🧿 Setting the Vow to Become a Top Imperial Scholar & Perform Ten Thousand 善 (Good Deeds)
九月十三日。复起求中进士愿。许行善事一万条。丙戌登第。授宝坻知县。余置空格一册。名曰治心篇。晨起坐堂。家人携付门役。置案上。所行善恶。纤悉必记。夜则设桌于庭。效赵阅道焚香告帝。
On September 13th of that same year, Liaofan Yuan made another vow—to become a jinshi (a top scholar in the imperial exam) and to “perform ten thousand good deeds.” Four years later, in the year of Bingxu, when he was fifty-two, he really did pass the jinshi exam. The government then appointed him as the magistrate of Baodi County, where he served for seven years (from 1586 to 1592).
After taking office, Mr. Liaofan worked very seriously and followed proper moral principles. He prepared a blank notebook called “A Journal for Self-Reflection” to help correct any negative or unwholesome thoughts. Every morning, one of his attendants would hand this journal to the office staff and place it on his desk so he could record all the good and bad things he had done each day. Every night, following the example of Zhao Yuedao (a royal censor during Emperor Renzong’s time in the Song Dynasty, known for being strict, honest, and fair—nicknamed “the Iron-Faced Censor”), he would set up an incense table in the courtyard, write a report of all the good and bad deeds he had done that day, and offer it as a prayer to Heaven.
From this, we can see that he was truly fair, upright, and never hid his own mistakes. He used this method to stop doing wrong and to cultivate goodness. Because of this practice, if something was shameful or could not be spoken openly to Heaven, he absolutely would not do it. Not only would he not dare do it—he wouldn’t even allow the thought to arise. As a result, the positive effects of correcting his faults and improving his character became more and more remarkable as he grew older.
👩🦳 His Mother’s Concern & Divine Guidance in a Dream
汝母见所行不多。辄颦蹙曰。我前在家。相助为善。故三千之数得完。今许一万。衙中无事可行。何时得圆满乎。夜间偶梦见一神人。余言善事难完之故。神曰。只减粮一节。万行俱完矣。
When his mother saw that there weren’t many opportunities to do good deeds in the county office, she became worried and said:
“In the past, when you were still living at home, I often interacted with our neighbors in the community, so it was easy to do good deeds. But now that you are an official, everywhere I go people treat me with formality, and I actually have fewer chances to do good. You have now vowed to complete ten thousand good deeds—how long will it take to fulfill this?”
Mr. Liaofan also felt troubled after hearing her words.
That night, he dreamed of a divine being. He told the deity, “I vowed to complete ten thousand good deeds, but I’m afraid it will be difficult to fulfill my promise.”
The deity told him, “By reducing your consumption of grain, your vow of goodness has already been fulfilled.”
This was a response to his sincere intention to practice goodness.
🌾 Reducing Land Tax: One善(good deeds) Equaling Ten Thousand善(good deeds)
盖宝坻之田。每亩二分三厘七毫。余为区处。减至一分四厘六毫。委有此事。心颇惊疑。适幻余禅师自五台来。余以梦告知。且问此事宜信否。
After Mr. Liaofan became the magistrate of Baodi County, he felt that the land taxes were too heavy, so he issued an order to reduce the farmers’ tax burden. Because of this act, his vow of completing ten thousand good deeds had already been fulfilled. However, he was somewhat surprised and doubtful about what the deity had told him in the dream.
At that time, the Chan Master Huanyu happened to arrive from Mount Wutai. Mr. Liaofan then told him about the dream and asked whether the words spoken by the deity could be trusted.
💛 One Pure善念(virtuous intention) Surpasses Ten Thousand善 (Good Deeds)
师曰。善心真切。即一行可当万善。
True sincerity has no discrimination and no attachment — this is what the Buddhist classics teach. Whether you perform three thousand good deeds, ten thousand good deeds, or even a hundred thousand good deeds, if you do them with a mind of judgment, comparison, or attachment, then they are still limited. The true mind has no boundaries. Even the smallest善 act done with a pure heart pervades the entire universe and Dharma realm. Therefore, even the most subtle good deed performed by a Bodhisattva can turn into immeasurable and boundless great virtue.
People in the world are often like Mr. Liaofan. They vow to do ten thousand good deeds and find it extremely difficult. This is because such善 is considered “small善” — it has not yet transcended delusion, discrimination, and attachment. In other words, as long as there is delusion, comparison, and attachment,善 remains limited in quantity. But if one leaves behind delusion, discrimination, and attachment, then even the tiniest善 becomes limitless and without measure. Thus, “one善 deed, when done with a pure mind, can equal ten thousand善 deeds.”
This is why expanding our heart and mind is extremely important. In doing善 in daily life, whether the善 is considered big or small depends on the capacity of one’s mind. If your mind is vast, even a small善 becomes great virtue; if your mind is narrow, even a great善 shrinks into a small善.
🙏 Dedicating the Merit After Benefiting the Entire County
况合县减粮。万民受福乎。吾即捐俸银。请其就五台山斋僧一万而回向之。
Moreover, by reducing the land taxes for all the farmers in the county, the benefit was not only for the tens of thousands of farmers, but also for their entire families—including their parents, wives, and children. Everyone shared the benefit. Therefore, one善 act here was equal to ten thousand善 acts.
There is a saying: “Serving in public office provides great opportunities to cultivate blessings.” Why did people in the past long to pass the imperial examinations and become officials? Because as an official, it is easy to do善 and benefit many people, whereas for ordinary citizens, completing ten thousand善 deeds is extremely difficult.
On the other hand, if an official felt the land tax was too low and decided to increase the tax burden, then just one single thought of greed or unkindness would create harm for tens of thousands of people. That one念 of evil becomes ten thousand evil deeds. Therefore,善 and evil are determined in a single念 of the mind.
After understanding this truth, Mr. Liaofan was overjoyed. He then donated part of his salary to support monks at Mount Wutai, and dedicated the merit from this善 act for the benefit of all beings.
🪷 Reflection
In ancient times, only government officials had such power and influence, so it was very easy for them to do great善 or great harm. But in today’s world, many professions have the ability to create immense善 or immense evil—especially the entertainment industry, film and television, media companies, and those who control mass communication. Their influence even exceeds that of national leaders.
If satellite and internet platforms are used to spread positive and善 messages—content that inspires people to awaken, stop wrongdoing, cultivate善, and accumulate virtue—then just one hour of broadcasting such a program would surpass the ten thousand善 deeds accomplished by Mr. Liaofan.
However, if the content being broadcast is negative—teaching people to kill, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or lie and deceive—then the wrongdoing committed in that same one hour would lead to the hell of Avīci.
From this, we understand that in modern times, people do not need to pursue fame or high-ranking government positions in order to do great善. In any profession, if one can stop evil and cultivate善, it is far easier and more accessible than it was in the past.
With today’s advanced technology, we have great convenience, but this convenience can be used for善 or for harm. We must clearly recognize this truth: good fortune or disaster truly arises from a single念 of the mind.
✨ Next week in The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan Series #14: we will explore the six standards of “Right Thought” in Buddhism, and reveal whether Liao-Fan was able to extend his lifespan — in addition to transforming his career and gaining a son.
✨ 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🌟 Why did Liao-Fan vow to perform ten thousand good deeds, and how did he practice this as an official?
Liao-Fan vowed to pass the imperial examination and complete ten thousand good deeds. After becoming a county magistrate, he kept a strict “Journal for Self-Reflection,” recording every good and bad action each day. Each night he wrote a report to Heaven, ensuring that nothing he did—nor even a thought—could remain hidden. This created deep moral discipline and marked his transition into genuine self-cultivation.
2️⃣👩🦳 Why was his mother worried, and what was the meaning of the divine dream?
His mother worried that official life offered fewer opportunities to do good. Liao-Fan also feared his vow was impossible. In response to his sincerity, a divine being appeared in a dream and said:
“By reducing the grain tax, your vow is fulfilled.”
This revealed a profound truth: when a single action brings benefit to countless people, it carries the weight of ten thousand good deeds.
3️⃣🌾 How did reducing land tax equal ten thousand good deeds?
By lowering the land tax, Liao-Fan lightened the burden of thousands of farming families. This single policy helped an entire county—not just individuals. When he later consulted a Chan master, the master confirmed the dream’s meaning:
One decision that relieves widespread suffering is equivalent to ten thousand individual acts of kindness.
4️⃣💛 Why does one good deed done with a pure mind surpass ten thousand good deeds done with attachment?
Good deeds performed with calculation, comparison, or attachment remain limited. But a good deed done from a mind of sincerity, openness, and non-self becomes immeasurable. Even a small act of kindness done with a pure heart pervades the entire universe.
Thus, the size of a good deed is determined not by the action, but by the capacity and purity of the heart behind it.
5️⃣📡 What does “one good deed equals ten thousand” mean in the modern world?
In ancient times, only officials could easily affect large populations. Today, people who work in media, entertainment, technology, education, and public communication have even greater influence. One hour of positive, uplifting content can benefit more people than ten thousand individual good deeds. One hour of harmful content can do the opposite.
Modern tools amplify karma — for good or for harm — which is why blessing and disaster both arise from a single thought and intention.
📚 Source: Venerable Master Chin Kung’s lecture on The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan, delivered on April 16, 2001, on Phoenix TV