Many people like to go to fortune-tellers, card readers, mediums, chanellers, or whatever you call them, to ask about their fortune.
Honestly, if you think about it : Would the gods, deities, ascended masters, angels, and all the other 'so-called' higher beings possess our gross and ugly bodies?
Or even to bother about your future?
Even if they do, what makes you think they know and understand everything?
All that I know is, before you go seek the advice of such fortune-telling masters etc, observe them.
Really watch/study them.
If they're greedy, lustful, impatient, selfish, egoistic, conceited, full of anger, jealousy, enmity and hate etc, better be careful ..................
Cos' chances are their so-called guides, angels etc are not much better.
After all, birds of a feather flock together.
Coming back to fortune-telling.
There was once an old villager went to see Ajahn Chah, to ask Ajahn Chah to read his fortune.
Ajahn Chah kept rejecting and telling him no, cos' good monks DO NOT tell fortune; and are NOT supposed to.
It's part of the Vinaya.
But the old villager kept insisting and reminding Ajahn Chah of all the good, help and donations he had given Ajahn Chah and the monastery, and the least Ajahn Chah could do to repay him was to read his fortune.
Finally, Ajahn Chah relented and asked to see the man's palm.
Ajahn Chah studied intently at the man's palm, and then looking deeply into the man's eye, told him,
"Sir, your future ........ is ........ uncertain!"
Ajahn Chah is absolutely right!
The future is uncertain.
It was most brilliant of the Venerable Master to use the opportunity to teach Dhamma to the old villager who would just not listen.
Actually, I can read fortune, too.
Really!
Honestly, I can!
And it's with 100% accuracy.
No, not that the future is uncertain, although that's true.
Rather, it's
"If you do a lot of good now, you can be sure your future will be good;
But if you do lots of mean, nasty, bad, selfish, greedy and evil stuff,
Then, 'good luck to you' !"
"Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) states.
Mind is chief; mind-made are they.
If one speaks or acts with wicked mind,
Because of that, suffering follows one, even as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught-ox.
Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states.
Mind is chief; mind-made are they.
If one speaks or acts with pure mind,
Because of that, Happiness follows one, even as one's shadow that never leaves."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 1 & 2
"The only thing that's permanent in life is impermanence.
The only thing that's certain in life is uncertainty.
So accept, and not resist.
Surrender, and not control;
Let go, and let nature be."
"Life may be uncertain.
But there's one thing that's certain - Kamma.
Kamma is certain."
""Kamma is what differentiates beings, such as the base and the refined."
- The Buddha
"Kamma is within oneself.
It is oneself who is constantly performing causes,
And experiencing their effects."
- Venerable Ajahn Mun
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"There's no power greater than the results of our own actions."
- Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno
"Actually, our misery is caused by ourselves.
Many of our problems are created by us due to our ignorance and crazy attitude for too much pleasure."
- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda
"Although Buddhism does not refute the belief in deities, spirits, astrology and fortune-telling,
The Buddha's advice was that people should not be slaves to any of those forces."
- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda
"Things happen unexpectedly,
Prayers may or may not come true.
But effort brings results,
That neither thoughts nor prayers can do."
"If you want beauty, then be kind, be virtuous, be nice.
Avoid anger, ill-will, jealousy and hate.
If you want wealth, then be generous (genuinely that is, not faking it or showing off).
Avoid being stingy, selfish and greedy.
If you want health and longevity, then give life to others, save other beings,
Avoid hurting, harming and/or killing any being.
If you want wisdom, then learn to question, avoid intoxicating yourself, and very importantly, meditate!"
** And last but not least, Remember :
" ........ the way to goodness is open for all people who want to be good,
No matter how badly they have behaved in the past."
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu
