ability to deal calmly with whatever sorrows, miseries, gains, losses, separations, and disputes happen in a person’s daily life. Falun Dafa can truly enable everyone to put these three principles (Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance) into practice. This is the beauty of this spiritual practice.”
Bhavani’s second son who was attending university in Australia passed away on October 4, 2021, due to a sudden heart attack. His body was flown to India. She says it was “really heart-wrenching” for her and she went through periods of intense grief and pain, but Master Li’s teachings about the truth of human life, death, and reincarnation, helped her pull herself out of the grief.
“Falun Dafa gave me strength and tolerance to bear the wrenching pain,” Bhavani said. “The practice has really blessed me. I wish all people could learn how amazing and peaceful this ancient cultivation system is and try to become more truthful, kind, and tolerant.”
Manorama, 72, from Pune, Maharashtra, started practicing Falun Dafa when she was 65 by watching the exercise videos online. She used to suffer from chronic asthma, heart disease, and hyperthyroidism, which she says were resolved after she began practicing Falun Dafa.
She said that Falun Dafa’s teachings also helped her rise above the pain and suffering of domestic abuse, as her husband used to beat and abuse her. She harbored resentment and hatred toward him. But after she began practicing Falun Dafa, the life-transforming moral teachings helped her forgive her spouse and she now has compassion for him. Their relationship is now harmonious and there are fewer conflicts.
“Although my husband doesn’t practice Falun Dafa, he supports my practice. Now, when we have an argument I’m able to control myself and not talk back. Instead I try to look at the situation from a wholesome perspective,” she said.
Expressing her gratitude to Master Li, Manorama said that Falun Dafa saved her life, and she is grateful for the chance to learn this amazing spiritual practice.
“Morality is the essence of life. Master Li Hongzhi taught us the virtues of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, which are the basic cosmic qualities that are inherent to every being. These moral principles can create harmony between living beings and nature. I try to be more compassionate and understanding of the people around me. I can feel that the immense universe, which is founded on compassion, has my back.”