Lessons 1 : Learning To Create Destiny - part 1

Liao-Fan's Four Lessons Audio Book The First Lesson: Learning To Create Destiny

Original Work by Mr. Liao-Fan Yuan of the Ming Dynasty Interpreted by Mr. Zhi-Hai Huang Re-edited by Police Officer Wang Sponsored and recorded by The Education Foundation of Liao-Fan's Four Lessons Liao-Fan's Four Lessons was originally written in the Ming Dynasty of China by Mr. Liao-Fan Yuan. The book was intended to teach his son, Tien-Chi Yuan, how to recognize the true face of destiny, how to tell good from evil, and the method for correcting one's faults and practicing kind deeds. It also provided living proof of the rewards and outcomes of people who practiced kind deeds and cultivated virtue and humility. Relating from his own experience at changing destiny, Mr. Yuan himself was a living embodiment of his teachings. After hearing this wonderful book, one may feel more open and confident towards life, and at the same time, courageously compelled to follow the example of Liao-Fan in changing one's original destiny. Liao-Fan's Four Lessons is truly a rare book which is not only precious to an individual's spiritual needs, but is also capable of transforming unhealthy attitudes in today's society. While listening through the lessons, one may wonder why the Chinese placed so much emphasis on examinations. In the olden days of Chinese civilization, studying was held in highest regard whilst all other occupations were considered low-class. The Chinese government selected its officials through a system of meritocracy; many levels of imperial examinations were given to all who wished to take them. It was very difficult to pass these tests, and one had to be very learned and talented in writing essays. Those who did pass had the chance to advance to high government positions and live a life of wealth and prominence. People who couldn't pass the examinations were not recognized, no matter how smart or able they were otherwise. That was the reason why many youths of that time turned to studying for the exams in hopes for a prosperous future.

Since the original work of Liao-Fan was written in classical Chinese, it tended to be poetic and terse, making the book hard to read and understand for modern-day people. In early 1900, Mr. Zhi-Hai Huang added a detailed commentary to the book using modern Chinese. This edition of Liao-Fan's Four Lessons became very popular and benefited many people of his time. However, as time went on, even Mr. Huang's edition became too tedious for today's readers, so the influence of this beneficial book was greatly reduced. In view of this sad situation, police officer Wang devoted himself to the reorganization, editing, and reprinting of the book, allowing better access and understanding to these wonderful teachings. Today, with the sponsorship of kind people, officer Wang's edition of The Brief Explanation of Liao-Fan's Four Lessons has been produced into Liao-Fan's Four Lessons Audio Book. After listening through it, we hope that everyone will learn the spirit of Liao-Fan in changing one's destiny and create a brighter future for oneself, the society, the nation, and all people of the world. [Narrator]: "Creating Destiny" is about forming one's fate rather than be bound by it. The Lesson of Learning to Create Destiny herein discusses the principle behind fate and the knowledge necessary to change it. By relating his own experience and trials at changing destiny, Mr. Liao-Fan Yuan taught his son, Tien-Chi not to be bound by fate, but rather to put forth his best effort in practicing kindness and cutting off evil. One should not reject doing a kind act simply because it seems to be a minute goodness, or commit an evil deed simply because it appears to be a small evil. If one practices in a proper manner, it is assured that one's destiny can be changed. It is often said, "Refraining from all evil and practicing all forms of kindness brings about the dispersion of disasters and the coming of fortune". This is the principle behind creating one's destiny. [Liao-Fan]: My father passed away when I was young, and mother persuaded me to learn medicine instead of becoming a scholar. Mother said to me:

[Mother]: Learning medicine will be a good way to support yourself and also to help others. Besides, having a skill on hand, you will never have to worry about making a living, and you can even become famous through your medical skills. This has always been an ambition your father had for you.

[Liao-Fan]: One day, at the Compassionate Cloud Temple, I met an elderly but distinguished looking man who had a long beard and had such a look of a sage that I immediately paid my respects to him. The old man told me:

[Old Man]: You are destined to become a government official. You can attain the rank of Erudite First Level Scholar next year, why aren't you studying for the exam? [Liao-Fan]: So I told him of my mother's instructions to give up scholarly study for learning medicine. Then I asked for his name, birthplace, and residence. He replied:

[Old Man]: My last name is Kong. I came from Yunnan Province. I have inherited the knowledge of Mr. Shao, who developed the art of prediction very well. By calculations, I'm supposed to pass it on to you. [Liao-Fan]: Therefore, I led Mr. Kong to my home and told my mother about him. Mother told me to treat him well and said:

[Mother]: Since Mr. Kong is so good at predicting the future, he must also know our past. Let's ask him and test his authenticity. [Liao-Fan]: As a result, I found Mr. Kong's calculations to be very accurate, even in very small cases. After hearing his words of advice, I once again thought about studying. I then consulted with my cousin Shen-chen. He recommended thus:

[Cousin]: "My friend, Mr. Hai-gu Yu is teaching at the home of Yo-fu Sheng. It would be very convenient for me to take you there for boarding and studying.

[Liao-Fan]: This was how I became Mr. Yu's student. Once again Mr. Kong made a prediction for me. He said:

[Mr. Kong]: As a student, you will place fourteenth in the county examination, seventy-first at the regional exam, and ninth at the provincial examination.

[Liao-Fan]: The following year, at the three places of examination, I placed exactly as he had predicted. Then Mr. Kong calculated the predictions for my entire life. He said:

[Mr. Kong]: You will pass such and such a test in such and such a year, you will become a civil servant in such a year, and in such a year you will get a promotion. Finally, you will be appointed as a magistrate in Szechuan Province. After holding that office for three and a half years, you will resign and return home. At the age of fifty-three, you will die around one o'clock in the morning on August 14th. It's a pity that you will not have a son. [Liao-Fan]: I recorded and remembered all that he said. From then on, the outcome of every examination I took turned out exactly as Mr. Kong predicted. Mr. Kong also predicted that I would be promoted only after receiving a salary in the weight of ninety-one dans and five dous of rice. However, I had received only seventy-one dans of rice when the senior educational official Mr. Tu recommended me for a promotion. I secretly began to doubt Mr. Kong's predictions. [Liao-Fan]: Nevertheless, the prediction turned out to be correct after all, because the recommendation was turned down by Mr. Tu's superior, Mr. Yang. It was not until several years later when Mr. Chiu-min Ying saw my old exam papers and exclaimed:

[Mr. Ying]: These five essays are as well written as reports to the Emperor! How can we bury the talents of such a great scholar?

[Liao-Fan]: Mr. Ying wanted the magistrate to issue an official order for me to become a candidate for 'imperial student' under his authority. After undergoing this eventful promotion, my calculations showed that I had received exactly ninety-one dans and five dous of rice. From then on, whether it was promotion, rank, or wealth, I deeply believed that all came in due time. Even the length of one's life is predestined. I began to view everything in a more detached manner and ceased to seek gain and profit.

[Liao-Fan]: After being selected as an imperial student, I was to attend the university at Beijing. During my year-long stay at the capital, my interest in meditation grew and I often sat silently without giving rise to a single thought. I lost interest in books and did not study at all. Before I was to enter the national university at Nanking, I paid a visit to the enlightened Zen master Yun Gu at Chi-shia Mountain. We sat face to face in the Zen Hall for three days and nights without ever falling asleep. Master Yun Gu questioned me saying:

[Master Yun Gu]: The reason why mundane people are unable to attain sagehood is because they have too many wandering and false thoughts running through their minds. In our three-day meditation, I have not observed the slightest wandering thought arise in you - why is this so?

[Liao-Fan]: I replied, "Mr. Kong has clearly predicted the entire outcome of my life. I have seen that the time of life, death, promotion, and failure are all predestined. There is no use or need for me to think about it or to desire anything. That's why you have not seen me give rise to a single wandering thought." Master Yun Gu laughed and said:

[Master Yun Gu]: I thought you were someone of remarkable capabilities! Now I realize you are nothing but a common mundane person!

[Liao-Fan]: Feeling confused by what he said, I asked the Master to explain. He answered:

[Master Yun Gu]: An average person's mind is forever occupied by his wandering and imaginary thoughts, so naturally their lives are bound by the chi of ying-yang and fate. We cannot deny the fact that fate exists, but only ordinary people are bound by it. Fate cannot bind those who cultivate great kindness, because their virtues accrued from kind acts are so great that these acts will alter their 'original' destiny for the better. The merits accrued can actually change their destiny from suffering to happiness, poverty to prosperity, and short lives to longevity. Similarly, fate cannot bind those who commit great evils. When a person's evil deeds are so great and powerful, they will cancel out the fortune and prosperity predetermined in his original fate, and his life can be transformed from good to bad. For the past twenty years, you have lived your life according to Mr. Kong's predictions and did not do a thing to change it. Instead, you became bound by your own fate. If you're not considered as a mundane mortal, then who is? [Liao-Fan]: Taken aback, I proceeded to ask Master Yun Gu, "According to you then, is it true that one can change one's fate, that one can escape from it?" The Master answered:

[Master Yun Gu]: Fate is created by ourselves. Good fortune or bad fortune are also determined by ourselves. When I commit evil, disasters are bound to strike. When I cultivate kindness, good fortune will naturally come my way. It says so in all the great ancient books of wisdom. In the Buddhist teachings, it is written that if one wishes and seeks wealth, position, a son, a daughter, or longevity, one can attain them. One only has to cultivate kind deeds in order to escape the control of fate. Since untruthful speech is one of the greatest offenses in Buddhist teachings, we can be assured that these are not lies. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas certainly have no reasons to deceive us.

[Liao-Fan]: I did not quite understand what he meant by 'attaining all that one wished for', and so I asked him, "Mencius once said, 'Whatever is sought for can be attained. The seeking is in oneself.' This refers to inner qualities such as virtue, kindness, and morality. These are all qualities one can work towards. However, when it comes to outside factors such as wealth, fame, and prestige, how can we seek and attain them? Don't these have to be granted by others in order to be achieved? The Master replied:

[Master Yun Gu]: Mencius was correct, but you misinterpreted his meaning. Hui-Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Zen school has taught that all the fields of merit are within one's own heart. If one seeks from within, one can be in touch with all fortunes and disasters. The outside is merely a reflection of the inside. By seeking within ourselves, we can not only attain the inner qualities of virtue, kindness, and morality, but we can also attain wealth, fame, and prestige.

[Narrator]: If wealth, fame, and prestige are embodied in one's fate, then one will attain them even without having to seek. If they are not, then one cannot attain them even through plotting and scheming.

[Master Yun Gu]: Therefore, if one cannot reflect within his own heart but instead blindly seeks fame, fortune, and longevity from external sources, then this seeking will be in vain. Just as Mencius once said: 'In seeking, one should follow the right path. In attaining, one attains what one's destiny entitles him to.' Whatever is attained in the end is still part of one's own fate. If one tries to seek these qualities from the outside, and even goes to the extent of committing evil deeds for them, then one will not only lose one's inner qualities of virtue and kindness, but predetermined fortune as well. Furthermore, evils committed in one's greedy mind to obtain more will often reduce the fortune of one's original fate. From this we can see that no benefit is derived from blind seeking.