In the Guanyin Spiritual Inspiration Records, there is a story about karmic retribution.
During the Qing Dynasty, a merchant from Anhui named Cheng Bolin was a devout believer in Guanyin Bodhisattva. He had settled with his family in Yangzhou, Jiangsu. At that time, war and conflict were common. When Cheng Bolin heard that marauding soldiers were approaching Yangzhou, he prayed earnestly to Guanyin Bodhisattva for protection.
Guanyin appeared to him in a dream and said, “There are seventeen people in your household. Sixteen will be spared from harm, but you have a fixed karma that cannot be avoided, and you will not escape this disaster.” When Cheng awoke, he was very anxious. He prayed again, asking, “Oh, I cannot avoid this fate. Bodhisattva, is there any way out?”
Out of great compassion, Guanyin once again appeared in his dream and told him, “Among the approaching soldiers, there is a man named Wang Mazi. In your past life, you struck him twenty-six times and caused his death. In this life, he has come to take his revenge. Have your family take shelter in the eastern wing, while you wait in the main room. Do not involve them.”
Although Guanyin did not offer a direct means of escape, the dream subtly revealed the karmic connection from Cheng’s past life, and Cheng believed it wholeheartedly.
Five days later, the soldiers arrived and began pounding on the door of Cheng’s house. Calmly sitting in the main hall, Cheng spoke, “Stop knocking. Who among you is Wang Mazi? Let him come forward.” Wang Mazi, fierce and angry, approached. As they met, they both felt a deep hatred flare up. Wang Mazi was astonished and asked, “How do you know my name?” Cheng replied, “I am a devotee of Guanyin Bodhisattva. She came to me in a dream and told me that in my previous life, I struck you twenty-six times and took your life. Now I have no regrets. You may strike me twenty-six times in return.”
Suddenly, Wang Mazi’s conscience awakened, and he sighed, “In our past lives, you struck me twenty-six times, which led me to come seek revenge in this life. But if I now strike you twenty-six times, then in the next life, you will come back and strike me again. When will this cycle ever end?”
Wang Mazi then said, “Since Guanyin Bodhisattva told you that you owe me twenty-six strikes, turn around!”
He picked up his knife, but instead of using the blade, he struck Cheng Bolin twenty-six times with the back of the knife and said, “Since you struck me twenty-six times in the past, now I have struck you twenty-six times. With this, our karma is settled!”
There is a saying that encourages people to strive for self-improvement: “You reap what you sow.” Everything has a cause. The law of cause and effect is all-encompassing and ever-present, even in our thoughts and intentions. For instance, when we see someone doing a good deed and feel joy in our hearts, seeing the good deed is the cause, and feeling joy is the effect. That joyful feeling then becomes a new cause, and by planting this seed of good karma through positive thoughts, we will eventually reap good results.
Similarly, when others treat us poorly, it may be because we owed them something from a previous encounter. If we can endure this mistreatment with patience, without resentment or blame, and even forgive the other person, it is possible to resolve and dissolve the karmic debt. Otherwise, the cycle of revenge and retribution will continue endlessly.
Peace LiLy 