【Description】

A girl lost her sight when hot oil splashed into her eyes, and while she was writhing in pain, she was attacked by a rabid dog, resulting in the loss of an arm and a leg. What kind of negative karma lies behind this cruel fate?

While repaying debts is a principle of karma, how can one repay past misdeeds, transform negative karma into positive karma, and even avoid greater harm? Watch “The Story of the Blind Girl.”

【You will learn】

• Understand the principles of cause and effect.
• Learn to repent and repay debts to avoid greater harm.

【Content】

The Story of the Blind Girl

The oil in the pan was boiling, and suddenly, the oil splashed out of the pan. It splashed onto the little girl’s face. She was instantly blinded. While she was rolling on the ground in pain, a mad dog came running and bit her. What kind of cruel fate is this?

One day, a little girl around 10 years old went to the local market. As she was walking, she saw a stall selling freshly fried chicken. The aroma was so enticing that it drew her in. There were probably some pieces of fried chicken inside. Wow, it smelled so good. Following the scent, she looked toward the pot. She leaned over the pot to take a look.

The man frying the chicken, after preparing a piece of chicken which was quite large, threw it into the boiling oil. The oil in the pan was boiling, and suddenly, the oil splashed out of the pan. It splashed onto the little girl’s face. She was instantly blinded. Half of her face was scalded beyond recognition. Oh no, the little girl was rolling in pain. The person frying the chicken was terrified. People gathered to watch.

Many people scolded the owner, saying he was careless. “You scalded the child!” The owner said, “I didn’t know the little girl was standing here. I usually knead some dough, pat it twice, and throw it down. Only after throwing it did I realize the girl was standing there. The little girl was looking into the pot. You see, how coincidental is this? When I threw the meat in, it was when her head was at its lowest. It splashed onto her face.”

Oh dear, the little girl was in so much pain, she was rolling on the ground. When her burned skin touched the ground, it peeled off. Then a mad dog came running over and bit her. The final result was that her arm and leg were bitten off. Some dogs are really fierce; once they bite, they don’t let go. You pull it; you beat it to death with an iron rod; it just won’t let go.

What is this? This is a characteristic of carnivores. It thinks it’s prey. From a scientific perspective, its adrenaline starts to surge. Its sense of ferocity emerges. It enters a hunting state. It bites the meat and won’t let go. Everything it does is to capture its prey to feed itself. So, no matter how people hit it, it’s useless.

You think: This little girl was really having a bad day. Then someone asked me, what kind of bad karma is this? So cruel. The story from her past life is like this.

In her previous life, she was a young man about 17 or 18 years old. He was a bit of a flirt, but quite average in appearance. However, he was idle and unambitious, a country boy. But he had a secret crush on a girl from his village. She was two or three years younger than him. She was a very cute girl named Heye. However, Heye did not like this young man.

His surname was Guo; let’s call him Guo Xiaosheng. Heye did not like Guo Xiaosheng. She thought he was slick and unambitious. But Guo Xiaosheng was infatuated with Heye. The more he couldn’t win her over, the more obsessed he became. Sometimes love is just like that. He kept trying to find ways to observe and follow her. He couldn’t stop thinking about Heye.

He would take any chance to see what she was doing, who she was dating, what she ate, and how she was dressed. He always wanted to build a good relationship with her. Heye always avoided him. Guo was actually quite frustrated, but Guo Xiaosheng never gave up before he got what he wanted. He followed and watched her everywhere. When the girl was working in her yard, he crouched outside the wall, looking inside.

One time, he saw something incredible. The girl was taking a bath. Oh, he enjoyed watching that. Wow, her figure was great, her measurements were perfect, much better than a beer barrel, quite beautiful. But he noticed a feature on the girl’s body. This girl had a red birthmark on her buttock. Birthmarks are usually congenital, present from birth. After seeing it, he suddenly felt he realized something.

The next day, he was wandering idly. Suddenly, he bumped into the matchmaker of their village, an old lady who specialized in matchmaking. After seeing the matchmaker, he said, “Auntie, where are you going?” “Hey, never mind. I need to continue matchmaking for Heye. I’m telling you, I’ve already found about 10 matches for her. Her parents asked me to find her a match. Each one is better than the last, unlike you, always idling around and doing nothing serious.”

Guo Xiaosheng said, “You think I’m idling around? I’m telling you, Heye has already taken a liking to me.” The matchmaker auntie said, “Oh, come on, you’re fooling no one. She’d rather like a pig than you. How could she be with you?” Guo said, “Hey, Auntie, you don’t believe it? “We are really together. She’s just keeping it a secret from everyone. If you don’t believe me, ask her. She has a secret on her body. None of you know, but I saw it with my own eyes. She has a red birthmark on her left buttock.”

“If you don’t believe me, go ask her, then come find me. Hmph, just wait to drink at my wedding. So, here’s the deal. You don’t need to tell anyone else. Go tell Heye’s mom that I’m formally proposing to her. If her mom doesn’t agree, I’ll tell everyone in the village about our relationship.” Guo spoke so confidently, with such a serious face and such assurance. The matchmaker was wondering if it was true. She said, “You rascal, just wait.”

Quickly, they arrived at Heye’s house. Heye was called over, along with her mother, for a chat. The girl blushed upon hearing it. “Don’t talk nonsense. Don’t come to our house to propose anymore.” The matchmaker said, “He spoke so confidently. Do you have a red mole on your butt?” The girl looked and was shocked. The girl’s mother was also terrified. “Child, we are a respectable family. You can’t do such things. This would disgrace our ancestors.” Heye’s mother knew she indeed had a mole on her butt.

“How would he know about the mole if you weren’t involved with him? You can’t do such things. We won’t be able to lift our heads for a lifetime. How will you get married in the future?” Heye cried and said, “Mom, I didn’t do it, I swear!” “Then how did someone see your butt?” “I don’t know.” Her mother was also puzzled. While scolding her child, she wondered how the boy knew about this.

Actually, it was quite simple. In ancient times, the house structures weren’t as tight as they are now. There were many wide gaps in the windows and doors. When the wind blew hard outside, it blew gently inside. So, the girl was spied on by Guo while she was bathing. Guo made up a lie and told the matchmaker. Heye’s mother felt deeply embarrassed. Did her daughter actually do something? It was really unclear whether her daughter had done something or not.

Heye really had unspeakable suffering; she cried all night. The next day, her parents were exhausted from hearing her cries and fell asleep. She ran to the river and died by suicide. What was her last thought before jumping into the river? Take revenge on Guo Xiaosheng. Not long after Heye died, Guo Xiaosheng’s soul was taken by her, and he died. That was the first time.

Now we know that this is the second time. Heye was reincarnated as the owner of a fried-chicken stall. Who is the little girl who got scalded and blinded? Guo Xiaosheng. Is this matter resolved? There are still 10,000 more times. Why did it hurt his eyes? You saw something you shouldn’t have. Don’t speak recklessly, right?

Imagine a young girl, as beautiful as a flower, being wronged and dying like that. How would her parents and siblings feel? Her mother died two years later, full of resentment. Her father fell gravely ill from anger. So, this feeling of hatred, when magnified 10,000 times, slowly torments you. And that is 10,000 times. So, when it’s time for him to be punished, the harm is intensified, bringing more misfortune upon him.

Good fortune never comes in pairs, misfortune never comes alone. The more unlucky you are, the more bad things follow. When someone is walking down the street, suddenly a piece of wood falls down on their head. It either kills or injures them. Do you think there might be a reason for this? Generally, people say that the wood installation above is unsafe. Yes, it is unsafe. But why does it specifically hit your head? It doesn’t fall early or late, it falls right on your head. There is always a reason.

In Buddhism, this is called cause and effect. There must be a reason. The occurrence of this event must have a reason. Your current reaction becomes the cause of the next result. Next, you go hunting birds. Shooting birds creates new karma.

The principles of cause and effect: repay debts to avoid greater harm.

The Buddha has long taught us. To know about your past life, look at what you are experiencing now. To know your future life, look at what you are doing now. So, we understand this relationship of cause and effect. If we owe a debt, we must repay it. Only then can we avoid greater harm. This is the way out.

So, we must learn to control our minds. Be wholeheartedly good and do no evil. Repent for the wrongs we have done before. From now on, do not cause harm. When tempted to scold others, know to hold your tongue. When greed and harm arise, know to hold your hand. Reducing harm is accumulating virtue. How can we repay past sins early? What’s a better method? Do good deeds and perform acts of kindness.

Also, don’t be greedy for small gains. Whenever a good opportunity arises, always consider that it might be a time of misfortune. When you feel that misfortune has come, actually, light is right behind you. I hope you have no regrets and stick to your correct path.

What if even a lifetime of cultivation can’t repay all karmic debts?

(Q: In The Earth Store Sutra, it is described that human karma is as vast as Mount Sumeru. If we practice for a lifetime and still cannot repay our karma, what should we do?)

Actually, it’s a very simple principle. Are we living in the present, or have we reached the future? Tomorrow has not yet arrived. Can I see you alive tomorrow? No one dares to say. Then you say tomorrow is too soon, what about next year? No matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter. What hasn’t happened is actually the most dangerous.

Ignoring cause and effect, a mother gambles with her child’s future.

Today you think it’s perfect for you. For young girls, once they get married, what kind of baby will they have? It’s like you can create one for yourself, you can imagine a perfect baby, but in reality? There was once a lady in Vancouver. Her father practiced with me for many years. This daughter didn’t believe in anything. She already had two babies. Then she asked me coldly, “Do you think I should have another baby?” I said, “No, you shouldn’t.” I had no grudge against her and spoke with a very clear mind. She asked me, and I answered her to truly help her. I said it wasn’t suitable.

A few months later, she came to me again. “Master, I’m sorry, I’m pregnant.” “Why did you apologize to me for being pregnant?” “I remember I asked you, and you said it was best not to get pregnant yet.” But she said it happened naturally. I said, “Well, maybe it’s fate.” She told me that she actually believed in science above all else. If you don’t believe, why ask me? She just wanted to see if my opinion and the final result would match. Hmm, then let’s give it a try.

A few months later, the baby was born. She came to me with tears in her eyes. “They said the child has a hole in his heart and is missing his right kidney. Master, what should we do?” I asked, “How do you feel right now?” “Oh, it hurts; it has never hurt this much.” I believe that as an adult, you can understand this feeling. If it were an object, at worst, you could return it or throw it away, right? But this is your own child. You want to prove my opinion is not right. The result of this confirmation will bring you and your child a lifetime of pain.

Our debts are as vast as Mount Sumeru, Buddha wouldn’t lie about this. You would ask why is that, right? May I ask, are your thoughts always about loving others? When you think of loving a handsome guy, it’s out of selfishness. Would you think of loving an old lady? Impossible, right? So, you think there’s no harm, but actually, it’s all harm. Your thoughts are all harmful. We are still unaware of them. Sometimes, even before disaster strikes, you still say, “The fortuneteller said I would live a long life.” Not necessarily.

Things that haven’t happened are uncertain. Even if you become the richest person in the world today, please remain humble. Be honest; don’t be arrogant. If you have money, do more good deeds; if you don’t, chant Buddha’s name more. So, even if you think you are very wealthy and noble, and have boundless merits, you should give more. In The Earth Store Sutra, Buddha teaches us: We must give out our food and money with a smile. We must help people who need help with a smile. We must speak with kindness and compassion while helping others.

Why do we do this? Because we are paving the way for tomorrow and the future.