The Essence of Liao Fan:an excellent eg. of changing destiny
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Liao Fan is Qing Dynasty layman who used to believe the
"Predestined" theory in chinese culture
when he did not got the scholar in the Imperial Examination , he began to doubt the prediction by the fortune-teller
a Chan master teaches him to chant Chunte Mantra which he faithfully does so and his whole life changes and did not die as predicted on the age of 60
In this Liao Fan 4 lesson to his son , he tells the people in the past who give up self fulfilment and become charitable which shaped their future prosperity and good fortune
the story of Liao Fan is that it is neither too liturgical nor too shallow ,which is suitable for all ages to read
in the next few posting i will elaborate on the story
do stay tuned -
Oh wow, timing! I just logged on to ask if anyone is aware of the merit-fault charts or self-reflection records as mentioned in "Changing Destiny". Do you know where I can find such a chart? Even if the language is old and partially irrelevant? (as long as its in English) I'd love to see how such a chart functions.
Yu fo tong zai! -
I hope the first precept doesn't apply to threads. :woe:
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yes dream seed , Its true Liao Fan Four lesson carries a simple message
and not so liturgical to the Buddhist canon ,its is suitable for everyone because it is such a good story to illustrate Liao Fan life who changed drastically when he meditate and chant chunte mantra
He passed away peacefully at the age of 84 instead of the predicted 55
i dun have the chart of Liao Fan because i only know in Taiwan they have that
Sorry i dun have this resource , Dream Seeds
U can look out for Liao Fan Education Foundation
they may have that chart -
You can join our skype for liao fan four lesson
my id:syncopation_music
just install skype -
Hmm i found an audio file on Liao Fan's four lessons from www.dharmaweb.org
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Liao-Fan%E2%80%99s_four_Lessons
It is into 2 parts and describes Liao Fan's four lessons -
Hmm besides chanting the Zhun Ti mantra to calm our minds and practise kindness, we can chant other mantras as well such as the 6-syllable mantra Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum?
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Yes of course... you can chant any mantra you like.. all mantras are great.. and works best if you can chant with a sincere and non-moving mind.Originally posted by ChenW33:Hmm besides chanting the Zhun Ti mantra to calm our minds and practise kindness, we can chant other mantras as well such as the 6-syllable mantra Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum? -
Extracted from E-sangha
Hi. I have read "LiaoFan's Four Lessons" recently, so let me endeavour to address your query from a layman's point of view. In a nutshell:
* All men have their respective paths to walk in life, with the final destination being death.
* Along this path, there will be happenings of ups & downs, haves & have-nots, endowments & depravations, gains & losses; just like you will find pumps & potholes, uphills & downhills along a common road.
* The happenings on the path of life could take the forms of being borne into a good family or otherwise, being blessed with intellect or otherwise, attaining a high education or otherwise, getting a good job or otherwise, marrying or remaining single, blessed with filial children or otherwise, becoming a millionaire or otherwise, being stricken with fatal illness or otherwise, living to a very old age or otherwise -- this is one's DESTINY.
* Such destiny is a realization/ripening of KARMA (i.e. volitional actions) that a person has accumulated as imprints in his consciousness from previous lives or from an earlier part of that person's current life.
* LiaoFan taught that past karma is not fixed, whether in form or in intensity, but can be lessened in intensity or even completely overriden by one's volitional actions in this current live. For example, LiaoFan was originally destined not to have a son, but through genuinely repenting for his past actions and performing numerous merits, he succeeded in turning around this destiny and was blessed with a son.
Therefore, one's destiny can be changed by "fighting" past karma with current karma. Past karma will only run its course of ripening without change IF one does nothing about it in current life. Kapish??