PureInsight | July 22, 2002
Yuan Yuan is the nickname for a seven-year-old Dafa practitioner who is a first-grade student at our local elementary school. She is a charming little girl with a round, lovely face and it is a joy to listen to her sweet voice. Yuan Yuan is the only young Dafa practitioner in Nagoya. She enjoys watching Flash movies, such as "Sitting Meditation" and "Man in Mud", which I downloaded from Internet. She often sits in the double lotus position to watch those movies. If you ask her afterwards, "Did you eliminate any karma?" she would answer with the loveliest smile, "Yes, I did."
Yuan Yuan's favorite pastime is drawing observations of her surroundings. Therefore she always carries a supply of pencils and paper in her pockets. Her mother jokingly describes Yuan Yuan's artwork as chicken scratches, because most of the time they don't look at all like the subjects she portrays. I remember clearly the time when we were at a practitioner's house. Yuan drew, between Fa study and the exercises, a picture of me. I saw a good-humored and confident man on the paper, whose face radiated great happiness and self-confidence. Somehow, she captured the hint of mischievousness in the person, revealing through this the subject of her picture. Surprisingly I could recognize my characteristics in the picture. Therefore, it confirmed to me that it was a picture of me. Yes, it was not an accurate picture, because she had not taken any formal art classes, but the characteristics displayed in the portrait hinted that I was the subject. She also showed me a portrait she had done of her father. It was amazing! She had captured the true character of her father. What a gift! She saw a subject's true character and was able to capture it on paper.
This reminded me of traditional Chinese brush paintings, especially ink paintings. Chinese artists take great care in bringing out the fundamental nature of their subjects.
This is known as idyllic or impressionistic brushwork. Such abilities are rare and require the artist to care little for fame and wealth, to cultivate the mind and discipline the temperament. Does this not convey an ultimate goal, the goal of true cultivation? Doesn't this imply the goal to return to one's true self? Doesn't this indicate that a painter can only bring out the true nature of a subject if he/she has risen above and beyond human attachments? Isn't it also true that young children such as Yuan Yuan have not yet been polluted by human notions? Children can see beyond the façade and capture the true nature of a subject.
I am a child at heart, thus I get along well with children. I'm by 20 years Yuan Yuan's senior, yet we are great friends and she calls me "big brother." I treasure this relationship. I see the unblemished youth in her, unspoiled by the influences of her surroundings. It brings me great pleasure to know that Yuan Yuan earnestly participates in the Fa-rectification activities. She can be seen at the front gate of Nagoya Castle, distributing Falun Gong newspapers. Yes, this charming little imp might be rather unruly, mischievous, and willful when her mother is around, yet she will always conduct herself as a perfect little Dafa disciple when she distributes Falun Gong newspapers. It does not matter if the passersby are friendly or not, or whether they pass by closely or not, she will run toward each and every one and hand them a Falun Gong newspaper. It is like a sudden light has appeared and everyone will gladly take the newspaper. Sometimes, when there are few tourists, it brings me great joy to just stand there and watch her distributing the Falun Gong materials. The minute she notices my inattentiveness to Dafa matters, she will remind me sternly, "Big brother, send forth righteous thoughts."
There was a time when I could not resist teasing her repeatedly, as I wanted her to talk with me while distributing the Dafa material. She turned towards me and said, "You are a demon." This remark caught me by surprise. What had I done? So I asked her. She responded "Your are interfering with my Dafa work!" She was completely right and truthful; although I am not a demon my action had been that of a demon. Doesn't Master Li tell us we should first think how our actions or words would affect others? I'm a Dafa disciple, whose actions should be governed by the Fa. Master Li also said that if we study the Fa well we will remember at all times that we are a Dafa Disciple, and will conduct ourselves accordingly. I also know that Master Li told us in Zhuan Falun and reminds us in his articles that when encountering a conflict or interference, we should look within. We should find where we have not been diligent or which attachment we should let go off. Only then will our thoughts be righteous and our actions compassionate. Otherwise the evil can find a loophole to use against us.
On a very hot day, Yuan Yuan was her usual busy bee self, and very determined to give Falun Gong material to all passersby! When I saw perspiration run down her sweet little face, I asked her, "Yuan Yuan, are you tired? Why don't you take a break?" Yuan Yuan answered, "I am not tired at all. I am very happy and in high spirits." The purity of this little practitioner touched my heart. This incidence made me look at myself and I did not like at all what I saw. My xinxing was, with respect to this matter, still on the human level. I shuddered and felt that my mind was not pure enough for Dafa work. I had slacked off and did not take Dafa work that seriously. Did I go astray? Did I put Dafa in second place and my human comforts in first place?
Master said, "You need to be worthy of the title 'Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple!' That's something that the cosmos won't have again. This only happens once since the beginning of time—it only happens once since the beginning of time in the cosmos." (From Teaching the Fa at the Boston Fa Conference.) We are so fortunate! We are so blessed! Only we were given the opportunity to safeguard Dafa. Yet, we still cannot let go of many of our acquired notions and deep-seated attachments. What is it we can't let go off? I vowed that I would show greater diligence in my Dafa work, study the Fa more and assure that all my actions come from within the Fa.
I had learned from my experience with little Yuan Yuan. Shortly after I became more aware of my omissions I became more diligent with respect to Fa-rectification activities and studying the Fa. Once, when sending forth righteous thoughts, I felt as if I was in an extremely spacious dimension, where I swept across the universe like a breeze. I swept across the cosmos, eliminating all evils. I swept across the heaven and earth, rejuvenating all lives, renewing all lives, and granting new lives to all. I suddenly felt for a moment completely within the Fa and felt it radiating through me. I had tears in my eyes and my body was suffused with the radiance.
In being with younger practitioners and feeling their purity makes me see my shortcomings and where my xinxing is lacking. Yet, I also can see, in the earnestness of these young practitioners, selfishness and arrogance in that what they do should not be challenged. This realization helped me understand that when we notice this selfishness or arrogance of the youth, which we adults also once possessed, we should help those little practitioners to recognize and overcome them.
I pondered over much and have concluded that young disciples see the adult's shortcomings, and notice that their elders neglect to study the Fa. These young disciples thus grow anxious and frustrated. It is clear to me that they can see as clearly that we have neglected our duties to the Fa as we can see their weaknesses. In being around them I have noticed that they will create opportunities to help us adults to eliminate our karma and improve our xinxing. It will be very painful to these young practitioners if we respond with anger instead of letting them help us improve our xinxing.
Yuan Yuan rarely does the five exercises or sends forth-righteous thoughts with us. Recently she told me that she met a large demon when she sent forth righteous thoughts. I asked Yuan Yuan if she had any difficulty in eliminating a particular kind of gigantic demon. She said, "I am capable of eliminating all kinds of demons. I simply think. I will eliminate you. I will eliminate you. I will eliminate you. Then all demons will be eliminated."
Yuan Yuan admitted that she liked to visit at Meijyo Park best. She was certain that it was the biggest and most beautiful park, and there were many Chinese visitors there. She suggested that we visit Meijyo Park daily. Unfortunately, we can afford these outings only three times a month. One day, Yuan Yuan and her mother went to Meijyo Park earlier than usual. Master Li told us that there are no coincidences. There happened to meet up with a group of tourists from China. The tour guide explained in excellent Chinese, "Although Falun Gong was banned in China, it is legal to practice Falun Gong in Japan. These Falun Gong practitioners often come here to hand out Falun Gong material. It is really hard work." I'm sure Yuan Yuan and her mother were meant to be there. All three, Yuan Yuan, her mother and the tour guide created a positive atmosphere. All of the Chinese tourists took the pamphlet "Truth." Yuan Yuan radiated joy about this encounter. Maybe more people were saved.
Translated from:
http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2002/6/22/16518p.html
