In this chapter of The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan, we explore a question as old as humanity itself: Are Heaven, Earth, and spirits truly watching us? Through vivid real-life encounters with ghosts and fox spirits, and powerful reflections on karma and hidden actions, this lesson reminds us that while people may be deceived, the universe never is. What we do, think, and conceal—all are quietly recorded, mirrored back to us, and repaid with precise clarity.
👁️ Are Heaven, Earth, and Spirits Real?
Are Heaven, Earth, and spirits real? Certainly, they are. Although our eyes cannot see them, our ears cannot hear them, and our bodies cannot touch them, there are countless things in this universe that we are unable to perceive. We cannot assume something does not exist simply because our senses cannot reach it. Moreover, spiritual responses and manifestations have been recorded extensively throughout Chinese history, and even in modern times, newspapers and magazines frequently report such events. These reports are indeed factual, yet many people still refuse to believe them.
This is understandable; without personal experience, it is difficult to accept such things based solely on others’ accounts. Only when the day comes that you have the good fortune and karmic affinity to personally witness a spirit will you truly believe.
📖 True Stories of Spirit Encounters
🧡 Friend’s Personal Encounters
When I first began learning Buddhism, Elder Layman Zhu Jingzhou shared with me many stories based on his own personal experiences—all of them true. Before the Anti-Japanese War, he served as the general manager of a bank in Suzhou; during the war, he served as the Tax Commissioner of Sichuan; and after the war, he became the Director of the Zhejiang Provincial Treasury.
I once asked him about the cause of his interest in Buddhism. He told me that during the war, when he lived in Chongqing, he often played mahjong with friends late into the night. One evening, they finished around two in the morning. There was no transportation at that time, so everyone walked home under dim streetlights. He noticed someone walking in front of him but did not pay much attention. After walking for more than half an hour, he suddenly realized that the figure ahead was a woman. “How could a lone woman be outside at such an hour?” The moment this thought arose, the hair on his body stood on end. Looking more closely, he saw that the figure had only an upper body with no lower body. He was terrified. As soon as fear arose in him, the figure vanished. He had walked alongside that “person” for over thirty minutes—there was no possibility of illusion. He had truly seen a ghost.
🙏 Deep Gratitude for a Life-Changing Encounter
He said that from that day on, he fully believed in the Buddha’s teachings. After he began studying Buddhism, he even felt deep gratitude toward that ghost. He said that if he had not personally encountered such an event, he would never have believed in his entire life. His father-in-law, Mr. Zhang Taiyan, was a devout Buddhist and had often told him many stories of this nature, but he had always listened with half-belief and half-doubt. Only after his own direct encounter did he become completely convinced that such phenomena are real and certainly not imaginary.
🦊 A Real Encounter With a Fox Spirit
I myself have never seen a ghost, but I once encountered something like the fox spirits described in the novel Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Liaozhai). When I was about fifteen or sixteen years old, in Hengshan, Hunan, I encountered a fox spirit that had already transformed into human form, and it was male. Many people had seen him.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, I returned to my hometown, where a relative had a very strange experience. My hometown produced rice, and the harvested rice was always shipped to Wuhu and Nanjing for sale. While loading the rice onto the boat, someone saw a yellow weasel run up the gangplank and disappear into the cargo hold. The boatmen searched for a long time but couldn’t find it, and everyone thought they must have been mistaken.
The boat transported the rice to Nanjing, but when they unloaded the ship, the entire load of rice had vanished. They stayed in Nanjing for several days, but since nothing could be done, they eventually returned home. After returning home, they found that all the rice was still in the storage barn. No one knew how they had offended the weasel, but the weasel had played a prank on them—it moved the entire boatload of rice back home. Thankfully, nothing was lost. This was a real incident.
The world is vast, and there is no end to strange occurrences; the things we personally witness are simply too few. Therefore, we cannot assume that things are false merely because we ourselves have not seen them. It is easy to deceive people, but Heaven, Earth, and spirits cannot be deceived.
👁️ Heaven and Spirits Witness Everything
“Even though my faults are hidden and subtle.”
Our mistakes may be extremely concealed and refined—so subtle that others cannot detect them—yet “Heaven, Earth, and spirits behold them clearly.”
“Behold” here means like a mirror: the observation of Heaven and spirits is as clear as a mirror reflecting everything.
⚡ Consequences of Hidden Wrongdoing
“If the fault is heavy, a hundred calamities will descend.”
Those who continually commit evil deeds will inevitably encounter unexpected disasters.
“If the fault is light, it will diminish one’s present blessings.”
If the wrongdoing is minor, it will reduce the blessings one currently enjoys.
Once we understand these principles and truly realize the facts, how could we not feel fear and restraint?
🪞 The Mind Cannot Deceive Itself
Not only this, whenever you sit quietly by yourself, you can see everything inside you very clearly.
Even though you hide your shortcomings very well and present yourself in a polished way,
Deep down you already know the truth, and you simply cannot deceive yourself.
Once others see through your pretenses, your face and reputation are worth nothing.
How could you not feel a sense of warning and remain seriously cautious?
🏙️ From Heaven’s Observation to Human Society’s Observation
The previous section spoke about how Heaven, Earth, and spirits observe and reflect our actions. This section speaks about the environment in which we presently live. “Not only this” means not only are we seen by Heaven and spirits. “In places where we dwell in leisure, everything is clearly pointed out”—as the saying goes, “ten eyes are watching, ten fingers are pointing.” Especially in modern society, where urban populations are dense, every movement we make is seen by countless people.
👁️ Hidden Faults Cannot Be Hidden From the Wise
“Even though I conceal it very carefully”—even if we hide our faults with great subtlety.
“Or cover them with clever embellishment”—“embellishment” means disguising or decorating our actions skillfully.
“Yet my innermost thoughts are already exposed; ultimately it is impossible to deceive myself.”
Those who possess learning and moral integrity can see through such concealment at a single glance, rendering it worthless.
“Lǐn lǐn (懔懔)” describes a feeling of fear and trembling. When we reflect upon these points, how could we not feel a deep sense of caution and fear?
❤️ Cultivating Conscience and Welcoming Criticism
Therefore, a person’s intentions, words, and actions must be grounded in conscience, with a healthy fear of public scrutiny. When we do good, we prefer that others do not know. When we commit wrongdoing, we actually hope others will criticize us—because their criticism allows our bad karma to be repaid, which is beneficial.
If what they point out is true, we must repent and correct ourselves. If it is false, we should still feel joy—being wrongly accused is one of the most powerful ways to eliminate karmic obstacles.
Thus, regardless of whether others’ criticism is true or false, we should maintain a heart of gratitude. As the ancients said: “If the criticism is correct, correct it; if not, use it to encourage yourself.”
🕊️ Responding to Criticism With Wisdom and Gratitude
This applies especially to malicious criticism.
If we indeed have the fault, we should hasten to reform ourselves.
If we do not, then we should be even more diligent, ensuring we never commit such faults in the future.
A person who truly understands how to perfect themselves through eliminating evil and cultivating goodness, who accumulates merit and virtue, always thinks of others’ goodness and never keeps others’ faults in their heart.
Why?
Because our mind must remain pure and kind.
If we store other people’s wrongdoing in our hearts, we destroy our own goodness.
🌼 Stay Humble in Praise, Be Honest With Yourself
Today, many people are foolish in this regard. When others praise me, I too must calmly reflect:
“Does what he praises truly match my actual virtue? Did I really accomplish these good deeds?”
Even if the praise is accurate, we must remain humble and work even harder.
If the praise is exaggerated, we should feel ashamed and tell the person,
“I am not as good as you say; you have overstated it.”
We should encourage ourselves not to disappoint the praise given by others.
Only in this way can virtue be perfected, disasters be avoided, and blessings be received.
This principle is absolutely certain.
✨ Coming Next...
Next week in The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan Series #19:
This chapter reminds us that Heaven, Earth, and spirits see everything—and even our own mind cannot deceive itself. True cultivation means keeping every thought pure and upright.
In the next lesson, Master Chin Kung answers a profound question: Where does hell come from?
Stay tuned. 🙏 Amituofo 🙏
✨ 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.
Are Heaven, Earth, and spirits real?👁️
Yes. Just because we cannot see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Countless historical and modern encounters show that invisible realms are real.
Why do people doubt spiritual phenomena?🫢
Because without personal experience, belief is difficult. But once someone truly encounters a spirit, all doubts vanish instantly.
What do real ghost and fox-spirit encounters teach us? 🌏
The universe is far more mysterious and vast than what our senses can grasp. We must not assume “what I haven’t seen = isn’t real.”
Can we hide our faults from Heaven, spirits, or ourselves? 📚
No.
Heaven and Earth reflect everything like a mirror. Hidden wrongdoing still reduces blessings and creates future suffering.
Why is self-honesty essential for changing destiny?🕊️
Use Because the mind cannot deceive itself.
True spiritual growth begins when we dare to face our own thoughts, faults, and intentions without covering them up.this body as a tool for virtue:
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📚 Source: Venerable Master Chin Kung’s lecture on The Four Lessons of Liao-Fan, delivered on April 16, 2001, on Phoenix TV