Destiny Can Be Changed : by Venerable Wu Ling
Almost five hundred years ago, in China, a father sat down to write to his son. He wanted his son to know what had happened in his life. Many years before, when he was very young, he went to a temple and at that temple, he met a very distinguished man. He naturally paid his respects to this gentleman who in turn told him: “You are supposed to pass the imperial examination next year, why are you not studying?” Mr. Liao-Fan, for that was the father's name, asked the gentleman his name, where he was from, and how he was able to know what Mr. Liao-Fan was supposed to do. Mr. Kong, for that was the gentleman's name, told him that he knew how to predict what was going to happen, and that he was supposed to teach this art to Mr. Liao-Fan.
Mr. Liao-Fan went home and being a respectful and filial son told his mother everything that it happened. His mother wisely told him: “Invite the gentleman to our house, but before we believe what people tell us, we need to first test them to make sure what they are saying is the truth; we do not just believe somebody because they say “trust me.”
They invited Mr. Kong to their home and then asked him to please make predictions for the immediate future. Everything that Mr. Kong predicted turn out exactly as he said it would, so Mr. Liao-Fan asked Mr. Kong to please predict his entire lifetime. Mr. Kong then said, “You will pass a such and such an examination on such and such a day, and also attain a certain position. You will not have a son. You will die at the age of fifty-three on the 14th day of the eighth month between one and three o'clock in the morning.”
Many years later Mr. Liao-Fan was up for promotion. Mr. Kong had predicted that he would not be given a promotion until he had received what would be equivalent in today's measurement system, to about 9150 liters of rice. But when Mr. Liao-Fan had received only 700 liters, his name was placed for a promotion and although everything has turned out as Mr. Kong had predicted, he still began to doubt the predictions. But then, due to a change of personnel, the promotion was turned down and it took more years until Mr. Liao-Fan was promoted. He did his calculations; he had received 9150 liters of rice. From then on, he understood everything is destined and he stopped worrying about many things.
A few years later, he went to a mountain to sit in mediation with a Zen Master. They set for three days and three nights without sleep, food, or water. After this meditation, the master said to Mr. Liao-Fan: “You are very young to have accomplished this level of meditation, how are you able to do this?” Mr. Liao-Fan very honestly said that he knew everything that was destined, so there was not need to worry about things. At this, the master smiled and began to laugh and said, “I thought you were somebody extraordinary, but actually you are very ordinary, after all. You have not done anything to change your destiny!” To which Mr. Liao-Fan replied, “I didn't know we could change it.” He then asked the master to please explain how we can change our destiny. The master initially told him that destiny could not bind those who cultivate great kindness or those who are thinking only of others, and who have given up thoughts of selfishness.
Next, the master said that he needed to correct his faults and to seek from within. The master quoted Master Hui-Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, and said, “All the fields of merit are within one's own heart. If one seeks from the true mind within, one can be in touch with all that one wishes for.”
Master Yun-Gu said to Mr. Liao-Fan: “Tell me exactly what was predicted.” Mr. Liao-Fan told him everything including that he would not have a son or receive an imperial appointment. The master then asked: “Why do you feel you do not deserve an imperial appointment or a son?” Mr. Liao-Fan replied that he was very quick-tempered, very impatient, unkind, and he was overly critical of others. He was very harsh in his speech; he would say things purposely to hurt others or just carelessly hurt others, he did not care.
The master explained to Mr. Liao-Fan that such faults were the cause of why he was not getting what he wanted, of why his life was still so difficult. The master then taught Mr. Liao-Fan about cause and effect, which is the basic underlying principle to changing our destiny. We need to understand that everything in this life that happens to us is not because of something external to us, rather it is because of things that we have thought, said, or done in our previous lifetimes, because every single one of these will have a result. It may not happen right away. The result may not come for ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, or a thousand lifetimes; but when conditions are right, the cause will generate an effect. Understanding this is crucial to changing our destiny.
Master Yun-Gu taught Mr. Liao-Fan that he needed to regret all of his faults. Like Mr. Liao-Fan, first we regret, then we find all of our faults and then we began to change our thoughts and behavior. This is not easy to do; it takes a long time because we are trying to break the bad habits of many lifetimes. But we need to begin now.
Mr. Liao-Fan was very rare; he honestly told his teacher everything and then he sincerely did everything his teacher recommended. He did not do it for a short while; he did it for the rest of his life and this was how he changed his original destiny. The master told him: “Live as if everything in the past dissolved yesterday and all the future begins today. If you can accomplish this then you are a person born anew, a person of virtue and sincerity.” The master told him to practice kindness, help others unselfishly without thinking of self-benefit and without any expectation of reward. With this, Mr. Liao-Fan paid his most sincere respects to Master Yun-Gu.
He went to pay his respects to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas and wrote down on a slip of paper his wish to pass the imperial examination and his pledge to perform three thousand virtuous deeds. Passing the examination had not been part of his original destiny. The master taught him that in addition to practicing kindness and good deeds, Mr. Liao-Fan was to chant a mantra, because for him this was the most suitable method of practice. Additionally, he was to seek purity of mind, and to stop having wandering wishful thoughts.
Mr. Liao-Fan left the mountain. The following year, he took the preliminary imperial examination and his placement was better then had been destined. He had already started to change his destiny. He was able to see the results so quickly because he was trying so diligently to improve. He watched his every single fault and kept track of all of his merits and demerits, but it still took him ten years to complete his vow of three thousand good deeds; so, there were days that he did not accomplish one good deed! As was said previously, trying to change our bad habits is very difficult.
After he fulfilled his first pledge, he dedicated the merits and then he made a second wish and again pledged to complete three thousand meritorious deeds. This wish was to have a son and this had also not been destined for him. After a few years, his wife gave birth to a son, Tian-Qi. Mr.Liao-Fan continued to work hard to accomplish the meritorious deeds that would enable him to further improve his destiny.
This time he accomplished the three thousand deeds in just four years, so he and his wife, for his wife worked very hard with him to fulfill the pledge, had accomplished the deeds much more quickly. However, accomplishing three thousand good deeds in four years is still not that outstanding, although it is a vast improvement over his previous time of ten years. Mr. Liao-Fan thought to himself that he still was not doing enough; so, he and his wife continue to work harder.
Next, he made a wish to pass a high level of the imperial examinations and this time he vowed to complete ten thousand meritorious deeds. His wife told him: “Before we were in contact with the public, we met people and had opportunities to help others. But now, we are living in the government residence; we don't see people as much, how can we possibly accomplish so many deeds.”
Mr. Liao-Fan was thinking of this when he went to sleep and that night he had a dream in which a heavenly beings came to him assured him: “Do not worry, your ten thousand deeds have already been accomplished.” The next morning, Mr. Liao-Fan woke up and remembered the dream. He wondered how had the heavenly being known about the ten thousand virtuous deeds and how could Mr. Liao-Fan have accomplished the deeds so quickly? He did not understand.
Shortly after that, when another Zen master was passing through the town, Mr. Liao-Fan invited him to the government residence and posed the question of whether he really could have accomplished ten thousand good deeds in such a short time. After all, it had taken him for so long, actually fourteen years to accomplish just six thousand! The Zen Master replied: “Yes, if one does a good deed with a true sincere heart without any expectation of reward, then just one deed can be worth ten thousand.” The master essentially was saying what master Yun-Gu had tried to explain to Mr. Liao-Fan; we will attain everything when we are sincerely trying to help others.
Master Yun-Gu had taught Mr. Liao-Fan that the three ways to reform are to have a shameful heart, a fearful heart, and a determined courageous heart. First, we need to have a shameful heart. When we find a fault, we do not dismiss it by saying, “This is one of my faults, but I am human and humans have faults, so it's okay. I will try to do better and if I do, great! If not, well - I am only human.” We need to feel deep feel remorse, to feel ashamed that we are still making mistake, when other beings have been able to correct their mistakes, to become awakened, and to become enlightened. The first step in sincerely trying to correct our faults is to have a sense of shame. This had helped Mr. Liao-Fan when he was trying to correct himself. He was gradually learning how to stop thinking of himself and to start helping others. This is reflected in his accomplishing merits more quickly as he gradually did more to correct his faults through feeling shame.
His one deed that had helped so many was to reduce taxes on well over ten thousand people. This one act is what enabled him to accomplish so many good deeds so quickly. If Mr. Liao-Fan had not developed a shameful heart many years before, he would not have begun to correct his faults, and if he had not done so, ten thousand people would not been helped. But even this was not going far enough.
Next, we need to have a fearful heart to reform. Mr. Liao-Fan had dreamt that a heavenly beings had spoken to him and he had wondered how a heavenly being could have known what he was thinking. We are in the human realm - the human dimension, but there are many more dimensions. There are beings around us in other dimensions that we cannot see. However, some of them can see us, some of them have the abilities to know what we are thinking and to see everything that we are doing. Even when we think that we are alone, they are present, and this is how the heavenly being knew what Mr. Liao-Fan was thinking.
When we are outside in the public we tend to be on our good behavior, to be more respectful to others. When we are with those we live with, we tend to relax a little bit, to be more at ease, to be a little less respectful, and a little more impolite. And when we are by ourselves, we think that since nobody is around, we can relax for we really don't need to try as hard. After all, we have been trying hard all day to be correct and polite to others; certainly, we can relax a bit this evening.
We may be able to hide from other people because as human beings our abilities are very low, we can only see what is right in front of us in the same room. But we need to remember that even if we are alone in a room, there are other beings with us. They see, they hear, and they know everything. We need to have a fearful heart, to know that we cannot hide anything from them. Some of these beings are awakened and enlightened beings and they understand when we do something wrong. But others just have extraordinary abilities not great wisdom, and they may not understand when we do something improper, or when we have unkind thoughts. So, we need to have a fearful heart because there are always other beings around us and they know our every thought, word, and deed.
Next, understanding this, we need to have a determined and courageous heart. First, we develop shame and want to correct our faults. Then, we become aware that there are beings around who know what we think, say, and do. Finally, we become determined that we will change; that we will be very strict with ourselves. We will no longer continue to forgive ourselves - we forgive others - we do not forgive ourselves, we are self-critical.
But while we are critical of ourselves, we need to be very careful when correcting others. When doing so, it is best to correct others when no one else is around. This is difficult to do because we often loose our temper and criticize other people without caring where we are or who is present. We need to concentrate on correcting our own faults. We are to try not to criticize others, and when we find that we are criticized, it is best not to become angry or defensive. Even when we feel that their criticism is unjustified, we need to resist the desire to defend ourselves. We should not do as we have done so often in the past, to immediately come up with excuses or say, “I didn't do that, why are you criticizing me?” If instead, we try to say “I really do not think I have that fault now but I need to be careful not to develop it in the future.”
When people slander us or criticize us, whether true or untrue, it helps to reduce our negative karma. I know it is very difficult to do this, but this is how we began to change our faults, and changing our faults is the only way we will be able to change what is destined.
If we wish to know what is destined, what our future holds, we do not need to ask others. Think of what we did today. Did we help others; did we teach others something? If we taught them then we have planted the seeds for wisdom. If we saw that somebody was upset and we simply smiled at them, this was the giving of fearlessness, and we have planted the seeds of health and long life. If somebody was working in the kitchen and we helped them, this was the giving of wealth, for we have given of internal wealth as we helped another with our physical strength, and we have planted the seeds of wealth.
Previously, we said that Mr. Liao-Fan had accomplished ten thousand meritorious deeds with one act; but, he could have accomplished many more meritorious deeds. If he had done the act through absolute complete sincerity without any thought of selfishness then his act could have benefited infinite people. When we do something without any thought of self, of what is in it for me, then we are helping an infinite numbers of beings, because we are thinking as awakened beings, as Bodhisattvas think.
Mr. Liao-Fan learned that there are three methods of practice in reforming. The first is to change through behavior. I have spoken earlier of anger because, it is one of the three poisons is so difficult for us to control. Something happens and we flare up. It is too late; we have become angry. We need to think after this happens: “I became angry, but I also understand cause and effect and I know that when I become angry, I plant the seeds of anger.” Again, think about what happened today and you will know what lies ahead in your future. If we planted the seed for fearlessness, teaching, and wealth, we will have health and long life, wisdom, and wealth. If we were impatient, uncaring, and angry today, we have planted the seeds for misery, loneliness, and being born into the hell realms.
The master told Mr. Liaofan to not brood on what was in the past. If we get into an argument with someone and then constantly replay what made us angry, each time we think of it, we again plant another seed for future anger. This is why the master said, “the past is over, do not dwell on.” We are to think about what we did wrong, learn from it, and then forget about it. Think about what is happening now, think about how we can correct our faults to be sure we do not repeat them in the future.
When we try to correct faults through changing behavior, we realize how difficult this is. We find ourselves snapping at someone before we can catch ourselves because the anger flared up so quickly. Actually, the anger did not just start today. We have known the other person in a previous lifetime. Many lifetimes ago one of you said something to the other and without even realizing it, you hurt the other one's feelings, and that was it, nothing else happened.
Many years later, many lifetimes later, when that other person met you again, he said something to hurt you and this time it was intentional, but again that was it. Each lifetime when you again encounter each other, the anger escalates. It is passed back and forth, until in one of those lifetimes yelling at each other is no longer enough, one of you will hit the other. Then many lifetimes later, one of you will kill the other. This is why we have conflicts and wars; it all starts from one careless comment. We did not think, we did not mean to hurt the other person, we simply did not think. We need to understand that our irritability may seem very inconsequential right now, but the reality is that we have once again enabled that anger to grow.
The second way to change is through understanding. We understand cause and effect; we understand someone irritates us. Knowing this, if I can calm down and just think logically I will realize that if for no other reason, I do not wish to continue this in a future lifetime. This person is giving me enough trouble right now and we are having enough difficulties right now; I do not wish this to get any worse and I know it will get worse. So, I have to stop this destructive behavior now.
The only way we help others is through not being selfish. This anger has gone back and forth and it can continue to do so getting worse each time. The other person feels as upset, as frustrated, and as unhappy as I do. For that person's sake, I need to sever this anger right now. I need to understand so when the next time something happens I can control the anger. If it flares up, maybe it doesn't flare up quite as severely, maybe it doesn't last quite as long. In this way, we began to get something control.
The third way to change is from the heart. Mr. Liaofan had reduced the taxes and consequently he benefited ten thousand people. But if he had acted from the heart of absolute sincerity, he would have benefited infinite people. To change from the heart is to solely think of other people.
Mr. Liao-Fan wrote to his son that one of the reasons he had difficulty doing the kind deeds initially and why it took him so long to fulfill his first two pledges, was because he knew what he should do but he was not doing it sincerely enough. He knew he do something, but he would stop and think: “Does that person deserve my help? Do I really want to do that?” He still had thoughts of himself mixed up in doing kindness for others, he still had not understood.
When we think only of benefiting others, when we change from the heart, we will do what others need, we will assist them in doing whatever proper things they are doing without a second thought. For example, if I wished to lift up this cup but found that it was too heavy, without thinking I would lift it up with both hands. I do not think about it, I do it automatically. We need to be this spontaneous in our helping other people. We see what they are doing is proper and good, and we automatically do everything we can to help them. In this way, we will be planting the seeds for others to help us and we will be planting the seeds for a happier future. It was said earlier, if we want to know what lies in our future lifetimes, think of what we did and thought today. And when we go beyond having to think about helping others, when we do it spontaneously, we will start to dramatically change our futures even in this very lifetime.
Mr. Liao-Fan gradually changed his ways, but it took him a very long time to do so. Changing destiny takes time, but we are the only ones who can do this, because we are the ones who destined what is happening today. Everything arises from the mind. Mr. Liao-Fan had wanted to pass the imperial examinations, to have a son, and finally to pass the highest level of imperial examinations. He was destined to die at age fifty-three on the 14th day of the eighth lunar month between one and three o'clock in the morning. He wrote to his son at the age of sixty-nine and died at the age of seventy-four. He had not made the wish to live a longer life. What happened? Mr. Liaofan had started to change as he sought to pass the examination, a son, and to pass the highest level examination. As we try to correct our faults and we seek to attain things, we may reach a level beyond wishing; at this point, we have gone beyond selfishness.
We spoke of heavenly beings, beings in other dimensions who know our thoughts. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas know our every wish; they know it the instant we give rise to it. We do not need to speak it or write it down on a piece of paper. Mr. Liaofan wrote his book to his son Tianqi, but he had two sons in a time when having sons to carry on the family name was of utmost importance. He authored several books, attained a good position with the imperial government, and was well respected. He lived a long life. His book has been read and his name has been honored for almost five hundred years. He had reached the level beyond wishing, and had gone beyond selfishness. He thought only of helping others and although he made no more wishes and pledges, his life continued to change for the better. We too can attain what we want if we understand that we need to sincerely and honestly help all other beings. We do not have thoughts of selfishness; we do not ask what is in it for ourselves. We ask how can we help others. We become cautious of everything we think, say, and do.
Mr. Liaofan's destiny was predicted. He had seen that the predictions were correct when everything turned out exactly as Mr. Kong had said it would. Mr. Kong had said, “You will place in such and such a position in such and such a test.” Mr. Liaofan attained exactly that placement. Mr. Kong had said, “You will receive a promotion after you have received 9150 litres of rice.” Mr. Liaofan's salary had reached exactly that amount when he received his promotion. He understood destiny existed. He went beyond! He met a good teacher. It was said earlier that he was very unusual; he practiced and did everything his teacher told him to do. This is very unusual. When most of us listen to those who are wiser, we nod and say, “Yes, very good,” walk out the door, and gradually what we heard fades from our memory! Mr. Liao-Fan did not do that. He remembered; he was determined, nothing was going to stop him from changing his destiny; he was going to do exactly what his teacher said. He was a very rare individual; so rare that his book is still widely read several centuries after he wrote it.
His teacher had said, “Find your faults, regret, and correct your mistakes. Reform sincerely, practice kindness, concentrate the mind, and sever selfishness.” Mr. Kong had predicted what would happen, but Mr. Liao-Fan had changed all of that! He had learned that destiny can be predicted, but it is not fixed, it is changeable. We, like Mr. Liaofan, can learn to have the shameful heart, fearful heart, determined and courageous heart. We too, can change first through behavior, then through understanding, and then from the heart. When we change from the heart, we will able to create wonderful futures, not only for ourselves but help others to have them as well.
Mr. Liao-Fan went home and being a respectful and filial son told his mother everything that it happened. His mother wisely told him: “Invite the gentleman to our house, but before we believe what people tell us, we need to first test them to make sure what they are saying is the truth; we do not just believe somebody because they say “trust me.”
They invited Mr. Kong to their home and then asked him to please make predictions for the immediate future. Everything that Mr. Kong predicted turn out exactly as he said it would, so Mr. Liao-Fan asked Mr. Kong to please predict his entire lifetime. Mr. Kong then said, “You will pass a such and such an examination on such and such a day, and also attain a certain position. You will not have a son. You will die at the age of fifty-three on the 14th day of the eighth month between one and three o'clock in the morning.”
Many years later Mr. Liao-Fan was up for promotion. Mr. Kong had predicted that he would not be given a promotion until he had received what would be equivalent in today's measurement system, to about 9150 liters of rice. But when Mr. Liao-Fan had received only 700 liters, his name was placed for a promotion and although everything has turned out as Mr. Kong had predicted, he still began to doubt the predictions. But then, due to a change of personnel, the promotion was turned down and it took more years until Mr. Liao-Fan was promoted. He did his calculations; he had received 9150 liters of rice. From then on, he understood everything is destined and he stopped worrying about many things.
A few years later, he went to a mountain to sit in mediation with a Zen Master. They set for three days and three nights without sleep, food, or water. After this meditation, the master said to Mr. Liao-Fan: “You are very young to have accomplished this level of meditation, how are you able to do this?” Mr. Liao-Fan very honestly said that he knew everything that was destined, so there was not need to worry about things. At this, the master smiled and began to laugh and said, “I thought you were somebody extraordinary, but actually you are very ordinary, after all. You have not done anything to change your destiny!” To which Mr. Liao-Fan replied, “I didn't know we could change it.” He then asked the master to please explain how we can change our destiny. The master initially told him that destiny could not bind those who cultivate great kindness or those who are thinking only of others, and who have given up thoughts of selfishness.
Next, the master said that he needed to correct his faults and to seek from within. The master quoted Master Hui-Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, and said, “All the fields of merit are within one's own heart. If one seeks from the true mind within, one can be in touch with all that one wishes for.”
Master Yun-Gu said to Mr. Liao-Fan: “Tell me exactly what was predicted.” Mr. Liao-Fan told him everything including that he would not have a son or receive an imperial appointment. The master then asked: “Why do you feel you do not deserve an imperial appointment or a son?” Mr. Liao-Fan replied that he was very quick-tempered, very impatient, unkind, and he was overly critical of others. He was very harsh in his speech; he would say things purposely to hurt others or just carelessly hurt others, he did not care.
The master explained to Mr. Liao-Fan that such faults were the cause of why he was not getting what he wanted, of why his life was still so difficult. The master then taught Mr. Liao-Fan about cause and effect, which is the basic underlying principle to changing our destiny. We need to understand that everything in this life that happens to us is not because of something external to us, rather it is because of things that we have thought, said, or done in our previous lifetimes, because every single one of these will have a result. It may not happen right away. The result may not come for ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, or a thousand lifetimes; but when conditions are right, the cause will generate an effect. Understanding this is crucial to changing our destiny.
Master Yun-Gu taught Mr. Liao-Fan that he needed to regret all of his faults. Like Mr. Liao-Fan, first we regret, then we find all of our faults and then we began to change our thoughts and behavior. This is not easy to do; it takes a long time because we are trying to break the bad habits of many lifetimes. But we need to begin now.
Mr. Liao-Fan was very rare; he honestly told his teacher everything and then he sincerely did everything his teacher recommended. He did not do it for a short while; he did it for the rest of his life and this was how he changed his original destiny. The master told him: “Live as if everything in the past dissolved yesterday and all the future begins today. If you can accomplish this then you are a person born anew, a person of virtue and sincerity.” The master told him to practice kindness, help others unselfishly without thinking of self-benefit and without any expectation of reward. With this, Mr. Liao-Fan paid his most sincere respects to Master Yun-Gu.
He went to pay his respects to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas and wrote down on a slip of paper his wish to pass the imperial examination and his pledge to perform three thousand virtuous deeds. Passing the examination had not been part of his original destiny. The master taught him that in addition to practicing kindness and good deeds, Mr. Liao-Fan was to chant a mantra, because for him this was the most suitable method of practice. Additionally, he was to seek purity of mind, and to stop having wandering wishful thoughts.
Mr. Liao-Fan left the mountain. The following year, he took the preliminary imperial examination and his placement was better then had been destined. He had already started to change his destiny. He was able to see the results so quickly because he was trying so diligently to improve. He watched his every single fault and kept track of all of his merits and demerits, but it still took him ten years to complete his vow of three thousand good deeds; so, there were days that he did not accomplish one good deed! As was said previously, trying to change our bad habits is very difficult.
After he fulfilled his first pledge, he dedicated the merits and then he made a second wish and again pledged to complete three thousand meritorious deeds. This wish was to have a son and this had also not been destined for him. After a few years, his wife gave birth to a son, Tian-Qi. Mr.Liao-Fan continued to work hard to accomplish the meritorious deeds that would enable him to further improve his destiny.
This time he accomplished the three thousand deeds in just four years, so he and his wife, for his wife worked very hard with him to fulfill the pledge, had accomplished the deeds much more quickly. However, accomplishing three thousand good deeds in four years is still not that outstanding, although it is a vast improvement over his previous time of ten years. Mr. Liao-Fan thought to himself that he still was not doing enough; so, he and his wife continue to work harder.
Next, he made a wish to pass a high level of the imperial examinations and this time he vowed to complete ten thousand meritorious deeds. His wife told him: “Before we were in contact with the public, we met people and had opportunities to help others. But now, we are living in the government residence; we don't see people as much, how can we possibly accomplish so many deeds.”
Mr. Liao-Fan was thinking of this when he went to sleep and that night he had a dream in which a heavenly beings came to him assured him: “Do not worry, your ten thousand deeds have already been accomplished.” The next morning, Mr. Liao-Fan woke up and remembered the dream. He wondered how had the heavenly being known about the ten thousand virtuous deeds and how could Mr. Liao-Fan have accomplished the deeds so quickly? He did not understand.
Shortly after that, when another Zen master was passing through the town, Mr. Liao-Fan invited him to the government residence and posed the question of whether he really could have accomplished ten thousand good deeds in such a short time. After all, it had taken him for so long, actually fourteen years to accomplish just six thousand! The Zen Master replied: “Yes, if one does a good deed with a true sincere heart without any expectation of reward, then just one deed can be worth ten thousand.” The master essentially was saying what master Yun-Gu had tried to explain to Mr. Liao-Fan; we will attain everything when we are sincerely trying to help others.
Master Yun-Gu had taught Mr. Liao-Fan that the three ways to reform are to have a shameful heart, a fearful heart, and a determined courageous heart. First, we need to have a shameful heart. When we find a fault, we do not dismiss it by saying, “This is one of my faults, but I am human and humans have faults, so it's okay. I will try to do better and if I do, great! If not, well - I am only human.” We need to feel deep feel remorse, to feel ashamed that we are still making mistake, when other beings have been able to correct their mistakes, to become awakened, and to become enlightened. The first step in sincerely trying to correct our faults is to have a sense of shame. This had helped Mr. Liao-Fan when he was trying to correct himself. He was gradually learning how to stop thinking of himself and to start helping others. This is reflected in his accomplishing merits more quickly as he gradually did more to correct his faults through feeling shame.
His one deed that had helped so many was to reduce taxes on well over ten thousand people. This one act is what enabled him to accomplish so many good deeds so quickly. If Mr. Liao-Fan had not developed a shameful heart many years before, he would not have begun to correct his faults, and if he had not done so, ten thousand people would not been helped. But even this was not going far enough.
Next, we need to have a fearful heart to reform. Mr. Liao-Fan had dreamt that a heavenly beings had spoken to him and he had wondered how a heavenly being could have known what he was thinking. We are in the human realm - the human dimension, but there are many more dimensions. There are beings around us in other dimensions that we cannot see. However, some of them can see us, some of them have the abilities to know what we are thinking and to see everything that we are doing. Even when we think that we are alone, they are present, and this is how the heavenly being knew what Mr. Liao-Fan was thinking.
When we are outside in the public we tend to be on our good behavior, to be more respectful to others. When we are with those we live with, we tend to relax a little bit, to be more at ease, to be a little less respectful, and a little more impolite. And when we are by ourselves, we think that since nobody is around, we can relax for we really don't need to try as hard. After all, we have been trying hard all day to be correct and polite to others; certainly, we can relax a bit this evening.
We may be able to hide from other people because as human beings our abilities are very low, we can only see what is right in front of us in the same room. But we need to remember that even if we are alone in a room, there are other beings with us. They see, they hear, and they know everything. We need to have a fearful heart, to know that we cannot hide anything from them. Some of these beings are awakened and enlightened beings and they understand when we do something wrong. But others just have extraordinary abilities not great wisdom, and they may not understand when we do something improper, or when we have unkind thoughts. So, we need to have a fearful heart because there are always other beings around us and they know our every thought, word, and deed.
Next, understanding this, we need to have a determined and courageous heart. First, we develop shame and want to correct our faults. Then, we become aware that there are beings around who know what we think, say, and do. Finally, we become determined that we will change; that we will be very strict with ourselves. We will no longer continue to forgive ourselves - we forgive others - we do not forgive ourselves, we are self-critical.
But while we are critical of ourselves, we need to be very careful when correcting others. When doing so, it is best to correct others when no one else is around. This is difficult to do because we often loose our temper and criticize other people without caring where we are or who is present. We need to concentrate on correcting our own faults. We are to try not to criticize others, and when we find that we are criticized, it is best not to become angry or defensive. Even when we feel that their criticism is unjustified, we need to resist the desire to defend ourselves. We should not do as we have done so often in the past, to immediately come up with excuses or say, “I didn't do that, why are you criticizing me?” If instead, we try to say “I really do not think I have that fault now but I need to be careful not to develop it in the future.”
When people slander us or criticize us, whether true or untrue, it helps to reduce our negative karma. I know it is very difficult to do this, but this is how we began to change our faults, and changing our faults is the only way we will be able to change what is destined.
If we wish to know what is destined, what our future holds, we do not need to ask others. Think of what we did today. Did we help others; did we teach others something? If we taught them then we have planted the seeds for wisdom. If we saw that somebody was upset and we simply smiled at them, this was the giving of fearlessness, and we have planted the seeds of health and long life. If somebody was working in the kitchen and we helped them, this was the giving of wealth, for we have given of internal wealth as we helped another with our physical strength, and we have planted the seeds of wealth.
Previously, we said that Mr. Liao-Fan had accomplished ten thousand meritorious deeds with one act; but, he could have accomplished many more meritorious deeds. If he had done the act through absolute complete sincerity without any thought of selfishness then his act could have benefited infinite people. When we do something without any thought of self, of what is in it for me, then we are helping an infinite numbers of beings, because we are thinking as awakened beings, as Bodhisattvas think.
Mr. Liao-Fan learned that there are three methods of practice in reforming. The first is to change through behavior. I have spoken earlier of anger because, it is one of the three poisons is so difficult for us to control. Something happens and we flare up. It is too late; we have become angry. We need to think after this happens: “I became angry, but I also understand cause and effect and I know that when I become angry, I plant the seeds of anger.” Again, think about what happened today and you will know what lies ahead in your future. If we planted the seed for fearlessness, teaching, and wealth, we will have health and long life, wisdom, and wealth. If we were impatient, uncaring, and angry today, we have planted the seeds for misery, loneliness, and being born into the hell realms.
The master told Mr. Liaofan to not brood on what was in the past. If we get into an argument with someone and then constantly replay what made us angry, each time we think of it, we again plant another seed for future anger. This is why the master said, “the past is over, do not dwell on.” We are to think about what we did wrong, learn from it, and then forget about it. Think about what is happening now, think about how we can correct our faults to be sure we do not repeat them in the future.
When we try to correct faults through changing behavior, we realize how difficult this is. We find ourselves snapping at someone before we can catch ourselves because the anger flared up so quickly. Actually, the anger did not just start today. We have known the other person in a previous lifetime. Many lifetimes ago one of you said something to the other and without even realizing it, you hurt the other one's feelings, and that was it, nothing else happened.
Many years later, many lifetimes later, when that other person met you again, he said something to hurt you and this time it was intentional, but again that was it. Each lifetime when you again encounter each other, the anger escalates. It is passed back and forth, until in one of those lifetimes yelling at each other is no longer enough, one of you will hit the other. Then many lifetimes later, one of you will kill the other. This is why we have conflicts and wars; it all starts from one careless comment. We did not think, we did not mean to hurt the other person, we simply did not think. We need to understand that our irritability may seem very inconsequential right now, but the reality is that we have once again enabled that anger to grow.
The second way to change is through understanding. We understand cause and effect; we understand someone irritates us. Knowing this, if I can calm down and just think logically I will realize that if for no other reason, I do not wish to continue this in a future lifetime. This person is giving me enough trouble right now and we are having enough difficulties right now; I do not wish this to get any worse and I know it will get worse. So, I have to stop this destructive behavior now.
The only way we help others is through not being selfish. This anger has gone back and forth and it can continue to do so getting worse each time. The other person feels as upset, as frustrated, and as unhappy as I do. For that person's sake, I need to sever this anger right now. I need to understand so when the next time something happens I can control the anger. If it flares up, maybe it doesn't flare up quite as severely, maybe it doesn't last quite as long. In this way, we began to get something control.
The third way to change is from the heart. Mr. Liaofan had reduced the taxes and consequently he benefited ten thousand people. But if he had acted from the heart of absolute sincerity, he would have benefited infinite people. To change from the heart is to solely think of other people.
Mr. Liao-Fan wrote to his son that one of the reasons he had difficulty doing the kind deeds initially and why it took him so long to fulfill his first two pledges, was because he knew what he should do but he was not doing it sincerely enough. He knew he do something, but he would stop and think: “Does that person deserve my help? Do I really want to do that?” He still had thoughts of himself mixed up in doing kindness for others, he still had not understood.
When we think only of benefiting others, when we change from the heart, we will do what others need, we will assist them in doing whatever proper things they are doing without a second thought. For example, if I wished to lift up this cup but found that it was too heavy, without thinking I would lift it up with both hands. I do not think about it, I do it automatically. We need to be this spontaneous in our helping other people. We see what they are doing is proper and good, and we automatically do everything we can to help them. In this way, we will be planting the seeds for others to help us and we will be planting the seeds for a happier future. It was said earlier, if we want to know what lies in our future lifetimes, think of what we did and thought today. And when we go beyond having to think about helping others, when we do it spontaneously, we will start to dramatically change our futures even in this very lifetime.
Mr. Liao-Fan gradually changed his ways, but it took him a very long time to do so. Changing destiny takes time, but we are the only ones who can do this, because we are the ones who destined what is happening today. Everything arises from the mind. Mr. Liao-Fan had wanted to pass the imperial examinations, to have a son, and finally to pass the highest level of imperial examinations. He was destined to die at age fifty-three on the 14th day of the eighth lunar month between one and three o'clock in the morning. He wrote to his son at the age of sixty-nine and died at the age of seventy-four. He had not made the wish to live a longer life. What happened? Mr. Liaofan had started to change as he sought to pass the examination, a son, and to pass the highest level examination. As we try to correct our faults and we seek to attain things, we may reach a level beyond wishing; at this point, we have gone beyond selfishness.
We spoke of heavenly beings, beings in other dimensions who know our thoughts. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas know our every wish; they know it the instant we give rise to it. We do not need to speak it or write it down on a piece of paper. Mr. Liaofan wrote his book to his son Tianqi, but he had two sons in a time when having sons to carry on the family name was of utmost importance. He authored several books, attained a good position with the imperial government, and was well respected. He lived a long life. His book has been read and his name has been honored for almost five hundred years. He had reached the level beyond wishing, and had gone beyond selfishness. He thought only of helping others and although he made no more wishes and pledges, his life continued to change for the better. We too can attain what we want if we understand that we need to sincerely and honestly help all other beings. We do not have thoughts of selfishness; we do not ask what is in it for ourselves. We ask how can we help others. We become cautious of everything we think, say, and do.
Mr. Liaofan's destiny was predicted. He had seen that the predictions were correct when everything turned out exactly as Mr. Kong had said it would. Mr. Kong had said, “You will place in such and such a position in such and such a test.” Mr. Liaofan attained exactly that placement. Mr. Kong had said, “You will receive a promotion after you have received 9150 litres of rice.” Mr. Liaofan's salary had reached exactly that amount when he received his promotion. He understood destiny existed. He went beyond! He met a good teacher. It was said earlier that he was very unusual; he practiced and did everything his teacher told him to do. This is very unusual. When most of us listen to those who are wiser, we nod and say, “Yes, very good,” walk out the door, and gradually what we heard fades from our memory! Mr. Liao-Fan did not do that. He remembered; he was determined, nothing was going to stop him from changing his destiny; he was going to do exactly what his teacher said. He was a very rare individual; so rare that his book is still widely read several centuries after he wrote it.
His teacher had said, “Find your faults, regret, and correct your mistakes. Reform sincerely, practice kindness, concentrate the mind, and sever selfishness.” Mr. Kong had predicted what would happen, but Mr. Liao-Fan had changed all of that! He had learned that destiny can be predicted, but it is not fixed, it is changeable. We, like Mr. Liaofan, can learn to have the shameful heart, fearful heart, determined and courageous heart. We too, can change first through behavior, then through understanding, and then from the heart. When we change from the heart, we will able to create wonderful futures, not only for ourselves but help others to have them as well.
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