There is a saying: “In the next life, become an ox or a horse to repay debts.” Is there any truth to this? Do people really reincarnate into the animal realm after committing wrongdoings? Some believe these are merely superstitious tales fabricated by people in the olden days and dismiss them without investigation. However, there are accounts where individuals, after committing evil deeds in a past life, are reborn as animals, marked by the heavens to serve as a warning to others: karma and retribution are indeed real.
One such case was recorded in the summer of 1936 by Liu Tianxi, head of the Buddhist Society in Hejiang County, Sichuan Province. It tells of a man whose misdeeds led him down the path of animal reincarnation.
A scandal and a shocking crime
In Guizhou’s Tongren County, a man named Zhai Guangyuan was notorious for his unruly behavior. He began an illicit affair with his nephew’s wife, a woman named Qian. Their scandalous behavior was discovered by Zhai Guangyuan’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Chang. Fearing exposure, Zhai and Qian obtained poison and used it to murder her.
Mrs. Chang’s children found her sudden death suspicious and believed it might be related to Zhai Guangyuan. On April 22, 1931, they confronted Zhai, who swore before the gods that if he had committed such a crime, he wished to be struck down by lightning.
Divine punishment strikes swiftly
A mere eight days later, on May 1, 1931, an unusual event occurred. It was midday, and the skies over Zhai’s home suddenly darkened. Thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down. Neighbors watched in awe as bolts of lightning struck Zhai’s house directly. Only moments later, the weather cleared. Neighbors who witnessed the event found that both Zhai Guangyuan and Qian had been struck by lightning. Qian was killed instantly, while Zhai was still able to speak. He confessed to his wrongdoing and acknowledged that he was struck by lightning as a result. He also mentioned that both he and Qian would be reborn as oxen at the nearby Shi family’s farm. After saying this, he died.
A startling reincarnation witnessed by many
The news spread rapidly, and curiosity led villagers to the nearby Shi family, where something extraordinary had just occurred. Their cow had recently given birth to two calves — one male and one female.
Upon closer examination, the smaller female calf exhibited strange physical traits. The pattern of fur around its eyes, nose, and mouth resembled human features. More remarkably, when villagers lifted its head, they discovered that it bore distinctly human-like female anatomy, with oddly shaped hooves and legs unlike those of a typical calf.
When someone called out Qian’s name and recounted past events, the calf seemed to understand, lowering its head and shedding tears as if in shame and regret. The Shi family sold the two calves to warn others against committing evil deeds, demonstrating that reincarnation into the animal realm to repay karmic debts is indeed possible.
Exhibited to the public as a cautionary tale
The person who bought the calves saw them as curiosities and toured them around various places, charging admission to view them. In early May of 1936, they arrived in the county town where Liu Tianxi, the president of the Buddhist Society, resided. The exhibition was set up outside the city at Shawan, where people paid 200 copper coins to enter and see the calves.
Locals flocked to see the spectacle, forming long lines for several days, and the exhibition was packed. The county magistrate, Liu Yuzhang, had the calves brought to the public office for photographs, preserving this record of karmic retribution and reincarnation.
A lasting moral lesson
This true account, carefully documented and witnessed by many, serves as a stark reminder: Both good and evil deeds follow us beyond this lifetime. Whether one believes in karma or not, stories like this serve as cautionary tales, urging people to uphold virtue and avoid wrongdoing, lest they find themselves repaying their debts in an unexpected form.
Translated article
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