Purple Lotus Publisher > Journal > Volumn NO. 8

Karma and Destiny

A Dharma Discourse by Vajra Master Samantha Chou after the regular Tuesday Bardo Deliverance Ceremony on April 8th, 1997

Translated by Janny Chow from the Chinese transcript

Reverends, fellow cultivators, Om Mani Padme Hum, good evening.

For several days, I have been trying to reply to a letter written to me by someone who has come across our True Buddha School and wants some answers to his personal problems. The letter is not easy to reply to because it is a narration of the tragic events that have happened in his life. He said that he comes from a large family which has ten children. His father died of cancer, one of his elder brothers died very young, and another died in an automobile accident. Both his first and fourth sisters are divorced, his second sister is always quarrelling with her husband, and the third sister's business is in a slump. Anyway, none of his siblings is happy. His mother is a gambler and does not take care of the family. Through attending some Buddhist ceremonies and engaging in conversation with some reverends, he has been exposed to Buddhism. Since the concept of fate and destiny is ingrained in traditional Chinese culture, he went to ask a Buddhist monk, "Am I having this kind of life because of ill fate?" The monk said to him, "There is no such thing as fate!" This is why he decided to write to me to ask, "Does fate exist after all? Is there destiny? Can this predestined fate be changed?"

After reading the account of his family, one indeed may sympathize with him. None of the ten siblings is happy or having a smooth life. He even talks about frequent dreams in which he sees his deceased father and brothers in shabby clothes and in very poor conditions. During the annual Pure Brightness Festival, his family would only allow the tending of his father's grave, while ignoring the grave of the brother who died young. They did this because some feng shui professional told them, "Those people who die before reaching maturity would bring bad luck to the family if they are disturbed. It is sufficient to just bury them. Do not tend to the grave or reclaim their bones, or you will risk bad luck to the family."

On visits to the grave sites, he feels sorry to see his brother's grave covered by wildly grown weeds, but he cannot pull them or make any incense offering. His mother considers such acts unlucky. He wrote, "We have not tended to his grave at all. There are already so many problems in our family, will tending to him or helping him really make our problems worse?" In his letter, he has listed all kinds of questions related to his family members: Why the divorces? Why the business failure? Why the cancer? Why the fatal car accident? Why the quarrelling and fighting within the family? Why....?" Just holding the pen in my hand and thinking about these questions give me a headache. I should emulate the Grand Master in that, when someone asks many questions, he picks only one to answer. I usually try to answer all ten if ten questions are posed and that takes up too much time.

Why is it that some Buddhist reverends claim that Buddhism does not believe in fate or destiny? This is because Shakyamuni Buddha wants to teach sentient beings that fate can be transcended. If one told the masses that fate exists and that everything is predestined, then people would become very discouraged and pessimistic. Why bother if everything is predestined! People would have a greyish outlook on life and lose the desire to overcome difficult situations or crises.

But, of course, fate exists. Fate is, in fact, karma, so how can there be no fate? Destiny, which is a succession of fates, exists. Take, for example, the turtle that one of you has brought here tonight and was just now making a lot of noise. Fate also exists for it. You should have put it on a tray instead of keeping it inside the paper bag. Although I cannot see it, it was continually making all these sounds to make itself known to us.

It is also fate that this turtle was born as an animal. Why is this so? Just now, when I entered into Samadhi during the Bardo Deliverance, I went to investigate why the turtle was born into the animal realm. In its previous human life, he and his father's family were in the business of making and selling cakes. They were hard workers. But there was one time when they found out that another baker had made a large purchase of flour, and he and his father decided to steal it. With minimal effort, they stole all the flour and moved it to their own bakery. The other baker had spent almost all he owned in acquiring the flour, and had to go bankrupt because of the theft. In those times, there was no such thing as insurance reimbursement for stolen property, so he lost everything and, as a result, he lived very unhappily. After running into many stone walls, he ended up killing himself by hanging. On the other hand, the family which had stolen the flour acquired the raw material without spending any money. By knocking down a competitor, they were able to expand their business and become very rich.

Due to this past theft, the baker's son had to be born this life in the form of an animal with truncated limbs who has to retract and hide his head, hands, and feet, unable to extend them. These are reasons for this. After committing the theft, the baker's son knew in his heart that he had caused a great deal of suffering for the other baker and his family. But what was done was done, so what was there to do? How could he admit his crime, confessing to the other man, "I have stolen all your flour!" It was not possible! So, because of that mistake, by creating that karmic cause, the man has to be born as an animal for several dozen times and, even when born again as a human, it will live very short lives.

While the turtle was there making all these noises, I asked the Bodhisattva, "Since it has created such a karmic cause in its past life to be born as a turtle, what is the cause then for it to come to a Buddhist temple in this life and to participate in a group cultivation, receiving blessings from a Bardo Deliverance Ceremony? Was he a spiritual cultivator before?" The Bodhisattva said, "No, he has not done any spiritual practice. But, in that lifetime, he once visited a temple and someone handed him a candle." In the past, people lit candles in temples after a vow or wish had been met. He was just there as a visitor but, when someone handed him a candle, he took it in his hands and gave the other person some money. Since he had purchased the candle, he lit it and placed it in front of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Because of that one gesture, he has arrived here now.

We may not realize that the lighting of candles is a very great, meritorious act. The offering of a lamp in front of the Buddhas signifies that one has requested the Light, the Buddha Light, to shine on one, to purify the ignorance and darkness within one. When one generates this kind of message in the heart and lights a candle or lamp in front of the Buddhas, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas shine their lights on one to help one. But, in this life, the turtle had to be born in the animal realm to pay back for the wrong it had done. Such is fate. What is created in a past life will result in a consequence in a later life.

Shakyamuni Buddha teaches us to transcend karma. Karma exists, but it does not mean there is no way out, for there are ways to rise above it. Practice spiritual cultivation, and practice continually. When you cultivate to reach and realize Emptiness, you will become free from the bondage of karmas and the forces of Yin and Yang and the five elements, and you will no longer be subjected to the laws of heaven and earth and of gods and ghosts. When you have risen above those laws, you will no no longer be subjected to the laws of karma and destiny. That is why some Buddhists deny the existence of fate and destiny. It is also the major reason why some Buddhist reverends flatly deny it. They want to encourage us to keep focused on the goal of cultivation. Otherwise, if we encounter a little difficulty or slandering, we immediately lose our equilibrium; if we suffer a little injustice, we are immediately thrown into a state of disorder and want to file grievances. It is very difficult for a person reacting in such ways to attain Emptiness.

What Shakyamuni Buddha has taught us is that the Buddhadharma we have today may indeed help us to cultivate to transcend all kinds of bondage and rise above karma.

Hui-k'e, the second patriarch of Zen after Bodhidharma, is an example of someone who rose above karma. He cultivated to a very high fruition level, but do you know how his life ended? He was decapitated! He died of capital punishment. What a terrible ending for a lineage master! Could he have failed in his cultivation? Did he lack the ability to divert such a retribution? Did he not have any transcendental power? Of course he had the power. Take a look again at Maudgalyanana, one of the ten chief disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. As Maudgalyanana was known for his supreme transcendental power, his power was limitless. He could travel to the Buddhas' Purelands to hear discourses, and to the realm of hell to save his mother. He could travel freely within the Ten Dharma Realms. But how did he die? He was crushed to the ground by falling boulders. What a horrible death! Shariputra was known for his supreme wisdom, but how did he die? He died of displacement of his intestines. All these individuals attained realization through cultivation, yet their deaths were tragic. We might say, "Their cultivation did not seem to have helped them as they were unable to escape their fates. I don't want to be like them. I want to be able to die in a serene sitting posture and with plenty of sariras found in my cremated remains..."

In the past, I have explained that although they had the power to escape from their fates, they chose, however, to demonstrate to us that when the karmic cause was one of a severe transgression, such as killing, they eventually had to face the consequences. Maudgalyanana has shown us that he was able to foil several attempts on his life when he detoured from paths where enemies with rocks had been waiting in ambush. But why did he not escape that last time? Because he had attained self-mastery and freedom. During the time of experiencing the punishment, he was still able to manifest the wisdom of Emptiness --- he was abiding in a heart of great bliss when receiving the retribution, without any hatred or blaming anyone.

When I was giving birth to Engih, I developed severe hemorrhaging. The doctors were not immediately able to locate the source of the bleeding. They repeatedly gave me transfusions, but I kept on losing blood. It was a kind of retribution that I had to lose all the blood in my body. I had to have my abdomen cut open, and many organs taken out. I have been born as the incarnation [of the Purple Lotus] and have engaged in my practice, so why did I have to experience the retribution? It was fate, and I had to become responsible for my own karma.

Therefore, there are situations wherein a person who has attained the state of Emptiness, upon facing a karmic consequence, willingly accepts it. On one hand, he chooses to use the situation to demonstrate and teach us to face up to our own karma instead of running away from it. On the other hand, he shows us that, after acquiring mastery over birth and death, he can depart from this human world in whatever way he chooses to. He is free to experience or not experience the retribution. Such a person must, however, have already attained the wisdom of Emptiness.

When one is in possession of the wisdom of Emptiness, one can abide in the state of supreme bliss. No matter how perilous the situation is, such a person is able to accept it happily. I would like to tell everyone today that a truly accomplished adept is able to rise above any circumstance, and is not bound by the laws of heaven and earth, gods and ghosts, yin and yang, the five elements, or karma. Such an adept is able to completely release all of these laws into Emptiness and, at the same time, abide in a very happy state. Therefore, fate and destiny exist, but by following Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings, we can transcend them. There is a way to transcend them and it has to do with the opening of your heart and mind: whatever you are facing, you are completely aware of the situation and you happily accept it.

During my surgery, when the doctor was removing many organs from my body, my bladder became filled with blood and my intestines were all swollen. Since I was not able to urinate on my own, the doctor had catheterized me. I was not aware of this procedure because the catheter was inserted during the surgery. In any case, all I knew after the surgery was that I woke up and was able to live again. Eight weeks later, the doctor told me that he had to take out the tubing. I thought to myself, "Another surgery!" My body was still weak and in much pain from the last surgery. I asked the doctor, "What kind of tubing are you talking about?" He said, "It is a plastic tubing." "How long?" I asked. "This long," he said and lifted up a plastic tubing to show me. "How big?" It was almost the same size as a human finger. Such a long and thick tubing inside my body! I asked the doctor, "Another surgery, does this mean another incision? How long will this take?" There was already a long incision going from my upper to the lower abdomen. He said, "There is no need for surgery." I said, "No surgery? Then how are you going to take it out?" He said, "We will take it out from the opening of the urethra." As soon as I heard that, I almost fainted. I thought, "Wouldn't that be very painful? This is a body made of flesh! Such a long and thick plastic tubing inside the body and it has to be pulled out from where you pee?"

The doctor went on, "It will be done without any anaesthesia while you are awake. It won't require any incision." Just the thought of it drained all the strength from my limbs. Fear of pain! It was a very natural reaction because I had been in pain every day and I knew what it was like to be in pain. Then he asked me to get up on the operating table, and started to get himself ready for the procedure. First he took out a small alcohol pad to disinfect the area, then he took out a stainless steel vajra scepter-like instrument which was to keep the urethra dilated while the tubing could be pulled out. All this was to be done without any anaesthesia.

I was lying there on the table and, before the procedure could begin, tears gushed from my eyes and I sobbed miserably. The nurse said, "It will be over very quickly. You will be all right; the pain only lasts for a brief moment. Don't be afraid. The doctor does this all the time; it will be very quick. It won't hurt for long." I asked, "How long will it hurt?" She said, "A few minutes." When one is in pain, several seconds, or even one second, can be an intolerable duration, let alone several minutes. I started crying out loud.

Dharma brother Chou [Master Samantha's husband] was by my side and tried to console me, "She said it won't take more than a moment. It won't hurt too long! It is still better than having another surgery." I said, "Take a look at that dilator and the way it rotates. It is as big as an egg beater!" I wasn't crying from fear, but they kept on telling me, "Do not be afraid!" I said, "I am not afraid. I am not crying because I am afraid, I am crying because I am penitent." All of a sudden, I was so repentant that I started wailing. I thought to myself, "What kind of wrongs have I done? What kind of transgressions have I done that I have to now receive this kind of retribution? What kind of crimes have I done in my previous lives that I have to receive this kind of physical torture and suffering?" I cried out to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, "Whatever I did in past lives, I won't dare to commit them anymore. Please help me so I will be able to live this life in full awareness of my actions. Help me so I won't be so ignorant as to continue creating negative karma. I won't and I don't dare create any more negative karma for my body to suffer such retribution again. When this is over, I am going to live righteously and purely."

At that moment, I broke down and wept in grief. The others in the room were at a loss why I would cry like that. But, in that one moment, I was overwhelmed by the realization that the suffering created by one's own karma could be so intense that nothing could take its place and that no one other than oneself could feel it. When this was on my mind, I spoke to the Bodhisattva, "I will willingly accept whatever retribution I deserve. I will undergo it to neutralize the karma."

Then, in that moment, after willingly facing and accepting the karmic retribution, my heart opened up. With my heart open, I chanted the Buddha's name and visualized the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas empowering me. In a flash, I forgot about the pain. I watched the instrument going in to dilate the urethra, and I watched the tubing being located and pulled out. It was this long, almost the length of this desk! I still have it as a momento. It is hard to imagine how it could have been squeezed in, but it was flexible and had been there all that time to help drain the urine.

It really didn't hurt. I had completely released myself in that one moment and was happy to face the retribution and to have it neutralized. If I had not had to undergo the crisis, how would I ever have been able to neutralize the wrongs I had committed in the past? In that moment I rose above the psychological roadblock and felt happy. It was a kind of training experience. And ever since, during the following eight years, whenever I came across any negative or perilous situation, I have looked upon it as a chance for me to neutralize my negative karma. How else can one ever pay back one's debt? One may not know specifically what kinds of debts one has created, but one may look upon one's suffering as a means to pay back and neutralize the debts. When one thinks this way, one's perspective is changed and any crisis can easily be transcended.

Therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha teaches that only by opening up the knots in one's heart and by releasing one's mind into Emptiness may one transcend the suffering in one's destiny. When the laws of Yin and Yang and the five elements no longer bind one, one may go freely east, west, north or south, up or down. The words of feng-shui professionals can no longer bind one, neither can anyone's intimidating words. Certain elements considered as inauspicious in a household, such as the placement of a stove across from a sink, the presence of too many sharp angles, absence of a "wealth spot," or the bed facing the doorway, can no longer exert any adverse effects on one. Before, one was bound by such laws and their influences. Now one has transcended these obstacles and is completely free of them. The incompatible elements of fire and water in a house have nothing to do with one; the presence of an edge of a wall facing the front door has nothing to do with one; a gaping hole at the wealth spot has nothing to do with one; and the positioning of the bed right across the doorway has nothing to do with one. This happens because one has risen above the laws of destiny and karma and is completely free.

All these are the things I would very much like to tell this friend who has written to me. But how? Time and space is limited, so I can only dedicate the merits to him in my meditations and assign him some homework to do. Through this kind of homework [chanting of mantras and sutras and enacting of charitable work etc.], and through self-reflection and contemplation, one may gain a new perspective and a new understanding to rise above one's difficulties. When one is no longer controlled by the various kinds of fates, one is a person who has realized the nature of Emptiness.

May you all succeed in that realization.

Om Mani Padme Hum.