Is Karma Changeable? 2/3, Can We Pray to Gods or Buddhas for No Illness? 業力可轉不可轉, 我們能否為無病而祈求神佛？

(English subtitles) Lectured by Daoist teacher Rui-Lie Lee (李瑞烈, 1921-2015)
Subtitles:
Now talk about karma. If you practice the acquired path, it's easy to change but if you practice the innate path, it's hard to change. So many people don't want to practice innate path. Why not practice the innate way? Those who don't practice live better than us. Those who practice are more miserable than those who don't practice.
In depends. If you don't have karma, practicing the innate path will actually make you better. After practicing the innate path, if you feel this is not good and that is unfavorable. This is to eliminate really big karma. If you don't understand, I will speak clearer to let you know. Let's say I open a company. Some money is from mutual aid party, some are borrowed. I always pay off annual interest in installments. Because I just started the business, and have not yet recovered the cost. So I dutifully pay back the interest, and all the creditors are satisfied. Why? Because you pay the interest on time.
Nonetheless, one day. It's said that your company is going bankrupt and is closing down. That's serious, all the creditors come. That's awful when the creditors come and claim the debts. If I can't get it all back, it's okay to get 80% back. Otherwise, it's not too bad to get 50% back. They have a tough stand. At that time, you know how awful it is. People don't practice are different from those who do.
2:00
Those who don't practice are like dutifully pay the interests, and creditors won't pursue repayment but will demand payment in the afterlife if not getting it all in this life. The gods and buddhas help you relieved and intercede for you. They will tell creditors like, don't be like that, he is still running the company. He can pay interests though he has no money or make partial payments in installments. Then it's done.
Those who practicing the innate path is like declaring bankruptcy. Why? You are not coming the next life. If you don't come the next life, I will not get paid. If I won't get paid the next life, how can I not get it all in this life? As a result, all the creditors come. You have to understand this. So, this is the reason why practicing the innate path is harder than practicing the acquired path.
So those who practice the innate path will let nature take its course and pay it that is necessary. After karma is eliminated completely, you will be naturally liberated from birth and death. A true practitioner won't pray for no illness for himself. Absolutely not.
In the Gem King Samadhi Essay, there is a sentence. Those who cultivate the heart should not pray for no illness. Because of this, sages have educated people that illness and hardship are to eliminate your karma. If the ancient sages got diseases, they wouldn't pray for eliminating their diseases as soon as possible.
4:00
Hence, those who practice for liberation from birth and death should let nature take its course and would never pray to gods or buddhas to solve the current trouble. So, if a person pray to gods or buddhas, it will prevent him from liberation from birth and death. I am telling you not to pray. But if you are afraid of hardship, go ahead to pray. That is because doing good will have good rewards. Doing bad will have bad rewards. We are in the 6 paths of reincarnation, if practicing well, you will become gods or rich people. It's impossible to be freed from birth and death.
Now we are talking whether if is changeable or not. You have to consider the issue if you desire for a good life or liberation from birth and death. If you anticipate to be a rich person in the afterlife or ascend to be a god, you can pray to gods. If you have done many good, you will get blessing. Blessing is having money.
However, the rich get sick all year round because their karma isn't eliminated. He is rich, but why is he seriously sick like this? Why do rich people have ungrateful children? There is no way they can avoid due to their bad karma. You do good deeds will get blessing, but your bad karma is not eliminated.
So, that is why I often say the difference among blessing ,karma, and sin. Karma goes to karma; blessing goes to blessing. For example, someone does illegal work and commits crimes, but he is willing to do benefaction. Whenever mishap happens, he prays to gods. Then what will he become in the afterlife? He did good things and will get good fortune. He did evil things and will get punishment. Then becomes an animal with good fortune, born as a pet, chicken or dog, that pampered by people. He got blessing, but being animals is suffering, right?
6:00
Therefore, we have to know many issues. Karma is very simple and also complex. So, if some trifles happen, people pray to gods. Not only does he not liberate himself from birth and death, but he also does not eliminate illness karma. All the karma of his past lives can not be eliminated.