Today’s Enlightening Entertainment will be presented in Aulacese (Vietnamese), with subtitles in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai.

Filmmaking was introduced to Âu Lạc (Vietnam) at the end of 1890s. It began to thrive in 1923 with the first movie co-produced by the French and the Aulacese based on the masterpiece “The Tale of Kiều” by literary great Nguyễn Du. Embracing the modern technology of our world's civilization and combining it with a diverse artistic foundation inherent in the country's traditions, Aulacese filmmaking nowadays continues to develop to enhance the nation's cultural landscape.

On Enlightening Entertainment, Supreme Master Television is pleased to introduce different forms of arts from Âu Lạc (Vietnam), as well as from other countries in the world, in order to share the beauty and cultures of the peoples on our planet.

The film “A Good Heart Changes Fortune” was adapted from an ancient Buddhist tale about a hard-working and kindhearted young man with an unfortunate fate. The story is a reminder of the unfolding of the law of cause and effect in the present life in which a person’s deeds could alter his or her past life’s karma right in this existence.

We now invite you to enjoy part 1 of the film “A Good Heart Changes Fortune,” written by screenwriter Nguyên Chơn, directed by Châu Minh Xuyến, and produced by Hoằng Pháp Temple. This film will be aired in 2 episodes,

with performances by Quách Khoa Nam as Hưng Nhi and Hưng Bang, Mai Thành as Mr. Hai Thịnh, Uyên Trinh as Mrs. Hai Thịnh, Bích Trâm as Miss Mỵ, Trương Hoàng Long as Mr. Nghị Thanh, Diễm Kiều as Mrs. Nghị Thanh, Hữu Thành as Mr. Bửu, Lê Cường as Household Manager, and other artists.

Thank you for watching today’s Enlightening Entertainment. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television. Coming up is Words of Wisdom. Please tune in next Thursday for part 2 of “A Good Heart Changes Fortune.” We’ll see you again.

Villagers cherish the river as though it were mother’s milk. Let the rice field be as lush as your love. You enjoy the singing, delight in my love. Why leave the village for tears to moisten your sad eyes? You’ve forgotten our vow and the melancholy lý tune, the song lyrics, and my affection too.

Leaving the village, do you remember the songs and trysts of yore on moonlit nights? You’re thousands of miles away from love. Which path have you traveled? My path is a heartbroken one.

May God and Buddha bless my family with harmony. May we be untroubled and have favorable business always.

Are you feeling better, Mom?

Not any better.

How do you feel now, Mom?

I feel so much pain. Every time I lift my arms like this, my God, it feels prickling needles. It aches so much. What kind of strange illness is this?

Don’t worry too much, Mom. It takes time. You’ll recover eventually. Here... You haven’t taken the medicine bowl I prepared for you.

I already drank it. But it was so bitter, I couldn’t swallow.

You must finish it to recover quickly.

It’s too bitter, my child!

Try to drink it, Mom. Here, please take it, Mom. Please try, Mom. Lie down and rest, Mom. Let me help you.

You may leave. (Yes.) I’ll get some rest.

Please rest, Mom.

Brother Hưng Nhi! (Yes?) It’s early in the morning. Why are you climbing the areca tree?

I wanted to gather some areca nuts for your mother.

Goodness! Come down quickly! Woe to you if you fall. Hurry down!

It’s all right, Miss Mỵ!

You never listen to me, do you? Come down, quickly! Or I... I’ll get mad. Quickly!

Come down?

Yes, slowly! Be careful.

Why are you out here?

Why did you climb so high like that?

It’s fine. I’m used to it.

O Brother Bửu! (Here!) We haven’t seen each other for quite a while.

I haven’t seen my good friend for so long, so I had to trek up here for a visit.

Thank you very much, Brother. We must be lucky to have you visit today. Please come in and have a seat. O Hưng Nhi! (Yes.) Bring a fresh teapot, Hưng Nhi! (Yes.) How are you lately?

I’m pretty good. How about you?

Are your wife and children doing well?

They’re all doing fine.

Thank you, son.

Replace this teapot, son. (Yes.)

You don’t look too good.

Really?

Please have your tea, sirs.

Thank you. Please! He offers you tea.

Please excuse me. (Yes.)

How are your children’s business?

It’s good. Lately many people have jumped into this business. It’s quite competitive, but we still manage to make a living.

How about your fields and orchards?

We still have a steady harvest to make it through the day. Who was that young man?

He’s my servant. He’s a very good worker. But why are you concerned about him?

He has dominicide features. If he stays in your house long, bankruptcy and even death will befall your family.

O God! What you said is quite scary! But I... I don’t see anything wrong with his staying here...

You don’t believe me?

But what you said sounds rather strange.

You don’t believe it? I’ve already told you; it’s up to you. How long has he been here?

Six months.

Six months already?

Yes.

Since he came here, has anyone in your family fallen ill all of a sudden?

What do you think of Hưng Nhi?

I think he’s very hard-working. Diligent and gentle too.

Poor kid! He has no parents. He’s an orphan and had to depend on the villagers’ help. Then in recent years, he began to do labor work to earn a living.

Really? (Yes.) But why didn’t he stay in his village to work, but came to our village instead?

Oh, it’s very miserable! That village has experienced storms and floods for the last few years. People lost their crops and became destitute, so he drifted over here.

Really? In that case, you hire him then, to help him out.

All right.

Son! ( Yes.) The boat went off already?

Yes, I let it go after having our goods loaded on the bank.

Did you count how many bags there were?

20 bags, sir, but I already carried them all into storage. These are the leftover ones.

20 bags are enough, son.

Yes.

That’s enough.

O Dad, Dad!

What is it, Mỵ? (O Dad!) What’s the matter, child?

O Dad!

Calm down, take it easy! What are you so panicked about?

O Dad! (What?) Mom at home...

What happened?

She fell down.

O God! She fell. Now... (Go home!) I’m going right now! (Go! Go home!) (Yes.)

You stay here and take care of everything, all right? (Yes.) I’m going home first, all right?

Yes. I’ll go home right after I finish loading.

You’re right. Ever since he came to my family, many things have happened. Just recently, for example, my wife fell down and was bedridden for a month. After that, she’s been chronically ill.

Is she better now?

She’s better now. But it’s really strange, you know. Her arms and legs are in pain, and her body aches. It’s so difficult for her to stand up and walk. It hurts every time she walks. Do you know of any solution? Please tell me.

That young man looks gentle and honest. He probably pleases you both, right?

Yes, he’s a very good worker. He takes very good care of everything around the house. Lately, I haven’t let him work in the field anymore. Now he’s taking care of household chores, the yard and garden. He does that very well. I love him very much. He manages household chores very well. So, I make him stay close to us all day long, just within our family circle. I won’t let him go anywhere far.

Really? He’s definitely your karmic debt.

O wife! Stand up!

I’m fine. Just let me get up slowly.

What are you doing?

I’m practicing walking.

Goodness, you practice walking? Why didn’t you let me know?

I feel better now.

I must get used to walking.

You’re right. I’ll help you walk slowly to get used to it. If you do it this way and something happens, who will take care of you?

It’s fine. I feel better now.

Are you sure? All right, try to practice then. Poor you!

That’s the only way!

Dad! Where are you going at this time?

You scared me out of my wits! But where are you going at this hour? (I... I...) Where are you going?

That’s what it is, child. I also feel very sad to lose him. But... I have no choice. We really can’t keep him.

But Hưng Nhi is no longer a stranger to us. He’s like our family member now, Dad.

So, what do you think? I see that you two like each other very much.

Dad, the favor of giving birth and raising me by you and Mom is sky-high and sea-deep. I wouldn’t let my personal affection cause harm to Mom. Whatever your decision is fine with me.

I’m also reluctant to let Hưng Nhi go. But I have no choice, child. There’s no other way.

It’s the only solution, son. There’s no better way. I must let you go because I have no choice.

O sir, but is what he said really correct? It’d be a pity for me if I wasn’t the cause of my lady’s illness.

That’s right. It’d be a pity for you, son. I’m aware of your very difficult situation. You’re lacking everything in life. Now you’re leaving me and my family, how will you be able to provide for yourself? I understand your situation. So, here’s some money for you. Go to another village. Try to make a living there, son. I will pray to God and Buddha for you. O Nhi!

O sir, I bow to you. I’m taking leave now.

Strive to survive, son!

You stay in good health, sir.

I don’t know you can survive after leaving us. Try hard, son!

Be well, sir. (O Nhi!)

Sir, I... (Go, son!)

O Nhi! Try hard to survive! I’m missing you so much, son!

Hey! (What?) Hưng Nhi, the one who worked for Mr. Hai Thịnh, was dismissed. (Really?) Let’s go up and rest a little. (Sure.)

Mrs. Hai Thịnh seems to recover completely today, right?

Yes, very strange! Hưng Nhi looks so kind. Who would expect him have astrological features that harm his employer!

That’s why there’s a saying: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

It’s not right to say that. All this time, Mr. Bửu is reputed as someone who can read people’s features.

What does reading people’s features mean?

I heard that he has helped many people in difficult situations, thanks to his judicious eyes.

That’s right.

Who would believe in such story?

Because he has judicious eyes. He just looks at a person once and can tell his past, present and future.

Is there such a bizarre thing? Never mind, I don’t believe it.

Fine, then do you dare to hire Hưng Nhi to work for you now?

O brother, do you need help here?

Can you carry this?

Yes, I can. I’m very strong.

What’s your name? And where do you live?

My name is Hưng Nhi. I used to work for Mr. Hai Thịnh before.

Hai Thịnh? (Yes.) Hưng Nhi? So... you’re the one with astrological features that harm your employer? No, no, go away!

Ouch!

Wife, are you all right?

I’m okay. It’s just that the rice bag is too heavy.

O God! Now I don’t know what...

O brother, sister! If you don’t mind, let me help you. (Really?)

You will help us?

Thank you very much.

That’s so kind of you.

No problem.

I’m pregnant, so I can’t help him at all. The rice bag is too heavy, brother!

It’s fine. Don’t worry. Let me do it.

Without you, we wouldn’t know how to get these 4 rice bags home. I’m very grateful.

Thank you, brother.

You follow me. (All right.) Behind me.

Ouch! My back hurts so much, O husband! Be careful!

How about you stay here to work for us?

You just carry about a few dozen loads a day.

Yes, that’s fine. I’m very strong. I’d appreciate having a job. (Please eat!) Thank you.

But where do you live?

My home was in Bamboo Village, but my parents passed on long ago.

So, whom do you stay with?

I worked for someone in this village.

Really?

Whom did you work for?

I worked for Mr. Hai Thịnh.

Brother Nhi, come to think of it, we’re so poor, we can’t afford to hire you. How about you go find a job somewhere else?

Maybe there are many places that need help.

That’s right.

Why don’t you go soon? It’s getting dark.

I have some spare change. Please keep it to spend on the road.

Thank you very much, brother and sister.

But...

But I won’t take it.

Brother...

Brother, brother...

Just take it to spend on the road. Take it, brother!

Brother Nhi!

Brother Nhi!

Other people have parents, even wealth and favorable astrological features. Me, I’m all alone, with even astrological features that harm my employer. Why am I so ill-fated?

O Hưng Nhi, where are you now? Do you resent my parents? I hope you aren’t holding a grudge against my parents, because they really didn’t want to do that.

Mỵ! Are you all right?

Mom!

You’re thinking of Hưng Nhi, aren’t you? I’m getting old and often forgetful. Let me tell you, don’t feel sad anymore. It’s just that he has no affinity with our family. I don’t know why, but since he left, I’ve completely recovered. Frankly, I also miss Hưng Nhi and love him very much. I don’t know how he lives now.

Mom, I’m very happy that you’re back to health. I feel like I’ve been given another life. From now on, I won’t think of him again.

Quan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Great Mercy be praised! I’m not fortunate to be a Buddhist yet, and I don’t know much about spirituality. I just have a sincere heart. I respectfully ask for your blessing so that I can find an honest job to provide for myself. Quan Yin Bodhisattva be praised!

Quan Yin Bodhisattva be praised! Do you understand my woes? I’ve spent the whole day on the road, but no one wanted to hire me. So, please allow me to take refuge in this shrine. Please bless me. Quan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Great Mercy be praised! Quan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Great Mercy be praised! Quan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Great Mercy be praised!

O brother, bill me!

Five đồng.

How come so expensive?

You have no money to pay?

No, I do. I still have some loose coins, please accept.

Why don’t you go find a job?

Do you need a helper here?

My business is so slow here. Try to ask somewhere else.

To tell you the truth, I’ve been to many places, but no one wanted me. It’s very hard to find work nowadays.

Yesterday at work, I heard about some guy named Hưng Nhi. He has astrological features that bring harm to his employers. After he left their house, the family’s health and business are clearly thriving. Today when I went looking for work, they asked me all kinds of things. Where do I live? What did I do? Whom did I work for? So troublesome!

That guy Hưng Nhi’s situation is very miserable. If no one hires him, how will he survive?

Quan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Great Mercy be praised! I’m not fortunate to be a Buddhist yet, and I don’t know much about spirituality. I only have a respectful heart. Please bless me so that I can find an honest job to provide for myself. Quan Yin Bodhisattva be praised!

Don’t be too disheartened, child! Though you have unfavorable astrological features, but you have a good heart. Try to lead a decent life. It’ll be bright again after the rain, child!

Quan Yin Bodhisattva be praised! I’m grateful for your advice.

Come live with me, all right? I know your friends are waiting for you. All right, I’m returning you to the sky and nature.

Heaven must have pitied me! How tasty these two fish will be after being grilled! O fish, I’m just like you. Without a job, I’ll starve to death anyway. What good is it to eat you? All right, I know your parents and friends are waiting for you in the water. I’ll let you free to go home. In the future, don’t be so foolish and jump onto the bank.

A melastome plant! I must eat it anyway, even if I will die.

Gold! Amitabha Buddha be praised! Quan Yin Bodhisattva be praised! Perhaps you heard my prayer and let me find this bag of gold. I’m grateful to you. I’ll have a comfortable life from now on. Buddha be praised!

Very good! The view is very charming! It’s a wonderful view of the river from here.

With this bag of gold, I’ll be able to buy a house, have good food and beautiful clothes. But... what about the ones who lost this gold? They may end their lives. And if they die, what will happen to their spouses and children? But if this bag of gold belongs to a rich person or village tyrants who loot people’s properties, then it wouldn’t make a dent to them. Heaven has dealt me a miserable fate; I’m troubled even being a servant. So where do I get the merit to enjoy these riches? There’s only one way: I must return this gold. Then I’ll have no qualms of conscience. I won’t harm other people’s business and live according to Heaven’s will.