Ancient Tales of Time Travel: Reborn as a Wealthy Heir
While delivering a lecture in Xinjing, my friend Wang Xiuyuan shared a childhood story with me. It was about an examination official who had started life as a poor scholar. At over sixty years old, he made a modest living through teaching.
At year's end, during winter break, he saved up his annual salary of six thousand wen and headed home to celebrate the New Year. Along the way, he heard cries of distress coming from a thatched cottage and decided to investigate. He found out that the family was in debt for six thousand wen and had been unable to repay it for several years. The creditor was relentless, and in desperation, the family considered marrying off the wife to settle the debt. With young children involved, they couldn't bear to part, and the entire family was in tears. Deeply moved, the teacher offered them his entire savings of six thousand wen to pay off their debt and then departed, heavy-hearted yet content that he had kept the family together. However, while walking along a mountain path, he encountered a group of over ten people carrying a large log. The path was steep and narrow, and he couldn't avoid them, which resulted in him falling down the mountain to his death. When others discovered what had happened, they lamented the loss of the kind-hearted teacher and decried the injustice, feeling that the law of cause and effect was deceptive. They informed the teacher’s family and students to arrange for his burial.
After the teacher’s fall, he awoke as if from a dream, finding himself in the luxurious boudoir of a wealthy family, lying on an ornate bed. Surrounded by exquisite silk bedding and elegant decorations, he turned to see an elderly lady by his bedside, exclaiming with joy, "My son is alive!" Two young women near him, possibly his wives, were in tears, eagerly touching him. Confused, the teacher realized he had no beard when he touched his face. Unable to move, he fell asleep once more.
The following day, the elderly father of the house brought a doctor to examine him. After checking his pulse, the doctor announced that he was healthy and just needed time to recuperate. After a week, he felt strong enough to rise, and within a month, he regained full health. The family belonged to a prominent local lineage with an only son who, at twenty-five, had yet to progress in his studies and remained a mere student, unable to pass the scholar examination. Although he had no children, his parents had arranged marriages for him.
Once recovered, his father encouraged him to visit the study, insisting, "Our family has a long scholarly tradition; it must continue with you." The study was beautifully arranged with bright windows and colorful flowers and trees. When greeted by his teacher, he flawlessly recited texts and wrote with neat handwriting, piquing the teacher's curiosity. The following day, the teacher asked him to write an essay, which was coherent and well-structured. Suspecting plagiarism, the teacher gave him another topic and observed his process. To his astonishment, the young man effortlessly produced another articulate essay. The teacher could not fathom how this previously dull student had become so bright and articulate after his illness—an apparent miracle. He repeatedly inquired about the cause of this transformation, but the young man merely smiled, leaving the teacher in wonderment.
One night under the moonlight in the garden, the teacher confronted the young man again. In the quiet of the night, the young man confessed that he had been a scholar in his past life and recounted the story of the money, his fall, and subsequent rebirth. He explained, "Reflecting on my past life, although I committed no evil, I struggled to achieve success and lived in poverty. The six thousand wen I gave away, though not vast, represented a year’s hard work and could sustain a family. At that moment, I didn't consider my circumstances but was moved by their plight. I didn’t expect that heaven would reward my genuine compassion by allowing me to be reborn into a wealthy family with a prosperous future. Others may believe that heaven is blind and that cause and effect are deceptive, but my experience proves otherwise. True sincerity in doing good is met with greater rewards. Remember, the truth of cause and effect is real, and there's no need to explain it to others." The teacher listened in awe, realizing this unexpected tale was beyond anything he'd heard before.
The next day, as the teacher prepared to leave, the young man inquired why he was departing. The teacher replied, "Your knowledge surpasses mine, and your moral standing is higher; how can I continue to teach you? If I were still my younger self, perhaps teaching you for another decade would have made sense." The young man responded, "I too was once a poor teacher. Now, having received this fortune, how could I bear to see you go? Let’s study together, and when the next examination comes, we can sit for it together. If I pass and become a scholar, you shall gain honor, and my father will surely reward you generously. If we both pass, even better." Finding the suggestion reasonable, the teacher decided to stay. Eventually, they both passed the scholar examination, much to the joy of the young man’s parents and wives. The young man later succeeded in the provincial and national exams, becoming an examination official in his own area. After assuming office, he returned home to support his wife and children, acquired property to ensure their livelihood, and shared his story with former students and neighbors. Many were moved, realizing that while the law of cause and effect is intricate, it is indeed real. Retribution is marvelous and precise, not as simple as many might think. Hence, good deeds should be done sincerely, without concern for immediate rewards. As the saying goes: "Just focus on the work, without asking for the harvest." If one fixates on the reward, it might lead to the adage, "Flowers planted with intention may not bloom."
《Records of Modern Cause and Effect Observations》