There is a book circulating in Buddhism called The Record of Guanyin’s Miraculous Responses, which recounts a story titled “Mr. Gui Breaks His Vow.” The story goes as follows:
An act of kindness repaid with lies
There was a man named Mr. Shi, a native of Suzhou, who was known for his kindness, generosity, and strong sense of honor. He had a son only after the age of forty, whom he named Shi Huan. On one occasion, Mr. Shi brought silver to Tiger Hill to contribute to the construction of the Guanyin Great Master Hall. As he passed by the Sword Pool, he heard someone crying. Following the sound, he discovered it was his childhood classmate and close friend, a man surnamed Gui.
After asking what had happened, Mr. Shi learned that Gui had fallen into severe debt and, in despair, was preparing to end his life there. Without hesitation, Mr. Shi gave him 300 taels of silver. Deeply moved by this act of kindness, Gui knelt before the statue of Guanyin and made a solemn vow: “I have received Mr. Shi’s great kindness. If I cannot repay you in this lifetime, I vow that in my next life I will be reborn as a cow or a horse to repay this debt.”
Mr. Shi later gave Mr. Gui a jujube orchard on his property for Mr. Gui to reside in. In time, Mr. Gui had a daughter, and Mr. Shi arranged a marriage agreement, hoping that their families would become in-laws through their children. Not long afterward, while digging beneath a jujube tree, Mr. Gui accidentally unearthed over a thousand taels of silver that had been buried by Mr. Shi’s father before his death. From that point on, Mr. Gui’s family circumstances improved.
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