The Blind Master's Divination
Author: The Embarrassed Taoist
Since meeting the master of bone-touching divination, Mr. Gao, I have developed a great interest in the techniques and masters of the blind school. I feel that the techniques of the blind school have been passed down from ancient times, containing much truth and secrecy, which cannot be understood from books on the market. Because it is the means of livelihood for the blind school, they strive for excellence. Many survival skills, if they cannot be linked to one's livelihood, are difficult to reach a high level, because people will not make up their minds about trivial matters. My teacher said, "If you don't touch the skin, you can't touch the soul." This statement has deep meaning! Many small things in life can illustrate this profound truth. Once, an old man came to the courtyard selling balloons. He was about 70 years old, tall and thin, blowing long stick-shaped balloons with his mouth, then shaping them into various forms by hand. He sold them in different sizes for one yuan and fifty fen, and many children bought them to play with. I found it interesting and tried to blow one with my mouth, but the balloon was too hard. I almost got swollen cheeks and couldn't blow it up. Curious, I asked the old man. I said, "How can you blow it up, but I can't?" The old man expressionlessly replied, "You're not hungry enough..." One sentence made me realize something deeply. Alas! Truth! People can endure any suffering, but only enjoy blessings they deserve. If you haven't reached that point, you can't achieve it...
Blind school predictions generally focus most on eight characters (birth time) fortune-telling, with some unique skills like bone-touching divination, but these are rare. Most still rely on eight characters. However, within eight characters, there are high and low levels. At a lower level, there are many rules or rhymes, such as: "Year of true wealth from ancestors, prosperity guarding the land; if wealth and official support come, noble character and promotion; marriage harmony, husband prospers wife is virtuous; body strong and wealth abundant, young age accumulating great wealth..." But teachers with high skills in the blind school are worlds apart. From initially being able to arrange eight characters without a perpetual calendar, starting major cycles, predicting annual events, career, marriage, illness, disasters—all calculations are done mentally, spoken directly, especially predicting annual events. Which year is high, which year is low, what kind of luck each year brings—not only accurate but detailed, as if personally witnessed, quite magical. Some predictions even detail specific experiences, and can even predict a person's spouse's surname, zodiac sign, and exact marriage and divorce years, or even the year of first cohabitation, leaving one no choice but to admire the logic of fate.
The blind school excels at several highly divine methods. One is passing three gates. Of course, these are real gates, not street tricks. Parents' situations, how many brothers, how many children—accurate and fast. Two is marriage. Not vague or ambiguous talk. Year of first cohabitation, year of marriage, spouse's surname, zodiac sign, direction, year of divorce or widowhood, second marriage spouse's surname, zodiac sign, direction, affairs. Three is rise year and industry. Lifetime career determination, promotion year, demotion year, wealth year, poverty year, total wealth, total rank. Four is illness and disaster. Accurately predicting lifelong injuries, illnesses, accidents, verification years and even months. Five is life and death period. Death situation, method, time, whether help arrives when needed—parents present at death, children present at one’s own death, weather conditions at death. These five points are the bread-and-butter skills of blind school masters, and the pinnacle of number calculation. It's said that Shao Fuzi's Iron Plate Divine Numbers and Emperor Divine Numbers could be precise to very fine details, like in the four lessons of Mr. Liaofan, but it's hard to see such calculations today. There are still some reclusive high-level practitioners in the blind school, but the blind school's rule of not teaching sighted people makes this art increasingly worrying.
I first learned about and became curious about the blind school's calculations through stories told by my mother. She told me about her early experience asking an old blind woman from the northwest gate to tell her fortune, which was very magical. She said there was an old blind woman a few miles down the dirt road from the northwest gate. Her house was like a cellar, half buried in the ground, surrounded by shrubs. Just hearing about this environment was scary. Inside lived an old blind woman with white hair and wrinkles. Born blind, her family invited a high-level blind school master to live with them and teach her this fortune-telling skill orally. In the mid-70s, she charged five yuan for a reading, which was quite expensive. She accurately described various aspects of my mother's family as if she had personally seen them. Other details are forgotten, but two sentences are remembered clearly, leading to an argument. Following the rhyme, she said, "Others plant trees for you to rest under, others bear children for you to be their mother." My mother hadn't even started dating yet, so naturally she was upset and an argument ensued, ending unpleasantly. Later, when I was in high school, because Auntie passed away young and Uncle had too many children to support, a cousin was adopted into our family. When the cousin arrived, already in elementary school, she called my mother "mother," just as predicted—"others plant trees for her to rest under." My mother was amazed, exclaiming how accurate the old blind woman was! Another incident involved the old blind woman saying my grandmother wouldn't receive help from my mother. She said, "Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, when close doesn't speak; sometimes tight, sometimes loose, when close doesn't speak." Later, when my grandmother passed away, my mother had watched over her for a day and night. When it was her turn to eat and she stepped out briefly, she received a call saying my grandmother wasn't doing well. Rushing back, upon arrival, my grandmother took her last breath. Truly, everything is predetermined, nothing is left to chance! With great reverence, after hearing my mother's story, the next day I pulled a friend and visited the old blind woman in the northwest gate. But her family said the old blind woman had passed away many years ago, and no one had inquired about her since. Scarily, her methods weren't passed down because she didn't have any blind descendants. Alas! What a pity!
Later, I met many blind school fortune-tellers, known as "dark gold" in the trade, but none were as amazing. I thought the blind school's skills were lost until I later encountered Master Lian, truly experiencing the legendary blind school methods. A fellow practitioner recounted a story: a man is most handsome at two moments, and she mentioned that a certain X County's "Blind Lian" calculated that she would break up with her boyfriend of several years on a certain month and day. On that exact day, she experienced Blind Lian's predictive abilities, always hitting the mark. Fearing this, she asked him to change it, but Blind Lian sternly replied that it was an unchangeable rule—a fixed destiny in one's fate, impossible to alter. So, she went to a temple seeking help. The nuns explained cause and effect, advising her to let go and accept things as they come, but she couldn't stop worrying despite understanding. Coincidentally, she met a Buddhist friend practicing esoteric Buddhism who kindly performed a ritual. Afterward, according to her, their relationship improved significantly, better than ever, and she felt reassured. But on the date Blind Lian predicted, exactly that month and day, suddenly her boyfriend acted possessed, fighting over a minor issue on the street, accidentally injuring someone, and was immediately arrested, sentenced to three years in prison. Crying, she wanted to wait for him, but her elderly relatives disapproved and introduced her to another man, who was honest and considerate. They married, and later, when her ex-boyfriend was released from prison, she already had a child, thus fate unexpectedly changed, as predicted. People always think they can control their lives, believing everything is firmly in their grasp, but in reality, they hold onto nothing. All things are temporary combinations of causes and conditions, coming and going unpredictably—impermanent indeed! After hearing this story, I found Blind Lian very impressive, found out his exact address, and visited when I had time.
Master Lian was a sixty-year-old man living in a comfortable apartment, spacious and beautiful, with clean windows and furniture. When I arrived, the room was filled with countless people. Master Lian charged thirty-six yuan for a male's fortune and forty-eight yuan for a female's, explaining that women's fortunes were more complicated, possibly because women tend to be more verbose. Master Lian sat in a large chair with soft backrests and armrests, leaning back comfortably and elegantly dressed in a blue Zhongshan suit with black glasses. Waiting in line behind me, I noticed a young girl helping manage the queue and maintain order, like a server. Master Lian took about twenty minutes per male fortune and half an hour per female, quickly speaking after a brief moment of thought, cutting straight to the point like chopping wood. Approaching the front, I heard several accurate readings. A middle-aged woman consulted her fortune. Master Lian listened to her birth data, calculated for about three minutes, then recited her four pillars and major cycle. His first sentence summarized her entire life, like a lifetime reflection. He said, "That woman, you have the destiny of a doctor, at least a barefoot doctor." Surprisingly, the woman confirmed, "Yes, yes, yes! Cancer's ruling planet is the moon! I am a doctor!" Master Lian continued, "A woman's destiny is judged by marriage. You have a divorced destiny, twice unsuccessful. First marriage in X year, rat zodiac, surname with water element, divorced in X year." The woman blushed, admitting, "Correct, my first husband was a rat, surname Feng." Wow! Too accurate! Without reaction, Master Lian continued, "Second marriage in X year, snake zodiac, surname with earth element..." Before finishing, the woman nearly jumped up, exclaiming, "Wow! Amazing! My current husband is a snake, surname Wang. Master, can you see if we'll last?" Interrupting, Master Lian was clearly unhappy, harshly replying, "I've already told you, your second marriage won't last, divorced in X year... later remaining single until death." Shocked, the woman said, "Me and my current husband get along well, how could this happen?" Expressionless, Master Lian replied, "Getting along well doesn't mean it won't end, many couples start affectionately and end bitterly..." He calculated other aspects, and the woman was lost in thought listening. For another fat man, Master Lian's reading was also remarkable. Master Lian said, "You have the destiny of a blacksmith, but with wealth, a big blacksmith..." The man laughed, "Haha! Close, I run a casting factory..." Everyone was astonished. Master Lian's other calculations were accurate, the man continuously nodding. Later, regarding his marriage, Master Lian said, "Your skills are impressive! Having both food and drink, multiple wives, excellent!" This comment made the man blush, quietly replying, "Kind of, after becoming wealthy, we don't lack this..." Everyone laughed. Master Lian remained expressionless, "You will die because of this." Then he calculated his death date and illness. Master Lian's accuracy rate was extremely high. According to his calculations, this fat man's lifespan wasn't long, and he would die from a serious illness. The man looked deflated, everyone silent. The man asked if it could be changed, Master Lian replied, "There's no such thing as changing it, Yama's book of life and death is fixed. Can you change it? Are you more powerful than Yama?" Master Lian's stern tone made him look like Yama himself.
My turn came, I offered my respects, sitting across from Master Lian. He said, "State your birth information!" I relayed the year, month, day, and hour. Master Lian began calculating, muttering under his breath, then recited my eight characters. Hearing them correct, I was impressed. This ability alone was astonishing, memorizing a thick perpetual calendar perfectly. Reciting the four pillars and major cycle, every leap month was clear. Then his first sentence summarized my entire life based on this eight characters. Master Lian said, "This eight characters indicates a monk or Taoist destiny, either a monk or a Taoist." I asked, "Which is better, monk or Taoist?" Master Lian replied, "Judging from your eight characters, fire is dominant. Fire dominates and leads to mental concentration, so you should be a monk. Fat monks, skinny Taoists, you will become stout-hearted, a plump monk without worries..." Already having undergone bone-touching divination by a master, now combined with Master Lian's eight characters analysis, I was astonished by this opening statement. Master Lian continued calculating other aspects, later verified to be very accurate, including my work, business, family changes, yearly events, father's death year and circumstances, all very precise, especially regarding my father's passing, quite miraculous. Master Lian then said, "In X year, you lose your father, unable to help, unable to be present at his passing, no debts owed, quick departure, no opportunity to care for him, filial children bidding farewell amidst falling snow..." Despite my efforts to guide my father in faith and practice, he was always skeptical and occasionally killed living beings. Later, my father suddenly fell ill and passed away that year, heavy snow falling suddenly. My father passed within hours, a regret I carry forever. Hard to raise, my father deserved filial care, but he left so abruptly that I couldn't serve him even a day, heart-wrenching indeed! Early morning at five, my father complained of hunger. In the hospital, it was still dark, nothing to eat, but my father insisted on eating, seemingly very hungry. The doctor said it was minor, nothing serious, and neighboring patients scolded me, so I went out to buy food. Conveniently, a steamed bun shop had just opened, and I urged them to hurry with extra payment. But inside, my heart was restless, flipping uncomfortably. Carrying the buns downstairs, I suddenly felt uneasy, realizing something was wrong! I rushed back, arriving to find my father had already passed. Remembering Master Lian's prediction, I felt utterly defeated. After reflecting for half a year, I resolved to pursue the Dao to explore the essence of life. Although both Master Gao and Master Lian predicted I would become a monk, at twenty-nine I became a Taoist, a story I will explain later. Master Lian calculated my annual events, almost predestined, looking back, basically accurate, including interpersonal relationships, duration of interactions, all concise and precise. Some aspects I didn't fully believe or understand at the time, thinking differently based on my feelings, but as time passed, they manifested precisely at the predicted points. Sometimes recalling Master Lian's predictions, I felt as if these years were like a movie, constantly feeling a sense of drama and inner struggle. Regarding Master Lian's predictions about relationships and durations, even now, part of it has been fulfilled, but I still hope to change it through some methods, testing the effectiveness of cultivation from this perspective.
Remember a master once said, if your cultivation shows no results, encountering a good calculator like Blind Lian, whose predictions always come true, then it's all for naught. This statement is truly profound! Past actions form present destinies, not easily altered, and learning good attracts past grievances. In Buddhism, one must transcend the four signs—no self, no person, no sentient beings, no longevity—in Daoism, one must return to the ultimate void, transcending the three realms, outside the five elements, only then can one claim "my fate is determined by me, not heaven!" Master Lian rarely smiled, even seldom laughing, always expressionless. As he put it, nothing worth laughing or crying about. Though he disliked idle chatter, during that period, I often bought things he liked, hoping to discuss a bit with him, visiting only in the evening when no one was around, staying in a small inn overnight. Despite this, Master Lian didn't talk much, but his words were clear in my memory, though I didn't fully understand them at the time. Only now do I appreciate their depth. The young girl helping maintain order daily was actually Master Lian's live-in lover. Master Lian married twice, both widowed, burying two wives. Speaking of these, he was calm, as if calculating someone else's fate. Each wife passed according to his predictions, everything orderly and prepared beforehand, so Master Lian said he never cried, because there was no need. This young girl following Master Lian drew criticism from neighbors, but he didn't care. He said she was a minor star in his destiny, lazy and unwilling to work, seeing his wealth, chose him willingly, destined by fate. He told everyone not to worry, saying by X year and X month, she would leave on her own. Later, it was indeed verified; the girl suddenly disappeared with Master Lian's money. Everyone suggested reporting it to the police. Master Lian said, "Why report it? It's a fixed matter. That girl ran off with a dog zodiac boy to the south. I owe her fifteen thousand yuan, plus her occasional help, so she took twenty thousand. She's also a pitiful child, the person she followed isn't trustworthy, likely to sell her! Prostitute destiny, can't help it!" Master Lian remained calm, discussing it as if talking about tea breaks.
Sometimes I asked Master Lian why it couldn't be changed. Master Lian said, "Saying it can be changed is deceiving people. If it can be accurately calculated, it's set in stone. Changing it means it wasn't accurately calculated. No ambiguity, fate is like farming. Planting eggplants can't produce peppers. Heaven and Yama record the book of life and death, who can change it? Are you more powerful than Jade Emperor?" I asked about monks and Taoists whose fates couldn't be calculated accurately.
Master Lian said, "I've calculated the fates of many monks and Taoists. Only one was inaccurate, the rest are just like ordinary people. Wearing those robes doesn't make one special, taking them off reveals the same person! Bald heads aren't necessarily monks, could be bald men, long hair isn't necessarily a Taoist, could be a madman! Only one old monk I miscalculated. I predicted his death in X year, but three years earlier he began secluding and meditating, living ten more years, shocking me so much I stopped predicting for over a year. Later, I realized human destiny has three basics: income, horse, sheep. Income represents what one should enjoy. When income ends, one dies, unable to breathe anymore. Longevity ends but income remains, needing to continue consuming as a vegetative state. Consumption must finish before dying, so that old monk extended his life through seclusion, not consuming energy by remaining still. Time length can't be changed, but width can. Therefore, among other things I don't believe, I believe in cherishing blessings in Buddhism!" I asked why the blind school doesn't teach sighted people.
Master Lian expressionlessly replied, "Because it's cruel. If you could see the discomfort on people's faces, subjective thoughts would arise, probably affecting accuracy. Heaven's way is emotionless!" Later, Master Lian's system wasn't completely passed down. A partially blind nephew learned some but wasn't proficient, perhaps because he could still see a little!
In his own predicted time and manner, Master Lian endured several months of illness and passed away peacefully. The doctor said if it were anyone else, the pain would be unbearable. But Master Lian showed no great distress, merely slightly furrowing his brows in endurance, without loud cries. He could face all joys and sorrows calmly, equating his life with destiny, perfectly portraying the role of a blind school fortune-teller. In this grand script formed by collective karma, Master Lian was a natural actor!
All things are temporary combinations of karmic conditions, inherently illusory dreams. So why rejoice in gaining? Why sorrow in losing? It's just a movie. Ancient sages said, "The water-moon meditation hall, dream-like Buddha affairs, mind-body world are all illusory cities, don't cling, don't fantasize." Strive in cultivation! Effort bears fruit, believing there will eventually be clarity!