Changing the Mindset of Being Persecuted

(Minghui.org) Because I practice Falun Dafa, I was arrested, illegally detained, and sentenced. I was thus afraid to go to public security bureaus, police stations, and neighborhood committees.

Staff at the police stations and neighborhood committees asked my relatives about my situation and sent messages asking me to visit them. I tried to avoid them time and time again, and asked my relatives to reply to them perfunctorily.

However, my relatives felt pressured and became increasingly impatient, saying that I was unwilling to take care of the issue, and was causing them problems. I realised that I could no longer evade the issue, and needed to resolve it myself.

Before I went to the neighborhood committee, I looked at the principles of Falun Dafa on how to deny the persecution imposed and to try resolve the situation I found myself in.

I recalled what occurred in 2006. I was taken to the police station for distributing truth-clarification materials. At that time, I thought the police station was just a place for registration or certification, so I wasn’t afraid. I had no idea that the police would beat people, use torture instruments and the like at the police station. It also could be that Master had stopped me from understanding the issue in my mind at that time.

The police counted the Dafa truth-clarification materials in my bag in front of me. I refused to answer all their questions, so they stopped asking. I sat on the couch, and they didn’t pay much attention to me.

Lack of Understanding of Persecutory Issues

Two groups of people who were drinking and fighting were brought to the police station. One man with blood on his face pointed to another man and said, “He did this to me.” Others testified for him. The man who was accused denied it.

A police officer said, “Drag him upstairs, and he will admit it upstairs.” Several officers dragged the man upstairs. This all played out before me like a scene in a movie. I watched, but didn’t understand, “What is the point of taking that man upstairs? Why does he have to go upstairs to admit it?”

At a later date, I heard that some practitioners had been tortured at that police station. The police demanded that the practitioners reveal the source of their Dafa materials. I wondered why I was not forced to reveal the source of my materials at that time.

I now understand that police stations are coercive agencies that beat and torture people. I held no fear of the police or police stations, so no one forced me to do anything, and I was treated in a relatively kind manner.

At that time, however, I had the notion that distributing Falun Dafa materials would lead to being persecuted in a forced labor camp, so the police wouldn’t let me leave. Being unclear of Falun Dafa’s principles, I remained in a state of passive helplessness.

I once talked to a practitioner about how I was persecuted by inmates when I was in prison. She seemed surprised and asked me, “Why didn’t you go report it to the captain there?” When I heard that, I thought she was rather naive; how could the captain there treat me well?

Much of the persecution was instigated by the captain, so how could she possibly punish the inmates?

The practitioner then said she had conflicts with the prisoners during the time she was illegally imprisoned, and the captain always said that the prisoners were wrong. She once had a big conflict in the workshop with the head inmate of the cell over whether she would perform labor or not. They called several captains to bring closure to the issue. Finally, the captains scolded the head of the cell and removed her from her position, and the practitioner continued not participating in the labor there.

When I heard that, I found it unbelievable. Now, I understand it. Because in her mind she thought the captain was kind and just, and if there was a problem she would get a fair and reasonable solution from the captain, without any thought of being persecuted by the captain.

Of course, she held no fear, nor a dependent mindset. The captain then really couldn’t persecute her. This elderly practitioner is as innocent and pure as a child.

Understanding Reason for Going to Officials

After improving my understanding of Falun Dafa’s principles, I had less fear and my mind was stable. I felt I could now go to the neighborhood committee office. On the way, I thought, “They are an organisation that serves the people. The salaries they receive are from the people’s tax money, so they should treat every resident well.”

After I arrived at the office, I asked the Party secretary not to call my relatives anymore because they are under great pressure in their work and lives. I said I was a practitioner and my Master asks us to think of others first in everything we do, so I didn’t want to cause trouble for my relatives.

The secretary expressed his understanding, saying to himself that they were just serving the community. They then asked me some personal questions, some of which I didn’t want to answer, and they didn’t persist.

During the conversation one staff person signaled for another person to leave, and I became nervous. I then told myself not to have negative thoughts. I was wearing a hat and mask, and that person took a picture of me and that was it. Then the neighborhood committee director came to the door. I heard someone tell him that I came here in person, and was right inside. I kept my mind unaffected, and the director did not come in.

After sitting for a while, I got up to say goodbye. They said goodbye to me in a very friendly manner. I went out and was overly enthused, feeling that the process went very smoothly and easily.

At this time the director came out and said a lot of bad things. I knew this was caused by my attachment to zealotry. Thus, I quickly corrected my mindset and took the opportunity to persuade him to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organisations, which he didn’t object to or agree to.

We all know that practitioners have no illness, and much less should we suffer persecution and imprisonment. Then why does persecution still occur?

Master said,

“If every Dafa disciple can think and act righteously as he goes about things and can look at things with righteous thoughts under any circumstance, none of you will become afraid when facing persecution. If that is how you are, who would dare to persecute you!” (Teachings at the 2005 Conference in San Francisco)

Reaching the Standard of Falun Dafa

My current understanding is that we have not reached the point of thinking with righteous thoughts, and our minds are not pure, so we can’t achieve righteous thoughts and righteous actions.

Some practitioners may think, “Isn’t it too difficult to reach the standard of Falun Dafa at all times?”

I am not saying that every moment we have to achieve the standard. However, when we are facing someone or something, or an unexpected circumstance, we should pay attention to our thoughts, think with righteous thoughts, and at the same time not hold fear, hatred, zealotry, or other attachments.

If the mind is not stable, we should send forth righteous thoughts to let things develop in a direction that is beneficial. I feel this may prevent additional persecution, or may stop the persecution that is occurring. In fact, denying the persecution of sickness karma is the same principle.

Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s understanding in their current cultivation state meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare with one another in study, in cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)