(Minghui.org) The ancients in China often used the saying that “one thought in the heart is known to both heaven and earth” to remind people that good and evil will meet with their just consequences.
Even something as insignificant seeming as a single thought will lead to certain results in one’s life.
The Yungang Grottoes in Datong City, Shanxi Province
Duplicity Is What Gods Find Most Repellent
Wang Yongyu was a Confucian scholar from Yizhou during the Ming Dynasty. He was honest, a man of few words, and a devout believer in gods and Buddhas.
Wang had two classmates, Yu Lin and Zhou Ji. On the surface, Yu was a refined gentleman and a filial son who always considered himself a virtuous gentleman. Zhou, on the other hand, was seen as the weakest candidate for the imperial examination, and his essays were not outstanding, either. So when Zhou took first place in the provincial examination, everyone was surprised.
One day, Wang saw a deity in his dream. He asked the deity about Yu’s prospects in the imperial examination. The deity told him that Yu would not be successful because he was always criticized others in his heart, even though he acted courteous on the surface. So while Yu appeared to behave well, he actually had little kindness in his heart.
The deity also told Wang that Yu was like this with his parents, too. He would agree with them on the surface, but felt indifferent towards them in his heart. He also enjoyed talking harshly about others behind their back while always pretending to be a virtuous gentleman.
The deity said that this kind of person, who was deceitful and hypocritical, is what Gods despise most. So Yu would be punished by heaven and would fail the imperial examination.
Ancestors’ Good Deeds Bring Blessings to Their Descendants
Wang also asked the deity about Zhou’s success in the examination. The deity told him that both Zhou’s grandfather and father were officials, but they never violated the law for personal gain or behaved indecently towards women. All three generations of the Zhou family have behaved decently, and they never took advantage of others.
Moreover, his great-grandfather wrote Bai Ren Shuo (On 100 Forms of Forbearance) to teach people to be kind, and many people were inspired by the teaching. Thanks to his virtuous deeds, his descendants enjoyed blessings for over 60 years.
“Although very few people know their virtuous deeds, the divine knows everything in detail and has rewarded and blessed his great-grandfather, making the Zhou family prosperous for three generations,” the deity told Wang, “Zhou’s success in the imperial examination is only the beginning of all the blessings they deserve!”
Wang then asked the deity about his own future.
“As long as your thoughts, words and deeds are good and kind, you will naturally have a bright future; if your thoughts, words and deeds are bad and evil, then you would surely have a dangerous future,” the deity said to him.
Wang remembered what the deity said to him and strove to be a good person. As it turned out, he was very successful in the imperial examination, and Yu indeed failed. As the saying goes, we truly reap what we sow.
Commoner Li Jue Became Immortal Through a Virtuous Life
Li Jue was a shop owner who ran a grain store in the Tang Dynasty. He was upright and diligent, and always abided by his duty. The grain store was originally run by his father. When he was fifteen, his father travelled out of town for business, so he handed over the store to Li.
Even though Li was the boss of the store, he always allowed his customers to weigh the grain themselves. Li stuck to the same practice regardless of the fluctuation of the market price of grain.
A grain measuring box in ancient China
In addition, he only took two pennies of profit from each sale to raise his family. Yet, his family was always well-provided with food and clothing.
Li’s father was amazed at how well his son managed the store. “Usually, grain stores would always use a bigger measuring box when they buy stock, and use a smaller one when they sell. I always use the same sized box either buying or selling. This is already a very fair practice,” his father said. “But you even let people do the measuring themselves. You are better than me. You only take very little profit, and yet our family lives a comfortable life. It shows that the divine sees everything and you are protected.”
There was a court official with the same name Li Jue, who served as prime minister during the reigns of Emperor Wenzong and Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty. Later he was appointed as Huainan Jiedu Envoy. When commoner Li Jue heard that the new Jiedu Envoy was also named Li Jue, he changed his name to Li Kuan.
One night, Li Jue, the prime minister and Jiedu Envoy, had a dream in which he came to Huayang Cave, where there were blooming flowers and beautiful pavilions one after another. He took a stroll and came to a pavilion, where he saw a smooth stone wall that had three golden characters engraved on it: “Xian Ren Bang” (List of Immortals). He saw that his own name was on that list.
The Prime Minister thought to himself: “I have a prominent official position, with ample merits and virtues. Now, I truly rank among the immortals!”
As he was getting excited about what he saw, two fairy boys came out from behind the stone wall and said, “This Li Jue is not you, but a commoner in Jiangyang under your jurisdiction.”
When Li Jue woke up the next day, he set out to pay a visit to the other Li Jue, and finally found Li Kuan, who was previously named Li Jue.
The Prime Minister sent a fine carriage to invite the other Li Jue to his residence and arranged for him to rest in a quiet room dedicated to spiritual practice. He then took a bath before he formally met with Li Jue, calling him Taoist brother. He also told his whole family to respectfully serve Li Jue and pay respects to him morning and night.
Prime Minister Took Commoner Li Jue as His Master
Commoner Li Jue was already in his 70s at that time, but he looked dignified and handsome. His foot-long beard was white and endearing.
The exceptionally courteous treatment he received from the Prime Minister’s family raised some eyebrows among the townspeople.
“He is only a grain store owner. What’s so special about that?” one said.
“Yes, running a grain store is nothing special, but Li Jue is a truly great man!” another one retorted.
Over a month had gone by. One day, Prime Minister Li asked Li Jue, “May I ask a question? What kind of Taoism do you practice on a daily basis, and what kind of elixir do you take?”
He told Li Jue that he had a dream one night and saw his name on the immortal list. “That’s why I have invited you to my residence and treat you as my master. I sincerely hope you can teach me Taoism,” said the Prime Minister.
“I don’t know anything about Taoism, and I’ve never taken any elixir,” Li Jue told the Prime Minister, but the Prime Minister didn’t believe him and kept begging Li Jue to teach him.
In the end, Li Jue told the Prime Minister that he was just a store owner, and gave him the details of how he ran his shop.
Prime Minister Li finally understood the reason why Li Jue’s name was on the immortal name list.
“You let your customers weigh what they sell or buy for many years. It seems like a trivial thing, but it is something really difficult to keep doing, and it is not something that ordinary people can do. The virtues you have accumulated from doing so are incomparable!” he said.
The Prime Minister also told Li Jue what he had enlightened to from this experience.
“Everything that happens in this world, every meal one eats or every rest one takes is known to heaven. As long as one accumulates virtues, even if he is from an insignificant background, he would be protected by gods and have his name listed amongst immortals. The divine is reminding people of how they should conduct themselves!”
The local people found it amazing how the Prime Minister treated Li Jue with courtesy and respect. When Li Jue was 100 years old, he still looked healthy and light on his feet. Three days after he passed away, he ascended to heaven and became an immortal.
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Category: Traditional Culture
