Chang'an was the capital of the Great Tang, and it was never short of princes, generals, wealthy merchants, high-ranking officials, and prestigious families. 'He' had been practicing medicine in Chang'an for over half a year, and due to his exceptional medical skills, many high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen had sought his treatment. Unlike in the countryside, these noble individuals had broad horizons and extraordinary temperaments, speaking with grace and erudition. At first, 'he' was somewhat unaccustomed, sometimes even stumbling over his words, but after a month or so, 'he' gradually grew used to the presence of so many distinguished people. This inevitably reminded 'him' of the many experiences 'he' had while accompanying 'his' master on medical visits during 'his' youth.
In the fourth year of Tianxing of the Northern Wei Dynasty (401 AD), 'he' was 19 years old and had been studying medicine under 'his' master for three years. That year, 'he' began accompanying 'his' master on medical visits, and a conversation from one particular visit left a deep impression on 'him'. That morning, they first visited a wealthy merchant's home to treat an elderly gentleman who had difficulty walking. After enjoying a lavish lunch at the merchant's residence, they proceeded to a poor neighborhood for another visit. It was said that the patient was an elderly recluse who also had difficulty walking, and a neighbor had requested 'his' master's help on the patient's behalf. Without hesitation, 'his' master agreed. Guided by the neighbor through winding alleys, they finally arrived at the patient's dwelling. The cramped, dilapidated space, filled with various odors, was a stark contrast to the wealthy merchant's mansion they had visited earlier—it was like heaven and earth.
After the visit, on the way back in the carriage, 'he' naively asked 'his' master why some people were wealthy while others were so poor they didn't even have a roof over their heads."Oh my! So young and already thinking about getting rich?" 'His' master teased with a mischievous smile.
"Ah...? Not really... Master, you..." The innocent 'he' wasn't yet skilled at hiding the slight intention that might have been in 'his' mind, stammering and looking embarrassed.
"You silly disciple, I won't tease you anymore. Wealth and status... there are too many factors, but there are some general principles I can share."
"Oh? I'm all ears!"
"You're unusually serious about this! Hahaha..."
"Master..." Three black lines appeared on 'his' youthful face.
"Ahem... Well... Many wealthy and noble people, over several lifetimes or even dozens of lifetimes, have made it a habit to be kind and build good karma with others. When they encounter someone in difficulty, they help as much as they can. As a result, in many lifetimes and future lives, they encounter favorable circumstances and assistance wherever they go, making it easy for them to become wealthy or noble."
"So that's how it is... What about the poor?"
"There are many reasons for poverty, but there are also some general principles."
"Mm!" 'He' looked up at 'his' master with a serious expression.
"Many poor people have been impoverished for several lifetimes or even dozens of lifetimes. They are not accustomed to being kind to others, and even when it comes to small favors, they are reluctant to lend a hand. As a result, in many lifetimes and even future lives, they rarely encounter helpful circumstances. If they also don't persist in learning or lack special skills, they remain trapped in poverty."
"So that's how it is..."
"That's how it is."
"Master, how many lifetimes does it take to become wealthy?"
"Hard to say, hehe..." 'His' master looked at 'him' playfully.
"Tell me, Master!"
"Ah! We're home. Let's talk about it next time! First, go and take care of that..."
'He' had been studying medicine under 'his' master since 'his' youth, and now, over two hundred years later, 'he' had met countless people. 'He' had seen almost every kind of high-ranking official and noble, and 'he' was well aware of the temperaments and habits these distinguished individuals possessed. From the moment a patient entered the consultation room, 'he' would reflexively begin analyzing them. By the time the patient sat down in the chair before 'him', 'he' already had a preliminary understanding of their background and circumstances.
Reflecting on 'his' master's explanation of wealth and poverty, 'he' further pondered the matter. Not only do the impressions of an individual's interactions with the world leave marks on their spiritual waves, but the interactions and impressions between individuals, whether good or bad, also leave marks on each other's spiritual waves. This sets the stage for future encounters. When one soul meets another, their spiritual waves begin to resonate, and the first feelings that arise in that moment, whether positive or negative, are influenced by the memories stored in those spiritual waves. Especially when the impressions left by each other's spiritual waves are profound and the resonance is strong, phenomena such as love at first sight, instant camaraderie, or immediate aversion can occur. These phenomena have no logical, causal, or rational explanation in the present life.
The influence you have on others is etched into their spiritual waves, and the influence others have on you is etched into yours. However, this influence and its results take time to manifest and often cannot be fully understood within a single lifetime. When one expands their perspective from this life to multiple lifetimes, they will discover that the law of action and reaction also applies to the relationship between individuals and the world. The amount of goodwill you emit toward the world over your many lifetimes will determine the amount of good fortune you reap in future lifetimes. Conversely, the amount of malice you emit toward the world over your many lifetimes will determine the amount of misfortune you must endure in future lifetimes.Whether a person can become a high-ranking official or a noble, and whether their life and legacy can be illustrious, is not solely related to their outward abilities. It is also connected to what they have done for the world over their many lifetimes. Being kind to others, building good karma, and planting seeds of goodness in the spiritual waves of others is known in Buddhism as accumulating merit, and in Taoism as accumulating virtue or cultivating merit.
Merit is accumulated among the masses. Ordinary people can only accumulate it bit by bit, while those whose actions have a broader and more significant impact, such as government officials, famous actors, or novelists, can influence millions with a single decision, action, or word. They accumulate merit quickly, but if their actions are malicious, they can also deplete their merit just as quickly. Such individuals can rise to great heights or fall to great depths in an instant. Therefore, those in positions of power must be extremely cautious in their words and actions.
Thus, 'he' concluded: To become a high-ranking official or a wealthy individual, it is not just about personal effort. One must also be kind to all living beings, always harbor good intentions, and sow seeds of goodness. The beautiful imprints you leave in the spiritual waves of others will become valuable assets in this life and future lives.