PureInsight | August 28, 2024
[PureInsight.org] My profound realization is that through memorizing Zhuan Falun, Hong Yin, and new lectures, my wisdom has been unlocked. Memorizing Fa during the tribulations has also added a lot of righteous thoughts and confidence to myself.
Next, let me share some insights gained from memorizing Fa over the years.
1) Memorizing Zhuan Falun
"The first time I memorized Zhuan Falun was before 1999. At that time, my work environment was relaxed, and I utilized my spare time to memorize Fa. Tears often came out as I immersed myself in the process of Fa memorization. One of the most memorable sections from Zhuan Falun titled 'Practicing Only One Cultivation Way: 'It is absolutely impossible for other people to read my mind, and other people’s supernormal abilities cannot reach me at all. Nobody is able to understand me or know what I am thinking. But they wished to understand my thought activity, so with my consent, they linked my mind with theirs for a period of time. After the connection, it was a little unbearable for me because no matter how high or how low my level is, I am among everyday people and am still doing something purposeful—that is, saving people—and my heart is devoted to saving people. But how still were their minds? They were still to a frightening degree. To have one person be still to that extent is fine. But to have four or five people all sitting over there in tranquility to that extent, it was like a pond of still water with nothing in it at all. I tried in vain to experience them. For those few days, I really felt mentally very uncomfortable and experienced an indescribable sensation. Everyday people could have no way to imagine or feel it; it was completely free of intention and empty.” I memorized this passage with tears streaming down my face. I pondered, what kind of realm was that, quiet to a terrifying degree? Ah! That was the realm of enlightenment. I understood that in the realm of enlightenment, there were no thoughts at all. At that time, within my own level of cultivation, I realized the connotations behind 'still water' and 'a state of Wuwei' which made my heart feel bitter and tears flowed.
Another time I memorized Zhuan Falun: 'For instance, one day his workplace gave out an apartment unit. The supervisor said, “All those in need of the apartment come here to describe your conditions and explain why each of you needs the apartment.” Everyone provided his or her own reasons while this person did not say a word. In the end, the supervisor found that this person had a greater need for it than the others, and that the apartment should be given to him. Other people claimed “No, the apartment shouldn’t be given to him. It should be given to me because I need the apartment badly.” This person said, “Then you can go ahead and take it.” An everyday person would see him as foolish. Some people knew that he was a practitioner and asked him, “As a practitioner, you don’t want anything. What do you want?” He responded, “I’ll take whatever others don’t want.” Actually, he was not foolish at all and was quite bright. Only in terms of personal, vested interests, would he be like this. He believed in following the course of nature. Others asked him again, “What doesn’t a person want these days?” He replied, “No one wants the pieces of stone on the ground that are kicked here and there. So I’ll pick those up.”’ My heart was deeply moved. That was not something an ordinary person could achieve. I shed tears again. What a remarkable realm! He didn’t attach to the interests of the human world. This was something that could be achieved in the past through cultivation at a lesser level.”
At that time, I thought, since I cultivated Dafa, could I achieve what he did? Shouldn't I do even better? Nowadays, among those people who cultivate Dafa, many can indeed achieve it. I know a fellow practitioner who truly did. To make the fellow practitioners of a group study the Fa conveniently, he gave up the unit-assigned apartment to someone. By that time, I hadn't finished memorizing one lecture of Zhuan Falun, and the persecution started.
During the initial years of persecution, I put aside Fa memorization. In 2007, I stopped my small business and had more time. I thought I memorized Zhuan Falun up to the fifth lecture before, but it's been lying untouched for several years. I should continue where I left off. Coincidentally, another practitioner was also memorizing Zhuan Falun. We encouraged each other and completed the first round of memorization. Soon after, we finished the second round in a little over six months. Memorizing Fa required endurance and perseverance. Sitting there for an hour without moving. Sometimes I had to force myself to persist because the desire to stop memorizing arose."
Once, while memorizing the fifth lecture, 'Practicing Evil Cultivation', I read it first and memorized it. When I memorized “Those who have survived the explosion will continue to hold onto the previous characteristics and principles to do things in this universe. The newly constructed universe will observe the characteristics and principles of that new universe in its operation. Thus, those who escaped the explosion have become the demons that interfere with the principles of the universe.' Suddenly, the deeper meaning behind the lecture struck me, and I realized the old forces have been obstructing Master's Fa rectification with their old principles. I couldn't describe my feelings at that moment; but felt like a rush of heat flowing upwards in my body. I didn't want to put down the book. When I encountered the passage 'Han Xin enduring humiliation of crawling between someone’s legs’, I recalled the 'heart of great forbearance' in a test and passed it. In the dark cell, during the one-hour nap, I usually didn't sleep. Instead, I sent righteous thoughts or memorized the lectures wherever I could recall. When facing heart-wrenching challenges, I often recited the passage 'Cultivation is hard. It’s hard in that even when terrible calamity strikes, even when evil madly persecutes, and even when your life is at stake, you still have to steadfastly continue on your path of cultivation and not let anything in human society interfere with the steps you take on your path of cultivation.' from 'Essentials for Further Advancement II - The Road.' This immediately strengthened my righteous thoughts. As long as the Fa resided in my heart, I could overcome any hardship.
During my third round of memorization at the fourth lecture of Zhuan Falun, fellow practitioners in our Fa study group suggested memorizing Zhuan Falun together. We started from the first lecture, memorizing a segment each day, and now we're up to the sixth lecture. After completing a lecture in our Fa study group, we began memorizing individually. Several of us memorized together twice, then each person went through it individually two or three times. I often missed or forgot words, indicating my lack of focus. Without a calm mind, memorization has been impossible, and memorizing without cultivating accordingly was not genuine cultivation."
2) I Learned How to Write Poems after Six Volumes Hong Yin Memorization
The first volume of Hong Yin was memorized back in 1999 during a brainwashing session held at my workplace. I carried my own handwritten pocket-sized copy and memorized it in the office every day. I cried uncontrollably when I memorized 'Cold and Alone Up High' and 'Destined Return for the Holy Fruition.' My understanding of the Fa was not very deep; just some sentimental connection. I felt like I had finally found Master, and Master had endured so much for us. During the most difficult days of persecution, I often recited poems from Hong Yin II like 'Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions,' 'Plum Blossoms', and 'What’s to Fear.' This helped me gain a lot of righteous thoughts and confidence. Hong Yin III was the most fluent for me to recite. I could memorize it backwards and forwards, and could recognize which poem a line belonged to. However, I can't remember them all now.
I have memorized all six volumes of Hong Yin. Most of the time, I would recite Hong Yin IV, Hong Yin V, and Hong Yin VI after finishing the morning session of sending righteous thoughts at 6am until around 7am when I would make breakfast. My state of mind directly affected the effectiveness of memorization. When I was in a good state, I often understood the meaning of a poem, and memorized it after reading a few times. The more I recited, the more I enjoyed it. I could memorize several poems in a short time. However, when I was not doing well, I struggled to memorize even one poem, as it didn't sink into my mind. Master often wrote about 'atheism', 'evolution', and 'modern ways and thought' in the poems, which helped dispel many of my misconceptions. When memorizing Hong Yin VI, the poem 'The Challenges of Saving Self and Other' made me reflect on which category I belonged to, as I often talked big but I didn't practice sincerely. I also discovered many aspects of Party culture within myself. In the early stages of obtaining the Fa, I felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Master. Through studying and memorizing the Fa, I came to understand the grand vows made alongside the Master to rectify the Fa, the mission I carried, and the true meaning of coming into this world. Reciting the poems often brought tears to my eyes as the profound meanings of the Fa continued to unfold. In summary, I've gained many wonderful insights through memorizing the lectures. Although I didn't review the latter three volumes of Hong Yin frequently and have forgotten many poems, once I revisited them, I could recite them quickly. Our Fa study group has recently resumed reciting Hong Yin VI in the evenings.
Through memorizing all six volumes of Hong Yin, it felt like my wisdom had expanded greatly. I could now write poems. Every year, I would include a poem when I sent greeting cards to Minghui. Though my poems were not professional, fellow practitioners found them quite rhythmic. I felt that some of the inspiration for writing poems or articles came from Fa memorization.
3) Fa Memorization in Fa Study Group
In our region, several Fa study groups memorized several volumes of Hong Yin and new lectures, as well as Zhuan Falun. One fellow practitioner has memorized Zhuan Falun over thirty times. One day, a few practitioners gathered, and they asked the fellow practitioner who was good at memorizing to recite the section 'Spirit or animal Possession' from Zhuan Falun. She recited it flawlessly. An elderly practitioner in his eighties has been proficient in reciting all six volumes of Hong Yin and has also memorized Zhuan Falun. He has been actively clarifying the truth face-to-face and often included a poem when sending greeting cards each year. Another male practitioner excelled in memorizing the Fa; he recited all six volumes of Hong Yin daily and could easily recall any passage from them. He wrote good poems too. When we rode in his car, we recited the Fa together.
After the new lectures Why Save Sentient Beings, Stay Out of Danger, and Cultivation in Dafa Is Serious were published, I began to memorize them. When reciting Stay Out of Danger, the passage, “What could it possibly need humans to do for it!? The Great Way is saving humans! It’s not that human beings are doing things for the Great Way! When you, a human being, suffer from injustice, or persecution by evil, during your spiritual journey, your Teacher is protecting you and bearing karma and sins for you.” I had a realization, “we often act with human notions and treat the Fa with human notions. They persecuted people with human status but couldn’t persecute people with God status.” Many fellow practitioners also had their own insights while reciting.
In our region, fellow practitioners emphasized studying and memorizing the Fa, and we encouraged each other to improve collectively. In the early stage of obtaining the Fa, one of Master’s articles we often recited was True Cultivation. Master wrote in True Cultivation, “My truly cultivating disciples, what I have taught you is the Fa for cultivation of Buddha and Dao. Nonetheless, you pour out your grievances to me over the loss of your worldly interests, rather than feeling upset for being unable to let go of ordinary human attachments. Is this cultivation? Whether you can let go of ordinary human attachments is a fatal test on your way to becoming a truly extraordinary being. Every disciple who truly cultivates must pass it, for it is the dividing line between a cultivator and an everyday person.” After more than twenty-seven years of cultivation, I still have many attachments. Master has paved the way for my return, and I must accelerate my steps to become a true cultivator.
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/289252