Would you want to know your future? It is really predestined? And do we have the power to alter what the future holds for us?
The answer can be either YES or NO and it depends on us.If we do not do anything and follow our inclinations, a possibility that what is predicted can be true.
Just like genetic encoding which tells on certain traits of a person, it is hardly surprising if your future is “documented” or “mapped” in your birth date and time, face features or the palm that can be told by someone else.Each one of us has our own unique inclinations that may stay stubbornly with us and it is hard to change.
For instance, to ask a person with bad temper trying to change to sweet temper will be like asking the person struggle against an uphill battle. Yes, it is the uphill battle that many people are not prepared to face that make everything so pre destined. In our lives, we want everything instant or we do for shortcuts, such as instant microwave dinners, lie or harm others to get our way to the top, etc.
But in the end, too much instant microwave dinners affects our health and cheating/harming others gets us face to face with the law or give us no peace of mind because we are so afraid that one day we will be found out.
Supposedly you intend to go to Penang from Kuala Lumpur. With the intention, you prepare yourself for the journey, make sure you car is in working order, pack up your bags and drive up there. If you follow all the road sign faithfully that points to Penang, you will surely arrive in Penang, right?
Then maybe your car got stall or suddenly the tyre punctured so you have to send to the mechanic. After the car is fixed, you resume your journey and follow the road signs and at last you will reach Penang, but maybe you will reach there slower. Penang represents our future or destination, our intention and road signs represents our inclinations to reach that future.
Not long ago, the writings of an abbot monk in Thailand truly stays deep in my mind: “If you want true things, you must do true things and not false things”. He was referring to the current practice in Thailand whereby most devotees prefer to have holy water or mantras read to them in hope that that will miraclously help them to get rid of their bad luck.
One young girl came to visit him to complain that she was constantly haunted by terrible nightmares. She kept having recurring nightmares every night: there is a small boy who came to her with a lot of hatred in his eyes and will start to cut of her hands, legs and dig out her eyes. She could never have a good night sleep.
The wise abbot asked her if she has done anything really wrong. Initially the devotee refuses to admit but after much promptings, she admitted she had forcibly aborted a baby when she was 20. She was accidentally made pregnant by her boyfriend and both of them felt too young to get married and she did not want to disgrace her family.
It seemed that the baby does not want to be aborted and struggled inside her womb to avoid the sharp pricking tools used to tear its limbs to pieces. That is why she nearly died from the abortion due to excess lost of blood because the doctor got a hard time aborting the baby. Apparently the unborn child’s spirit got into her dreams and is adamant to take revenge.
The abbot could sense that the child is very angry and will not stop until he gets his revenge. Therefore the abbot requested the female devotee to take 15days leave to practice meditation in his monastery.
She could then project the feelings of calmness and dedicate the goodwill (share merits, in Buddhist tradition) as well as ask for the child/spirit’s forgiveness. If her unborn child is willing to forgive her, it will leave her in peace.The devotee refuses, she insists that there must be other shortcuts that she can use such as recite a mantra or two, get some water sprinkled on her head, etc.
She told the abbot that she cannot take such long leave as her boss will definitely be upset and probably will fire her. She tried many ways to “bargain” with the abbot but the abbot told her external help cannot be used to eliminate what she has bestalled upon herself. At last, she got up and leave, saying that if the abbot refuses to help her, she knew there will be lots of abbots in other monasteries who will be much more willing with some generous donation.
The abbot saw into her future and predicts that one day, the unborn child’s spirit will drive her insane.
Therefore we can see that if we want to achieve certain things, we cannot always look for shortcuts in life. For instance, if we are sad or depressed, by getting ourselves drunk will not solve the problem. Getting drunk or some who take drugs will momentarily make us “high” but the next morning when we get up, we will be stuck with the problem again plus a nasty headache or nausea.
For me, I have worked very hard to change into a better person each day….. and yes……with the change, the line in my palms do change. And so those belonging to others. Don’t give up on yourself. Trust me, stay tough in difficult situations and everything will pass.
