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“Parental Cruelty Leads to Children’s Misfortune” – 3 Stories of Retribution That Serve as Warnings to Many

"Sorry for doing something so terrible, this was an unfortunate incident to create for the poor child. Do not eat this dish."

Administrator

28 February, 2024

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In the book “Duyệt vi thảo đường bút ký” written by Kỷ Hiểu Lam in his final years, he recorded true stories that he had heard or witnessed, with many stories containing the full names and hometowns of the characters. Some of them were about his own family or his own experiences.

His writing style is very simple and plain, natural and profound, with rich content and great understanding, making it very interesting and surprising for readers.

Illustration

Let’s explore the following 3 stories to further understand the law of cause and effect:

1. Mother harming the maid, daughter is born without ears and nose

In the Trinh Quan period of the Tang Dynasty, the wife of Bộc Dương Phạm Lược became jealous of a maid that Bộc Dương Phạm Lược had previously liked. One day, she used a knife to cut off the maid’s ears and nose, but Bộc Dương Phạm Lược couldn’t stop her in time.

Not long after, Bộc Dương Phạm Lược’s wife became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. To everyone’s surprise, the daughter was born without ears and nose, which saddened Bộc Dương Phạm Lược and his wife.

When the daughter grew up, she accidentally saw the maid whose ears and nose had been cut off, and asked her why she ended up like this. The maid told her about the past.

After hearing this, Bộc Dương Phạm Lược’s daughter realized that her mother’s crime had been punished and manifested on her own body. She suffered greatly and from then on, she always hated her mother. Bộc Dương Phạm Lược’s wife was also very ashamed, but it was too late to regret.

2. District commander’s greed, son hunted down and killed

In the Tang Dynasty, Doanh Châu was a district official known for his extreme greed.

One day, Lý Chính, a resident in the district, passed away. Doanh Châu forced the people there to contribute money to build a statue as a tribute to Lý Chính, a person who had served the villagers well. But when everyone had contributed enough money, Doanh Châu secretly took the money for himself, claiming that there was another urgent matter that needed the money.

The villagers were afraid and dared not say anything, so the incident passed until one day, Doanh Châu’s only son went hunting in the forest. His horse suddenly became frightened and ran away, and while running, Doanh Châu’s son was struck by a thorny branch and died instantly.

When the villagers heard the news, they were not sad but secretly happy, saying, “The district commander’s son has transformed into a forest rabbit!”

3. Daughter of a prison warden turned into a prostitute

In the Qing Dynasty, there was a prison warden in Tây An district. His life had always been smooth sailing until he passed away.

After his death, his three daughters quickly became prostitutes. The reason why there was no immediate retribution on his own body was because of the virtue he had accumulated in his previous life, which ensured that his current life was peaceful. But the sins he committed in this life had to be punished, so the retribution fell on his daughters’ heads.

His daughters were all successively victimized and turned into prostitutes, living a life of shame.

Some people do not believe in the law of cause and effect, nor do they believe in the Buddha, so they do whatever they want without thinking about the consequences. Many people even claim that it’s unfair that while one person does bad things and still enjoys a beautiful life, abundance, and riches, the karmic retribution often comes late but not absent.

Frequently asked questions

His writing is characterized by its simplicity, naturalness, and depth. It is easy to read and understand, yet it conveys profound messages and insights that capture the reader’s interest.

The stories in “Duyệt vi thảo đường bút ký” are based on true events. Kỷ Hiểu Lam included full names and hometowns of the characters, and some stories even pertained to his own family or personal experiences.

Certainly. One story tells of a woman, the wife of Bộc Dương Phạm Lược in the Tang Dynasty, who, out of jealousy, cut off her maid’s ears and nose. Later, she gave birth to a daughter without ears or a nose. Growing up, the daughter learned of her mother’s actions and lived with the consequences of her mother’s crime, always hating her for it.

Yes, two other notable stories are included. One involves a greedy district commander, Doanh Châu, whose son is hunted down and killed in the forest as a consequence of his father’s actions. The other story is about a prison warden from the Qing Dynasty whose daughters turn to prostitution after his death, as a result of the sins he committed during his lifetime.

These stories emphasize the law of cause and effect, or karma. They serve as a reminder that our actions have consequences, and that even if immediate retribution is not seen, sins committed in this life will eventually be punished. It also highlights the belief that good deeds from past lives can result in a peaceful present life.