《太上感應篇》Vol. 18

This scripture passage recounts karmic narratives concerning property usurpation and remedial actions.

It begins by stating: Deliberately destroying families to seize their treasures constitutes grave wrongdoing. However, restoring partial property after such destruction becomes a virtuous act.

Two historical cases are then presented:

The first recounts Liu Chang's tenure as Yangzhou magistrate, where he discovered the Lei Embankment (a water conservancy project) originally belonged to local villagers but had been forcibly appropriated for government grain transport. After the project fell into disuse, powerful local clans seized it. Upon assuming office, Liu immediately ruled to return the lands, restoring livelihoods for thirty-six households comprising over three hundred people.

The second case describes Hou Shuxian's magistracy in Sishui County, where he found fertile government-owned fields that had originally been the property of Li Cheng. During Emperor Taizu's reign, Li Cheng had been penalized for official misconduct requiring compensation, but his entire estate was later wrongfully confiscated. Hou proposed the court reduce the repurchase price by five thousand strings of cash for Li's descendants - allowing the government double profit while preventing the Li family's displacement. Chen Daogu, the official sent to negotiate, agreed to implement the plan upon verifying its benefit to the people.

These examples demonstrate that when officials encounter similar cases of property seizure, they should emulate Liu Chang and Hou Shuxian's impartial handling to restore people's rightful entitlements.

This scripture recounts two stories illustrating the principle of karmic retribution.

The first story tells of Li Shuxian's virtuous handling of a land dispute. When someone attempted to forcibly purchase Li family's fields at a low price, Li gathered his descendants and tenant farmers for discussion. He addressed the tenants: "You were all originally impoverished families who only attained better lives by renting and cultivating the Li family's land. If these fields are sold off by the authorities and our family cannot redeem them, the new owner will surely demolish your homes and evict you, leaving you unable to continue farming." He thus proposed that the hundred tenant households pool funds to help the Li family repurchase the land, thereby preserving the ancestral property while allowing tenants to keep their livelihoods. All parties gladly agreed. The scripture contrasts this with those who destroy families and seize property by force, pointing out how such people fail to understand that the karmic consequences of heaven and hell originate precisely from such actions.

The second story recounts how flood control official Zheng Gui shot a giant turtle causing disastrous waves, only to be accused by the turtle's spirit in the court of Yama (King of Hell). During a Yellow River breach, a massive turtle frequently surfaced, triggering floods. Zheng Gui, tasked with flood management, killed the creature with an arrow. Unexpectedly after death, the turtle's spirit lodged a complaint with Yama. Fortunately, Zhenwu Dadi (the Great Emperor of Perfect Virtue, an important Daoist deity governing demon subjugation) descended to the underworld to adjudicate the case, exonerating Zheng Gui. This narrative demonstrates how flood and fire disasters are among humanity's greatest scourges, and those who intentionally breach dikes or set fires to harm people will inevitably face divine punishment.

The passage concludes with a poetic summary: A family requires arduous effort to establish, with ancestors accumulating and descendants inheriting. Those who plunder like wolves or tyrannical rulers—their wicked deeds are all witnessed by the unseen eyes of spirits and deities.

This scripture recounts two karmic retribution stories that illustrate principles of governance.

The first tale describes how a man ground a turtle into dust, believing he was removing a harmful creature from the world. Later, celestial deities (Tianshi) dispatched emissaries to bring this man back to the human realm for judgment. The narrative then shifts to Li Yuan's story demonstrating karmic justice: Li, a filial son, once hosted a traveler at dusk. When his ailing mother craved chicken, he cooked their only fowl for her, serving the guest coarse grains instead. Enraged, the traveler left but returned that night to set the house ablaze in revenge. Suddenly, torrential rain fell, winds reversed direction, and the flames turned back to consume the arsonist. Dying, the traveler confessed he was a fugitive who saw celestial beings (Shen) rebuking him from the sky, directing the fire against him.

The second story uses General Yang Ye's exploits to show how service to the state transcends personal glory. When incompetent officials sabotage others' achievements, they harm the nation itself. The text details Yang's tactical arrangements during the Huanshuo Campaign: he advised commander Pan Mei to adopt flanking maneuvers—first notifying regional garrisons for coordinated action, then ambushing enemy forces—thereby safeguarding three prefectures' populations.

The conclusion emphasizes that negligent officials who fail to prevent floods are no different from those who breach dikes themselves; those who inadequately fight fires share culpability with arsonists. Blaming disasters on heavenly will (Tianyi) while evading responsibility reflects identical malicious intent when judged by cosmic principles. Those who undermine others' meritorious service may appear to harm individuals, but ultimately damage the state—an offense far from trivial.

(Note: "Zhifu" refers to Daoist guardian deities on duty; "Zheng Gui" may name a punished individual; "Yang Ye" is the famed Northern Song general Yang Jiye, with "Pan Mei" as his commanding officer; the "Huanshuo Campaign" denotes Song-Liao border conflicts.)

This passage recounts two historical anecdotes illustrating how military leaders' failures to adhere to well-laid plans led to disastrous outcomes.

The first story concerns the Northern Song Dynasty general Yang Ye (courtesy name Ye). During a campaign, imperial supervisor Wang Shen (a court-appointed military overseer) rejected Yang's battle strategy and accused him of cowardice. Yang responded that his reluctance stemmed not from fear of death, but from certainty that reckless engagement meant certain doom. He proposed positioning crossbowmen at the valley mouth as reinforcements, planning to lure enemies into this ambush. But Wang Shen, believing the enemy had fled, abandoned the plan to pursue personal glory. Left isolated, Yang fought valiantly—slaying hundreds single-handedly while sustaining dozens of spear wounds—before being captured and dying by starvation strike. This tragedy resulted entirely from Wang's sabotage of the original strategy.

The second episode occurred during the Beizhou campaign. General Ming Hao repeatedly saw his tactical proposals vetoed by Chief Military Commissioner Xia Song (head of the Song Dynasty's supreme military council). Deputy Chief Councilor Wen Yanbo (equivalent to vice-chancellor), witnessing this obstruction, volunteered for frontline command and secured imperial authority for autonomous decision-making. Upon arrival, soldiers Dong Xiu and Liu Bing proposed tunneling beneath city walls. Working by night and hiding by day, they secretly excavated from the training grounds until breaching the defenses. Though rebel leader Wang Ze was captured, Xia Song still doubted the prisoner's identity until confronted with irrefutable evidence in the capital. Without Wen's decisive preparations, the operation would have failed.

The text concludes with an ancient maxim: "To deliberately sabotage another's tools—rendering them unusable—reveals malicious intent." The Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Daoism's highest deity) prohibits such conduct, recognizing how ill intentions spawn both moral transgressions and catastrophic consequences. Historical exemplars like Du Yu's conquest of Eastern Wu or Fang Xuanling's strategic brilliance succeeded through meticulous preparation, while those who undermined plans through prejudice invariably courted failure.

This scripture recounts a cautionary tale about the karmic consequences of anger:

The eminent Tang dynasty monk Huayan once had a highly accomplished disciple who fell ill and remained bedridden for months. This sick monk particularly cherished his alms bowl made of precious lapis lazuli. One day, a visiting monk from afar requested to borrow it. Initially refusing, the sick monk reluctantly agreed after repeated pleas, sternly warning that it must be returned immediately after the meal. When the visiting monk accidentally shattered the bowl upon returning it, the sick monk flew into a rage with vicious curses and soon died from his fury.

Years later, when Huayan was lecturing on scriptures at Songshan Mountain, a thirty-meter-long python suddenly slithered into the monastery. Blocking it with his staff, Huayan publicly revealed: "This python is none other than that sick monk. He could have been the first among my three hundred disciples to attain spiritual fruition (cultivation achievement), but because he succumbed to wrath over a mere bowl at death's door, he fell into python rebirth. Now seeking revenge against the visiting monk—should he actually harm anyone, hellish rebirth awaits." He then led the assembly in repentance rituals (chanting scriptures to dissolve karmic obstacles).

The next day during the python's cremation (Buddhist funeral rites) behind the mountain, Huayan prophesied the deceased monk would be reborn as a daughter in the Pei family. During childbirth, her birth anger would fatally harm her mother, compounding his karmic burden. He instructed disciples to intervene by calling his name and delivering warnings when the time came—which later proved effective.

This story warns: Even practitioners who accumulate merits across lifetimes can nullify all progress by yielding to anger. Like that accomplished monk who lost his chance for enlightenment over a bowl, then cycled through wretched rebirths. The text particularly emphasizes "vessels exist to serve human needs"—harshly judging others over material attachments invites severe karmic retribution.

This passage elucidates the principles of malevolent thoughts in the human heart and the law of karmic retribution. Even practitioners of cultivation may harbor anger and wicked thoughts—how much more so for those who do not cultivate? When a person becomes enraged, their heart often conceals venomous intentions.

The crafting of tools must follow established standards, just as the principles outlined in the Yijing (Book of Changes) teach. If one acts solely based on selfish whims, arbitrarily altering established rules and disrupting measures of propriety, such behavior is far worse than outright destroying objects. It leaves the common people lost and confused—is this not the epitome of perilous De (Virtue)?

Upon seeing others enjoy wealth and honor, some wish for their downfall and exile. In this world, there are the four classes of people—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—yet the prosperous and noble stand above them. In life, there are the five blessings—wealth and nobility, longevity, health and peace, virtuous character, and a peaceful death—and prosperity and nobility rank foremost among them. Are these blessings obtained by mere chance? They are the karmic rewards of virtuous deeds accumulated in past lives. How can those who fall short of others allow jealousy to breed wicked thoughts in their hearts?

The text cites several historical cases from the Song dynasty: When Lu Duoxun was exiled to Zhuya (Hainan), Li Fu whispered slander to Prime Minister Zhao Pu, suggesting he be sent instead to the even more treacherous Chunzhou (Yangchun, Guangdong). Yet later, Li Fu himself was exiled to Chunzhou and died within ten days of arrival. When Kou Zhun was exiled, Ding Wei deliberately had him sent to Leizhou (Guangdong), only for Ding Wei himself to later be exiled to the even more distant Yazhou (Hainan). These examples demonstrate that those who curse others with misfortune often suffer retribution first.

Fame and status are like drifting clouds—fleeting and transient. They resemble flowers in a garden that require watering, yet after enduring wind, dew, and mist, their splendor fades in an instant. Why cling to them? If one can reflect in this way, the heart of jealousy will naturally melt away like ice.

Similarly, seeing others' wealth and wishing for their ruin is an unworthy mindset. As seen in the case of the 20th Zen Patriarch, Śākyadeva, who sought guidance from the 19th Patriarch, Kumāralāta (as recorded in the Jingde Chuandenglu, Śākyadeva attained sudden enlightenment upon witnessing Kumāralāta manifesting spiritual powers), it illustrates that practitioners must transcend attachments and discriminating thoughts.

Luo Duo (a wise man) said: "My family has worshipped the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) for generations, yet we suffer from chronic illnesses and constant misfortunes. Meanwhile, our neighbor, who has long worked as a butcher (referring to the Chandala caste in India's caste system), enjoys robust health and smooth sailing in all matters. Why is he so fortunate, and what have I done wrong?"

Luo Duo explained: "The retribution of good and evil manifests in three possible timeframes. Ordinary people only see the virtuous dying young, the cruel living long, the rebellious prospering, and the upright suffering—and thus doubt the truth of karmic retribution. They fail to realize that the consequences of good and evil follow like shadows, never deviating by even a hair's breadth. Even after countless kalpas (immeasurably long periods), they will not vanish." After hearing this, Yedu's doubts were instantly dispelled.

Luo Duo continued his teaching: "Though you believe in cause and effect, you have not yet truly understood it. Karma (the latent effects of actions) arises from delusion, delusion stems from false cognition, false cognition clings to ignorance (the state of non-enlightenment), and ignorance, in turn, attaches to the nature of mind. The nature of mind is originally pure—free from birth and death, free from contrivance, free from retribution, free from victory or defeat—serene and luminous. If one awakens to this truth, they attain the same realm as the Buddhas."

Alas! Can those in the world who envy the wealthy and wish for their downfall comprehend this principle? Even if the prosperous are unvirtuous, their downfall will come naturally—we must never harbor curses in our hearts. Zhou Yifu, a man from Hong County, amassed immense wealth and dominated the region with his tyrannical behavior. A well-meaning neighbor named Sun Shizhi once tried to advise him but was insulted: "What does a nobody like you know, daring to meddle in my affairs?" Later, when Sun Shizhi passed the imperial exams and became a Transport Commissioner (an official overseeing grain transport), Zhou Yifu remained defiant, saying, "Even if he's an inspector, what can he do to me?" One day, while Sun was inspecting Hong County, Zhou happened to be beating a commoner in the marketplace. The victim seized the chance to file a complaint. Sun hinted that they should expose Zhou's unlawful activities, and a case was opened that very day. Unexpectedly, the main suspect suddenly died in prison, escalating the charge to murder. Zhou Yifu was sentenced to death, and his descendants were confiscated as government slaves. Not long after, when Sun Shizhi was transferred to Hebei as Transport Commissioner, he encountered warfare, and his entire family was slaughtered by enemy troops—a ruin identical to Zhou Yifu's. Is this not retribution in action?

When Qian Ruoshui served as a judge in Tongzhou, a wealthy household lost a young maidservant, and her parents filed a complaint with the prefecture. The case was assigned to a clerk who had previously tried to extort bribes from the family. Failing in his attempt, he falsely accused the wealthy father and son of jointly murdering the maid and dumping her body in the river. After the case was concluded and reported, the prefecture sent officials to review it.

This passage recounts several stories and philosophical reflections on karmic retribution.

The first story tells of Ruoshui (a person's name) who adhered to principles, refusing to sign unjust documents. He even spent his own money secretly searching for abducted female slaves, ultimately securing the release of innocent commoners. The commentator notes this not only saved the people but also rescued the official (lucan) himself.

The second story employs metaphors: a dragon boat capable of carrying ten thousand dan of grain may capsize and vanish in an instant; though a single feather is light, enough accumulated can sink a great ship. The roc and the quail each have lifestyles suited to their nature - forcibly grasping what isn't yours is like drinking poison to quench thirst.

The third section explains Buddhist concepts of the "Five Aggregates" (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness) and "Five Skandhas," pointing out worldly obsession with sensory pleasures stems from these attachments. Were one to comprehend that "form is emptiness," such behavior would cease.

Finally, a karmic tale: Zhang Bao coveted the beauty of Magistrate Li's wife, framed Li leading to his death, then forcibly married the widow. Though their union initially appeared harmonious, seeds of calamity were sown. The text implies such immoral coercion inevitably invites misfortune.

Through concrete examples and philosophical exposition, the entire passage illustrates how one must be prudent in thoughts and intentions, for coveting what isn't rightfully yours ultimately brings self-inflicted suffering.

This passage uses two stories of karmic retribution to warn people to rid themselves of lustful thoughts.

The first story tells of He’s wife, who, while ill, repeatedly saw the deceased Li Wei, an ancient military officer, standing beside her. She died soon afterward. Later, He fell ill too and dreamed that his late wife said, “I am grateful for your kindness, so I must tell you: Li Wei has already lodged a complaint against you in the Celestial Court. Your time to die is only days away. If you stay indoors and keep out of sight, you may escape, but if you go out, you will be seized.” One evening, He saw someone in a bamboo grove beckoning him with a red sleeve. Forgetting his wife’s warning, he ran toward the figure and was beaten severely by Li Wei. Li Wei cursed him: “If I hadn’t lured you with a red sleeve, how would a rogue like you have taken the bait?” Blood streamed from He’s nose and mouth, and he collapsed dead. This shows that lustful intentions often begin with men, but women who willingly consent and take part can also bring calamity upon themselves.

The second story tells of Yan Wu, who, when young, seduced the daughter of a neighboring military officer and eloped with her. The officer reported him to the imperial court. Afraid of being punished, Yan Wu strangled the young woman with a pipa string and hid her body. Later, while serving as an official in Shu, he fell ill and repeatedly saw the woman come to claim his life. “Though I lost my virtue, I did not betray you. Why will you not leave me in peace? I have already lodged a complaint in the Celestial Court. Tomorrow is the day you will die.” Just as she predicted, Yan Wu died suddenly at dawn.

The passage concludes by stressing that when faced with beauty, one should remain clear-minded, as though standing before ice and snow. It quotes Zixia, a disciple of Confucius, as saying, “Esteem virtue above beauty,” and points out that beautiful women often become a source of harm to virtue. Once one’s thoughts turn improper, reason is lost and one’s dignity is disgraced. Such evils all arise from a moment’s lapse.

(Note: “zhishi” refers to an official acting under imperial orders; “going to the palace gate” means submitting a memorial to the emperor; a “pipa string” is a string from a Tang-dynasty musical instrument.)