One’s Fate Changes with One’s Heart (Part 1)
 
In a person’s lifetime, although things are predestined in terms of lifespan or prosperity, one is bound to be rewarded with good if he does good deeds and is kind, and meet with disaster if he does evil things. One’s fate can change at any time, depending on if his heart is good or evil. Heaven and earth, and gods and deities can judge things clearly without the slightest discrepancy. If one’s heart always focuses on kindness, he will accumulate extensive good fortune and virtue, and even when he encounters dangerous situations, gods would be able to turn misfortune into blessings. In contrast, if one keeps doing bad things at will, one will plant seeds of evil, and even if he should have good fortune originally, he will end up suffering. This is what we know as the natural rule of cause and effect.
 
Therefore, one’s heart is in control of his total self. With a kind heart, one will have a good fate, and with an evil heart, one will have an evil fate. There were many such cases documented in ancient books. The following are a few from the book Examples of Supernormal Phenomena.
 
Ding Shi Earned Sixth Place
 
In the Qing Dynasty, there was a scholar named Ding Shi. He was a quick thinker and very talented, with a straightforward personality. Because he liked gambling, he was often criticized by his father, but he never listened or mended his ways. His father became furious with him and drove him out of the house. Ding Shi drifted to the capital city, and through various means, he got into the Imperial College.
 
One day Ding Shi walked past Xiangguo Temple, where a fortuneteller surprised him by saying, “You have a marvelous complexion! I have done face reading for many people, and you are the best I’ve seen.” After the fortuneteller asked his name, he wrote it down on a piece of paper and put it up on the wall, “Ding Shi will be No. 1 at the imperial examinations this year.” Afterwards, Ding Shi was very happy and became more arrogant, and he gambled even more. When he heard that there were two wealthy candidates from Sichuan, he invited the two to gamble. Ding Shi kept winning, and in the end, he won six million in cash.
 
A few days later, Ding Shi passed by Xiangguo Temple again. Once the fortuneteller saw Ding Shi, he asked surprisingly, “Why do you look so awful? You have no hope of passing the examination, let alone being the No. 1.” As he was talking, he ripped the piece of paper from the wall. He said with a sigh, “This is simply tarnishing my name. I got it wrong this time.” Ding Shi anxiously asked him for details. The fortuneteller said, “In face reading, we look at one’s forehead first. If the color is yellow with radiance, it is a sign of auspiciousness. Now your forehead looks dry and dark. You must have had bad thoughts and ill-gotten gains. You have angered the heavenly gods.”
 
Ding Shi became very frightened and told the fortuneteller what had happened. He asked in bafflement, “We only had a bit of fun. Was it that serious?” The fortuneteller took issue with him and said, “Don’t tell me you were only having a bit of fun. Heavenly gods supervise anything that involves money. When one has received ill-gotten wealth, he will naturally reduce his good rewards.” Ding Shi deeply regretted what he had done and asked anxiously, “Can I return the money?” The fortuneteller said, “If you want to mend your ways from your heart, the heavenly gods will certainly know it. If you can truly mend your ways and change for the better, you can still get sixth place in the examination.” Ding Shi rushed to return the money to the two wealthy candidates, and he vowed that he would never gamble again.
 
Indeed, when the list of successful candidates was published, a person named Xu Duo got first place and Ding Shi was in sixth place.
 
Accumulating Virtue
 
An academic during the Qing Dynasty went to the provincial capital to take part in the provincial-level imperial examinations. He was very satisfied with the paper he wrote during the exam, so he waited in the city for the results.
 
One day, he visited a local temple. There was a person who seemed to make a living telling fortune in the temple. The academic asked for an evaluation. The fortuneteller said, “Your figure and appearance is weak and humble. Even if you had vast amount of talent and knowledge, or wrote better than the finest essayists in history, it would still be difficult for you to become famous.” The academic did not believe what he heard. However just as predicted, he did not pass when the results came out.
 
The academic once again visited the fortuneteller to ask about his future. The fortuneteller said, “Based on your appearance, how do I dare to say favorable things? My advice is to spend your time accumulating virtue instead of pursuing fame. This might be able to change your fortune.” On the way home, the academic mumbled to himself, “I am poor. I do not have money to help others or do good deeds. How can I accumulate virtue?” After several days of doubts, he suddenly had an idea: “I taught at a few schools every now and then. Those teachers often misled students. From now on, I will focus on teaching to accumulate virtue.”
 
Three years later, this academic attended the examination again. When he went to the same temple, the fortuneteller was still there. After greetings, the fortuneteller said, “Mister appears full of energy with radiating features. Without a doubt you will pass the examination.” Sure enough, the academic passed. The academic went to thank the fortuneteller, “Why did you refuse me so severely before, but now you predict so accurately for me?” The fortuneteller replied, “Your appearance completely changed. Putting all of your heart into teaching is a form of accumulating virtue. You have more good fortune in the future.”

相由心生 运随心转(上)
 
人生在世，寿夭贫富，虽说命中注定但今生所为亦非常重要。为善获福，作恶招灾，依人心之善恶，可随时改变。天地神明，鉴察分明，丝毫不爽。人能一心向善，广积福德，则虽遇凶厄而化吉祥。若任意非为，种下罪根，虽本有福而终得凶灾，此因果法则，自然之理。所以说，心为一身之主，心善则命善，心恶则命恶。古籍中这样的事例不胜枚举，以下为《太上感应篇例证》中记载的关于古人命运前途与考运的几个例子。
 
丁寔居第六名
 
清朝年间，有位读书人丁寔，文思敏捷，很有才气，性情豪爽，因爱好赌博，常遭到父亲的责骂，却不思悔改，于是父亲一气之下，就把他赶出了家门。丁寔流落到京师，通过各种手段，进入了太学。
 
一天，丁寔偶然经过相国寺，有个算命先生惊喜地说：“您的气色太好了！我在这里给很多人看过面相，您的最好。”算命先生问过丁寔的姓名后，就在墙壁上写道：“今年状元是丁寔。”从此丁寔愈发高兴傲慢了，赌博也更加厉害了。听说考生中有两个从四川来的生员，很有钱，就请二人聚赌。丁寔连连取胜，最后赢钱六百万。
 
几天后，丁寔又来相国寺，算命先生一见他就诧异地问：“您的气色怎么这么糟糕？绝对没有希望考中了，更何况中状元。”边说边急忙将墙上的纸撕下来，叹息道：“简直是败坏我的名声，这次确实算错了。”丁寔急忙询问原因。算命先生说：“看相讲究先看人的额头，如果颜色黄润，而且有光泽就是吉相。如今您的额头又干又黑，一定是存心不良，得了不义之财，触怒了天神。”
 
丁寔心里很害怕，急忙把实情告诉了他，并不解地问：“我们只是随便玩玩而已，竟这么严重吗？”算命先生驳斥道：“你不要说是玩耍，凡是有关财物的事情，都有天神监护著，接受了不义之财，自然要减损福报。”丁寔听后，悔恨交加，急切地问：“那么，我把钱还给他们行吗？”算命先生说：“如果你发心悔改，天神一定知道。你果真能改恶从善，还能得第六名。”丁寔急忙赶回去，把钱还给原主。并发愿不再赌博。
 
果真，发榜时一个叫徐铎的考生中了状元，丁寔居第六名。
 
是道则进，非道则退
 
清朝年间，有一位读书人到省上去参加考试。文章写得自己很满意，所以就在省上等著发榜。
 
有一天，他偶然到一座寺庙去游玩。寺院的房簷下有一个以看相赚钱谋生的人。读书人上前请问，看相的说：“你的骨相寒薄清苦，就算你有班固、司马迁那么好的才学，文章写得比韩愈、欧阳修的还好，也很难成名。”这位读书人不相信，榜发出来，果然没有考上。
 
他又去向看相的请问这一生的命运。看相的人说：“凭你的骨相，怎么敢给你说什么好话呢？不过，与其迫切求取功名，不如花点大气力积阴德。这样也许可以改变你的命运。”读书人在回家的路上，自言自语地说：“我的确很贫穷，周济别人，做好事，又怎么办得到呢？”这样翻来覆去地犹豫不决，很多天都拿不定主意。一天突然想到：“我平时曾到一些学馆去教书，看见那些做老师的，常常误人子弟，罪过最大。我从今天起，用心研究教学的道理，通过这种方式来积德，也差不多吧。”
 
三年以后，他又去参加考试。他到寺院中去寻找看相的人，那人还在那里。行礼之后，看相的人说：“先生精神饱满，光彩照人，这次考试，考上是毫无疑问的。”发榜时，果然榜上有名。这位读书人去庙里感谢看相的，并问道：“为什么过去谢绝我那么严峻，现在又这么准确地给我预测？”看相的人说：“你的外形和骨相全部都变换了。用心于教学事业，这不是阴德是什么呢？以后的福德还大得很呢。”