Invisible Deities of Career

(Tổ vô hình các ngành nghề submitted by Khánh-am on 24 Mar 2009 – translated by Horangi)

During a trip to Ca Mau province, I attended a snake-eating party where I heard intriguing tales about snake masters who supposedly possessed the miraculous ability to rescue people from poisonous snakebites.
Story at HUYỀN THOẠI THẦY RẮN HỔ

Story Commentary:
The majority of professions on Earth were believed to have been taught to humans by divine beings.

In ancient times, when human knowledge was limited, spiritual practitioners acted as guides and mentors, receiving revelations and guidance from the spiritual realm. As humanity’s intellect evolved and people became capable of creating and innovating on their own, the role of the spirits became less overt, though they continued to influence human endeavors discreetly. The spirits not only provided insights to spiritual practitioners but also to benevolent scientists, often through dreams, inspirations, or subtle nudges toward discoveries and inventions in their respective fields. However, many scientists mistakenly attributed their innovations solely to their self-acquired intellect or creativity.

Over time, humanity has gradually forgotten the divine origins of various professions and careers, attributing them solely to well-known human pioneers rather than acknowledging the spiritual guidance that played a role in their development.

For instance, Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician, was guided by the spirit associated with medicine and became revered as the patriarch, or ancestor, of the medical profession. Today, medical students worldwide are required to study medical ethics and morals alongside medical skills. Upon graduation, they traditionally swear the Hippocratic Oath, which includes the following pledge:

“I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take all the gods and goddesses as witnesses, to uphold to the best of my ability and judgment the following oath and agreement:
To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my brothers, to teach them this art; and that by my teaching, I will impart a knowledge of this art to my sons, and to my teacher’s sons, and disciples bound by an indenture and oath according to the medical laws, and no others.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never harm anyone. I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly, I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art. I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, and specialists in this art.

In every house where I come, I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves. All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.[/i]

Similarly, Snakemasters, as depicted in the story, also have their divine ancestor as their mentor, the god associated with jobs and careers. It is expected that Snakemasters refrain from pursuing wealth and engage in good deeds if they seek assistance from their ancestor-god.

Practitioners of oriental traditional medicine, including herbalists, acupressure therapists, and those who use acupuncture and moxibustion, all believe in the assistance of invisible ancestors in their practice. Despite instances where patients receive incorrect diagnoses and prescriptions, they often recover, which is seen as an example of this invisible support. This concept may be difficult for Western physicians to comprehend, as they have historically labeled these holistic practitioners as shamans or charlatans due to prejudice.

I knew of a man whose child was bedridden from an incurable disease. One night, he dreamt of a Spirit guiding him to a medicine man. He followed the directions and sought help for his son. The medicine man gave him three tiny pills, instructing that if the child felt better after taking them, further treatment could cure him; otherwise, nothing could be done. Surprisingly, the child improved after taking the pills. The father returned to the medicine man, who used acupressure to completely cure the child.

This story illustrates that treatments like acupressure, herbal remedies, pills, needles, and moxibustion, which seem to cure serious diseases, are merely outward performances. The true healing comes from the invisible ancestors of the medicine trade, a reality understood by most traditional practitioners.

While Western medicine operates on logic and science, Spirits also influence its outcomes. Some Western doctors may even recognize this invisible assistance, albeit less overtly, especially in cases of untreatable diseases.

Commentary on Legend of the snakemasters.

(Sanh nghề tử nghiệp submitted by Khánh-am on 24 Mar 2009 – translated by Horangi.)

The principle of living and dying by the sword (destined to die from one’s own profession) not only apply to snakemasters but also for people in every industry and social class. It will happen to those who abuse their career to harm or make money at the expense of others, and to those who had bad karma.

The story related that the snake master died from being bitten by a snake because of his job as a snake hunter. In reality the reason he died that way is because of his bad karma. Likewise, one seemed to be destined to die from their profession for example: The cardiologist who die from heart attack, the oncologist from cancer, bad karma also manifest ironically in children of skilled medical doctors being affected with incurable or mental diseases.

I once read an American newspaper about a skilled heart surgeon who operated on seven patients and as a result all of them died on the operating table. There was nothing wrong with his medical procedures in this case, but the surgeon was in a state of crisis that he voluntarily gave up his license and quit his job.
Meanwhile, there were doctors with average skills but they were praised to have ‘cool’ hands (healing hands) because they can get many patients well.

People who are unfamiliar with metaphysical laws would attribute those good or bad outcomes to luck, chance or coincidence; only those having in-depth research of the invisible laws could see the invisible intervention from the job & career ancestor, whose help depends on the karma or virtue of each individual.
Kings are no exception; they all have to pay for their bad karmas such as suffering from infertility, or having no heir or descendants because their children die young…

When a person’s karmic debt is due for payback, then neither West nor East medicine could cure him/her, the invisible ancestor will also refuse to interfere (as related by the snakemaster: his invisible ancestor tipped him off which patient would die from the snakebite so that he knew not to treat that patient).

The snakemaster himself will not receive further support from his invisible ancestor when he goes wrong. Furthermore he will be tormented by the hell gods in many ways such as he could get bitten by venomous snake and died as a result, have accidental injuries, be possessed or have various mental illnesses.

The Spirits must let people pay their bad karmas to subdue people’s arrogance that comes with certain personal achievement and also to teach human to fear and respect the Spirits.