Liao-Fan was predicted by a wise monk, Mr. Kong that he would only live to the age of fifty-three and have no son. At first, he disregarded this wise monk's words as farcical nonsense, but then other things that Kong had predicted were rapidly coming true, which greatly disturbed him, but made him realize the force of destiny. He then proactively made an effort to rewrite his fate. In relating his own life experience in changing destiny, Liao-Fan, at the age of sixty-nine, wrote and taught these four lessons to his son.
The first lesson shows how to create destiny. The second lesson explains the ways to reform. The third reveals the ways to cultivate kindness and the fourth discloses the benefits of the virtue of humility.
This book, still in circulation after more than 500 years, is said to be the very basic foundation in learning Buddhism.