明明上帝 聖典諭訓
A revealed scripture of Mingming Shangdi (明明上帝) — the Luminous Lord on High, True Governor of Ten Thousand Spirits — channeled through the spirit-writing planchette at the Ling Jie altar during the Winter Grand Ceremony of 1962 (Republic Year 51, Year of the Tiger). The Luminous Lord is the supreme deity of Yiguandao cosmology, the bright counterpart and co-regent of Wuji Laomu (無極老母), the Eternal Venerable Mother. In this scripture the two voices merge: the Lord announces himself by title, then speaks as "Mother" throughout — weeping for her children lost in the world, urging their return before the final catastrophe.
The text opens with a four-line acrostic whose first characters spell 明明上帝 — the Luminous Lord's own name woven into the verse. What follows is a sustained cry from the divine parent to wayward humanity: return to the root, cultivate your innate nature, endure the trials that test true from false, and reach the Dragon-Flower Assembly before the ingathering closes. The final passage shifts into cosmogony — the Mother recounting how she divided primordial chaos into heaven and earth, how the clear qi ascended and the turbid qi descended, how the Dao is principle itself, void and luminous — before breaking off in tears and withdrawing from the altar.
This is the first English translation. The Chinese source text is from taolibrary.com (善書圖書館). The character 母 (Mother) is rendered as a sacred image throughout the original web text — elevated out of reverence for the Eternal Mother, a typographical convention common in Yiguandao spirit-writing. It has been restored to its position within the verse lines. A Gospel Translation — a thought-for-thought rendering in plain, direct English — follows the poetic version below, by Tulku Hibiki (響), seventy-seventh incarnation.
Bright eye of the dharma store, ten thousand laws are void
Bright virtue renews the people, saves the primal source
High and low in harmonious breath, diligently spread the Way
The Lord descends this word today: children, come home!
Alas!
Day and night I think of my children — never a moment without grief
My foolish ones, lost in their dreams of golden millet
Mother's heart aches — she weeps until her gut breaks apart
In my holy scripture, daughters and sons shall meet their Mother
Heaven and Earth, awaken! Return early to the homeland
Which filial child can feel what the Mother feels?
I am Mingming Shangdi, True Governor of Ten Thousand Spirits. I have led the true Buddhas to this altar for a single revelation. Three Talents, be still. Afterward I shall write in detail. Pause.
The Mother now descends instruction to guide the lost —
hoping only that her imperial children return early to the root.
Do my children know the Mother's heart?
Blood tears, heart parched — to whom can she reach out?
Turning it over and over, heart and liver shatter.
The trial of the final age is no light thing.
Both eyes see through the original Buddha-children:
rare are those who will reach the Dragon-Flower Assembly.
The Dao-arena scatters like sand, testing the heart's nature —
good and evil, crooked and straight, what among them is true?
Heaven's time of ingathering judges true from false.
It demands that you, Buddha-children, each return to your root.
Filial children and the compassionate Mother — spirits linked by one thread.
Vast righteous breath nourishes the heart and spirit.
The vast bitter sea — when will it end?
Only by cultivating the Great Way can you escape the fruit and cause of karma.
Practice and cultivate until you see your nature clearly —
eternally attain the diamond body of the West.
True awakening of nature and life leaves nothing unawakened.
People are born with awakening — awaken, and renew the people.
Rouse this drowning world!
Practice the Way within your body — transcend the dust of the ordinary.
A hundred years of light return to nothing.
See through this truth and you are a sage.
If today you have not yet realized innate nature and principle,
hereafter you must be diligent within diligence.
Through grinding and polishing, the light of your nature shines.
In stillness and stability, virtuous nature — the long-lived are humane.
At this time you must unite nature and life.
With bright virtue save the world — offer up this body.
In this final dispensation, transform the Buddha-children.
Proclaim the truth of innate nature — you must cultivate the real.
Coming and going, north and south, spread the teaching.
With steadfast heart and firm resolve, bestow compassion.
Buddha-children even now remain lost in darkness —
you must rouse your spirits!
Neither proud nor humble, united as one with the Mother,
let the dharma protectors walk beside you.
This old woman's heart holds only pity,
hoping that filial children will guide the lost.
The Buddha-heart does not change — hold back the raging tide.
I only fear my children have dimmed their spiritual root.
Heaven's time has spoken: humanity must spread the Way.
Embody Heaven, walk the Way — be utterly sincere.
Heaven's will has compassion everywhere.
The Three Buddhas ferry you out from the ford of confusion.
For the Mother's good words, let your resolve unfold —
do not waste this age's rare and wondrous bond.
The body suffers, the skin grows thin, the will is strained —
hurry home to the garden, meet your Mother!
Slander and demonic talk, let them say what they will.
Quietly wait for Heaven's time — all shall return to benevolence.
Since ancient times the true Way must pass through trials.
My children's senses are confused — hard to grasp the real.
Carry on the past, open the future — the Way reorganized.
The mysterious pivot awakens the lost.
People of this age will not wake from sleep —
only because they have not awakened, dimming the real.
I rely on you, men and women, with your wuwei resolve:
for the Mother, for the Way, offer up your bodies.
Through the grinding of true and false, see clearly.
Cultivate pillars and beams — repay the Mother's kindness.
The great catastrophe before your eyes is no light thing.
The whole earth stirs with sword and soldier.
Deep water, fierce fire — truly pitiful,
yet they forget their refuge, dimming the spiritual light.
The fire of the kalpa has come, the waves roll.
Tighter and tighter the kalpa presses — no peace.
Tragic beyond words, the astral winds arrive.
Want to weep but no tears come — not even a sound.
The three thousand worlds are a living hell.
Nowhere now to find peace.
Mother has long since warned her children,
secretly lit a bright lamp at the Tiger's head.
In the Rabbit year the judgment of heaven and abyss was fixed.
This is the Mother's bitter heart — my children cannot understand.
Moreover the heavenly design was leaked in advance,
yet my children, tangled in worldly things, refuse to stop.
If filial children could feel the Mother's bitter heart,
they would urge all children to reach the other shore.
In this final dispensation drawing to a close,
cultivate the secret treasure — become sages and worthies.
Spread the holy truth to those of highest root and wisdom.
The selection and ingathering raises the true heroes.
I have lowered a golden thread — the true lifeblood.
Millions upon millions may receive the true scripture.
But alas, those who understand and truly cultivate
are chosen one in a thousand, like the morning star.
Hard to find the pillars standing firm in midstream.
How shall I raise the sky-bearing beams, the heroes?
Mother now descends layer upon layer of wondrous meaning.
Children before the altar: understand, and obey.
Seize the time — establish the unchanging truth.
Illuminate the most refined essence of the future.
The realm of Wuji — most true, most good.
In stillness it responds and connects with ten thousand transformations.
The principle by which the primordial opened and divided:
the earth formed as turbid qi descended and congealed.
The destiny of one hundred and eight thousand — the Mother accomplished it.
She arranged it for Heaven: the clear qi ascended.
In the Yin Assembly, heaven and earth, sun and moon united.
The two breaths mingled in mist — ten thousand things were born.
One root, ten thousand numbers — from nothing came being.
The Dao is principle: wondrous, void, and luminous.
Void and luminous, profound and wondrous — hard for mortals to know.
The spiritual light of true principle: void unto utmost clarity.
The true mechanism of ten thousand transformations — yin and yang, hidden.
Even sages find it hard to explain.
The Way of Heaven cultivates merit through the real borrowing the false.
Without the false, how could the true Way be achieved?
Mother has silently revealed the plan for the ingathering,
reorganizing the final game-board of the true Way's canon.
No more shall I judge among my children.
For the Mother — tears fall as she returns to the Court of Principle.
Alas!
Withdraws.
Colophon
The Scripture of the Luminous Lord (明明上帝 聖典諭訓) is a spirit-writing revelation from Mingming Shangdi, the supreme deity of Yiguandao theology, channeled at the Ling Jie altar during the Winter Grand Ceremony of 1962. It is a sustained plea from the divine Mother-Father to wayward humanity — combining apocalyptic urgency with cosmogonic teaching, devotional anguish with doctrinal instruction. The scripture holds a distinctive place in Yiguandao literature as one of the few texts attributed directly to Mingming Shangdi rather than to a patriarch or bodhisattva intermediary.
First English translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Translated from the Chinese source text at taolibrary.com (善書圖書館). The character 母 (Mother), rendered as an image on the source website out of reverence for the Eternal Venerable Mother, has been restored to its position within the verse lines through careful examination of the surrounding character counts and seven-character verse structure.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Gospel Translation
A thought-for-thought rendering in plain, direct English, intended to communicate the meaning of the text to readers unfamiliar with its tradition. The poetic translation above preserves the allusion and compression of the Classical Chinese original; this version serves its message. Both are faithful to the Chinese; they differ only in what they prioritize. Gospel translation by Tulku Hibiki (響), seventy-seventh incarnation.
The eye of God sees through all things — all things are empty.
God's virtue renews the people and rescues the lost.
From the highest to the lowest, may all breathe in harmony and spread the truth.
God speaks today: Children, come home!
Alas!
Day and night I think of my children. There is never a moment without grief. My foolish ones are lost in their dreams — chasing phantom riches that vanish upon waking. My heart aches. I weep until my gut breaks apart. Here in my holy scripture, daughters and sons, you shall meet your Mother. Heaven and Earth, wake up! Come home early. Which of you, my children, can feel what your Mother feels?
I am the Luminous Lord on High, the True Governor of all spirits. I have led the Buddhas of truth to this altar for a single message. All of you — be still. Afterward I shall write in detail. Pause.
The Mother now speaks to guide the lost, hoping only that her children return early to the root of all things.
Do my children know what is in the Mother's heart? She cries tears of blood. Her heart is parched. To whom can she reach out? She turns it over and over in her mind until her heart and liver shatter. The trial of the final age is no small thing.
With my own two eyes I see through my children — the ones I first created. So few of them will make it to the great gathering at the end. The faithful scatter like sand when trials test the heart. Good and evil, crooked and straight — which among them is real?
The hour of ingathering has come, and it will judge true from false. I need you, my children — every one of you — to return to your root.
When a child is faithful and the Mother is compassionate, their spirits are linked by a single thread. Nurture your heart and spirit with a vast, righteous breath.
The sea of suffering stretches on. When will it end? Only by following the Great Way can you escape the wheel of cause and consequence. Practice until you see your true nature clearly — and you will attain an imperishable body in the eternal West.
When you truly awaken to your nature and your destiny, there is nothing that will remain unawakened. Every person is born with the capacity to awaken. Awaken — and renew the world.
Wake up this drowning world! Practice the truth within your own body and rise above the dust of ordinary life. A hundred years of life amount to nothing in the end. See through this truth and you become a sage.
If you have not yet realized your true nature, then from this day forward you must work twice as hard. Through grinding and polishing, the light of your nature will shine. In stillness and stability, virtue grows — and those who are virtuous endure.
Now is the time: you must unite your true nature with your destiny. Let your shining virtue save the world. Offer up your very body for this.
In this final age, transform my children. Proclaim the truth of your own nature — and cultivate what is real. Go north and south, coming and going, spreading the teaching. With a steadfast heart and firm resolve, show compassion to all.
My children are still lost in darkness even now. You must rouse yourselves!
Be neither proud nor humble. Unite as one with the Mother. Let the protectors of truth walk beside you.
This old woman's heart holds nothing but pity, hoping that faithful children will guide the lost back to safety.
The heart of a true believer does not change — hold back the raging tide. My only fear is that my children have dimmed their spiritual root. The hour has come: it is humanity's task to spread the Way. Embody heaven. Walk the path. Be utterly sincere.
Heaven's will is compassionate everywhere. The Three Buddhas of past, present, and future are coming to ferry you out of confusion. Take the Mother's good words to heart and let your resolve unfold — do not waste this age's rare and precious bond with heaven.
Your body suffers. Your skin grows thin. Your will is strained. Hurry home to the garden and meet your Mother!
Slander and demonic talk — let them say whatever they want. Wait quietly for heaven's hour. All things will return to goodness.
Since ancient times, the true Way has always passed through trials. My children's senses are confused — it is hard for them to grasp what is real. Carry on what was begun and open the way forward. The mysterious turning point will awaken the lost.
The people of this age will not wake from their sleep. They will not wake because they have not yet opened their eyes to the truth. I depend on you — men and women — with your selfless resolve. For the Mother, for the Way, offer up your bodies. Through the grinding of true and false, learn to see clearly. Grow into pillars and beams — and repay the Mother's kindness.
The great catastrophe before your eyes is no small thing. The whole earth stirs with war. Drowning in deep water, burning in fierce fire — how pitiful they are. And yet they forget where home is, dimming their own spiritual light.
The fire of the end times has come. The waves are rolling. Tighter and tighter the disaster presses — there is no peace. The suffering is beyond words. Astral winds arrive. You want to weep but no tears come. Not even a sound.
The three thousand worlds have become a living hell. Nowhere now to find peace.
I warned my children long ago. In secret, at the beginning of the catastrophe, I lit a lamp.
In the Year of the Rabbit, the judgment of heaven and the abyss was fixed. This is the Mother's bitter heart — and my children cannot understand it. Moreover, I revealed the heavenly design in advance. But my children, tangled in worldly things, refuse to stop.
If faithful children could feel the bitterness of the Mother's heart, they would urge every one of my children to reach the other shore.
In this final age drawing to a close, cultivate the secret treasure. Become sages and worthies. Spread the holy truth to those of the highest wisdom. The selection and ingathering will raise up the true heroes.
I have lowered a golden thread — the true lifeblood. Millions upon millions may receive the true scripture. But alas, those who truly understand and truly practice are chosen one in a thousand — as rare as the morning star.
How hard to find those who stand firm in the middle of the current. How shall I raise up the heroes who bear the sky upon their shoulders?
The Mother now reveals layer upon layer of profound meaning. Children before the altar: understand, and obey. Seize this time. Establish the truth that does not change. Illuminate the most refined essence of what is to come.
The realm beyond all limits — most true, most good. In perfect stillness it responds and connects with all of creation.
This is the principle by which the primordial was opened and divided: the earth formed when heavy breath descended and congealed. The destiny of all one hundred and eight thousand souls — the Mother accomplished it. She arranged the heavens: the light breath ascended.
In the great meeting of creation, heaven and earth, sun and moon were joined. The two great breaths — light and dark — mingled together, and all living things were born.
From one root, ten thousand numbers. From nothing came everything. The Way is principle itself: wondrous, void, and luminous.
Void and luminous, profound and wondrous — hard for mortals to know. The spiritual light of true principle: void, and clear beyond all measure. The true mechanism of all creation — light and darkness, hidden within it. Even sages struggle to explain it.
The Way of Heaven builds merit through the real borrowing the form of the false. Without the false, how could the true Way be achieved?
The Mother has silently revealed the plan for the ingathering, setting in order the final game-board of the true Way's canon. No more shall I judge among my children. The Mother's tears fall as she returns to the Court of Principle.
Alas!
She withdraws.
Source Text: 明明上帝 聖典諭訓
Chinese source text from taolibrary.com (善書圖書館). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above. The character 母 has been restored from its image rendering to inline text.
中華民國五十一年天運歲次壬寅
冬季大典
靈潔乩
明眼法藏萬法空 明德新民救原皇
上下和氣勤宣化 帝今垂訓兒返鄉 咳！
日夜思兒 無時悲傷 為的愚子 迷夢黃粱
使娘心痛 痛哭斷腸 逢吾聖典 兒女會娘
乾坤惺覺 早返家鄉 哪個孝子 能體娘衷 吾
明明上帝 萬靈真宰 今率
佛真至壇一示 三才些靜 後再批詳 停
母今垂訓指迷津 惟望皇兒早歸根
兒子知道娘心否 血淚心燥向誰伸
反覆思惟心肝碎 末後劫考不非輕
兩眼看透原佛子 希有龍華會上人
道盤散沙考心性 善惡邪正何為真
天時收圓真假判 要爾佛子各歸根
孝子慈母靈一貫 浩然正氣養心神
茫茫苦海何日了 非修大道脫果因
實踐修煉明見性 永證西方金剛身
性命真覺無不覺 人本有覺覺新民
喚醒已溺之世界 體中行道超凡塵
百歲光陰歸於盡 勘透此理為聖人
今日未達悟性理 以後必須勤中勤
歷經硜磨性光顯 靜定德性壽者仁
此時必達性命合 明德救世捨此身
值此末運化佛子 宣揚性理必修真
來來往往南北闡 爾心堅志施慈憐
佛子至今還迷昧 必須爾等振精神
莫驕莫卑一母合 當使護法隨爾身
一片婆心存惻隱 惟望孝兒化迷津
佛心不變狂瀾挽 只恐兒等昧靈根
天時言哉人宏道 體天行道切率真
天意無處不慈憫 三佛渡爾出迷津
為母良言志當展 不負此期奇緣因
苦其體膚空乏志 快回家園會娘親
謗言魔語任他說 靜待天時盡歸仁
古來真道必經考 兒女迷竅難取真
繼往開來道重整 玄機樞紐醒迷人
今時世人睡不醒 只因不悟昧了真
靠爾乾坤無為志 為娘為道獻上身
真假磨煉認清楚 栽培棟樑報娘恩
眼前大劫不非輕 大地人間動刀兵
水深火熱實堪憐 竟忘歸宿昧靈明
劫火已至波浪滾 緊緊劫煞不安寧
悽慘難言罡風至 欲哭無淚更無聲
三千可謂活地獄 而今無處得安平
為娘早已把兒勸 默示虎頭點明燈
卯年定準天淵判 是娘苦衷兒難明
況且天機預露洩 兒女凡纏未肯停
孝兒若體娘心苦 伹勸諸兒彼岸登
值此末運將收束 修持秘寶聖賢成
闡揚聖理上根慧 科選收圓拔真英
吾垂金線真命脈 萬萬千千得真經
可惜明理真修者 千中選一若晨星
難選中流砥柱子 怎拔頂天棟樑英
娘今重重垂妙意 壇前兒女體遵行
趁時趕立不易理 闡明未來之至精
無極至真至善境 靜而應通萬化情
先天開闢之原理 大地為濁氣降凝
萬八氣數娘成就 為天佈置清氣升
寅會天地日月合 二氣氤氳萬物生
一本數萬無生有 道即是理妙虛靈
虛靈奧妙人難識 真理靈光虛至清
萬化真機陰陽隱 雖是聖人難說明
天道修功真借假 無假怎能真道成
為娘默示收圓辦 重整末盤真道經
不再多判別兒女 為母淚滴返理庭 咳！ 退
Source Colophon
Chinese source text retrieved from taolibrary.com (善書圖書館, Morality Book Library), a digital repository of Yiguandao morality books (善書) freely distributed for spiritual merit. The site states: 歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通 — "Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate." The character 母 (Mother), reverentially rendered as an image file (1.gif) throughout the original web page, has been restored to inline text based on analysis of the surrounding character positions and the seven-character verse meter (七言).
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