唐玄宗時的右丞相李林甫，二十歲時還沒有讀書。他在東都洛陽時，愛好狩獵打球、架鷹養狗。他常常在城裡的槐壇下騎驢打球，幾乎天天都去。有時騎驢打球累了，就坐在地上或頭枕著手躺在地上歇息。
一天，有個長相醜陋的道士對坐在地上的李林甫說：「騎驢打球有什麼可樂的，值得你這樣沉迷呢？」李林甫生氣的望著道士說：「關你什麼事？！」道士就走了。第二天道士又來了，對李林甫又重複了昨天的話。李林甫從小就聰明悟性好，立刻意識到道士非平凡之人，就起身理好衣服，向道士施禮致謝。
道士說：「郎君你雖然擅長騎驢打球，如果有一天突然從驢背上摔下來的話，你將後悔莫及！」李林甫馬上向道士表示今後要修身，謹慎，不再騎驢打球了。道士聽後笑著說：「三天後的五更時，我在這裡等你。」李林甫答應了。
到了約定的時間，道士已經先他而到。道士說：「你為何來晚了？」李林甫忙陪罪道不是。道士讓李林甫三天後五更再來。到了那天，李林甫半夜就趕到約定的地點，等了很久道士才來。這次道士顯得很高興，與李林甫談笑融洽，並說：
「我在人世已經五百年了，看見你已名列仙籍，如果修練的話，你將會白日昇天成仙。如果你不願意成仙，那麼你有當二十年唐朝宰相的命，而且大權在握。你今天先回去，好好想想，三天後的五更時我們再在此會面。」
李林甫回去後，暗自思忖：「我出身皇家宗室，自小就俠義，二十年宰相，重權在己，白日昇天成仙哪有做宰相好？」決定後，李林甫如期去見道士，說自己想當宰相，不願成仙。道士聽後，嗟歎不已，並斥責李林甫說：「我在人間考察了五百年才遇見你這一個可以成仙的人，可惜可惜！」
李林甫聽了想反悔，道士說：「不行，神明已知道了。」臨別時道士告誡李林甫說：「二十年宰相，掌握著生殺大權，威振天下，然而你千萬不要暗藏壞心玩陰謀害人，要廣泛救拔眾生，不要亂殺無辜，多積陰德。這樣的話，三百年後，你就能白日昇天成仙了。現在你的官祿已至，可以進京做官了。」李林甫匍匐在地上哭泣著叩拜，道士和他握手告別。
當時，李林甫的堂叔在京城中為庫部郎中，李林甫就進京去拜見他。堂叔因為李林甫一向放縱浪蕩，很少教導他，也不和他來往，當看見他時，頗感驚奇地問道：「你怎麼到京城來了？」李林甫說：「侄兒知道從前錯了，這次來拜見堂叔，是想從此改邪歸正好好讀書，如果做不到，情願受堂叔的鞭打。」
堂叔感到非常詫異，並未馬上讓他讀書，而是讓他監查每次宴請賓客前的杯盤餐具的準備工作。他辦事認真，所用餐具被洗刷的乾乾淨淨，排列的工工整整。有時堂叔讓李林甫去辦事，即使雪深過踝，也不推辭。堂叔對他的印象越來越好，常和同朝大臣們說起他這個侄子，好名遠揚。
後來在堂叔的關照下，李林甫被任命為贊善大夫，不到十年的時間，當上了宰相。李林甫胸有城府，精於權術，能知道皇帝的心思，深得皇上的恩寵。他獨攬大權，權傾朝野，宮廷內外上上下下無不畏懼。幾年後，李林甫為了鞏固自己的地位，誅殺異己，冤死相繼，冤獄連連。完全忘了當初槐壇下道士的告誡。 (待續)
Stories of Immortals: To Be a Prime Minister or a Deity?
Li Linfu was the Prime Minister during the reign of Emperor Tang Xuanzhong (713-756 A.D. during the Tang Dynasty 618-905 A.D.). Li did not attend school until the age of twenty. When he was at the eastern capital, Li greatly enjoyed hunting, playing games, eagle fights and raising dogs. He visited the place in the city with the Chinese scholar trees to play games daily. Sometimes, when he became tired from riding the donkey during the games, he would sit or lie on the ground, with his arm as a pillow.
One day, an ugly looking Taoist priest sat opposite Li Linfu and said: “What pleasure is there in playing games on a donkey, the game that you indulge in so often?” Li Linfu glared angrily at the priest: “What has this got to do with you?” The priest went away. The priest appeared again the next day, and asked Li Linfu the same question. Li Linfu was highly intelligent and had the gift of reasoning at his young age. He realized that the priest was no ordinary person. Li Linfu stood up, adjusted his clothes, saluted and thanked the priest .
The priest said: “Sir, although you are skilled at riding the donkey to play games, if you fall one day from the donkey, you will have deep regrets.” Li Linfu told the priest that he would, from that day on, begin to cultivate his moral character, be prudent and will cease to ride the donkey to play games. After hearing that, the priest smiled and said: “After three days, I will come at the fifth watch (one watch is a two hour period at night, which is divided into five watches) to look for you.” Li Linfu agreed to meet the priest at the appointed place and time
The priest arrived at the appointed time. He asked Li Linfu: “Why are you late?” Li Linfu apologized. The priest made another appointment for three days later at the same time. On the appointed day, Li Linfu was at the appointed site at midnight. He waited for a long time for the priest. On that occasion, the priest was delighted and spoke amicably with Li Linfu:
“I have been in this human world for five hundred years and saw your name listed in the register of deities. If you cultivate, you will rise up to heaven in broad daylight to be a deity. If you do not wish to be a deity, you will be a prime minister with great powers for twenty years. You go home today and give it some thought. Three days later, at the fifth watch we shall meet again.”
Li Linfu went home and thought about it: “I was born into an imperial family and since I was very young I always had a strong sense of justice and willing to help the weak. What is so great about rising to heaven in broad daylight compared to being a prime minister with great powers for twenty years?” After he made the decision, Li Linfu went to meet the priest at the appointed time and informed him that he would choose to be the prime minister and that he had no wish to be a deity. On hearing that, the priest sighed, lamented and reprimanded Li Linfu: “I have been observing you humans for the past five hundred years and have found you to be the one who could become a deity. What a pity! What a pity!”
When Li Linfu heard that he felt sorry and wanted to change his mind. The priest said: “No way! God already knows your intention.” Before parting, the priest advised Li Linfu: “As a prime minister you hold great powers over the life and death of your subjects. Your power will shake the world. However, you must not use your power to harm or murder and have any hidden intentions. You must save sentient beings at all cost. Never kill any innocent people just for the sake of killing. Do good deeds to accumulate merit for your next incarnation. By doing that, you will rise to heaven in broad daylight and become a deity three hundred years later. Your time has arrived to be a prime minister. Go to the capital city and be one. Li Linfu prostrated himself on the ground and wept. The priest shook hands with Li Linfu and departed.
At that time, the paternal uncle of Li Linfu was practicing as a physician who had trained in herbal medicine at the capital city. Li Linfu went to the city to pay him a formal visit. Because Li Linfu had been always undisciplined and immoral, his uncle gave him very little guidance and associated with him as little as possible. When his uncle met with him, he was very surprised and asked: “Why have you come to the capital city?” Li Linfu answered: “Your nephew knows he has been wrong and this time I have come to visit uncle with the purpose of turning over a new leaf and to study seriously. If I cannot accomplish that, uncle can give me a good whipping!”
His uncle was very astonished, but did not immediately begin to teach him. Instead, Li had to prepare the proper crockery and cutlery to use for banquets. Li Linfu was very conscientious in his work and all the required items were clean and sparkling, and meticulously arranged on the tables. Sometimes, his uncle would let him handle some other work, and even though the snow was more than ankle-deep, he would diligently fulfill his duties. Li’s uncle’s gained a much better impression of him and often talked about his nephew with his colleagues at the royal court. Li Linfu’s name became known far and wide.
Later, after the uncle had looked after him for some time, he became a celebrated government official. In less than ten years he became prime minister. He was very shrewd and very well-versed in political trickery. He also understood the moods of the emperor very well. The emperor held great fondness for Li. Thus, Li held great powers over the government and the people. All officials in and outside the royal court feared him. A few years later, Li Linfu, to retain his status, put those who did not agree with him to death. These unjust killings continued without any end to them. He had forgotten the promise he had made to the priest.
From http://www.pureinsight.org/node/3599
(http://www.dajiyuan.com)
