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Renaming for A Better Fate?2014-01-21
By Lucy Huang
English Translation by Genglin Zheng
The Dharma Master’s story about names reminded me of my own stupid action many years ago. At that time, my husband met with misfortune in his career; he was in a very bad mood and felt very confused. So whatever little bit of help could restore hope in him. I had not been involved in fortune telling before this, but I went for it this time to seek answers to getting rid of the bad luck.
An onomancy fortune teller told us that I my name, which was not good, was in its most unlucky years. He helped me with a new name:富榆 (Fu Yu, meaning “an abundant elm or ulmus tree”), pronounced the same as 富裕 (Fu Yu, meaning “rich”). I was happy with the new name, even though it sounded a little bit greedy and was not graceful enough. But the Chinese characters by themselves looked ok. I accepted the new name immediately, thinking that it would turn my fortune around.
I informed my friends of my new name, asking them to use it from then on, for a friend told me: “A new name should be used often to have effect on the fortune.” I also went to the temple to inform the dharma masters of my change, asking them not to use my original name any more. They asked me, “Why did you get a new name?” I touched lightly on the subject instead of telling them what had happened to my family. But the masters still called me by my old name, which somewhat troubled me. But as I calmed down, I reflected on my name change, asking myself: “Why the change? Would renaming bring about new fortune?” I thought over and over. Who could give me the true answer?
After learning some Buddhism, I got to know that what we endure in this lifetime is karmic retributions from our prior lives. Causes and conditions met, resulting in retributions. In addition, I learned from the Sutra, that a name is simply a symbol. So I started to tell myself, in order to bring about change in my fortune, I must work on my behaviors, especially my bad temper. It is no use trying to change retributions on the surface. This is like a fruit tree bearing sour fruits; to change the fruits from sour to sweet, one can’t just do away with the sour ones. This won’t work. One should work on the roots -- provide fertilizers and water so as to improve the quality of the soil. This is the way to obtain sweet fruits.
Even though I knew the logic, still, as if swimming in the sea, I wished to find a quick way back to the shore, for this reason, I could not make up my mind about renaming or not. So I sought advice from a friend who had studied Buddhism for many years. She advised me to request instructions from Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. Soon in my family Buddha Hall, I honestly presented my thoughts before Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. I also made six lots, three with my original name written on them, three with the new name written on them. Having putting the lots in a container, I started bowing to the Buddhas, then chanted the holy name of the Bodhisattva until I felt I had a response from the Bodhisattva. I sincerely asked the Bodhisattva: “Which name suits me better?” Then I drew lots; three in a row, all showed my original name. Right then all my doubts went away, and I decided on no renaming. I notified my friends about my decision. Many years have gone by, and I never regretted my decision.
In difficulty times, we tended to complain and seek outside for various kinds of solutions. But we forget that our inner characteristics are the ones that can truly help us and take us away from sufferings. Besides the need to repent the various karmic offenses committed in the past, we need to improve our behavior, to be open and more tolerant, and to be kind and compassionate about everything. All this will naturally end greed, anger, and stupidity in our mind. Joy will follow naturally. In my opinion, blessings come from a joyful heart. May all of us be joyful for ever and ever.
