It is often said that a person’s birth date determines the pattern of his destiny based on his past deeds. But if the person starts doing good deeds and accumulates virtue, when the size of the integrity reaches a high enough level, even the destiny pattern of the person will be changed as a result.
Meager beginnings
During the Tang Dynasty in ancient China, when Pei Du, the Duke of Jin, was not yet a vital minister, he looked thin and small. Moreover, his appearance was not noble, and he had suffered many setbacks in fame and fortune. At that time, a fortune teller in Luozhong was highly respected by scholars and officials, so Pei Du visited him to find out about his future wealth.
As soon as Pei Du arrived at the fortune-teller’s home, before he even asked for his fortune to be told, the fortune-teller said: “Your appearance is a little different from ordinary people. According to your current appearance, you are not rich and powerful. If you don’t become a nobleman in the future, you will starve to death by your destiny. Right now, I still can’t see any nobility in you. You might as well come back in a few days; I can look closer at you.”
The power of a good deed
Pei Du agreed. A few days later, he happened to go out to visit the Xiang Shan Temple. As he was wandering between the corridor and the side rooms, he suddenly saw a woman in plain clothes. She put a yellow garment on the temple railing, prayed for a long time in the lobby, and then left after looking at the Buddha statue and paying her respects. After wandering through the temple for an extended period, Pei Du noticed that the garment was still in the same place and thought the woman must have forgotten it.
Pei Du wanted to go after her and hand her back the garment, but considering that the woman had long gone, it was too late to catch up with her. So he put the garment away and waited for her return to search for it, planning to give it back to her then. After some time, the sun had set, but the woman was still nowhere to be seen. So finally, Pei Du decided to return to his inn and he took the garment with him for safekeeping.
Pei Du went to the temple again the following day with the garment. After the temple door opened, Pei Du saw the woman from the day before running over in a hurry, looking bewildered and confused. She kept lamenting and sighing, looking as if there had been some unexpected disaster. Finally, Pei Du followed after her and asked what happened.
The woman said: “My father has not committed any crime, but he has been detained. Yesterday, a benefactor gave me two jade belts and one rhinoceros belt, worth more than a thousand strings of money. I would send them as a gift to the person in charge. I wrapped them in a garment, but unfortunately, I lost them. So now my elderly father is going to be in big trouble.”
Pei Du took pity on the woman and asked her carefully what the color of the garment was. When she gave the correct answer, he handed it back to her.
The woman cried and thanked Pei Du. Then, to thank him, the woman insisted Pei Du keep one of the belts for his great help. Pei Du laughingly refused and sent her home.
Several days later, Pei Du returned to the fortune-teller as previously arranged. However, after scrutinizing Pei Du this time, even the fortune-teller’s voice and face changed. He said with astonishment: “Your face looks different and shows that you must have accumulated some hidden virtue. Now your future is unlimited, and this kind of changed face is something that I am unable to read and know.” Pei Du then told him what had happened a few days before, and the fortune-teller explained that he had indeed changed his destiny.
Later, Pei Du went on to become a prominent official. He became an influential minister of four dynasties during the middle and late Tang Dynasty.
This tale shows the importance of accumulating virtue. Quietly doing good deeds, and having kindness and compassion toward others, can bring hidden integrity to a person and even change your destiny. Never underestimate the power of kind acts!
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