Cultivation of Speech and Working as One Body
修口和形成整体
Brian T. from Adelaide
阿德莱德 布莱恩
Greetings Master,
Greetings fellow practitioners.
尊敬的师父好，同修们好！
我今天想和大家交流的内容主要是修口、写交流文章和形成整体这几个方面的修炼体悟。
1.Cultivation of Speech
1.修口
When I was young I was told “speak when you are spoken to” “children should be seen and not heard” “always respect your elders” “if you can’t say something nice about someone then don’t say anything” etc. These are post natal notions that are hard to alter and I have always had this fear, or attachment, to being outspoken as a child. This has been with me all my life and when I became an adult I had this attachment of speaking in front of a group. I would always be guarded on what I said and consequently I have never felt comfortable with sharing my inner thoughts and feelings.
小时候我受到的都是诸如“跟你说话时你再说话”、“孩子们应该在一边安静呆着，不要吵闹”、“任何时候都要尊重长者”、“如果你没什么好话要说，就什么也不要说”这样的教育。这些观念就根深蒂固地留在了我的心里，难以改变。我从孩提时代起，就一直有怕说话、不敢说话的执着。直到我长大成人，我都一直害怕在人前发言。我一直对说话小心翼翼，因此我对表达自己的内在想法和感受从来都不自在。
In my early childhood I was a chronic asthma sufferer, as a 12 year old I was severely burned and in my late teens I enlisted in the army and was deployed overseas as a combatant. I can recall vividly that each of these could, and nearly did take away my life. These three events, along with the previous ones just mentioned, shaped my life.
小时候我患有慢性哮喘病，12岁时变得很严重。在我少年时代末期，我参军了，并被分配到国外参加战斗。到现在我都清楚地记得，这些经历几乎要了我的命。这些大事件，包括之前提到的不敢说话的弱点，就是我这个人的大致轮廓。
Whilst I was deployed overseas in the army, I had a five day leave pass and went to Bangkok. There, I visited many of the tourist spots which also include many Bhuddist temples. I found the peacefulness and serenity that surrounded these areas the exact opposite from where I had been, and knowing that I would be returning to that situation, I began to wonder, why do these events occur. At one temple I motioned with my camera to a monk who was sitting down, is it OK to take a photo? I assumed he did not speak English, but he replied in perfect English, “That is permissible.” After a brief pause, mainly due to the surprise, we started a conversation. We talked about many different topics, but mainly on the values of life, simplicity and uncomplicated life and humanity towards fellow man. My impressions of those moments were of compassion, truthfullness and tolerance, a far cry from where I would be a few days later.
在国外当兵时期，一次我有一个五天的假期，我去了曼谷。在那里我参观了很多旅游景点其中包括一些佛家寺庙。我感受到那里被一种平静和祥和的气氛笼罩着，与我在战场感受到的气氛完全相反。当我想到我还得回去时，我就开始思考，为什么这些事件会发生。在一家寺庙里，我问一个和尚能否照相。我本以为他不懂英文，没想到他能说一口流利的英文。我惊讶得停顿了片刻，我们就开始了交谈。我们谈了很多话题，主要围绕人生的意义、简单的人生和人性等。那些谈话留给我的印象就是真、善、忍的感觉，与我几天后即将回到的环境是那样的不同。
It was not until I obtained the Fa 30 years later that I began to realise that all those post natal notions and life experiences were created for my cultivation. I studied the Fa and began cultivating diligently, becoming involved in different activities and keen to be more and more involved. It was a wonderful experience and everything in life was becoming more relaxed and unhindered, problems could be resolved much easier. But deep inside, I still had these attachments to fear of opening up, being honest with those closest to me, and sharing on a deeper level. Even after being a practitioner for over 13 years I still have reservations in this area and have not been able to shed this attachment. It was not until some other veteran practitioners were sharing the basic benefits of writing a sharing paper and the reason that master has given us the Fa conferences that I decided that I must write a sharing, not only for becoming more open to others, but to overcome my attachments. I have spoken in front of different practitioner groups previously, but those sharings have always been project related and have always avoided my cultivation and personal feelings.
直到30年后我得法时，我才开始意识到这些后天观念和生活经历是为我的修炼准备的。我得法后很精進，积极参加各种活动而且还愿意承担更多工作。这是一个美妙的经历，生活中的一切也变得越来越轻松而且没有什么障碍，遇到问题也更容易解决了。但是性格深处，我仍有这个执着——害怕敞开心扉、不愿与最亲近的人坦诚地分享深层的想法。即便修炼了13年之后，我在这个方面仍有所保留，没办法去掉这个执着。近来一些老学员和我分享了写分享的基本益处，以及师父留给我们法会这个形式的原因之后，我才决定我必须得写一份交流稿，不仅为了试着敞开自己，而且是为了去掉我的执着。之前我在学员团体前发过几次言，但那些都是和项目工作相关，我一直避讳谈论我的修炼和个人感受方面的问题。
2.Writing a sharing
2.写交流文章
I had been stuck on where to start and what to write about when I enlightened to Master’s lecture on not being as diligent as you were when you first obtained the Fa. It was the realisation that due to my commitment to Shen Yun in particular that I was neglecting Fa study and doing the exercises. Consequently, when things would not go smoothly, I would inevitably look outwardly at others shortcomings and blame them, rather than looking with-in and trying to improve myself. It created many difficulties at home and with my Dafa projects, so much so that many times I was prepared to relinquish all involvement with organisation and responsibility of Shen Yun and government projects that I was involved with. Maybe I needed to just get back to basic self cultivation. But then, Master’s words that “cultivation is not easy” and “we must fullfill our vows” and most importantly we must do the three things well echoed in my heart and head. Where would I be today if it were not for my obtaining the Fa at this crucial stage in my life? I owe everything to the Fa, how could I not follow Master’s requirements?
开始时我一直卡在不知从何处下笔、写点什么的问题上，直到我读到师父的关于是否能够修炼如初的经文时，我有了启悟。我悟到由于我承担了神韵协调的责任，却逐渐忽略了学法和练功。结果，当事情不顺利时我不可避免地向外看了，看同修的缺点、责怪他们，而没有找自己和想着提高自己。这给我的家庭环境和项目都造成了很多困难。这些困难如此之多，以至于好几次我都想退出神韵和项目组的工作，不干了。我想可能我得回到基本的个人修炼上面去。但是，师父的话“修炼是不容易的”和“我们得兑现自己的誓约”，特别是我们要做好三件事的话在我的心里和脑中回响。要不是得了法，怎么会有今天的我呢？我的一切都是大法给予的，我怎么能不按照师父的要求作呢？
As a main coordinator for Shen Yun, I have been involved in securing the venue and also marketing. For several years we could not secure the most prestigious venue in Adelaide, but after constant communications we finally were able to hold Shen Yun performances at the Adelaide Festival Centre in 2014 and 2015. Originally the first Shen Yun was held at that theatre in 2008, then in 2009 and 2010 it was held at another venue. This second venue was not as prestigious as the Adelaide Festival Centre as we were not able to target the correct audience, thus it was also not acceptable as an ongoing venue.
作为当地神韵项目的负责人，我负责签约场地和市场推广。好几年我们阿得雷德都没签到高档的演出场地。经过不断的交流，2014和2015年我们终于可以在阿得雷德节日中心（Adelaide Festival Centre）上演神韵了。2008年、第一年神韵就在那里上演的，2009年和2010年在另一个剧院。另一个剧院没有阿得雷德节日中心档次高，导致无法针对正确的观众群体推广，因此不能再使用那个剧院了。
3.Working as one body
3.形成整体
For 2016 we have again secured the theatre and began progressing with our marketing. Originally, back in May this year we had booked the theatre for our agreed dates and signed the contract. It was about a month later when other cities were still negotiating their dates that I received an urgent call asking if we could alter our dates. This meant that we could only have two days and three performances, and the days would be a Monday and Tuesday instead of later in the week. Immediately I thought that it would be harder for ticket sales, possible reduction of income due to one less performance, plus more effort in changing contract with theatre. This was all happening on a Thursday or Friday while we were in the final stages of planning a forum with David Matas who was arriving on Saturday. After contacting the theatre it was possible to change days so then the decision of whether or not to change days was asked of me. The reasons against the altering were as previously mentioned, but then the question of why should we change had to be taken into consideration. The reason being to facilitate the troupe being able to perform in New Zealand. Should I put self first and take the easy course or should I be slightly inconvenienced by this extra work. When looking at it that way whereby we in Adelaide may possibly save a handful less sentient beings but give New Zealand an opportunity to save several thousand sentient beings, there was only one answer that I enlightened to, I immediately changed our dates. By assimilating to the Fa and by making that choice, Master has opened the way for the forum with David Matas to flow smoothly from that moment forward and at the same time, I am confident that sales of Shen Yun will be equivalent to our expectations.
2016年我们再一次签下了节日中心，已开始了市场推广。今年5月，我们已经预订好了场地，订了四天时间，也签好了合同。那时其它城市还在协商演出日期。结果一个月后，我接到一个紧急的电话，问我能不能更改我们的演出日期。这意味着我们的演出将会只有两天，只有三场，而且演出的时间是周一和周二，而不像原先的接近周末。我一下子就想，这会影响我们的神韵票的销售，少了一场收入也会减少，而且还得去和剧场交涉更改合同。再加上这个事情发生在周四和周五，那时我们正处在为大卫·麦塔斯（David Matas）周六的即将到来准备一个论坛的最后关头。联络了剧场后，剧场表示没问题，那么决定权就在我这里了，我是否决定更改合同。我本不想改的原因上面讲述了，那么还有我们为什么要改的问题就显得很重要，必须考虑。这是因为为了能让新西兰能够上演神韵。我应该把自己摆在第一位、简单拒绝，还是多做一点工作呢？我想到在阿德雷德多演一场可能能多救一些人，但是如果让给新西兰，他们可以多救几千人。于是我就悟到了，我立即答应了更改合同。由于符合了法作出了这个决定，师父为我开了另一扇门——我们的大卫·麦塔斯论坛举办得相当顺利。同时，我也很有信心我们的神韵销售将会达到预期值。
Going back a few years we invited David Kilgour to Adelaide and organised the screening of “Free China, The Courage to Believe” and also a lunchtime meeting at the South Australian Parliament House. There were a few MP’s and several advisors. We showed a short video entitled “Killed for their Organs”, then David answered many in depth questions. Many of those at this meeting were unaware of what was happening in China and said that something must be done to stop this atrocity. One MP was at the forefront and began working on what the State Government could do based on David’s suggestions. Another MP who sent his senior advisor to this meeting was also supportive. After that initial meeting, I began working on another project and I failed to follow up and keep in contact with these MPs. This is another of my shortcomings, but Master has given me another opportunity to now rectify that.
几年前，我们邀请了大卫·乔高（David Kilgour）来阿德雷德，我们组织了《自由中国》电影的放映仪式，并在南澳议会大楼里举行了一个午餐会议，好几个议员和顾问都参加了。我们放映了《活摘》的短片后，大卫回答了一些有深度的问题。与会的好多人都不知道发生在中国的这样的事情，他们纷纷表示要做点什么来阻止中国的暴行。绿党的弗兰克斯（Tammy Franks）率先行动了起来，研究基于大卫的建议，政府可以進行的工作。另一位“家庭第一党”的议员派了他的资深顾问参加了那次会议，也表示非常支持。但是那个初次会议后，我又参加其它项目去了，没有与弗兰克斯跟進、保持联络。这是我的另一个缺点，但是师父给我了又一个机会来改正。
When it was first mentioned that David Matas was heading to New Zealand for a conference and was it possible that he could come to Australia, it was mentioned within our local group. As we do not have a large number of local practitioners we also had to take Shen Yun organisation into consideration. Eventually the decision was made that it would be beneficial to hold a forum. David Matas arrived for our forum and we also organised an interview on ABC radio for half an hour on a main program. Another interview was organised with a donor transplant support group which included a member of Transplantion Society of Australia and New Zealand. But most importantly, by clarifying the facts to our state politicians it opened up the opportunity for David and our Falun Dafa Association to lodge an important “Submission to South Australian Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Operation of the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1983 and possible amendments in respect to the trafficking in human organs and related matters for South Australia”. This opportunity would probably have been missed if it were not for David coming to Adelaide as I had been more concerned with Shen Yun marketing than government work. I immediately enlightened that lodging a submission of this importance was beyond my capabilities and knowledge so I contacted the Australian FXH for their help. They were able to help significantly by organising a very comprehensive formal 19 page document, definitely one that was beyond my abilities. If we are to have a profound effect to enable any changes in the legal or moral aspects of these evil happenings from occurring in the future, I believe that to achieve the best outcome, then I must understand my shortcomings and seek the best solution. My wife Barbara, who obtained the Fa at the same time as I did, discussed this with me. This is also another important aspect of cultivation and working together as one body.
一开始我们得知大卫·麦塔斯要去新西兰开一个会时，我们当地小组提起这事，就在考虑是否有可能邀请他也来到澳洲。由于我们当地学员数量有限，而且要考虑到神韵的工作。最后我们决定举行一个论坛将是有益的。大卫·麦塔斯来到了我们的论坛，我们联络了澳洲广播公司（ABC）制作了一个半小时的采访在一个主要节目中播出。我们还安排了和器官移植支持团体的另一个采访，其中包括一名来自澳新器官移植委员会（Transplantion Society of Australia and New Zealand）的成员。但最重要的是，通过向议员们讲真相，大卫和我们法轮大法协会有了向南澳议会器官移植委员会递交一份重要报告的机会，可能就南澳器官移植议题对“1983解剖法”進行修改。如果我们当时认为神韵市场工作比政府工作重要、而没有邀请大卫来阿德雷德举办论坛，我们很可能就错失这个机会了。我立即意识到，提交这个报告超过了我的能力和知识范围，于是我向澳洲佛学会求助。他们帮助很大，给了我们一份19页的详尽文档，一份靠我自己的力量绝对是做不出来的文件。如果将来这件事能产生深远的影响，即在立法或道德上能阻止这样邪恶的事情的发生，我相信要获得最佳的效果，我必须意识到自己的缺点并找到最佳方案。和我同时得法的妻子芭芭拉（Barbara），就这件事和我進行了讨论。这件事体现了小组合作修炼和整体的配合。
The final outcome of that Joint Committee has not been realised as yet as it is still continuing. David Matas has lodged a submission and also been interviewed live by the committee members. The secretary of the Joint Committee contacted me to inform me that the Falun Dafa submission has been tabled and listed and contacted me again today to invite me or a representative to appear at next months Joint Committee meeting.
这项工作的最后结果还没有呈现，因为工作还在继续。大卫·麦塔斯已提交了报告，省议会调查小组也采访了他。议会调查小组的秘书联络了我，告诉我法轮大法协会递交的这份文件已经呈递给议会并记录在案，还邀请我或让我派一个代表参加他们调查小组下个月的会议。
By writing this sharing it has made me look deeper within and it has highlighted my attachments and shortcomings, which is the reason why I cultivate. I hope that I will become more diligent and achieve removing my attachments.
通过写这份交流稿，我更深入地审视了自己，看到了自己的执著和缺点，这也正是我要修炼的原因。我希望我能够更加精進，去掉我的执著。
Thank you, Master.
Thanks fellow practitioners.
谢谢师父！谢谢同修！
