There appears to be a perception among modern-day people that the unrighteous and wicked are rewarded, while the righteous and good are punished. Many often angrily ask: “Where is the justice?” However, through careful observation, one realizes that the just law of cause and effect is constantly present and unfolding around us.
A Taiwanese professor, using the pen name Yunhe, studied in the United States and considered himself highly educated. He initially viewed “karma” as a religious fabrication used to promote doctrine. However, after repeatedly witnessing such cases, he came to believe that many mysterious phenomena in the universe remain unexplained by current science. The professor later compiled the collected stories of karma into a book, which he gave to those who were destined to read it, advising the public to “refrain from all evil and practice all good.” The following is an excerpt from one of his shared examples.
Doctors can treat illnesses, alleviate physical and mental suffering, restore health, and give people renewed vitality and confidence. Therefore, physicians with medical ethics and compassion are often benefactors to their patients, making immeasurable contributions to humanity and deserving the utmost respect. However, those lacking medical ethics and compassion, driven only by greed and disregarding the lives of patients, commit heinous crimes that are utterly despicable. Thus, regardless of whether one does good or evil, the retribution seems particularly swift.
Doctors’ karmic consequences
The author observed that the subsequent karmic consequences for many practicing doctors almost invariably conform to the principles of cause and effect. One of the most striking examples is a town in southern Taiwan where a renowned physician once lived. Because of his exceptional medical skills, many patients who had failed to respond to treatment at other hospitals sought his care.
This resulted in a daily surge in patient volume. Patients wishing to see him often had to register by 6:00 a.m.; it was difficult to see a doctor before noon (an observation the author personally witnessed). Given the thriving business, one would expect the doctor to provide more care for the poor and to charge reasonable fees. Unfortunately, the reality proved to be just the opposite. Knowing that most of his patients were seriously ill and had been referred from other hospitals, he charged exceptionally high medical fees.
Many patients, being first-time visitors, were unaware of the pricing. They were often shocked when they went to pay for their medication, frequently finding themselves in the embarrassing situation of not having enough money to collect their prescriptions. Some patients from impoverished families, unable to afford the exorbitant costs, pleaded with the physician for discounts or to pay a portion upfront and defer the remainder.
However, the doctor not only ignored their pleas, but also mocked them, at times publicly criticizing them for approaching him without money. His wife, seeing this, became extremely impatient. In full view of others, she took the patients’ medications and dumped them into the trash in order to effectively “teach a lesson” to these patients who dared to come to the doctor even though they had no money.
After these incidents were repeatedly reported, many people sighed and unanimously declared that such an unethical doctor would surely face a bad end. This doctor, with many patients paying exorbitant fees, naturally amassed a fortune. It is said that at his peak, he hired several bank employees every night to count his cash and help with the accounts. However, this prosperity was short-lived.
Within a few years, things began to decline. Not only did the number of patients gradually decline, but the substantial wealth he had accumulated over the years was also lost due to poor investments and a lack of business experience. Later, the doctor’s wife developed a gambling addiction and even squandered her vast fortune. At this time, with fewer patients and the hospital deserted, the cheques that she issued could not be cashed, thus violating the negotiable instruments laws. Ultimately, she was arrested and imprisoned. This doctor, in just over a decade, went from immense wealth to ruin, from a millionaire to a heavily indebted individual, ultimately ending up behind bars and eventually imprisoned.
This story serves as a stark warning to those who lack medical ethics or “do not know how to cherish their blessings.” However, a doctor with compassion and a commitment to saving lives will not only earn widespread praise and become renowned but will also often prosper and flourish. The author knows several local doctors who are always considerate of their patients, charging extremely low fees or even providing completely free medical treatment, especially for the poor.
Furthermore, due to their kind attitude and effective medicine, patients line up daily for treatment, except for public holidays, throughout the year. According to one of the doctors, he sees more than 100 patients per day. Many of these patients come from neighboring counties and cities. Some even travel from Taipei or Kaohsiung specifically for treatment after being referred by others.
The author argues that the hospital’s business has remained prosperous over the long term due to the doctors’ excellent medical skills and compassionate, skillful approaches. These qualities instill confidence and goodwill among patients, thereby greatly improving the effectiveness of medical treatment.
It is reported that many symptoms that are generally difficult to treat, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and appendicitis (without surgery), have achieved very satisfactory outcomes under the careful diagnosis and treatment of these doctors. Many people were moved and believed they would be rewarded for the doctors’ righteousness and skill. Just as the first story serves as a stark warning against unrighteousness, many believe the second story represents another form of reward for benevolence and righteousness.
Translated by Chua BC and edited by Maria
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