(Clearwisdom.net) I'm sixty years old and began to practice Falun Gong in 1994. Recently, several veteran practitioners and I have been missing Teacher greatly, and we fondly recall the good memories of Teacher lecturing at the Tianjin Bayi Auditorium.
Dafa transformed me, physically and mentally, and I am immersed in the compassion of the Buddha Fa. I'd like to share my fond memories with fellow practitioners.
On March 14, 1994, a friend invited me to attend the second session of a Falun Gong class at the Tianjin Bayi Auditorium. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend. Prior to learning Falun Gong, I did not practice any qigong. I did not know what a Buddha or a Dao is, or how to cultivate. But after listening to Teacher lecture that first day, I seemed to suddenly understand questions that I had never before been able to find the answers to, and to finally comprehend the true meaning and purpose of life. My outlook on life and the world truly underwent tremendous changes.
When Teacher lectured, he pulled out just a single sheet of paper from his coat pocket, which at the time I supposed was a draft of his speech. Teacher said a lot during the lecture, and the content was profound and rich. How could he have needed only one small sheet of paper? It was not until I had studied the Fa and cultivated for some time that I realized that Dafa comes from Teacher, the Fa is in Teacher's heart, and Teacher possesses infinite wisdom.
I sat in the first row of the lecture hall and was able to see Teacher clearly. He looked about 30 years old, standing tall with a strong stature, a dignified appearance, and an extraordinary disposition. He gave a series of ten lectures over as many days, but I did not see him take even a sip of water in that time. He spoke eloquently and enunciated clearly. When I listened to his speech, I felt a warm current running continuously through my body and I felt very warm and blessed.
When Teacher began to lecture on the second day, my head started to feel swollen, I could not open my eyes and fell asleep. Later I realized that Teacher was cleansing my body and mind. I used to have dizziness and headaches, and those symptoms disappeared after Teacher cleansed my body.
I was weak and had many illnesses since I was young. I had meningitis at the age of 7 and a brain operation at the age of 11. I had hypertension and heart disease. My blood pressure was 160/110 mm Hg. I could not sleep on my back. My blood viscosity was high and I was dizzy all day long. I did not have any strength, slept a lot, and was on medication year round. Ever since attending Teacher's lectures, my hypertension and heart disease disappeared. My body has felt very light. I finally have a healthy body. I used to be out of breath walking up the stairs, now it feels as if someone is pushing me. Now my health is better than when I was young and I can walk with ease.
After learning the Fa, as my understanding of the Fa and xinxing upgraded, I understood that I had a predestined relationship with Teacher, and that Teacher was watching over me and protecting me life after life.
The most memorable day of Teacher's lectures was the seventh day of the session. It was a bright and sunny day. We all took photos with Teacher. I was very close and kept staring at Him. He was smiling, amiable and approachable. He had a healthy complexion and his skin was smooth and soft. Unlike others, He exuded a special aura. Another practitioner and I were fortunate enough to have our photo taken with Teacher. I stood right next to Him. This was the happiest and the most unforgettable day of my life. The photo with Teacher is so precious. The entire morning, practitioners took turns to take photos with Teacher. And Teacher was very patient, smiling, peaceful, and understanding of everyone's wishes.
I can still remember vividly every moment of the last day of the lectures. The coordinators from different practice sites presented multicolored silk banners to Teacher to express our utmost respect. A father and his son came from Shanxi to thank Teacher. They had attended Teacher's lectures in Taiyuan. The son had leukemia and they spent a lot of money going to different hospitals around the nation with no results. After attending the nine-day lectures in Taiyuan, the son's leukemia was miraculously cured. When they heard that Teacher was going to teach in Tianjin, they came all the way from Shanxi to thank Teacher. I saw them giving Teacher a silk banner. There were numerous cases like this.
At the end, we were very reluctant to part with Teacher. It is difficult to express how we felt, but it was as if a child had to leave his parents. Teacher tried to leave the auditorium three times, however, everyone continued to applaud enthusiastically, and Teacher came back three times. And each time, Teacher rotated the big Falun to cleanse practitioners' bodies. When I once recalled those happy moments, I felt very special, wonderful, and blessed. I also cried because of a deep sense of shame.
When I think about the fourteen years of cultivation, I feel that I have disappointed Teacher's merciful salvation. Sometimes I ponder the meaning of cultivation and how I have cultivated. All I've done is study the Fa, eliminate my attachments and upgrade my xinxing. Everything else is given by Teacher, because "Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master." (Zhuan Falun)During the path of our cultivation, everything we've done is for ourselves. I would not be where I am today without Teacher's great compassion, salvation, and benevolence. I may never understand how much Teacher has done for me.
I therefore treasure this once in a lifetime opportunity to cultivate in the Fa-rectification period and to improve quickly in the limited amount of time.