In a rural village in Northeast China, a couple lavished affection on their only son, even depleting their family wealth. After their son passed away, they were left in a state of despair. Seeking answers, they consulted an old monk, only to uncover a tale of past karma that would change their lives forever.
A desperate wish
The couple’s son was frail and sickly from birth, and they spared no expense in caring for him. When he turned 18, he made an unusual request: to eat the meat of their only valuable possession, a large flower-patterned horse. Despite their reluctance, seeing their son on the brink of death, they gave in and prepared a meal of horse meat for him. Tragically, after eating, their son passed away within an hour.
Devastated, the couple struggled to understand why their lives had been filled with such misfortune. After a hasty funeral, they were left without the will to live. On the advice of a neighbor, they visited a temple on South Mountain to seek the guidance of an old monk known for solving mysterious occurrences.
Unveiling past life karma
After an extended meditation, the monk revealed that the couple and their son were entangled in a karmic debt from a past life. He explained that in a previous life, their son had been a wealthy young lady who, along with her parents, was attacked by bandits. The leader of the bandits, now reincarnated as their horse, and the couple, who were then bandit accomplices, had robbed and killed her parents. The young lady had vowed to eat the bandit leader’s flesh in her next life before leaping to her death. As a result, she reincarnated as their son to seek retribution.
Skeptical, yet intrigued, the couple stayed overnight at the temple as the monk suggested. That night, they experienced a surreal encounter: Their deceased son appeared, angrily demanding justice for his past life’s parents. The couple witnessed him attacking their clothes on the bed with a spear, shouting for the bandits to pay with their lives.
Embracing a new path
The following day, shaken by the experience, they recounted the night’s events to the monk. He confirmed the truth of his words and advised them to abandon their past misdeeds and embrace a life of virtue. The couple, deeply moved, became devout followers of Buddhism, dedicating themselves to a life of compassion and righteousness.
This story spread throughout the village, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of wrongdoing and the inescapable nature of karmic debts.
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