🪷 Introduction: The Turning Point of Destiny
Starting from this lesson, the story of Mr. Liao-Fan enters its most fascinating stage — the moment when destiny begins to change.
After meeting Chan Master Yungu, Liao-Fan’s life took a completely new direction. His determination to reform himself and accumulate virtue gradually broke through the limits of fate. From this point onward, the predictions of the fortune-teller that had always come true began to fail — marking the true beginning of his transformation.
余初号学海。是日改号了凡。盖悟立命之说。而不欲落凡夫窠臼也。
We can see Mr. Liao-Fan’s character even from his name. His original courtesy name was “Xuehai” (Sea of Learning), reflecting his love of study and reading.
However, this name carried a tone of arrogance — we can sense a trace of pride and self-importance in it.
From the day he received instruction from Chan Master Yungu, he changed his name to “Liao-Fan.”
The word “Liao” (了) means understanding and liberation;
“Fan” (凡) means ordinary being.
He realized that destiny can be transformed and that fate is not fixed.
No longer willing to remain an ordinary person, he aspired to transcendence — hence the name Liao-Fan, “One who has awakened beyond the ordinary.”
✨ A Life of Mindful Transformation
From that point onward, he lived each day with vigilance and sincerity, feeling entirely different from before.
Previously, he lived carelessly and aimlessly; now, he became deeply cautious and self-aware.
Even in solitude, he was mindful not to offend Heaven, Earth, or spirits.
When others disliked, criticized, or slandered him, he could remain calm and accepting.
It was only from this moment that Mr. Liao-Fan began true cultivation —
each day, he examined himself through the Ledger of Merit and Demerit.
Gradually, he felt a fundamental change within:
in the past, he drifted through life in indifference;
now, he lived with reverence, alert to every thought, word, and deed,
fearing even the slightest evil intention or careless speech.
When others hated or insulted him before, he would not forgive easily and always sought revenge.
Now, he no longer retaliated. His mind was calm, his heart broadened —
able to “accept with serenity and tolerance.”
🕯 Daily Reflection: Cherishing Time and Practice
This marked a true breakthrough in his cultivation.
We too must examine ourselves daily:
“Have I wasted this day?”
If our practice lacks effort, that day is wasted.
As the saying goes,
“An inch of time is worth an inch of gold — yet an inch of gold cannot buy back an inch of time.”
Time, once gone, never returns.
Whether in worldly or spiritual matters,
those who achieve true success are those who cherish every moment and strive to improve each day,
never letting a single day slip by in vain.
📜 First Proof of Changing Destiny
到明年。礼部考科举。孔先生算该第三。忽考第一。其言不验。而秋闱中式矣。
At the age of thirty-five, Mr. Liao-Fan met Chan Master Yungu.
The following year, at thirty-six, he took the imperial civil service examination held by the Ministry of Rites.
Mr. Kong, the fortune-teller, had predicted that he would place third,
but he unexpectedly ranked first — this was the first time Mr. Kong’s prediction for him failed to come true.
It marked the moment when Liao-Fan’s cultivation and virtue truly began to alter his destiny.
Later that same autumn, he passed the provincial examination and became a Juren (successful candidate).
Yet, this rank was not originally in his fate —
a clear and undeniable sign that he had indeed transformed his destiny through self-cultivation.
🌼 Continuous Self-Reflection
然行义未纯。检身多误。或见善而行之不勇。或救人而心常自疑。或身勉为善而口有过言。或醒时操持而醉后放逸。以过折功。日常虚度。
He reflected upon himself and realized that although he had stopped committing evil and practiced doing good, his actions were not yet pure — they were still mixed with selfish motives.
When examining his own behavior, he found many remaining faults. Sometimes he saw good deeds that should be done but lacked the courage to act decisively. Sometimes he tried to help others but still doubted himself in his heart. Though he acted kindly, his words were sometimes careless or unwholesome.
At times he was disciplined and mindful when sober, yet became indulgent and negligent when his guard was down. Because of these faults, his past mistakes often canceled out his good deeds, and much of his time was thus wasted.
🌱 The Challenge of Perseverance
This shows that he knew he should practice diligently and sincerely, yet his efforts were still insufficient — not wholehearted.
In general, when people resolve to reform themselves, they begin with great determination and vigor, but as time passes, their enthusiasm gradually fades.
This is a common human weakness. Mr. Liao-Fan was no exception. In the first year, he practiced with great diligence and zeal, but later, he began to slacken.
However, he still maintained a sense of awareness and vigilance, constantly reminding himself to strive forward — therefore, his progress continued, though slow.
At the beginning of cultivation, such fluctuations are natural and inevitable; every practitioner must go through this stage.
Thus, one should not lose heart or be discouraged. Even if progress seems slow, one must continue to advance steadily.
As the saying goes:
“If one does not advance, one will surely fall back.”
Therefore, even a little progress is good — as long as you keep moving forward, you are on the right path.
🌸 The Vow of 3,000 Good Deeds
自己巳岁发愿。直至己卯岁。历十余年。而三千善行始完。时方从李渐庵入关。未及回向。庚辰南还。始请性空、慧空诸上人。就东塔禅堂回向。遂起求子愿。亦许行三千善事。辛巳生男天启。
After meeting Master Yungu, Mr. Liao-Fan made a vow to stop doing evil and to cultivate goodness.
At the age of thirty-five, he vowed to complete three thousand good deeds, and it took him ten full years — from thirty-five to forty-five — to finally accomplish this goal.
From this, we can see how difficult it truly is to fulfill three thousand virtuous acts!
Understanding this truth, we should encourage ourselves to be even more diligent — at the very least, do one good deed each day; if possible, do two or three. Never let a single day pass without goodness, and the results will surely surpass those of Mr. Liao-Fan.
At that time, he made another vow: to have a son.
He again pledged to perform another three thousand good deeds to bring this wish to fruition.
🪶 The Power of Merit Dedication
‘时方从李渐庵入关，未及回向’。
Because he was serving outside his home, Mr. Liao-Fan once worked in the army under Li Jian’an, traveling with the troops and thus had no opportunity to perform the merit dedication (回向) for his previous three thousand good deeds.
In the year of Gengchen (when he was forty-six), he returned from the south and invited two masters — Xingkong and Huikong — to conduct a dedication ceremony at Dongta Chan Hall.
He then made another vow to perform three thousand more good deeds, and by the second year (Xinsi, when he was forty-seven), he fulfilled his wish — his first son, Tianqi, was born.
Because his practice of stopping evil and cultivating virtue produced such remarkable results, his faith grew stronger, and his commitment to good deeds became even more earnest.
In other words, as he progressed in eliminating evil and doing good, everything became smoother, and the spiritual results appeared ever more clearly.
🕊 Daily Merit in Practice
余行一事。随以笔记。汝母不能书。每行一事。辄用鹅毛管。印一朱圈于历日之上。
或施食贫人。或买放生命。一日有多至十余圈者。至癸未八月。三千之数已满。复请性空辈。就家庭回向。
He continued to keep a record of merits and faults each day. However, since his wife was illiterate and could not write, every time he did a good deed, she would help him record it.
She used a goose feather pen dipped in cinnabar and stamped a red dot on the calendar — one dot for each good deed.
For example, they often gave food or drink to the poor, or purchased animals to release them. When buying vegetables in the marketplace, if they saw lively animals full of vitality, they would buy some to set them free.
The act of releasing life depended on conditions — they did not do it deliberately, but naturally. If an animal had a real chance to live, they would release it; if not, they refrained.
Mr. Liao-Fan practiced this with great sincerity and discipline, following the Dharma faithfully. Sometimes, in a single day, he and his wife could perform ten or more good deeds, showing that their practice was becoming smoother and more effortless.
From the year of Gengchen to Guimao, over the course of four years, they successfully completed another three thousand good deeds. Afterward, they invited a Dharma master to their home to recite sutras and dedicate the merit (回向).
✨ Next week in The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan Series #13: we will witness how Mr. Liao-Fan rises to the peak of his career — not by luck or fate, but through the power of virtue, patience, and unwavering sincerity. His story reveals that destiny bends not to fortune-tellers, but to the heart that cultivates goodness and peace.
✨ Essential Questions & Takeaways
Here are the central questions drawn from this chapter’s teaching. They are designed to clarify the main ideas and help you integrate the lesson into your daily thoughts and actions.
1️⃣✨ How did Liao-Fan’s change of name symbolize the beginning of destiny transformation?
By abandoning the name “Xuehai” — which carried subtle pride — and choosing “Liao-Fan,” meaning “one who understands and transcends the ordinary,” Liao-Fan signaled a complete spiritual turning point. This was not just a name change but a deep internal shift: he awakened to the truth that fate is not fixed and that destiny can be reshaped through virtue and cultivation. From that moment, he lived with caution, sincerity, and reverence, marking the true beginning of his transformation. 🌱
2️⃣📜 What was the first undeniable proof that he had changed his destiny?
The fortune-teller Mr. Kong had always predicted Liao-Fan’s life with perfect accuracy — until the year after he met Chan Master Yungu. Liao-Fan suddenly ranked first in the imperial exam instead of the predicted third, and later passed another examination that was not in his original fate at all. This clear deviation from his foretold destiny demonstrated that sincere self-reform and accumulation of virtue can override karmic predictions. 🌟
3️⃣🧘 Why did Liao-Fan still feel he had many faults even after doing good deeds?
Although he stopped doing evil and practiced doing good, he realized his virtue was not yet pure—many actions still carried hesitation, doubt, or self-interest. Sometimes he saw a good deed but lacked the courage to act; sometimes he helped others yet doubted himself; sometimes his behavior was disciplined, but his speech was careless. This honest self-inspection revealed a universal truth: early cultivation is full of ups and downs. Progress may be slow, but as long as we continue with vigilance, we are moving in the right direction. 🔍
4️⃣🌸 Why did it take ten years to complete the vow of three thousand good deeds?
Three thousand good deeds sound simple, but in reality require immense perseverance. It took Liao-Fan more than ten years to fulfill his vow — showing how difficult consistent virtue truly is. Yet this long process became the foundation of his spiritual success. Each day he examined his conduct, committed good deeds, and eliminated faults. Even one good deed per day generates enormous cumulative strength; the key is steady, sincere practice without letting days slip away in vain. 🕯️
5️⃣👶 How did dedicating merit lead to the miraculous birth of his son?
After completing his first three thousand good deeds, he invited Dharma masters to perform a formal dedication ceremony. Then he made a new vow: to accumulate another three thousand good deeds in order to request a son. Through sustained virtuous action — giving to the poor, releasing life, helping others — and through the meticulous daily recording done by his wife with red dots in cinnabar, the vow ripened. By the second year of this renewed effort, his son Tianqi was born. This was widely regarded as a direct spiritual response to wholehearted virtue and proper dedication of merit. 🪷
📚 Source: Venerable Master Chin Kung’s lecture on The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan, delivered on April 16, 2001, on Phoenix TV