Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: Promptly Transform Karma into Blessings(及時改過 轉業為福)
Sentient beings are steeped in defilement. Who is without transgressions? Who is without fault? Ordinary people behave foolishly and are covered with ignorance.
Indeed, in this world, there is no one does not err. Latterly, we have been discussing the passage, “Sentient beings are steeped in defilement.” “Who is without transgressions?” “Who is without fault?” Intentional offenses are called transgressions. Unintentional offenses are called mistakes.
As we all know, committing an offense knowingly is unpardonable. This is also the way laws work in society. To deliberately commit a harmful act is a grave offense. An unintentional act of misconduct, however, is a lesser offense. So we really should not scheme to harm others intentionally. We must not do this.
If we acted unwittingly, we must quickly correct our mistakes. Since Beginngingless Time, we have cycled through the Six Realms ceaselessly and have inevitably committed transgressions. Thus, as karmic retributions manifest, we must be more vigilant. As past karma manifests, if we can correct our mistakes in time, we can easily eliminate that karma.
Intentional offenses are called transgressions. Unintentional offenses are called mistakes. In life, transgressions and mistakes are inevitable. If we can correct our mistakes in time, we can transform karma into blessings.
In Tzu Chi, there are many real life stories. Some people can serve as our role models. Some people can serve as our warnings. There is a saying, “In a group of three, at least one is my teacher.” “I will discern their good qualities to follow and bad qualities to avoid.”
In a group of three at least one is my teacher. I will discern their good qualities to follow, and bad qualities to avoid. -The Analects, 7-21.
Not so long ago, there was a volunteer named Mei-Lian. She was not very old, just middle-aged. She had a very hard life. Her family was poor. Being the eldest daughter, she felt for her parents who had to work very hard. Her mother hoped that the daughter could soon work to lessen the burden of the family. Although Mei-Lian hoped to continue her studies, her family situation did not’s allow it.
So she accepted her lot and went to work in Taipei. The work was exhausting and did not pay much. Her mother chided her, “Other people in Taipei are well paid and earn a lot.” “Why do you send back so little every month?” She was young, only in her teens, so she quickly retorted, “If you want me to make more money, I can be a bar girl.” “That way I can send you loads of money.” Mei-Lian thought that her mother, upon hearing this, would surely stop her. But her mother did not discourage her. In a fit of anger, she returned to Taipei and went to work at a bar.
One day, when she was 17-years-old, a customer invited her to dance with him. Being young and inexperienced, she thought the way he danced looked very funny, so she remarked, “You dance like a monkey!” This simple remark angered the customer, who was already drunk, and he stared beating her. She was completely covered in wounds. She was later sent to the hospital with injuries all over her body. She was only a teenager, how could she endure such pain? To alleviate her pain, they injected her with morphine. After the injections, she felt very relaxed. So she screamed at the slightest hint of pain. Consequently, the morphine injections numbed her body as well as her mind. She became addicted to morphine.
After she was discharged from the hospital, she began to abuse drugs to get through the day. Inside, she was suffering deeply. She often slit her wrists to kill herself, yet each time she was rushed to the hospital. She did this countless times. She said, “Every time I tried to commit suicide, I would have a dream.” “I think I dreamt of Master Cheng Yen.” I do not believe Mei-Lian even knew me then. But she would often dream of a nun who looked at her with such sadness. Although she had this dream, when she woke up, she still carried on with her dazed and self-destructive lifestyle.
One day she decided to drown herself in the ocean, so she hailed a taxi. When the driver asked her where she wanted to go, she said, “To the beach.” “During the drive the driver felt that something was not right. She seemed very miserable and depressed, and was going to the beach alone. So the driver watched her closely. After she got out at the beach, the well-intentioned driver stayed and did not dare to leave. Indeed, she was going to commit suicide. He quickly grabbed her and began to talk to her and counsel her. Finally, this girl seemed more clear-headed.
From then on, every time she was depressed, she would call for this particular taxi driver. And whenever he received her call, he knew that trouble was forthcoming. Every time she got into the cab, he would have to talk to her a lot and counsel her. But this driver was very kind, so he always picked her up every time. One day she asked him to take her back to her home village. So he took her home. Unlike a typical village, it was up in the mountains. After they arrived, he realized that she was very filial. She brought gifts home and was accommodating and considerate toward her grandmother and parents. After the driver saw this, he was deeply touched. They gradually developed a relationship. Eventually they got married.
He was very good to her and they started a family. After leaving the bar, she really wanted to change her habits, but it was very difficult to quit drinking, smoking, abusing drugs and gambling. The bad habits she picked up from that shady world were very difficult to break. Her husband was very tolerant and still loved her deeply. Again and again, he tried to counsel her. She always said, “I know. I will change.” But she was unable to.
Then, one time when she became pregnant, her maternal instinct finally awakened her to the need to change. She was thrown into turmoil. She knew that since she was pregnant, she must not abuse drugs or inject herself with morphine. After much struggle, she finally quit her addiction. It was not easy. Truly, maternal instincts made this possible.
After she gave birth, she remained drug-free. But she continued to drink, smoke and gamble, and still lived a numbing life. One time, she felt ill and had a physical. She was diagnosed with cancer. It frightened her and made her think, “Why did my life turn out this way?” it was also at this time that she came into contact with Tzu Chi volunteers. As a result, she came to Hualien. When she saw me, she thought to herself, “That’s him!” This is the sad-looking Master whom I saw in my dreams every time I attempted suicide.”
From that moment on, she realized she could not continue making the same mistakes in life. So she made a great effort to reform herself, to quit drinking, smoking, and gambling. How did she pass the time? By sorting recyclables. She started sorting recyclables with the time that she usually spent on gambling. By spending that time with Tzu Chi volunteers, she was constantly reminded of what was right. Gradually she corrected all her bad habits, and her family was slowly transformed.
This all started with a misguided thought. Her family circumstances created the conditions that sent her to Taipei for work. Because she did not bring in much income, her mother chided her. In the heat of the moment, she unintentionally said, “I will be a bar girl.” Such were the causes, conditions, and karma. What normal parents in the world could let their daughter compromise herself as a bar girl? But when the girl made that remark, her mother thought she was joking and ignored her. Mei-lian thought her parents did not love her. So she degraded herself. After becoming involved in such a place, she was in too deep to save herself. Fortunately, she had the blessed affinity to meet a good person. She was able to choose another path and get married while relatively young. This is the course of her life.
The seeds in one’s life were sown in the past. What one encounters now are the conditions. Without such causes, such conditions would not exist. So when causes and conditions converge, even bad seeds can yield good fruits. Taking this particular taxi on that day was a condition. It was a life-changing condition. Did this come out of nowhere? Definitely not. They must have sown this seed in the past.
Conditions created through human interactions become future causes. Out of all the passengers he had driven, he never took special notice of any of them. He just took them to their destinations. Out of all the taxis she could have called, how did she end up with this one? It was probably not her time to go, so the taxi driver noticed her and changed the course of her life. Although she had a family, if she were to continue with her deluded ways, her family would also suffer tremendously. Fortunately, her bout with canner led her to meet Tzu Chi volunteers. Another condition arose here. This condition truly turned her life around.
Is it possible to change karma? Yes, it is possible. As long as we know to seize favorable conditions, we will be able to change our fate.
The coming together of causes, conditions and retributions is not definite. As long as we have good thoughts and know to choose the good and avoid the bad, we can transform our fate.
Who is without transgressions? Who is without fault? Steeped in defilement, sentient beings continuously create karma and unconsciously accumulate karma. Therefore, intentional transgressions or unintentional mistakes are common things for ordinary people. To learn Buddhism is to seek the truth of karmic retributions in our ordinary lives. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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