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The First Study of Liming

Liaofan Four Lessons (in the vernacular)

( Principles and methods of transforming destiny )

Original author: Mr. Yuan Liaofan of the Ming Dynasty

The first study of Liming

1. Everything is fate

My father passed away when I was a child, and my mother asked me to give up my studies (imperial examination) and study medicine instead. She believed that studying medicine could support life and help others. And being successful in academics can also fulfill his father’s wish.

Later, when I was in Ciyun Temple, I met an old man with a long beard and an extraordinary appearance. He looked as if he was a fairy, so I respectfully bowed to him. The old man said to me: “You are destined to be an official, and you can enter school next year. Why don’t you study?” I told him the reason. And ask the old man’s name, where he is from, and where he lives.

The old man said: “My surname is Kong. He is from Yunnan. There must be a true story of “Shao Zi Huang Ji Shu”, and I should pass it on to you.” So I took the old man home to live temporarily, and told my mother about the situation. My mother asked me to treat the old man well, and tried the old man’s numerology many times, and it turned out to be very effective and accurate regardless of the size. So I started the idea of ​​studying, and was introduced by my cousin to study under Mr. Yu Haigu’s library.

Mr. Kong calculated my destiny for me and said, “When you were a boy, you got fourteenth in the county exam; you got seventy-first in the prefectural exam, and you got ninth in the college exam.” Next year, sure enough. The three exams had exactly the same number of names. Mr. Kong also calculated the good and bad luck of my life for me. He said: “Which year did you rank in the exam? In that year, you should be elected as the magistrate of a county in Sichuan Province. After serving for three and a half years, you should resign and return to your hometown. When you are 53 years old, on August 14, when you are ugly , should die of old age, but it is a pity that I have no son.” I recorded these words one by one, and carefully remembered them.

From then on, when encountering exams, the rankings in the exams were not as expected by Mr. Kong’s calculations. Only when I count my granary rice and receive ninety-one stones and five buckets, can I pay tribute. But when I had eaten seventy-one shimi, Xuetai (equivalent to the director of education) approved me to make up for Gongsheng students. Therefore, I suspect that Mr. Kong’s calculation is not working. Unexpectedly, I was rejected by Xuetai later, and I was not allowed to make up for Gongsheng students.

It wasn’t until Ding Maonian that Grandmaster Yin Qiuming saw my alternate test papers in the examination room. He sighed and said: “The five policies in this paper are like a memorial to the emperor. How can such a learned scholar be buried until he grows old?” Promoted to pay tribute. After several twists and turns, the total amount of lin rice received was indeed ninety-one stones and five buckets.

From then on, I believed even more: “Get promoted and get rich, slow down sometimes, riches and honors are in heaven, life and death are destiny.” I am indifferent to everything in life!

2. Destiny is made by oneself, life is born by heart

After becoming a Gongsheng student, he went to Beijing Guozijian to study according to the regulations. During the year in the capital, he sat quietly all day long without reading. Later, he returned to Nanjing Guozijian to study. Before entering the Imperial College, he first went to Qixia Mountain to visit Zen Master Yunguhui. Sitting in the same room with the Zen master, for three days and three nights, I didn’t even close my eyes.

Zen Master Yungu asked me, “The reason why ordinary people can’t become sages and sages is because they are entangled in distracting thoughts and desires. You have sat in meditation for three days and have not seen you have a single false thought. Why?” I replied, “My Fate is determined by Mr. Kong, honor, disgrace, life and death are all fixed, no matter how you think about it, you can’t change it, so I honestly don’t think about it!”

Chan Master Yungu laughed and said, “I thought you were a great hero, but how could I know that you are just an ordinary person!” I asked Chan Master what he meant by this. Zen Master Yungu said: “An ordinary person cannot live without the conscious mind of wild thoughts; since there is this non-stop delusional mind, he will be bound by yin and yang; since he is bound by the number of yin and yang, how can it be said that there is no number? ?Although there must be numbers, only ordinary people will be bound by numbers. If it is a very good person, numbers will not be able to restrain him.

Because although a very good person is destined to suffer in the number, he has done a great deal. The power of this great good deed can turn suffering into happiness, poverty and short life into wealth and longevity. And the number of extremely evil people can’t stop him. Because the extremely evil people are destined to enjoy happiness even though they are several miles away; But if he does a great evil, the power of this great evil can turn good fortune into misfortune, wealth and longevity, and poverty and short life. You have been calculated by Mr. Kong for twenty years, and you have never turned the number. Being counted arrests you. A person who is counted and arrested is an ordinary person. From this point of view, you are not an ordinary person, what are you?”

I asked Zen Master Yungu, “According to you, can a person’s fate be changed?”

Zen Master Yungu said: “‘Fate is made by oneself, appearance is born from the heart, there is no way for misfortune and good fortune, but people call for themselves’.” Buddhist scriptures say: “If you seek wealth, you will get wealth, if you seek children, you will have children, if you seek longevity, you will live long.” This is not nonsense. “Lying” is a great Buddhist precept, how can Buddhas and Bodhisattvas tell lies to deceive the public?”

After I heard it, I still didn’t understand it, so I asked further: “Mencius said that if you ask for it, you can get it. This means that what is in my heart can be done. If it is not in my heart, how can I be sure?” How can I obtain it? For example, morality, benevolence and righteousness are all in my heart. If I aspire to be a person with morality, benevolence and righteousness, I will naturally become a person with morality, benevolence and righteousness. I can do my best to pursue this. If it is fame and wealth, it is not in the heart, it is outside the body. I can only get it if others are willing to give it to me. If others don’t give it to me, how can I ask for it?”

Zen Master Yungu said: “What Mencius said is good, but you haven’t been able to understand it deeply.” Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch, once said: “All fields of blessings are inseparable from each other; if you search for them from the heart, you will feel everything.” 』As long as people seek from the heart and practice benevolence, righteousness and morality, they will naturally be able to win the respect of others. Because a person with benevolence, righteousness and morality will be liked and respected by everyone.

Therefore, there is no need to ask for fame and wealth, others will naturally give it to him. If you don’t reflect on yourself and seek from the heart, but you have to aim high and pray for fame and fortune outside of your body, you will exhaust all your efforts, and you will only be empty inside and outside. ”

3. Heaven’s sins can still be violated

Zen Master Yungu asked again: “How does Kong Gong calculate your lifelong destiny?” I described my past experience in detail. The Zen master said, “Do you think you deserve fame? Should you have a son?”

I checked what I had done in the past and thought for a long time before I said, “I shouldn’t be in Kedi, and I shouldn’t have a son. Because most of the people in Kedi have good fortune, but I don’t have good fortune, and I haven’t accumulated virtue to benefit. Impatient, narrow-minded, self-indulgent, frivolous, self-respecting … These are all unlucky looks, how can you be an official!”

As the saying goes: “The land is filthy and there are many creatures, but the water is clear and there are no fish.” I became an obsessive cleanse and became an unkind person. This is because of childlessness. Irritable temper and lack of harmony to nourish all things are the second cause of childlessness. Benevolence is the root of fertility, and unkindness is the cause of infertility. I only cherish my reputation and cannot sacrifice myself for others. These are the three causes of childlessness. In addition, talking too much consumes energy, drinking too much alcohol damages energy, sitting all night long without watching to maintain vitality, etc. These are all reasons for childlessness.

Zen Master Yungu heard this and said: “It is not only Kedi who should not deserve it, I am afraid there are many things that should not be deserved! People in the world should enjoy wealth of a thousand pieces of gold, or a fortune of a hundred pieces of gold, or should starve to death, it depends on each person. It is caused by human karma. Those who understand know that it is caused by personal efforts and different circumstances, but those who are confused will push it to fate, saying that it is predestined in fate. In fact, God only It’s just pushing the boat with the tide and giving us a push.

For example, if a good person can accumulate virtue, the sky will rain and dew like a growing thing to moisten him and help him get the blessing he deserves. For committing crimes, the sky is like something that is about to fall. It sends some wind and rain to blow him down and let him get the misfortune he deserves. There are a hundred generations of descendants to pass on; those with ten generations of merit must have ten generations of descendants to protect them; I’m afraid there are still many sins accumulated!”

Zen Master Yungu went on to say: “However, since you can talk about your various shortcomings, it means that you already know your faults. Try to change the reasons for not giving up Kejia and not having children, turn miserliness into charity, and turn extremes. For peace, change hypocrisy into piety, impetuousness into calmness, pride into humility, laziness into diligence, cruelty into kindness, harshness into tolerance, cherish yourself, and be kind to others. Everything in the past, for example, died yesterday ;Everything in the future, such as just being born today; if you can do this, it means that you have reborn a giri body.

There is a certain number of flesh and blood, but there is a reason why moral life cannot move heaven. The Taijia chapter says: “You can avoid the evil that heaven has sent you; but if you commit evil, you will receive retribution, and you will not be able to live happily and peacefully.” The Book of Songs also says: “One should always reflect on what one has done. Whether it fits the way of heaven or not. Seeking misfortune and blessings is all up to you.”

Mr. Kong counts you, and he has no family status and no children to follow. Although it is destined by heaven, it can still be changed. As long as you expand your virtues and accumulate yin virtues, this is the blessing you have done (others cannot take it away), how can you not enjoy it? Book of Changes. It focuses on the principle of seeking good luck and avoiding bad luck. If fate cannot be changed, how can we get good luck? How to avoid evil? The first chapter of the Book of Changes says: “A family that has accumulated good deeds must have more celebrations.” Blessings and descendants, do you believe it? ”

4. Recite mantras to induce wisdom

From then on, I had a sudden epiphany and asked to be taught. Confess and repent all past mistakes, big or small, before the Buddha. First seek the imperial examinations, and then swear to do three thousand good deeds, in order to repay the kindness of the ancestors in heaven and earth for their upbringing. Zen Master Yungu also instructed me to record all the good and bad deeds I do every day in the merit and demerit book, even the very small good and evil deeds must be recorded.

He also taught me to recite the “Zhunti Mantra” with the power of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, hoping that it will come true. The Zen master also said: “An expert in drawing talismans once said: ‘If a person does not draw the talisman according to the law, he will be laughed at by ghosts and gods. The thoughts, even the right thoughts, should be put down together. Clean the mind so that there are no distracting thoughts.

If there are some thoughts, the mind will not be pure. When the thoughts do not move, use a pen to tap a little on the paper. It is called “chaos foundation”. (Because a complete talisman is drawn from this point, so this point is the foundation of the talisman.) From one point to the end of the painting, without any other thoughts, then this talisman is just It is very effective. Not only do you not have thoughts mixed with the symbols, but you must work hard to avoid delusions when you pray to heaven or change your destiny.”

Mencius talked about the way to establish one’s life and said: “There is no difference between a short life and a long life.” At first, it sounds strange; because short life and long life are opposite and completely different, how can they be the same? To know when a “wandering thought” is completely gone, such as when a child is in the womb, how about knowing the difference between a short life and a long life? “[When the womb is born, you will gradually gain knowledge and have a discerning heart; at this time, the good and bad karma you did in the previous life will all be punished, and then you will have a short-lived and long-lived distinction. 〕

Furthermore, rich and poor, rich and poor, high and low, poor and common … etc. are only differentiated after having desires. It is precisely because people in the world have delusions that they dare not face reality, and cannot deal with adversity with meditation and settle down with kindness. Adversity, so life and death become a serious duality. All the good and bad, good and bad, good and bad, good and bad, rich and poor, will bother the world, and make them restless and never peaceful. Mencius said: “Cultivate one’s morality in order to achieve it” means that one should cultivate virtue at all times and not make any mistakes or sins.

If fate can be changed or not, it is a matter of accumulating virtue and seeking heaven. When it comes to correcting calligraphy, if there are some faults and sins in the body, it should be treated like a disease, and the faults and sins should be completely removed. When it comes to waiting, one has to wait until the practice of cultivation is deep, and the fate will become better. You can’t have the slightest thought, and you can’t let the thoughts in your heart fluctuate, you must completely cut them off; if you can do this, you have reached the state of innate non-thinking; to this kind of effort, That is the real knowledge that is useful in the world.

The Zen master went on to say: “You still can’t achieve the state of ‘unmoving your heart’. If you can recite the ‘Zhunti Mantra’, you don’t need to memorize it or count it several times. Knowing how to recite in your mouth, but you don’t realize that you are reciting, this is called holding while not holding on; when you are not reciting, but you are not aware of it, this is called not holding on. Naturally, there will be no distracting thoughts coming in; then the mantra you recite will not fail to work.”

5. A virtuous person can live in peace

My original name was Xuehai, but from that day on I changed my name to Fan; because I understand the way of life, I don’t want to be like ordinary people anymore. Since then, I have been cautious all day long, and I feel very different from before. In the past, it was all muddle-headed and free-spirited; now, there is naturally a scene of caution and trepidation. Although there is no one in the dark room, I am often afraid of offending the ghosts and gods of heaven and earth. When encountering those who hate and slander me, I can accept it calmly, and I don’t care about arguing with others.

When he took the exam in the second year, Mr. Kong was supposed to be the third, but he won the first place in the exam. The old man’s prophecy began to fail. When it came to the autumn examination, Mr. Kong’s calculations were beyond his calculations, and he passed the examination. However, after calmly reviewing, I still feel that self-cultivation is not enough. For example, doing good deeds is not thorough, saving people is doubtful, or doing good deeds but speaking unscrupulously, or usually doing good things, but being drunk and dissolute.

Therefore, I have made a vow every year, and in the year of Jimao, it took more than ten years to complete the three thousand good deeds. After returning to his hometown the next year, he went to the Buddhist hall to pay his respects. And made a wish to ask for a son again, and promised to do three thousand more good deeds to redeem the mistakes of this life. In the Xinsi year (only one year passed), you were born and named Tianqi.

Every time I do a good deed, I will write it down at any time; your mother can’t write, so every time I do a good deed, I will use a quill and print a red circle on the calendar. If you send food to the poor, or buy live things to release animals, you will be counted. Sometimes there are as many as a dozen red circles a day! Just continuing to do good deeds and accumulating virtue in this way, it only took two years to complete the three thousand good deeds. Also invite monk Xingkong and others to make dedication at home. On September 13th of that year, he made another vow to be a Jinshi, and made a great vow to do 10,000 good deeds.

After three years, I passed the Jinshi examination and became the county magistrate of Baodi. Since then, I have prepared a notebook on the office desk, called “Healing of the Heart”. Confess to the gatekeeper, no matter how big or small good or evil is, it must be recorded in the chapter on treating the mind. At night, he set up a table in the court, wore official uniforms, burned incense and prayed to the Emperor of Heaven, just like Zhao Yuedao.

Seeing that there are not many good deeds done, your mother often said with worry: “In the past, in my hometown, the number of three thousand good deeds was quickly completed. Now living in the yamen, there are no good deeds that can be done. When will the wish of 10,000 good deeds be fulfilled? ”

One night I happened to have a dream and saw a god. I told the gods why ten thousand good deeds are not easy to do. The god said: “It’s just the matter of you reducing the money and food. Ten thousand good deeds are enough to make up for the consummation.” It turned out that the land rent in Baodi County is very high, and you have to collect two cents and seven cents per mu. It is true that the county’s fields have been sorted out and the income has been reduced to 1 cent, 4 cents and 6 cents, but it is also strange. How can this matter be known by the gods, and wonder how this matter alone can be worth 10,000 good deeds.

At that time, Chan Master Huanyu happened to come to Baodi County from Mount Wutai, so I asked him about the dream. The Zen master said: “As long as you are sincere and do good, you can do all kinds of good things. What’s more, the whole county will reduce the rent and all people will be blessed.” After hearing what the Zen master said, I immediately donated my salary, please The Zen master worshiped 10,000 monks in Wutai Mountain, and dedicated the merits of the monks.

Mr. Kong reckoned my fate, when I was fifty-three years old, there should be disasters. Although I didn’t pray for longevity, I didn’t have any illnesses that year. He is now sixty-nine years old. The Book of Books says, “It’s hard to believe the way of heaven. Man’s life is uncertain.” It also says, “Man’s life is not certain, it is created by oneself.” These are not lies. From then on, I knew deeply: “Anyone who says that life’s misfortunes and fortunes are determined by God must be an ordinary person. If misfortunes and fortunes are determined by the heart, and those who can live in peace, they must be sages and sages.”

6. The Way of a Modest and Gentleman Can Be Obtained

You don’t know what will happen to your fate in the future. Even if you are destined for the glory and wealth, you still have to be disappointed. Even when things are going well and auspiciously, you still have to think about what you don’t like. Even if there is plenty of food and clothing in front of you, you still have to think that you have no money to use and no house to live in. Even if your family has a great reputation for generations and everyone values ​​it, you should always treat it as a humble thought. Even if you are highly educated. Still have to always think superficially. [These six thoughts are to look at the problem from the opposite side. If you can be so modest, your morality will naturally increase, and your blessings will naturally increase. 〕

When it comes to far away, one should think about spreading the virtues of the ancestors; when talking about near, one should think about covering up the faults of parents. [Here we talk about Mencius’s righteousness of “the father hides for the son, and the son hides for the father”. ] When it comes to going up, one should think about repaying the country’s favor; Externally, one should think about helping others in distress; internally, one should think about preventing one’s own evil thoughts and deeds. [These six kinds of thoughts are all to affirm the problem from the front. If you can always have such intentions, you will become a gentleman. 〕

A person must know the mistakes he has made every day, so that he can correct them every day. If you think you have peace of mind, you can change if you are right, so there will be no progress. There are quite a few smart and handsome people in the world, but they are unwilling to work hard in moral cultivation, and they don’t need to work hard in their careers; just because of the word “following”, they muddle through and don’t want to move forward, thus delaying their lives.

The way of establishing life that Zen Master Yungu said is really profound, far-reaching, true and upright. I hope you will study and think carefully, and do your best to do it, and you must not waste your good time in vain.