Mazu Fortune Stick No. 39 · Shi Hexagram
我本慈帆大士身，扶危救苦濟紅塵，吉凶禍福雖前定，善念一萌神鬼欽。 I am the Great Being who sails the ship of mercy, saving the endangered and the suffering in the dusty world. Good and ill fortune may be fixed in advance, yet once a good thought sprouts, gods and ghosts respect it.
The poem
我本慈帆大士身
I am the Great Being who sails the ship of mercy,
扶危救苦濟紅塵
saving the endangered and the suffering in the dusty world.
吉凶禍福雖前定
Good and ill fortune may be fixed in advance,
善念一萌神鬼欽
yet once a good thought sprouts, gods and ghosts respect it.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 39 第三十九首 | Shi 師 (The Army) |
Readings by topic
| Topic | Reading |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | Character first; there is hope of distinction 德性為本 掌顯有望 |
| Business | Do not be greedy or combative; hold on and succeed 莫貪莫競 且守且成 |
| Pregnancy | Heirs carry on with the Buddha's help 嫡後嗣續 仗佛扶持 |
| Marriage | She values constancy, he values ability 女慕貞烈 男效才良 |
| Travel | After hardship, a proud homecoming 歷盡艱難 得意回鄉 |
| Household | Good things by chance; trouble goes, blessings come 好事隨緣 禍去福來 |
| Seeking wealth | A clear conscience; what you seek will come 心地光明 求之必得 |
| Luck of the times | Plenty of wealth; ordinary times 財多豐饒 時運平常 |
| Lost items | Search diligently and it will come back 辛勤查之 必有回籠 |
| Farming & livestock | Crops lush; livestock thriving 禾黍成蔭 六畜大旺 |
| Lawsuits | A patron helps; everything goes very well 貴人有錠 事事大吉 |
Readings follow the Grand Matsu Temple website; the English is our translation. The temple's list also has an "illness" reading; we leave it out. If you feel unwell, please see a doctor.
What it means
The merciful Guanyin rescues people in danger. Fortune may be set in advance, but even gods and ghosts respect a single good thought.
Background: The Great Being is the bodhisattva Guanyin, the goddess of mercy.
Reminder: One good intention is where a change of luck begins.
This is a plain reading of the words. How it applies to your own question is best settled with the interpreter at the temple where you drew it.
How to draw a lot
- Light incense and tell Mazu your name, birth date and address, then state clearly the one matter you are asking about.
- Cast the moon blocks (jiaobei, two crescent-shaped wooden blocks) to ask whether you may draw. One face up and one face down means yes; then pull one stick from the cylinder.
- Cast the blocks again to confirm that this is your stick. Many temples ask for three yeses in a row; if not, put it back and draw again.
- Collect the poem with the matching number. Read the whole poem, then find the topic below that fits your question. If it is unclear, ask the temple's interpreter.
Ask about one thing at a time; the more specific the question, the easier the poem is to apply.
Common misunderstandings
A gloomy poem means the matter is doomed.
Most poems are reminders and directions. The same poem means different things for different questions, so look at the topic that matches yours.
You can keep drawing on the same question until you get a good poem.
By custom you ask once per matter. If you are still unsure, ask the temple's interpreter, or wait a while and ask again.
Previous: No. 38; next: No. 40.
A straight word: fortune poems are a matter of faith, and the meanings here are ours
The Chinese text, hexagram names and topic readings follow the Grand Matsu Temple of Tainan, checked line by line against three other sources; we only corrected obvious copying errors, and every page shows the temple's original wording wherever we changed it. The English translations and the plain-English meanings are our own reading of the words, not the temple's official interpretation. For a real reading, ask at the temple where you drew the lot. For legal, medical or financial questions, see a professional, and if you feel unwell, see a doctor. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment.
Beyond the poem: your own chart
Enter your birth date to cast a free BaZi Four Pillars chart and see your Five Elements and Ten Gods.
Mazu fortune stick No. 39: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 39 say?
「我本慈帆大士身，扶危救苦濟紅塵，吉凶禍福雖前定，善念一萌神鬼欽」 In English: I am the Great Being who sails the ship of mercy, saving the endangered and the suffering in the dusty world. Good and ill fortune may be fixed in advance, yet once a good thought sprouts, gods and ghosts respect it. It is paired with the Shi hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 39 mean?
The merciful Guanyin rescues people in danger. Fortune may be set in advance, but even gods and ghosts respect a single good thought. Reminder: One good intention is where a change of luck begins.