The Cultivation of the Three Treasures (三寶的修持, Sānbǎo de Xiūchí) is a Yiguandao (一貫道) doctrinal text in twenty chapters, revealed through spirit-writing (扶乩, fújī). Ji Gong (濟公活佛), the Living Buddha, is the primary teacher — joined by Guanyin Bodhisattva, Yuehui Bodhisattva, the Three Officials Emperor, and a host of immortals and buddhas who descend to the spirit-writing altar across the text.
The twenty chapters move from revelation to practice. Chapters 1–5 lay the foundation: the attestation of the Three Treasures through five world scriptures, the divinity of the Dao, the history of its transmission from Fuxi through the patriarchs, the truth of reincarnation, and the four great difficulties of receiving the Dao. Chapters 6–10 deepen the doctrine: the three vehicles of the dharma, the distinction between the supreme and equal teachings, the relationship between gods and buddhas, the law of cause and effect, and the unity of the Five Constant Virtues, Five Precepts, and Five Elements. Chapters 11–17 form the practical heart: the five poisons, turning the light around, liberation, the four emptinesses, the six gates, the Heavenly Way and the Human Way, and the four kinds of people. Chapter 18 presents testimonies from the three realms — immortals, humans, and departed spirits who received the Dao. Chapter 19 gathers voices from across the ages — Shakyamuni Buddha, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, Master Yinguang, Jesus Christ, and the Eternal Mother herself descend to testify. Chapter 20 is the practical manual: how to guard the Mysterious Gate, recite the True Scripture, and bow with the mudra.
This is the first English translation. Gospel register — plain, direct, warm. Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com), which states: "Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate" (歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通). Translated by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
Chapter 1 — The Attestation of the Three Treasures
Compassionate instruction from Ji Gong, the Living Buddha:
The true self of a person is a single sphere of luminous emptiness — perfectly round, perfectly aware, perfectly illuminated. Originally there is not a single thing in it. Where could dust settle? And what method could you need, when any method would only add contrivance?
But because all beings have fallen into the mortal world and cling to the ten thousand things, grasping at form and appearance, unable to see through form while still within it — the original true nature has become like the sun hidden behind dark clouds, like a bright pearl buried under dust. Its light cannot shine through. Now you have heard the supreme Dao, and many of you have received the heart-transmission. But because you have not deeply understood the true form of the Tathagata, you cling to empty sounds, appearances, and theories, unable to follow your nature and put it into practice. It is like drawing a cake to cure your hunger — in the end you will never be full. Worse still are those who think themselves clever and cling to the four sidepaths of arts, divination, movement, and stillness — not knowing they have already wandered far from the natural and supreme Dao.
Now, by the grace of the Great Compassionate Mother and the Venerable Maitreya Buddha, the gate of compassion has been thrown wide open, and permission has been granted to transmit and teach the wondrous meaning of the Three Treasures — the heart-method — so that the supreme Dao may be practiced throughout the world as soon as possible, shining its great light to illuminate the entire cosmos.
The Three Treasures that your teacher transmits — the Gate, the Mantra, and the Seal — have been secret since the beginning of time, never revealed, never transmitted to the wrong person. They are the king of all methods, reaching across all three realms, and they contain the heart-method for those of higher, middle, and lower capacity alike. Therefore the meaning of the Three Treasures runs deep for those who can go deep, and appears shallow for those who see only the surface. Practitioners of the three vehicles will each receive the true treasury of the Three Treasures differently, according to their capacity. For the true treasury of the Three Treasures is indeed the heart-method and the secret method for transcending birth and death. Within it are woven the true transmission of the Dao lineage, the true transmission of the Heavenly Mandate, and the true transmission of the heart-method. Although disciples who have received the Dao receive the Three Treasures from a minister who carries the Heavenly Mandate on their body, the true treasury of the Three Treasures is not diminished by even a hair. If disciples who have received the Dao can cultivate according to the true treasury of the Three Treasures, then in this very life they will attain liberation, never falling into the six paths of reincarnation. And at the three great gatherings under the Dragon-Flower Tree, they will see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and attain the fruit.
The great Dao does not gather except through the highest virtue. Therefore those who cultivate it must not simply sit in meditation and perfect themselves alone. Beyond receiving the pointing and guidance of a teacher, they must also attend to both inner and outer work — doing good, accumulating virtue, contemplating in every waking moment, following their true nature without confusion — only then can they reach the fruit of the Nine-Petaled Lotus Throne. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch says: "To be born sitting and never lying down, to die lying down and never sitting up — in either case it is just a stinking bag of bones. What merit is there in that?" An ancient sage said: "Without a teacher, no one can speak of the holy." This is exactly the point.
Look through all of history at the immortals, buddhas, sages, and worthies — not one of them achieved it without seeking an enlightened teacher. So if you want to transcend birth and death, to cultivate the Dao and return to the real — how could you possibly do it without seeking an enlightened teacher with all your heart, receiving the pointing, and then doing good and establishing virtue? Now that heaven's fortune has turned to the Three Yangs, the true teaching has descended everywhere. Some people do not recognize the time of heaven, stubbornly refuse to understand, and will not seek an enlightened teacher for the pointing. They cultivate blindly in the dark, unable to penetrate the true meaning, unable to establish their nature and their life. Whatever worldly merit they accumulate — even if it were as countless as the sands of the Ganges — because they cannot illuminate the mind and see the nature, they can only enjoy the blessings of heaven or the human realm, or become a deity of the three realms at most.
The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch says: "If you do not recognize your own original mind, studying the Dharma is useless." Today, visiting the "Hall of Those Waiting with Good Deeds," these souls could do good, give generously, recite scriptures, worship the Buddha, study the Dharma, and cultivate the Dao — but they failed to realize and attest to the place where their original mind and Buddha-nature reside. So although they have heavenly ranks to enjoy, they are still a great distance from truly transcending birth and death. I hope that cultivators in the world, when they read this passage, will think deeply and truly awaken, and will diligently seek the Bodhisattva of Spirit Mountain for their own refinement, so that they can naturally transform their merit and pure energy into the perfectly round, brilliantly radiant original face.
The cultivation of the ancient sages and worthies began at the root. The root is the movement of the mind — every thought that arises. What the enlightened teacher points to is exactly this root.
The Three Treasures cultivation method is the most fundamental, most direct, and simplest method of practice. Do not underestimate the single pointing of the Mysterious Gate. This one pointing is called "receiving the attestation." It is called "illuminating the mind." It is pointing everyone to find their own true master, their original face, and opening the gate between life and death. Therefore it must not be taken lightly. To receive this is a great karmic event. Cherish it well. The First Treasure is pointed to right here — to let you illuminate your mind, to let you guard the Mysterious Gate, to bring ten thousand thoughts back to one thought, and then to let even that one thought go. That is your original face. The Mysterious Gate is a door. It is the place where practice begins. Open the true door and walk through it — only then can you find the true master. A hundred feet up the pole, take one more step. If you want to see a thousand miles further, climb one more floor.
Self-reflection and awakening to the Dao is the first step of cultivation. If you cannot take the first step well, you cannot take the second. A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step. If you cultivate the Dao without knowing how to reflect, how far can you go? The wondrous use of the Three Treasures heart-method can gradually brighten your own nature.
The benefits and wondrous uses of the Three Treasures are many, but they must be used in daily life, used on yourself. When your mind is not at peace, recite the five-character true mantra and wondrous wisdom will come. When you are lost and confused, bow in worship — that is, ask yourself, examine yourself: why has this problem appeared? Find the root first, then solve it. That is wondrous wisdom.
Do not forget the bright lamp right before your eyes! Close your eyes and guard the Mysterious Gate — look and see: is your inner light dim or bright? Observe yourself in stillness, watch yourself in movement. Open your eyes and see: is the Buddha of your own nature present or not?
Only when the true person is in charge can you be truly free. Only then can you, my disciples, roam the world, wander the four seas at ease, and when you encounter any situation, transform it. Whatever you see, whatever you encounter — it can all remind you, awaken you, open your wisdom, and unlock the chains around your heart. Untie the knots quickly — otherwise you will suffocate, because they are too tight. You must loosen them.
The root of cultivating the Dao: trace the water to its source. Where does the root begin? Where does the connection come from? It comes from the place the enlightened teacher pointed to. Have you found your root?
The physiognomy texts say that the space between the eyebrows connects to the bridge of the nose, and the root of life is the place where essence, energy, and spirit converge. The spirit moves to the eyes — that is why the ancient ancestors said you must "paint the dragon and dot the eyes." One point of true nature wraps heaven and encloses earth; it can expand or contract, filling all six directions.
If you want your body to be healthy: first, your spirit must be whole; second, you must fulfill benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness; third, you must be still. People today are too agitated, not still enough. If you lack benevolence and righteousness, of course your liver suffers, your lungs suffer, your kidneys suffer, your heart suffers. If you fulfill benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, and if you are truly still, then your spirit is whole. Where would illness come from? This is the true way of nourishing life.
If you want to compete with others in technology, the pace of change is too fast — you will never catch up. If you want to compete in talent, that is all surface. Because Laozi said: "In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of the Dao, every day something is let go." Hold fast to the root. Bring forth the spirit. That is the correct way.
The Book of Songs says: "Always align yourself with the Mandate, and blessings will come of their own accord." If a cultivator of the Dao can constantly examine themselves and align with the principle of heaven, then without chasing wealth or status, blessings will naturally come in abundance.
Today, now that you understand the light within your own body — your teacher has lit this flame of the Dao in each of you, and asks you to pass it on. Pass on the flame! In the final age of the Third Epoch, the Dao descends as fire. Ten thousand households give birth to buddhas. With this one flame, there is vitality, there is life, there is radiance.
The Three Treasures of the White Sun are the crystallization of all methods of heaven and earth, containing the wondrous essence of every patriarch's true transmission, threading through the deepest meaning of every scripture ancient and modern.
When your mind is unbalanced, what happens? How do you soothe the wounds in your heart? Be still. Be still in your heart. We must find our true master. We use the Three Treasures — because you have not been turning the light inward often enough. When a situation arises, your heart panics.
When your thoughts are scattered and confused, it is because the discriminating mind has taken hold of you. At that moment, quickly bring both eyes to guard the Mysterious Gate, grip the Third Treasure tightly, and silently recite the five-character true mantra. When the original spirit returns to take charge, the true and the false will be clear by themselves.
The Three Treasures are a gateway. But you, my disciples, do not know how to use them. You only know to grab for the Three Treasures when disaster strikes. In ordinary times, you should be using them to cultivate the mind and nourish the nature. Recite them often, and you will be in resonance with the Venerable Maitreya and with your teacher — and when difficulty comes, the resonance will be swift.
The affairs of the mortal world are in endless turmoil. The roots of ignorance and suffering entangle the spirits of all beings, and they cannot find peace or freedom. How painful this is! You, my disciples, have now encountered the Three Treasures and understand the beginning and end of your coming and going. But you must be able to use the Three Treasures well, to settle your own body and mind, to cultivate outer merit and inner virtue. This is truly important!
Where is the gate of life and death? Where do the sun and moon join in virtue? Where do yin and yang meet? Right here! The most sacred, the most good — right here! You all know this. But you have not entered the inner hall. To enter the inner hall, you need true merit and true goodness.
Turn your gaze inward, always — look within yourself, search within yourself. To look within yourself is the way of the sage. To look at others is the way of the petty person. Is your mind settled? Turn the light inward constantly. Think often of your own faults. Is this not what Confucius meant by "a friend coming from afar"? Your mind is always running outward. If you can steal a moment of stillness from the busyness, quiet down, and reflect on your mistakes — when the mind is drawn back in, it returns from afar. The character for "friend" (朋) — is it not two eyes (目目)? "A friend coming from afar" — is that not your true master returning? Therefore, "Is this not a joy?"
If you want to walk the path of cultivating the Dao, you must first understand the foundation of the Dao and recognize the principle of heaven. If your understanding of principle is unclear, your root is unstable. At the slightest setback, you sway east and west. If a tree's roots are not firm, the first wind topples it. The same principle applies: if you cultivate the Dao knowing only the method but not understanding the true principle, you will easily be trapped by people, events, and circumstances. If you understand both the Dao of heaven and the Dao of humanity, then when you face a situation and use the Three Treasures, they will respond effortlessly.
Losing your temper means there is a fire in your heart. What overcomes it? The Three Treasures. When you are about to lose your temper, still your mind first. Think: why am I angry? What good or harm will come from venting? If you lose your temper often, your body will wear out and illness will follow.
The human mind has four distortions. Which four? When the mind harbors resentment, when it is attached to pleasure, when it is consumed by worry, when it is gripped by fear. Cultivating the Dao means freeing yourself from these external disturbances — these are frequencies that interfere with your true nature. Why are the immortals and bodhisattvas never disturbed? Because they "guard the center"! They guard this one point in the middle, perfectly tuned to this one point — the point the enlightened teacher indicated. Have you guarded it? If the mind is no longer there, how can it be upright? And if it is not upright, how can you hold it? Therefore the one who has awakened to the Dao has a mind of wisdom. The one who has not awakened has a mind of affliction.
My disciples — in life, besides money, there are things far more meaningful. Power, too, will pass one day. If we do not know where to stop, if we cannot stop at a place of perfect goodness, and instead chase fame and position until the very end — when both hands let go, can you take any of these tangible things with you? In this world, having a name, having power — it is not so extraordinary. But if you can live within yin and yang and the Five Phases without being turned by them — that is truly remarkable! Only through cultivating the Dao can you achieve this, and everything will gradually fall into harmony.
Return to your true nature, and you can transcend the world of material things, never enslaved by objects. Therefore the sage nourishes the nature; the ordinary person nourishes the body.
When a person falls into the mortal world, there are certain karmic bonds to resolve. But a practitioner knows to face them with a luminous mind. Cherish every trial that forges you. Cherish every tempering that strengthens you. Cherish every experience that elevates you. Cherish every opportunity that transforms you.
Even a life destined for wealth and honor — if one commits many injustices, the day will come when wealth becomes poverty. Even a life destined for poverty — if one accumulates goodness and virtue, poverty will surely turn to abundance. Therefore everything is made by oneself. "The Mandate does not rest in one place; those who follow the good receive it, and those who do not, lose it." True wealth is: "To enrich inner virtue is called wealth; to do good and give generously is called honor." This benefits others and benefits yourself. As it is written: "The more you give to others, the more you have; the more you bestow upon others, the more you gain." Therefore: being rich and able to give is true virtue; being poor and able to hold to the Dao is true honor. Wealth and honor lie in accumulating goodness. Longevity and blessings lie in a good heart.
All beings are in ignorance, unable to illuminate the mind and see the nature. The Dao is right before your eyes, yet you, my disciples, still go looking for it outside — truly seeking far when the answer is near! If you always look at outward appearances and cling to external people and events, you will lead yourself astray. The Dao is transmitted by the teacher, but cultivation is up to you. Your own nature can only be ferried across by yourself. If you do not cultivate, even the buddhas and bodhisattvas cannot carry you to heaven.
The heart-method — heart-method — is to use the heart in transmitting the method. If you do not use the heart to transmit the method, how can you know the heart? Use the heart to transmit the method, and you can ferry all beings under heaven. If you only speak the method without using the heart, how can anyone else experience it? Whether you cultivate in the mountains or at home, the most important thing is to cultivate your own heart.
Since ancient times, the true scripture has never been on paper. Only by searching within yourself can you find your own gate of life and death. Words read and spoken — in the end they are just words. If you cannot do it, cannot practice it, then it has not been dug out from within your own heart-nature.
If a person goes an entire year without bathing, the dust and grime will pile up. Your own heart-mind is the same — you must scrub it carefully every day, wash it every day, and make it fresh again. "If you can renew yourself one day, renew yourself daily, and renew yourself yet again."
"In the pursuit of the Dao, every day something is let go; in the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired." Learning the Dao and cultivating the Dao are different from acquiring knowledge. Acquiring knowledge — literature, philosophy, chemistry — the more you learn, the more you know. That is talent. The reason the human world is full of suffering is that people have too many deluded thoughts and attachments. "In the pursuit of the Dao, every day something is let go" — as you study and cultivate, your own nature gradually brightens. The clouds and dust grow thinner and fewer. What is lost is every kind of clinging. The Dao is originally pure and clean, without any dust or stain.
The Buddha spoke of forty-eight thousand methods — reciting scriptures and dedicating the merit, sitting meditation, seven-day retreats, the eightfold precepts — but then he also said: "the one method that is not two." "Not two" means "one." And "one" is the Dao. It is the true scripture. The true scripture is not in the written word. That is why the World-Honored One said: "The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye."
Everyone has thoughts. When thoughts go wrong, wrong actions follow. That is why the scriptures say: "All beings are upside-down in their deluded thinking, and they have lost the true Dao." Thoughts come from what we know and see — what is called "views." The reason people have so many deluded attachments is that their views are wrong — sick knowledge, accumulated over countless lifetimes, the stain deeply ingrained. How can this be corrected? For thousands of years, the answer has been in the scriptures of the sages. To read the scriptures is to listen to the teaching of the sages, to receive the thinking of true principle.
The content of the scriptures is like dharma-rain — it can nourish our hearts, help our spirits grow upward, and also wash away our grime, making our hearts clean and bright.
Reading the books of the sages — knowing propriety and reason, changing your temperament — this is real. But since ancient times, countless people have read the books of the sages. Why does every era still see selfishness, power struggles, love and hate and murder? Such heavy greed, such heavy anger, such heavy delusion? Among those with good roots, who know propriety and reason — did their hearts not struggle? But very few turn back. Most of the time, the discriminating mind wins, and people follow the current, compromising in the dark, straying from the constant Dao of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. The public morals decline, the principle of heaven grows dim, the bonds of society weaken. The scriptures say: "The reason all beings constantly drown in the sea of suffering is that they have lost the true Dao." The true Dao is our true spirit, our true master. When the true spirit steps down and the discriminating spirit takes charge — of course the world falls into chaos.
Since ancient times, the truly wise, in order to transcend the pull of yin and yang and the Five Phases so that their true nature could be free, would travel a thousand miles to find an enlightened teacher.
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng said: "If you do not recognize your original mind, studying the Dharma is useless." If you cannot illuminate the mind, learning endless talents is of little real meaning. Bodhidharma came from the west with not a single word — everything depends on the effort of the mind. So it is clear: the heart-method is not in the written scriptures. That is why the Sixth Patriarch Huineng also said: "Since the beginning, every buddha has only transmitted the fundamental essence; every master has secretly entrusted the original mind." And again: "People of the world spend their whole lives seeking only blessings, never seeking to escape the bitter sea of birth and death. If your own nature is deluded, what can blessings save?"
The scriptures of the Three Teachings have been in China for thousands of years. Generation after generation, people have lectured on them. They are required reading in philosophy. Every student and professor knows these principles and philosophies. But their attachments, their habits, their pain and suffering — none of it can be set down. Why? Because the movements of the mind — the arising of every thought — need the method of the heart to subdue them, to heal them. That is why it is said: "Ten thousand methods are born from the mind; ten thousand methods are extinguished by the mind."
That is why you must first understand the path of principle clearly. Only then will you know in your own heart whether your thoughts are correct or not, whether they accord with principle or not. When they do not accord, you must use willpower to transform consciousness into wisdom. This spiritual strength requires real effort to cultivate.
That is why the Living Buddha, whenever he descends to teach, always reminds us: after you have received the Dao, you must still come to the temple to hear the principles. Only when you understand the principles will you know how to "use" the Three Treasures, and you will understand the supreme power of the Three Treasures heart-method. If you only know how to use the Three Treasures but do not understand the true principle, with no foundation of truth beneath you, you will have no driving force for your cultivation. This is what people mean when they say: "You entered the mountain of treasure and came away empty-handed." What a pity.
Scriptural Attestation
The Mysterious Gate — the one aperture — is the pivot of a person's being, the chamber where the spirit resides. When a person is conceived, on the seventh day comes the first return of yang, and this aperture appears first. Therefore a practitioner who departs from this point has departed into a side-path. It is called the Spirit-Energy Aperture. It is also called the Square-Inch Ground. It is also called the Gate of Life and Death.
Patriarch Lü said:
"The door that gives me birth is the door that kills me.
How many are awake? How many have understood?
In the deep of night the iron man examines himself —
immortality is something a person makes by their own hand."
The Buddha calls it the One Method That Is Not Two — the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye.
The Daoists call it the Yellow Court — the Valley Spirit.
The Book of Changes says: "The noble one, with yellow at the center, threads the principle through all things, and rests in the correct position within the body." It is also called "the place of knowing where to stop."
The Great Learning says: "Knowing where to stop, one finds stability." This is the great center of the human body.
Heaven has the handle of the Dipper — the center of heaven. Earth has Mount Sumeru — the center of earth. A person has the Mysterious Gate — the center of the person.
Emperor Yao transmitted to Shun the four-character heart-method: "Hold faithfully to the center."
Zisi wrote his book and called it The Doctrine of the Mean — "the center and the constant." Those who receive this pointing are said to have "received the Dao."
In the Analerta, there is the praise: "If I heard the Dao in the morning, I could die content in the evening." And Zigong had the worry: "The Master's teaching on human nature and the Dao of heaven — we have never been able to hear it."
Mei Xian's spirit-writing instruction:
"The Dao is the road, and the principle is the method.
A thousand scriptures and ten thousand classics attest to it.
Written words fill the world —
yet not a single person knows the method of the Dao.
Everyone reads and recites the scriptures —
but they are just one pointing short, and they go astray by the roadside."
After the Second Patriarch Shenguang met Bodhidharma, he wrote:
"Not knowing where the One ultimately returns,
that is why Shenguang bowed to Bodhidharma.
Standing in the snow at Shaolin — for what?
Only seeking one pointing to escape King Yama."
This aperture, in the yin-yang system, is the Taiji nest. In the Eight Trigrams, it is the Li palace, the ninth purple. In the Five Phases, it is the central earth of Wu and Ji. Zisi said: "The center is the great root of all under heaven." He also said: "The noble one is always in the center." All of these connect and attest to one another. Since ancient times, every immortal and every buddha has been accomplished through this.
The five thousand words of the Dao De Jing, the thirty-two chapters of the Diamond Sutra, the entire Book of Changes, the twenty chapters of the Analects, Zengzi's Great Learning, Zisi's Doctrine of the Mean, the Bible of Jesus, the Quran of Muhammad — each word is a pearl of cinnabar, pointing to one single principle. And still, the key lies in the heart-method transmitted by the enlightened teacher.
Each teaching's written words conceal the heart-method of the Dao of Heaven within the scriptures, hoping that future generations will use the scriptures to seek out an enlightened teacher and transcend the cycle of reincarnation. But unfortunately, today's monks do not understand the principle of the One Method That Is Not Two. They sit in meditation and chant, eat vegetarian food and avoid what is unwholesome — these are all sidepaths. Others beat drums and recite scriptures, using false teachings for profit, losing their true refuge, never awakening to the real emptiness. To seek to achieve the Dao this way — it is impossible.
In the final age of the Third Epoch, the Fire Essence Child and the Water Essence Child proclaim the orthodox Confucian Dao, revive Chinese civilization, and point open the central earth of Wu and Ji — the Dao of "yellow at the center, threading principle through all things." So that those who receive it can know: "Not deviating is called the center; not changing is called the constant. The center is the correct Dao of all under heaven; the constant is the fixed principle of all under heaven." The five holy founders of the five teachings have been saving the world for ages. Their books survive, but whether their use is genuine or false, orthodox or deviant, is hard to tell. Receive it from an enlightened teacher and its use is correct. Without an enlightened teacher, its use is counterfeit. I hope all beings under heaven who wish to study the supreme enlightenment will visit an enlightened teacher, receive the pointing on the essential words of cultivating the real, cultivate with the Dao, practice with constancy, and hold fast to it without ever letting go.
The scriptures say:
"Open the Mysterious Gate, and King Yama will not call.
Your name is removed from the underworld;
your name is posted on the register of heaven."
And also:
"One pointing can transcend the three realms.
One pointing can escape the ten Kings of the Underworld."
An ancient sage said: "Reading a thousand scriptures and ten thousand classics cannot compare to one pointing from an enlightened teacher."
And also: "Reading ten thousand volumes and still not understanding a single thing — a belly full of learning, yet unable to see past birth and death."
A Daoist sage said:
"The great Dao is not difficult — it is people who make it so.
To the deluded, it seems as far as ten thousand mountains.
The enlightened teacher points open the Mysterious Gate —
and without lifting a finger, you arrive in the Western Paradise."
An ancient sage said:
"The Mysterious Gate is a priceless treasure.
Point it open and it becomes the Isle of Penglai.
The Isle of Penglai — a grotto of the immortals —
and within the grotto, the sovereign of your original nature reigns free."
The Primordial Heavenly Venerable said: "Right before your eyes is a road that leads straight to your homeland. It points to your original face. The Dao is in it — those who awaken will receive it of their own accord. Those who are lost, even with a bright lamp guiding them, still let their monkey mind and horse will run wild, stumbling east and west, falling into the ditch. The Primordial Elder's first-born Dao of heaven is just this — 'a small token of regard.'"
Guanyin Bodhisattva said:
"In the purple bamboo grove, observe the one who is free.
The pure vase, the willow branch — awaken to the mystery.
The Bodhisattva always dwells within the valley grove;
depart from it for a single instant and you leave the true teaching.
The great Dao is clearly right upon your brow.
Any contrivance, any forcing — all of it flows downward.
Recognize the pure land right before you,
and ten thousand volumes of elixir texts can be struck through with a single stroke."
The Buddhist scriptures say:
"The Buddha is on Spirit Mountain — do not seek far.
Spirit Mountain is only in your own heart.
Everyone has a Spirit Mountain pagoda within them.
It is good to cultivate beneath your own Spirit Mountain pagoda."
And also: "The Western Paradise is a hundred and eight thousand miles away — but point to it, and the West is right before your eyes."
Jesus said: "Whoever does not carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
Muhammad said: "The homeland of the Muslims is at alif — between the two eyes, beneath the two eyes."
Alif refers to the spirit-nature. The dwelling place of the spirit-nature is between the two eyes, beneath the two eyes.
Confucius said: "If a person's one aperture is open, then the one who does not die — that is because life resides in the spirit."
Jesus said: "Carry your own cross and see God." This cross is the place the enlightened teacher points to.
Shakyamuni Buddha said: "I possess the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye." This statement is a hidden indication of the place of the Mysterious Gate.
Laozi's Dao De Jing says: "The Valley-Spirit never dies. She is called the Mysterious Female. The gate of the Mysterious Female — that is the root of heaven and earth."
Confucius's Analects says: "When three people walk together, there is always a teacher among them. Follow the good ones and learn from them; see the faults in the others and correct them in yourself." This is really saying: there is one true person and two false persons!
And also:
"Everyone has a self-nature buddha.
The scripture to recite is the wordless scripture.
Recite it, chant it, never forget it,
and it will carry you in peace to the gates of heaven.
To seek the scripture outside the mind is to go astray —
a moon in the water, a flower in the mirror."
The Platform Sutra says: "If you do not recognize your original mind, studying the Dharma is useless."
The highest cultivation is to awaken to the nature. The middle cultivation clings to the written word. The lowest cultivation chases supernatural signs. The Fifth Patriarch explained the Diamond Sutra to the Sixth Patriarch at midnight in the third watch, using the robe to shield them so no one could see. If he was only lecturing on a scripture, why not let people watch? Because he was conferring the one pointing.
The Mysterious Gate — the wondrous aperture. "Mysterious" means it penetrates heaven and earth. "Gate" means it is the doorway of life and death. "Aperture" means the divine mechanism is hidden within. People commonly say "seven openings and eight apertures" — two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and one mouth. That is only seven openings. Why say eight apertures when there are only seven? Because this one extra aperture — no one in the world can know it. Though medicine has advanced and scholars have earned their doctorates, they cannot fathom its mystery. Though science has progressed, they cannot penetrate its wonder. The Mysterious Gate is truly the secret of the cosmos, the most closely guarded truth of human life. At the wrong time, to the wrong person, even sages and buddhas dare not reveal the heavenly secret. This wondrous mechanism is the ancestral aperture from which heaven and earth were opened, all things were created, and humanity was born. The Mysterious Gate is the center of heaven, earth, and humanity. It holds a mystery that neither gods nor ghosts can fathom. It is the secret treasure for returning to heaven that has never been lightly transmitted since ancient times. To receive it is to transcend the ordinary and enter the sacred. To cultivate it is to become an immortal or a buddha, to transcend birth and death, and to escape the cycle of reincarnation forever!
The Buddhist scriptures say: "The Buddha is on Spirit Mountain — do not seek far. Spirit Mountain is only in your own heart. Everyone has a Spirit Mountain pagoda within them. It is good to cultivate beneath your own Spirit Mountain pagoda." From this single verse, you can see that everyone has a Three Treasures temple within their own body. Seek there, and you can transform all things — even achieve the Buddha-way. Your teacher, Ji Gong, now explains it thus:
The First Treasure — Spirit Mountain — is the ground of your own nature. Confucians call it "the place of perfect goodness." Daoists call it "the Mysterious Gate." This gate is at the top of the heart — that is, at the head of your conscience. If you can receive the pointing of an enlightened teacher and awaken in a flash, then within your own body you can "seek the Buddha."
The Second Treasure — the True Scripture — the scripture is the path to the Buddha. When the mouth recites the Buddha's name and the heart gives rise to the Buddha's mind, that is called "sudden teaching," that is called "the Pure Land." Concentrate your attention here. This is not a monopoly of monks — laypeople too can recite it. This is called "the most convenient method." They recite the name of the past Buddha; I recite the name of the future Buddha. Maitreya is about to descend into the world. Recite his name, pray for his early coming, so that the Dragon-Flower Gathering may open and all beings may achieve the Buddha-way.
The Third Treasure — the Heart Seal — all beings must be one with the Buddha before they can become buddhas. This heart "contracts" with the Buddha. Grip the seal and do not let go: Zi and Hai — the original heavenly true buddha — "child" (孩). Naturally you will receive the Buddha's heart seal. Then within your own body you can "seek the Sangha."
These are the Three Treasures temple within your own body. Burn incense there often in ordinary times. When trouble comes, seek there — and naturally danger turns to safety. As it is said: "In the morning, ascend the Three Treasures temple; in the evening, descend from the Mountain of the Five Phases." If you cultivate the Dao by morning and practice by evening, you can escape the three realms, leap beyond the Five Phases, and never return to the wheel of reincarnation. So many people seek the Dao and cultivate the Buddha — but what a pity that they do not seek the Tathagata at Spirit Mountain, and instead search the bitter sea of worldly attachments for false appearances. The precious pagoda within everyone's body, and the Bodhisattva of Freedom sitting inside it, have long been neglected — uncultivated, unworshipped, fallen into ruin. What a pity. You must work at the ground of the heart. Cultivate this heart until it is perfectly round and complete — and that is when the heart-pagoda, the sacred pagoda, is finished: the mind is illuminated and the nature is seen!
A verse:
The Buddha is on Spirit Mountain — do not seek far.
The ancestor dwells in the Mysterious Gate — awaken and cultivate.
The original spirits, ninety-six billion,
share one root in the Infinite — trace the stream to its source.
Study the Dao and pursue the root and the origin.
The enlightened teacher points to the ancient Mysterious Gate.
Awaken now, understand completely, and go home —
leave the mundane behind, far from suffering and grief.
Chapter 2 — The Divinity of the Dao
The Dao created the universe. It is present everywhere. The Dao moves and flows through all of creation, and every transformation in the universe is a sign of the Dao's presence. Humanity and all living things originate from the Dao and grow through the Dao's power. The Dao is the sovereign of the universe — the truth, the way, and the life. The Dao is formless, silent, wondrous, exalted, and divine.
The original body of the Great Dao of the Primordial Heaven is without form and without name. When Fuxi drew the eight trigrams of the Primordial Heaven, he used an empty circle to represent it and a single horizontal stroke to symbolize it — a single line opening Heaven. He called this meaning Wuji, the Limitless — that which has reached the ultimate and cannot be surpassed. Because the Limitless has the power to give birth to Heaven and Earth, to humanity and all things — creating the visible from the invisible — and because what is visible can be named, it is called Mother. The Dao De Jing says: "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the Mother of all things." Therefore, the source is called the Eternal Mother.
Moreover, since the Limitless gave birth to Heaven and Earth and all things and is their sovereign, all creation's transformation and sustenance, all the working of infinite power, must proceed from a supreme spirit. In substance it is Principle; in function it is Spirit. And so this Spirit is called the Lord on High.
Heaven and Earth, sun and moon, all spirits and all that exists, life and death and change — all are governed by the Lord on High. Without this governance, the world would cease and all things would end.
The Book of Odes says: "While Yin had not yet lost the multitudes, it was the peer of the Lord on High." And again: "The Supreme Lord on High." The Lord on High is the one supreme and most exalted God.
Furthermore, when we are first born into this world, the nature-spirit and buddha-nature bestowed upon us by Heaven are originally luminous. But later, blinded by material desires, we lose our original luminosity. To recover the original luminous buddha-nature, we must do good and abandon evil, purify the heart and reduce desire, causing the luminous to shine again. This recovering of the light is called making luminous what is luminous — precisely the meaning of the Great Learning's teaching: "illumine luminous virtue." Based on these two meanings, the divine spirit of the Dao is called the Luminous Lord, the Eternal Mother.
In recent ages, science has flourished and material civilization has advanced. People no longer believe in gods or buddhas. They regard all natural phenomena as human discoveries and all innovations as human skill, yet they do not ask: Who created these natural phenomena? Who gave humanity these skills? Who brought sound, light, electricity, and chemistry into being? Electricity generates thunder; vapor and moisture transform into rain — who causes these workings? To simply say "natural processes" is to have not reached the bottom, to have missed the essential truth. Can principle be trusted? Can nature be trusted?
When you see light, you know the sun exists. When you see a person, you know there are living beings. When you see children and grandchildren, you should know there are ancestors. When you see Heaven and Earth and all things, you should know there is a true sovereign who made Heaven and Earth and all things. When you drink water, you should think of the source. Tracing back to the Yin Assembly when humanity first appeared — father after father, son after son, life begetting life without ceasing — we know we have ancestors, yet do not know the First Ancestor. Our spirits come and go; we know our birth-mother, yet do not know the Old Mother who gave birth to our spirits.
How human nature grows dimmer by the day. How the way of the world sinks deeper. All are lost in this origin, wandering through birth and death, taking what the eyes can see as real and what the eyes cannot see as nothing. Like fish in water who see only other fish. Like people in air who perceive only air. The universe's affairs are infinite; one person's knowledge is limited.
The five teachings each name the Dao differently, name the spirit differently, trace cultivation to a different root, practice through a different method, and manifest the Dao in a different way — yet all point to the same truth. In Confucianism, the Dao is called the Supreme Lord on High, the spirit is called luminous virtue and the Heavenly Mandate, cultivation begins with preserving the heart and nourishing the nature, the method is holding to the center and threading the one, and its expression is loyalty and reciprocity. In Buddhism, the Dao is called the Great Sun Tathagata, the spirit is called the diamond relic, cultivation begins with illumining the mind and seeing the nature, the method is the return of all dharmas to the one, and its expression is compassion. In Daoism, the Dao is called the Mysterious One, the spirit is called the Valley Spirit or the soul, cultivation begins with refining the heart and tempering the nature, the method is embracing the origin and guarding the one, and its expression is responsive resonance. In Christianity, the Dao is called the Heavenly Father or God, the spirit is called the soul-sphere, cultivation begins with washing the heart and transforming the nature, the method is silent prayer and drawing near to the one, and its expression is universal love. In Islam, the Dao is called Allah or the True Lord, the spirit is called the True Sovereign, cultivation begins with steadying the heart and settling the nature, the method is purity and returning to the one, and its expression is benevolent love. Across all five teachings, the Dao is the True Sovereign of all spirits; the spirit is the original mind and self-nature; the root is cultivation; the method is union; the expression is the transformation of all people.
Chapter 3 — The History of the Great Dao
The Dao De Jing says: the Great Dao is without form, yet it gives birth to Heaven and Earth. This proves that Heaven and Earth originate from the Dao, and before there was Heaven and Earth, this Dao already was.
The Historical Records say: Heaven opened in the Assembly of Zi and will end in the Assembly of Xu. Earth was formed in the Assembly of Chou and will end in the Assembly of You. Humanity was born in the Assembly of Yin and will end in the Assembly of Shen. When humanity first appeared in the Assembly of Yin, human nature was originally good — for Heaven itself gave birth to humanity, and the power lay with Heaven alone. There was no Dao to speak of, for there was no need.
When the Dao descended into the middle of Heaven's course and humanity began to give birth to humanity, the power shifted to the human realm. Fuxi was the first to appear. He looked up and observed the heavens, looked down and examined the earth, understood the movements of Heaven and Earth, and drew the eight trigrams of the Primordial Heaven, revealing the hidden depths of creation. This was the beginning of the Great Dao's descent into the world. The Yellow Emperor followed, creating writing, building palaces, and fashioning clothing. When civilization was fully established, this was the completion of the Dao. After him, Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, the Duke of Tai, Kings Wen and Wu, and the Duke of Zhou continued the transmission of the Dao, passing the heart-method from one to the next in a single unbroken thread. This was the period of the Green Yang Era — the ordering of the Dao.
In the time of Kings You and Li, the five hegemons rose one after another and warlords contended for power. The emperor's decrees could no longer reach the whole world. The Dao turned into the Red Yang Era, and from one Dao it divided into Three Teachings. This was the dividing of the Dao.
In the early Zhou, the Patriarch Laozi descended into the world and spread the Way. When Confucius came east to study with him, he left exclaiming that Laozi was like a dragon. When Laozi went west and converted the barbarian king, the Guardian Yin Xi saw purple vapor auspicious in the sky at the Hangu Pass and prevailed upon Laozi to write a book — thus the Dao De Jing of five thousand characters was born, and Laozi became the founder of Daoism.
Confucius traveled the kingdoms, teaching and transforming the world. He edited the Odes and codified the Rites, carrying forward the past and opening the future. He illuminated the eternal and unchanging truth and established the definitive teaching for ten thousand generations. The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean contain the most subtle and profound expression of the Great Dao. Confucius became the founder of Confucianism. He transmitted to Yan Hui and Zengzi. Zengzi transmitted to Zisi. Zisi transmitted to Mencius — the eighteenth patriarch of the Eastern transmission. After Mencius, the Dao-lineage moved west and the heart-method was lost in China. Through the Qin, Han, Jin, Sui, and Tang dynasties, there was much debate but no one who reached this realm.
When the Song dynasty arose, literary fortune opened and five stars gathered in the constellation Kui. Chen Tuan first appeared, and the great Confucians of Lian, Luo, Guan, and Min — men like Zhou Dunyi, the Cheng brothers, Zhang Zai, and Zhu Xi — rose one after another. True Confucianism flourished through them. Yet the cosmic timing was not aligned, and none could continue the transmission. By the time of Mencius, the Dao-lineage and heart-method had already turned toward the Western regions, and Buddhism carried the thread forward. So the great Confucians of China's Song dynasty, though many, could only expound the Dao's meaning — they could not transmit the heart-method.
In Confucius's time, the Dao's transmission secretly turned west to India. Shakyamuni Buddha received and continued the Dao-lineage, transmitting to his great disciple Mahakashyapa, who became the first patriarch of Buddhism. Ananda was the second.
The Dao divided into Three Teachings, each transmitted in its own region, each leaving its own scriptures. Buddhism was passed down in single succession through twenty-eight generations to the Venerable Bodhidharma. In the time of Emperor Wu of Liang, Bodhidharma came west to east, and the true seed returned to China. This is called the old water returning with the tide.
From Bodhidharma's entry into China, the true Dao and heart-method continued to pass in single succession. Bodhidharma the First Patriarch transmitted to Shenguang the Second. Shenguang transmitted to Sengcan the Third. Sengcan transmitted to Daoxin the Fourth. Daoxin transmitted to Hongren the Fifth. Hongren transmitted to Huineng the Sixth.
In the Sixth Patriarch's time, the robe and bowl were lost and Chan split into the Southern School of Sudden Awakening and the Northern School of Gradual Cultivation. But in truth, the Dao returned to the common people and the lay household. The Sixth Patriarch Huineng — surnamed Lu, known as the Great Mirror Master — was an incarnation of Dizang Bodhisattva. He left the Platform Sutra to the world and wrote this verse to confirm the transmission:
From me, the Buddhist school's wind ceases.
Through me, the Confucian school's true dharma flows.
The final gathering of the Third Period —
Rectify the heart, make the will sincere, and unite with the Doctrine of the Mean.
The Sixth Patriarch delivered the Dao to the White Horse Temple and to Sun Furen. The Dao descended into the fire-hearth of the household. When the Fifth Patriarch secretly transmitted the robe and bowl to the Sixth Patriarch by night, he charged him: do not let the Dao-lineage be extinguished, but do not transmit it to evil monks. Later, when evil monks pursued the Sixth Patriarch and demanded the robe and bowl, he fled to Caoxi in Guangdong. They pursued him again, but Bai Yuchan found him in a field, rescued him, and brought him to his home. The Sixth Patriarch then conferred the robe and bowl upon him, and later upon Ma Duanyang, also conferring the true dharma. From that time, the Buddhist transmission ended and the Confucian transmission began. The Dao flourished in the household. This was a secret transmission — because the monks were not to know, the Platform Sutra does not record it.
Bai Yuchan and Ma Duanyang together became the Seventh Patriarch. Luo Weiqun was the Eighth. Huang Dehui the Ninth. Wu Zixiang the Tenth. He Liaokou the Eleventh. Yuan Tui'an the Twelfth. Yang Huanxu and Xu Huanwu together became the Thirteenth. Yao Hetian the Fourteenth. Wang Jueyi the Fifteenth. Liu Qingxu the Sixteenth — and so the Red Yang Era's sixteen generations were complete.
The Dao turned into the White Yang Era, the current age. Maitreya assumed the cosmic mandate. Lu Zhongyi — a fraction of Maitreya's spirit — became the Seventeenth Patriarch and opened the great universal deliverance, revealing the profound mysteries. Zhang Tianran — a fraction of Ji Gong's spirit — and Sun Huiming — a fraction of Yuehui Bodhisattva's spirit — together became the Eighteenth Patriarchs, the teachers who will preside over the Dao for ten thousand and eight hundred years. They carry forward the transmission and continue the final work: universal deliverance across the three realms, the return of all teachings to one. Sixty-four patriarchs in all, East and West together, complete the full succession.
In the three ancient dynasties and before, the Dao resided with kings and ministers. One person transformed the whole world. This was the Green Yang Era. After the three dynasties, the Dao resided with teachers and scholars. The Three Teachings arose and each transmitted in its own region. This was the Red Yang Era. Now, in this final assembly of the Third Period, the world's ways have decayed and great calamity is spreading. There is no safe ground on the whole earth. The Dao resides with common people. Everyone may receive the Dao. Every person may become a Buddha. This is the White Yang Era. Such is the history of the Great Dao.
An ancient prophecy inscribed on a stone stele confirms this. In Shanxi Province, in the village of Maying in Xiaoyi Township of Fenyang County, stands the Temple of the Seven Sages, also called the Temple of the Seven Buddhas, built by Fuxi and enshrining seven ancient Buddhas. There is an ancient poem, carved by the goddess Nuwa herself:
The Mother ordained three ages to deliver the primal people.
At the beginning, Fuxi descended to bring the source of the Dao.
In the early phase, the Duke established the sage-kings' way.
When the great peace arrives, the Heavenly Truth completes the gathering.
The first line says: the Eternal Mother decreed the Green Yang, Red Yang, and White Yang Eras — called the Three Yang — to universally deliver her original children. In the final age, the Three Sheep bring the Spring and the Golden Rooster crows three times. Spring plants, summer grows, autumn gathers, winter stores. Autumn belongs to white — the season of gathering.
The second line's character fu is the hexagram of Earth over Thunder — Return. In the East it belongs to green. This is the beginning of the Green Yang Era, when Fuxi began transmitting the Dao. East is the direction of Jia and Yi, the element Wood, the heavenly virtue Yuan, the color green, the earthly season Spring, the human virtue benevolence, the organs liver and sinew, and the precept against killing.
The third line's character lin is the hexagram of Earth over Lake — Approach. In the South it belongs to red, meaning the Red Yang Era originated with the Duke of Tai, who spread the great Dao of inner sagehood and outer kingship. South is the direction of Bing and Ding, the element Fire, the heavenly virtue Heng, the color red, the earthly season Summer, the human virtue propriety, the organs heart and blood, and the precept against lust.
The fourth line's character tai is the hexagram of Earth over Heaven — Peace. In the West it belongs to white — the White Yang Era has arrived. The Heavenly Truth is the sacred name of Tianran and Suzhen — that is, Master Zhang Tianran and Mother Sun Huiming, who administer the final work of the great gathering. West is the direction of Geng and Xin, the element Metal, the heavenly virtue Li, the color white, the earthly season Autumn, the human virtue righteousness, and the precept against theft.
In the past, those who sought the truth went into the mountains and hid in caves, traveling a thousand miles to find a true teacher and ten thousand miles to obtain the oral transmission. They endured every hardship. Only when their merit was complete and their practice fulfilled would they encounter a true teacher who pointed directly to the Mysterious Gate and the Great Dao. This is called first cultivate, then receive. All the sages and immortals who achieved the Way had a process of cultivation. Without enduring every test and trial, without accumulating merit and virtue, to dream of becoming an immortal or a Buddha is impossible.
But in this age, Heaven's grace is generous. In the final period of the Third Era, the Great Dao is delivered universally. Everyone may receive it; every person may cultivate and achieve. This is called first receive, then cultivate. If you are fortunate enough to encounter this opportunity, it is because your spiritual root is deep.
Now Heaven has opened the universal deliverance. The Great Dao is transmitted everywhere. The White Yang Era is here — first receive, then cultivate. The immortals and Buddhas descend in revelation to illuminate the confusion that has obscured the five teachings for thousands of years, so that the true dharma of the five teachings may shine again. Those practitioners of good fortune who seek and hear may greatly shorten the years of bitter cultivation, so that they may illuminate the mind, see the nature, return to the origin, and go home to Heaven.
The classics of the elixir say: "Even if your brilliance surpasses Yan Hui and Min Ziqian, without meeting a true teacher, do not guess." And: "Read a thousand scriptures and ten thousand classics — they cannot match one pointing from a true teacher."
The Buddhist scriptures say: "Chant the Lotus Sutra through, recite the Great Compassion Mantra in full — plant a melon and you still get a melon, plant a bean and you still get a bean. Without a true teacher's pointing, you must endure the wheel of rebirth."
The Fifth Patriarch said: "Birth and death are the great matter. Impermanence comes swiftly. All of you spend your whole lives only seeking fields of merit and never seek to leave the bitter sea of birth and death. If your own nature is confused, how can merit save you?"
The immortals and Buddhas say: "Where did life come from? Where does death go? Know the place of coming and going — only then are you a student of the Dao."
The immortals and Buddhas say: "Cultivation has no other cultivation — just recognize the head of the road. Once you recognize the head of the road, birth and death cease together."
The immortals and Buddhas say: "The body has birth and death. The nature has neither death nor birth. If you can know the gate of birth and death, you will escape old King Yama."
Chapter 4 — Does Reincarnation Exist?
The development of all things, when it reaches a certain limit, must turn toward its opposite. This is the universal law of change.
The Dao De Jing says: "Fortune leans on disaster; disaster hides within fortune."
The Dao De Jing says: "Reversal is the movement of the Dao."
The Book of Changes says: "When things are exhausted, they change. When they change, they flow. When they flow, they endure."
This means: the development and change of all things leads them toward their opposite. Disaster turns to fortune, fortune turns to disaster, and what is blocked becomes open. Nothing in this world is exempt. Therefore it is also called: when things reach their extreme, they reverse.
The Book of Changes says: Peace at its extreme becomes obstruction; obstruction at its extreme becomes peace. When things develop to their utmost, they turn toward their opposite — like the yin and yang of the Taiji diagram, circling and turning. A single day is like this. A single year is like this. How can human life be any different? Birth, old age, sickness, and death cycle without ceasing. This can be called reincarnation.
Wheel means the wheel of a cart. Return means to go and come back again. Heaven is one wheel. Earth is one wheel. Heaven and Earth grind against each other, cold and heat alternate in their courses, wind and rain turn and push — this is the great cycle of Heaven and Earth. The sun is one wheel. The moon is one wheel. Sun and moon take turns shining, moving without rest, day and night circling — this is the small cycle of sun and moon.
Heaven, Earth, sun, and moon turn on the pivot of the cycle. When yin reaches its extreme, yin declines and yang grows. When yang reaches its extreme, yang declines and yin grows. Therefore there are two poles, north and south. The South Pole enters thirty-six degrees, always hidden and never visible — this is the yin pole. The North Pole extends thirty-six degrees, always visible and never hidden — this is the yang pole. The north and south poles cycle Heaven and Earth. Between Heaven and Earth, beneath the sun and the moon, nothing escapes this cycle.
Humanity receives the upright breath of Heaven and Earth and is born, receives the refined essence of sun and moon and grows. Carrying yin and embracing yang, there is not a moment when we are not sheltered between Heaven and Earth, not a moment when we are not illuminated by the sun and the moon. Can we be exempt from the cycle?
Therefore, we follow yin and become yin, follow yang and become yang. The sun is yang, the moon is yin. At night the moon rises — yin governs stillness — and we follow it into stillness and rest. By day the sun rises — yang governs movement — and we follow it into movement and work. All things follow the flow of Heaven and Earth's course. When yang reaches its extreme, yin is born — and the spirit wheels down to the yin realm to become a ghost. When yin reaches its extreme, yang is born — and the spirit wheels back to the yang realm to become human. This is the mechanism of yin and yang waxing and waning, the principle of Heaven and Earth, sun and moon cycling.
The Dao of the cycle has six paths: womb, egg, moisture, transformation, birth, and death. Within the human realm there are four conditions: wealth, nobility, poverty, and lowliness. When wealth reaches its extreme, poverty is born. When poverty reaches its extreme, wealth is born. When nobility reaches its extreme, lowliness is born. When lowliness reaches its extreme, nobility is born. Things reach their extreme and reverse. Humans reach their extreme and cycle to the animal realm; animals reach their extreme and cycle to the human realm. Womb and egg cycle to moisture and transformation; moisture and transformation cycle to womb and egg. Life and death, death and life — great wheels, small wheels, evil wheels, good wheels, human wheels, animal wheels, spirit wheels, ghost wheels. Look at the gears of a clock — wheels without number, turning and turning. It is a labyrinth that bewilders the soul. No hero, no warrior, can leap out of this cage.
The scripture says: "Chant the Diamond Sutra to pieces, recite the Great Compassion Mantra through — plant a melon and you still get a melon, plant a bean and you still get a bean. Without receiving a true teacher's pointing, you will endure the wheel of rebirth forever."
Chapter 5 — The Four Difficulties of Receiving the Dao
Guanyin Bodhisattva's compassionate instruction:
The four difficulties are these: a human body is hard to obtain, the Third Period is hard to encounter, birth in the Central Land is hard to achieve, and the True Dao is hard to meet.
A human body is hard to obtain. Among the Three Powers, humanity is the most honored. When a person is born, they stand between Heaven and Earth — head held high, arms extending to the four directions, the vertical and horizontal intersecting — receiving the full spirit of Heaven and Earth. Therefore humanity is one of the Three Powers. Human beings have intelligence and wisdom; food, clothing, shelter, and travel are all convenient. To build merit and accumulate virtue is easy. But if you fall into the animal realm, you lose your freedom — slaughtered and enslaved at the will of others. If you fall into the ghost realm, you are punished by the yin officers — starving and miserable, suffering beyond measure. Therefore it is said: lose the human body once, and ten thousand ages will not bring it back. In this age, moreover, people advocate birth control — one child is enough, one child is not too few. Seen this way, that you have been born with a human body today is great fortune. You should be called a fortunate one. With a human body, if you wish to study the scriptures and cultivate the Dao, to build virtue and spread the teaching, it is as easy as turning over your hand. The blessing is great. Therefore: a human body is hard to obtain, and yet today you have obtained one.
Birth in the Central Land is hard to achieve. To be born in the Central Land — the Eastern Land — is a sign of deep spiritual roots. By the five elements, the center belongs to Wu and Ji Earth, and its color is yellow. The center, rightly situated and most honored, is the most exalted ground. The people of the Central Land are simple and honest, preserving the ancient ways, upholding ethics and morality. The human heart accords with the Heavenly heart; the root of the Dao is not dimmed; the spirit is keen and alert. The Great Dao naturally descends upon this land — or rather, it is not that the Dao descends to this land, but that the human heart accords with the Heavenly Dao, and the Heavenly Dao already resides in the human heart. Therefore the Central Land continually produces sages. Everywhere the teaching of the Dao is heard. Everyone cultivates the Buddha-dharma. The immortals and Buddhas appear in signs and wonders, and so spirits and sages dwell in every household, and Buddhas walk every road. Consider Europe and America: technology flourishes, but morality collapses. Murder, robbery, and violation are treated as commonplace. Some have no regard for morality at all and are no different from beasts. They grow further from the Dao with each passing day. Therefore: birth in the Central Land is hard to achieve, and yet today you have achieved it.
The True Dharma is hard to hear. The True Dharma is the heart-method of the Great Vehicle — what is commonly called the Great Dao or the Sudden Teaching. The Buddha said: eighty-four thousand dharma gates. The Daoists say: three thousand six hundred dharma gates. Among so many gates, it is not easy to find the True Dharma. When the True Dharma shines, the True Dharma is the heart-method itself. The scripture says: depart from the heart, and you are outside the Way. Among ten thousand methods, the gate of sudden awakening is the supreme and true transmission. Originally it passed from the Eastern Land to the Western regions, and now the old water returns with the tide, reviving in the East. The level of culture has risen; those who possess both morality and learning, who have tasted the three samadhis, are not few. They devote their hearts and their strength to transmitting the Dao, teaching its practice, and resolving doubt. The True Dharma spreads universally from them. Therefore, the people of this world should take the scriptures as their mirror, follow the map to find the horse, and seek a true teacher. Ask a good spiritual friend to open the gate and point to the Mysterious. Draw near to the sacred halls and listen as the immortals and Buddhas descend in spirit-writing to speak the dharma. Read the heavenly books of the Great Dao. Let the confused be awakened and the benighted find proof. Hearing the True Dharma and cultivating the Great Dao in sincerity — only then can you transcend birth and death and escape the six paths of rebirth. Therefore: the True Dharma is hard to hear, and yet today you have heard it.
The Universal Deliverance is hard to encounter. In this age, technology is advanced, printing has improved, and travel is convenient. Scriptures are found everywhere. Because the tools of transmission are readily available, the Buddha-dharma may be heard in every place. Every home has morality books to read. Religion has become a universal education — everyone must study and cultivate, or else become illiterate in the Dao. To be born in this age, when the Dao, the scriptures, and the Buddha's teachings are spread universally — it is like television and refrigerators that everyone can afford and every home can use. Cultivation is something everyone must practice and every family must study. Therefore: the Universal Deliverance is hard to encounter, and yet today you have encountered it.
The four ancient difficulties have all become four easy accomplishments. But to have these four easy accomplishments, you must have cultivated for three lifetimes and planted the seeds of good affinity — only then could you be born in this life as a human being. The fifty years before and the fifty years after are vastly different in their affinity with the Dao. To be born in this age is to be fortunate across three lives. Food, clothing, shelter, and travel are all convenient and lacking nothing. Religious freedom prevails and every teaching offers a path. A thousand miles can be reached in an instant. Rare delicacies can be had at the stretch of a hand. It is like being half an immortal already. Enter a department store or step onto an elevator — like mounting the clouds, rising and rising — there is a convenient gate to Heaven itself. How can anyone waste this? Seize this deep affinity and this perfect moment. Draw near to those who possess the Dao and learn the method of refining the heart and tempering the nature. Otherwise, to be born into this life and enter the mountain of treasures only to return empty-handed — how truly regrettable.
The four great difficulties of human life — people of this world should find them easy by now. But precisely because they are too easy, people neglect them. The folk saying goes: "With affinity, friends meet across a thousand miles; without affinity, they pass face to face and do not recognize each other." Plant good causes and good affinities will follow. The immortals and Buddhas, to guide and transform the world, patiently and gently teach. At the crossroads of the world, they sell the mystery openly. May the people of this world not miss this rare chance. Meeting this cosmic assembly, this universal deliverance — everyone may become an immortal, everyone may become a Buddha.
A verse:
A human body, the Central Land — these are hardest to obtain.
The Third Period and the True Dao — harder still to meet.
Now you have the human body and the Great Dao both.
Cultivate quickly, and transcend before it is too late.
Another verse:
Ten thousand ages, a thousand lifetimes — to obtain this human body.
Know that past lives planted the cause you reap today.
If in this life you do not cross over,
Then when will you ever cross?
Chapter 6 — The Three Vehicles of the Great Dharma
The three vehicles are the upper, the middle, and the lower. Therefore there is the distinction between sudden and gradual, expedient and real.
The True Dharma has its school and its lineage, its hidden and its revealed aspects. To point directly to the nature, to transmit orally and seal the heart, to become a Buddha with one pointing, to leap directly in one step, to shed the breath and return to principle — this is called the Sudden Teaching. Those who hear it become sages and Buddhas. It is the secret treasure that has not been revealed for a thousand ages. Confucius said: "Hear the Dao in the morning, and you may die content in the evening." This is the supreme vehicle of the Great Dharma.
To sit in meditation, turn the dharma wheel, circulate the heavenly orbit, refine and extract and cook and temper, cultivating the first yang of the winter solstice and the first yin of the summer solstice — even if one succeeds, one cannot escape the two breaths of yin and yang. Moving from faith to understanding, from understanding to practice, from practice to realization — this is the gradual method, leading to the emptiness of the breath-realm. Those who cultivate this may become worthy persons or immortals of the Breath Heaven. This is the middle vehicle, the method of the Breath Heaven.
To beat drums and chant, to build bridges and pave roads, to relieve the poor and aid the disaster-stricken — this is the principle of the cycle. Good deeds in this life bring fortune in the next, but when the merit is spent and the good is exhausted, one falls back into the wheel of rebirth. The scripture says: "If you ask about the causes of past lives, look at what you receive in this one. If you ask about the fruits of future lives, look at what you do in this one." Like an arrow shot into the sky — when the force is spent, it falls. Those who practice this become good people and decent people, but they cannot become immortals or Buddhas. This is the lower vehicle.
The ancient Buddha said: "If chanting scriptures could transcend birth and death, what did the ancient Buddhas chant?" The Diamond Sutra says: "If you seek me through form, if you pursue me through sound, that person walks a crooked path and cannot see the Tathagata." The Shurangama Sutra says: "Where there are words and speech, there is no real meaning." The Dao De Jing opens with: "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name." The Doctrine of the Mean says: "Sound and color, in transforming the people — these are the last resort. The work of Heaven above is without sound and without scent — this is the highest." Looking across the scriptures of all three teachings, all are telling the world: language and writing are merely symbols and media. In themselves, they hold no real meaning. Therefore it is clear: this dharma has no nature of its own — all returns to the empty and the illusory. From this we know: the buddha-nature is in our own body, not in the texts and words, and still less in outward forms. From the words, turn the light back to the original heart — this alone reaches the bottom.
Chapter 7 — The Supreme Dharma and the Equal Dharma
Yuehui Bodhisattva's compassionate instruction:
The wondrous heart of nirvana — its meaning is deep and hidden.
The treasury of the true dharma eye — one principle is the Court of Heaven.
The true form, the wondrous form — these have no words.
The taste of the Buddha is cultivated in the field of the heart.
A thousand scriptures, ten thousand classics —
the heart-method is one page.
The awakened one smiles.
The lost one forfeits the lotus.
The treasury of the true dharma eye —
seek a teacher to open the mystery.
The Diamond Sutra is the principal scripture for studying the Buddha, and within it lies a hidden meaning of supreme subtlety. Down through the ages, many have attempted to interpret it, yet because of their differing perspectives, they have never arrived at a single viewpoint. But students of the Buddha must possess a few basic understandings before they can have a true foundation.
The Buddha spent his whole life teaching in response to circumstances, prescribing the right medicine for each illness. There was never a fixed dharma. This is the use of expedient wisdom to teach expedient methods — the application of eighty-four thousand gates to treat eighty-four thousand afflictions. This is no different from Confucius's teaching according to ability, or Mencius's saying that there are five ways of teaching. Both follow the principle: the Way of Heaven and Earth discards nothing; the teaching of the Sage abandons no one. The universal teaching, given in response to each person's capacity, leaving words and scriptures to deliver all beings.
Therefore, every time the Buddha taught, there was a distinction between the revealed and the subtle. The revealed is the surface of the teaching, conveyed entirely through words — its purpose is to break through the afflictions of beings. This is the Equal Dharma, not the Supreme Dharma. It is what Confucianism calls teaching.
The subtle is the separate transmission outside the teaching — the secret method that does not rely on words or language, devoted entirely to heart-to-heart transmission and the seeing of the nature through sudden awakening. This is the Supreme Dharma. It is what Confucianism calls the Way.
Throughout the Buddha's lifetime of teaching, he passed through the vast assemblies of four locations and sixteen gatherings over more than forty years. Those who received the Buddha's grace and heard the dharma directly numbered more than hundreds of millions. Yet those who truly attained realization and reached a genuine stage of achievement numbered no more than a handful. The vast majority of disciples heard the great dharma, yes, but because each person's prajna wisdom differed in depth, their understanding diverged. Since understanding diverged, the ultimate attainment of their practice could not be the same.
Thus the Tathagata's approach to teaching was exactly like Mencius's principle: the noble man draws the bow but does not release the arrow. He urged others toward the effort of pursuing knowledge and practicing truth, letting fall a hint of hearing with the spirit and meeting with the heart, silently establishing the Middle Way without speaking it, waiting only for the awakened one to follow.
Confucius's verbal teaching followed the same pattern. Among his three thousand disciples, each person's understanding and aim naturally differed. So Confucius, according to each one's capacity, established the four departments — moral conduct, speech, governance, and literature — guiding each according to their inclination toward what is right. Yet this was still the Equal Dharma, still within the domain of teaching. Beyond this, there was the secret method of the Sage's heart-transmission — given silently and without display, waiting to be passed to those of great wisdom and deep spiritual root. So for disciples like Ran and Min, the teaching perfected their virtue. For disciples like Zilu and Zigong, it developed their abilities. For disciples like Fan Chi, it answered their questions. But beyond all this teaching, there was yet one more way — like the timely rain that transforms — the heart-transmission given to Yan Hui and Zengzi, completing the Way in them. This Way is the ultimate of the Sage's school, the true meaning of "hear the Dao in the morning, and you may die content in the evening." Yet among three thousand disciples, only these two received it. This shows that the Sage's teaching, according to each person's gifts, employs different modes of transmission.
What uses language and words is the Equal Dharma. While teaching the Equal Dharma, the teacher secretly observes which disciples possess great wisdom and separately transmits to them the Supreme Dharma.
The Buddha naturally taught the bodhisattvas primarily through the Supreme Dharma, and the good men and women primarily through the Equal Dharma. This was the Buddha's twofold expedient — teaching without abandoning anyone.
When the World-Honored One taught the Lotus Sutra at Vulture Peak, though the teaching lasted eight years and the disciples numbered a million, this was still the Equal Dharma. The true Supreme Dharma appeared in the single instant when the Buddha held up a flower before the assembly, revealing through that gesture where the Great Dao's wondrous body resides. At that moment, Mahakashyapa perceived the meaning. He alone smiled, understanding the Buddha's intent — to test the assembly's wisdom with a flower. In that instant of a smile, the great heart-seal of the Dao was transmitted.
When the Buddha taught the Prajna at the Garden of the Benefactor, his intent was the same. Subhuti was the first to perceive the Supreme Dharma. Therefore the transmission of the Great Dao depends on both the transmitter and the receiver meeting at the right moment. If there is only the teacher's subtle pointing but no disciple who perceives and awakens, then there is no treasury of the true dharma eye and no wondrous heart of nirvana — no Supreme Dharma at all.
Since the Buddha's intent in teaching was as described, within the words and letters of the scriptures, of course, the true Dao cannot be found. For the Buddha, even while alive, would not disclose it openly — he waited for the one who could perceive and transmitted it separately, outside the teaching. Within the written word, even less can the true dharma be grasped. This should be self-evident.
Therefore, the practitioner must first seek a true teacher's direct transmission and pointing, to know where the Great Dao's body resides. Then examine the scriptures' key passages and turn the light back upon the self. In the ten thousand uses of daily life, unite with the Great Dao's substance and function. In this way, one can not only penetrate the essence of the scriptures but also truly understand the heart-transmission of the Sage's school. As the saying goes: chanting the scriptures is not as good as expounding them; expounding them is not as good as living them.
If the practitioner does not understand that the Great Dao resides within their own body, cannot use the scriptures' meaning to unite with the heart-method, and merely recites and teaches by word of mouth — then even memorizing all eighty-four thousand sections is like squeezing sand to make rice, like painting a cake to satisfy hunger. Apart from aiding some charitable deeds, it cannot achieve the wondrous truth. As for seeing the nature and becoming a Buddha — how can that be spoken of so easily?
Since ancient times, the holy ones of every teaching and the practitioners of every generation have, across countless lifetimes of cultivation, sought nothing but to find this heart — because only by illuminating the mind and seeing the nature can one escape the constraints of the five elements and leap free from the suffering of the six paths of birth and death. For this reason, they traveled a thousand miles to seek a true teacher and ten thousand miles to obtain the oral transmission — humbly requesting the true teacher's pointing to guide them through confusion and transmit the method of cultivation, so they might reach the highest state as quickly as possible.
A verse:
The Great Dao was always within you — yet the lost one seeks it outside.
The Dao is the spirit-root, the body's true master.
Seek a true teacher swiftly and penetrate the mystery.
Chapter 8 — The Meaning and Distinction Between Gods and Buddhas
A verse:
The grace of the sovereign — boundless — brings peace to the people.
The sage's intention — selfless — saves the cold and suffering.
When the hidden truth is understood, the true Dao is received.
Spread compassion universally to hold back the raging flood.
I, Guanyin Bodhisattva of the South Sea, have come on a special mission to this temple, wishing to pierce and reveal the confusion, the errors, and the doubts that have surrounded the teaching and transmission of the dharma since ancient times — so that all beings may understand.
The holy ones of the five teachings were never ranked by greatness. It is only the people of this world who, lacking in human virtue, compete for fame and profit, calculating endlessly. Each claims the god or sage of their own religion is the greatest, hoping to win more followers, and casually dismisses the gods of other teachings as lesser spirits. In doing so, they betray the truth that the five holy ones taught. Because of this wrongful transmission, I have shed countless tears of sorrow — for God and Buddha are terms of pure justice and righteous energy. They are selfless, without distinction of nation, religion, race, or wealth. Their single purpose is to save all beings between Heaven and Earth.
God and Buddha are names of purity and righteousness. In the West, in India, the terms are Buddha and Bodhisattva. In the Central Land of China, the terms are God and Sage. It is like the sun — in Mandarin it is called taiyang, in Taiwanese it is called rihtou. Therefore, God and Buddha are equal terms. The words differ, but the meaning is the same. Whether it is the God revered by Catholics and Protestants — the Lord on High — or the Heavenly Lord worshipped by the common people, they are one and the same.
The realm of God has ranks, higher and lower — comparable to a county magistrate and a ward chief. A higher god is like a mayor or a magistrate. A lower god is like a ward chief or a neighborhood head. The distinction lies in station and duty, but the purpose is the same: to govern and guide the people. If in this life you serve as an official who is upright and honest, caring for the people's suffering, and as a person you follow Heaven's principle and guard the right path, then after death you may be elevated to a god's position, honored with incense for ten thousand years.
The realm of Buddha is comparable to a monk or nun in the human world — one who leaves their parents, has no spouse, renounces liquor, lust, wealth, and anger, withdraws from worldly affairs, free from attachment and anxiety, and cultivates in a hermitage or temple. The compassion of the Buddha lies in the single-minded desire for purity, leading by example, expounding the scriptures and teaching the dharma, guiding and delivering all beings. The realm of Buddha has no ranks, no hierarchy of high and low — only freedom and ease. The vow in the Buddha's heart is simply whether to deliver beings or not, whether to teach the dharma or not.
All beings should understand: Heaven's realm, Earth's realm, and the human realm share the same principle. In Heaven there is a celestial prison — when a heavenly god commits a transgression, they are confined there. In the human world there is a prison — when a person breaks the law, they are tried and confined. In the underworld there is a hell — when a yin-spirit of the underworld wrongly accepts improper offerings from people who do not walk the right path, that spirit is punished.
Therefore, the realms of God and Buddha — what joys they hold, what sorrows they hold — can be understood by comparing them to the monasteries and temples of this world on one hand, and the affairs of society on the other. A monk or nun may have the most profound spiritual attainment, yet if they break the law, they are still subject to the local authorities. The position of Buddha is like the position of a monk or nun. The position of God is like the position of a ward chief.
God and Buddha cannot be separated for even an instant. To separate them would be like monks and nuns separating from society, from the faithful men and women. Why? Because monks and nuns depend on the generosity and support of the people — those who marry and live in the world — for their livelihood, so they may devote themselves to practice. Once they attain realization, they must teach and chant for the people in return, and only then do they accumulate merit. God and Buddha are two faces of one body. God must help Buddha, and Buddha must help God — just as monks and nuns must help the people of the dust, and the people of the dust must help monks and nuns. The merit of monastics in cultivating and delivering beings, and the merit of worldly people in their generosity, are equal. The disciple who truly understands this truth is a person above all people.
Those who cultivate in this world have the heart to practice, but they have not understood the truth. As a result, the fruits of their practice are damaged by the biased thinking of the worldly dust, and so those who wished to ascend to Heaven must instead descend to the human realm to cultivate further and understand the truth thoroughly before they can attain the fruit of the Dao.
Chapter 9 — The Law of Cause and Effect
Cause means the origin. Effect means the result. The people of this world cannot avoid all evil and practice all good because they do not understand the principle of cause and effect. Know that Heaven's principle is like a mirror, not missing a hair's breadth. Good cause brings good reward; evil cause brings evil retribution.
The philosopher Shao Kangjie said: "When people come to ask me to divine their fortune — what is fortune, what is disaster? When I wrong others, that is disaster. When others wrong me, that is fortune. A mansion of a thousand rooms — at night you sleep on eight feet. Fine fields of ten thousand acres — each day you eat a cup of grain. What is there to divine? What is there to ask? To cheat others is disaster. To forgive others is fortune. Heaven's net is vast — retribution comes swiftly."
The Supreme Lord said: "Plant a melon and you get a melon. Plant a bean and you get a bean. When the time of planting does not fail, the root grows and bears fruit. Whether it is a bean or a melon, the debt is repaid in kind." The Buddhist scripture says: "If you want to know the causes of past lives, look at what you receive in this one. If you want to know the fruits of future lives, look at what you do in this one." In sum, where there is cause there is effect, where there is effect there must be cause. Bitter causes yield bitter fruits. Joyful causes yield joyful fruits. There is no doubt about this.
In the early 1980s, on the Provincial Highway in Jiadong, Pingtung County, in southern Taiwan, a tour bus belonging to the Xiehe company was carrying thirty-two people — driver and conductor included — traveling from Taitung to Kaohsiung. As it passed through Jiadong, it collided with a three-wheeled vehicle carrying gasoline. Both vehicles caught fire and burned. Including the driver of the three-wheeler, thirty-two people perished in the flames. Only one person survived, injured. The three-wheeled driver was an employee of an oil company in Jiadong. He had purchased oil in Fangliao and was bringing it back for sale. On the road he collided with the tour bus, and the disaster followed.
Several days later, the Temple of Lord Guan in Jiadong received a spirit-writing revelation explaining the cause. Two hundred years earlier, in Guangdong, there was a gang of bandits who lived by raiding homes. In that same place lived a wealthy man who employed a household servant addicted to drinking and gambling. One day this servant went out gambling and drinking, returning late at night. The next day, his master scolded him. The servant nursed a grudge, and because he needed money for gambling, he conspired with the bandits to rob his master's home. The bandits had originally planned only to steal, not to kill. But when the master resisted, the entire household was murdered. One of the bandits had a conscience and cried out: we must not kill — we planned only to steal, not to kill.
Two hundred years later, the karmic conditions ripened. The master was reborn as the owner of the oil company in Jiadong. The servant was reborn as the three-wheeled driver. The bandit chief and his lieutenant were reborn as the bus driver and conductor. The other thirty bandits were reborn as the passengers. The one survivor — injured but alive — was the bandit who had cried out against killing. In the first life, the treacherous servant led the bandits to rob and murder his master. In this life, it was his turn to carry his master's gasoline and burn those who had once been bandits. In the first life, the bandit chief led his men to raid and kill. In this life, reborn as the driver, he drove his former men to their reckoning. The power of karmic retribution is truly beyond human comprehension.
The Buddhist scriptures also record the following. King Virudhaka led his army to attack the Shakya clan. Three times the Buddha blocked and turned him back. When the king came a fourth time, the Buddha knew it could not be prevented. When King Virudhaka besieged the city of Kapilavastu and was killing many, the Venerable Maudgalyayana — foremost in supernatural powers among the ten great disciples — used his powers to rescue five hundred people from inside the city, placing them in his begging bowl. But as soon as they left the city, every one of them turned to blood.
A disciple asked the Buddha why this had happened. The Buddha said: even supernatural powers cannot prevail against the force of karma. And he told the cause. Fifteen thousand years earlier, there was a fishing village. One day the villagers drained a lake to catch the fish. A small child saw a fish jumping on the bank and struck it three times with a stick, then walked away and did not join the fishing. Fifteen thousand years passed. All the villagers were reborn in the Shakya clan. All the fish in the lake were reborn as King Virudhaka and his army. No one could save them. Even Maudgalyayana, with all his supernatural powers, could do nothing. The child who struck the fish three times — that was the Buddha himself. On the day this karma bore fruit, even the Buddha suffered a headache for three days. This is called fixed karma that cannot be reduced.
Then is there nothing to be done about the force of karmic debt? Must one simply wait for destruction? No. Compassion, joy, and giving can transform the force of karma.
When King Virudhaka broke into the city to destroy the Shakya clan, the Shakya king Mahanama pleaded with him: you mean to kill so many — that too is not easy. I ask you this: let me dive into the water. Tell them to run. When I come back up, those who have not escaped — you may kill them. King Virudhaka thought: killing tens of thousands is indeed troublesome, and a person cannot stay underwater for long. So he agreed.
When Mahanama dove beneath the water, the people fled. But when more than twenty thousand had already escaped and very few remained, the king grew uneasy. He wondered why Mahanama had not surfaced. He ordered a man to dive down and look. The man came back and said: great king, King Mahanama will never come up again. To save his people, he tied his hair to the roots of a tree at the bottom and embraced the tree until he died. King Virudhaka stood in silence, then withdrew his army.
The karmic force that Maudgalyayana, foremost in supernatural powers, could not change — King Mahanama changed through compassion and self-giving. The Shakya clan, who could not have escaped annihilation, were spared. The power of compassion is the greatest of all. Therefore the immortals and Buddhas teach us to make vows of goodness and build merit — so that we may reduce and transform the karmic force accumulated across all our lifetimes, cut the chains of cause and effect, and transcend the wheel of rebirth.
Chapter 10 — Are the Five Constant Virtues, Five Precepts, and Five Elements the Same in Principle?
In Confucianism, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness — these are the Five Constant Virtues.
In Buddhism, the precepts against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants — these are the Five Precepts.
In Daoism, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth — these are the Five Elements.
Though the three teachings use different names, the principle behind them is one. Why is this so? Consider:
If you do not keep the precept against killing, you have no benevolence — and wood is lacking.
If you do not keep the precept against stealing, you have no righteousness — and metal is lacking.
If you do not keep the precept against sexual misconduct, you have no propriety — and fire is lacking.
If you do not keep the precept against intoxicants and meat, you have no wisdom — and water is lacking.
If you do not keep the precept against false speech, you have no faithfulness — and earth is lacking.
Therefore: Confucianism teaches the Five Constant Virtues to fulfill the way of loyalty and reciprocity. Buddhism teaches the Five Precepts to preserve the heart of compassion. Daoism teaches the Five Elements to illuminate the spirit of responsive resonance.
The principle is no different.
Chapter 11 — The Harm of Liquor, Lust, Wealth, Anger, and Tobacco
The five gates of Buddhism list liquor and lust among them. Liquor deranges the nature, lust wounds the body, wealth injures virtue, anger damages the spleen, and tobacco harms the spirit. These are the five poisons of Heaven and Earth — what the scriptures call the five turbidities of this world.
Heaven possesses the energy of the five elements. Earth possesses the substance of the five elements. The human body possesses the five organs of the five elements. Used rightly, these become the Five Constant Virtues. Used wrongly, they become the five poisons. Liquor, lust, wealth, anger, and tobacco are all transformations of the five elements: the Metal Star transforms into wealth, the Wood Star into lust, the Water Star into liquor, the Fire Star into tobacco, and the Earth Star into anger.
If you cannot resolve to cut these away, you will be bound by the five elements. Though this age of universal deliverance is generous with grace, you must direct yourself toward the righteous use of these forces.
Chapter 12 — The Method of Turning the Light Around
In the world after birth, our thoughts are many. When thought flows outward, it follows the current of the world. When thought flows inward, it goes against the current. To follow the current is to become a ghost. To go against the current is to enter the Dao. To release is to become a ghost; to gather back is to become a sage. Therefore, when we urge others to study the Dao, we say: turn your heart around. To turn the heart is to turn the thoughts. To turn the thoughts is to turn the light around and shine it back upon yourself.
Whenever you have a moment of stillness, if you will gather your heart and bring it here — to the Mysterious Gate — and let self and other both be forgotten in a single moment of pure sincerity, this is the method of leaving suffering and finding joy. The Buddhist scriptures say: "In all the hours of the day, thought after thought, never depart from this." Confucius said: "Study and practice constantly." Both are teaching this same practice. Therefore, those who aspire to the Dao must not neglect this.
Chapter 13 — What Is the Method of Liberation?
Liberation means to unbind yourself from the fetters of delusion and karma and to escape the suffering of the three realms. Liberation comes only through one gate: sudden awakening — the departure from all appearances. The Buddha's teaching takes the cutting of doubt and the arising of faith as its foundation, the departure from appearances as its principle, and non-attachment as its substance.
To liberate yourself through your own nature is, in plain words, to see through everything. If you can taste the sour, sweet, bitter, and sharp of worldly experience, and add to this the practice of quiet recollection — finding understanding in your nature through both movement and stillness, responding when things come and returning to stillness when they pass — then you are not far from seeing your true nature.
Know that the mountains and rivers stretching ten thousand miles are not yours. Wife, children, and family cannot stay together forever. Even a fortune of gold and silver must still be guarded with anxious care. Only the nature endowed by Heaven's mandate — cultivate it and you become a spirit; abandon it and you become a ghost. All suffering and all joy are your own seeking. Practice this in truth, and liberation is not difficult.
Chapter 14 — Emptying Body, Heart, Nature, and Dharma
The body was born from your parents and carries your parents' breath. Its nine openings flow ceaselessly with impurities. It is a false union of the four elements, and in the end it must decay. Therefore the wise know the body is an illusion. Before death comes, they treat the body as though already dead — merely borrowing this phantom form to study the Dao and practice cultivation. This is to awaken to the emptiness of the body.
Then observe your own heart: neither born nor destroyed, most sacred and most luminous. When conditions arise, the heart appears; when conditions cease, the heart vanishes. If you can awaken to the true heart and maintain constant awareness without dimming, not following the wandering of false thoughts but acting only according to the true nature — this is to awaken to the emptiness of the heart.
Then observe your own nature: since it fundamentally does not move, yet when touched it responds and flows through all things. Its transformations are without limit, its spiritual power beyond measure — luminous and clear, self-aware and self-knowing, wondrous and still, without action and without constancy. This is to awaken to the emptiness of the nature.
Then observe that all the scriptures spoken by the Tathagata are skillful means and guiding methods — like water washing away dust, like medicine prescribed for an illness. If you realize the emptiness of the heart and the dharma is fulfilled, then the illness is gone and the medicine can be discarded. This is to awaken to the emptiness of dharma.
In sum, the true dharma is nothing else but awakening to the source of the heart's own thoughts. If craving and desire are not cut, everything is dragged along by the will. The heart is originally clear and still — do not stir it, do not fix it. The heart lacks nothing — do not harbor thoughts of having. Complete in all wisdom, pure and ordinary. Do not think, and everything is present; let a thought arise, and everything is blocked. Know that dharma has no use apart from this: clarity and stillness, naturally so. Neither delight nor aversion, neither thinking nor plotting — seemingly foolish, seemingly simple. To walk like this is called cultivating the Buddha.
Therefore: when not a single thought arises, that is stillness. To become aware of a thought and dissolve it — that is dharma. To act according to dharma — that is cultivation. To cultivate the fruits of this world requires nothing more than accumulating virtue and following principle. To cultivate the fruits of the Buddha's Way requires no-heart and no-self. The path of the sage and the path of the ordinary diverge — the choice lies with each person.
Chapter 15 — Close the Six Gates, Lest the True Person Depart
The six gates are the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mind. If these gates are not closed, and you allow them to come and go as they please, you will not only fail to achieve the Dao — when death comes, you will likely fall into one of the six paths of rebirth. Why is this so? The eye, ear, nose, and tongue are the gates of the four forms of birth and the heads of the four paths.
If the eye craves beauty and color to excess, at death the nature will exit through the eye, and in the next life you will be reborn as a bird, kept for others' amusement.
If the ear listens to wicked speech, at death the nature will exit through the ear, and in the next life you will be reborn in the womb — as an ox, a horse, or a mule — with ears that understand human speech, laboring at others' command.
If the nose craves exotic fragrances to excess, at death the nature will exit through the nose, and in the next life you will be reborn as a mosquito, a fly, a maggot, or an ant — tasting only filth and rot, dying for the scent.
If the mouth delights in destroying others' reputations and gossiping about right and wrong, at death the nature will exit through the mouth, and in the next life you will be reborn as a scaled creature — for in the eight trigrams, the mouth belongs to Kan, Kan belongs to water, and the scaled is its form.
If the body in this life is crooked and perverse, disobedient and unfilial, committing every manner of wrongdoing — in the next life, evil retribution is certain. This is the law of the cycle, and it does not change.
Yet if a person is upright in character and good in conduct, but has no affinity with the Dao and has not received initiation — in the next life they will be born a lord or a general, enjoying one lifetime's glory and a few years' splendor. But when death comes, they still return to the underworld. This is the six paths of rebirth.
Therefore, the Buddha's Way teaches us to close the six gates tightly, to keep clear of the six paths, and to transcend the three realms. Of the outer five gates, they are easier to guard. But the inner gate of the mind is hard to close. The mind hides in the spleen and is called the yin-spirit.
The Buddha's Way has one simple method: throughout all the hours of the day, fix the heart upon the Mysterious Gate — the Numinous Mountain — and with the true fire of pure yang, refine and burn like one who is foolish and stunned, ceaselessly and without rest. After a hundred days of this practice, the taste of clarity and bright wisdom will come. Practiced long enough, the heart of the Dao takes charge, and the six gates close of themselves.
Chapter 16 — The Heavenly Way and the Human Way
To cultivate what is essential to nature and destiny — in this age of universal deliverance, this is the Heavenly Way. To fulfill the bonds of human relationship and conduct — in this is the ordinary way of deliverance for the world. This is the Human Way.
The Human Way is the branch and trunk of the Heavenly Way. Therefore, those who cultivate the Heavenly Way must first stand firm on the ground of the Human Way as their starting point. Filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and trustworthiness; propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame — these are the most important matters among the three realms of deliverance. Heaven and Earth watch the human heart in every place and monitor every action at all times.
If you do not know how to honor your own birth-parents; if you do not know how to love your brothers and sisters; if you treat friends and kin with empty gestures and no loyalty; if your mouth says one thing while your heart holds another, and you have no faithfulness; if you abandon propriety and righteousness, and possess neither integrity nor shame — then even cultivation will bear no fruit. Once the Human Way is lost, how can you speak of the Heavenly Way?
Therefore, those who cultivate the Heavenly Way must first fulfill the Human Way. Confucius said: "Begin with what is near and rise to what is far." If you can fulfill the Human Way, you are already close to the Heavenly Way.
Chapter 17 — What Is a Wise Person? What Is a Foolish Person? What Is a Lost Person? What Is an Awakened Person?
What is a wise person?
Wisdom means knowledge. Only the wise person knows there is a Heavenly Way to cultivate, knows there are sacred teachings to study, knows there is a true teacher to seek, knows there is good to be done, knows there are wrongs to repent. The wise know there is an entering into and departing from this world, a cycle of cause and effect. Like the sun in the sky, like a lamp in the night — the wise can see. The retribution of good and evil is clear. Once they see, they abandon evil and follow good, turn from the crooked to the straight. What is against principle, they will not speak. What is against the Dao, they will not do. What does not belong to them, they will not take. Thought after thought, upright. Hour by hour, truthful. They accumulate virtue and build their name, leaving it to posterity. In sum: the wise person speaks of benevolence and righteousness, teaches the Way and virtue, establishes others as they establish themselves, enlightens others as they themselves are enlightened — aiming for all people to reach the gates of the sages and saints.
What is a foolish person?
Foolishness means dullness. The foolish are dim of heart. Because of this dimness, they cannot tell high from low. They do not know there is a Heaven and a Hell. They do not believe in the six paths of rebirth. They know only how to chase after flowers and wine, killing living things for their bellies. In one lifetime they slaughter hundreds of thousands of millions of creatures and incur hundreds of thousands of millions of debts of life. When the wheel turns and they meet their creditors again, one devours the other, and there is no end. Why is this so? All cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and livestock were once your kin in former lives — your creditors or debtors, your family in goodness or in enmity. They have fallen into the cycle of rebirth, changed their faces, and come back as beasts. The fool who kills and eats them is killing their own parents, eating the flesh of their own family. Father killed by son, on the road of rebirth — father and son do not recognize each other, killing and eating without end. Once you lose the human body, ten thousand ages will not bring it back. This is the foolish person. The sage Cangjie, when he created the character for meat, placed two people inside a single enclosure. The folk saying goes: "Eat eight ounces, repay half a pound — count it up and it is people eating people."
What is a lost person?
Lost means confused and blind. The lost person clings to the world, craves wine and lust, gives free rein to the six senses, chases the six dusts, indulges in pleasure, deals in falsehood and deceit, turning upside-down beyond count. They seek only the pleasures of the present and give no thought to the calamity that follows. Abandoning the real to chase the false, reading scripture in vain, turning their backs on awakening to embrace the dust — even if they meet a sage, they cannot be saved. They sink forever in the sea of suffering, lose their true nature forever. Once they enter the wheel of rebirth, ten thousand ages will not bring them back.
What is an awakened person?
Awakening means awareness. The awakened person perceives and knows that their own heart is the Buddha. Yearning for the Dao, they cultivate and practice. Their three karmas are without fault. Their six senses are clear and pure. They have both method and skillful means, neither self nor other. They deliver themselves and deliver others, sharing the same path with all beings. Though they dwell in the world, the world's ways do not stain them. Sitting within the toil of the dust, they turn the great wheel of dharma. They transform Hell into Heaven and point the lost toward their buddha-nature. They do the work of all Buddhas, liberating those bound by feeling and attachment. They give rise to great compassion, vowing to rescue all. Such a person is an awakened person.
Chapter 18 — The Universal Deliverance of the Three Realms — Humans, Ghosts, and Immortals
A verse:
Beyond the thirty-three heavens, there is yet another heaven.
Beyond the ninth firmament, there are immortals still.
Immortals were once ordinary people —
the only fear is that ordinary people's hearts are not firm.
At this time, Heaven has opened its grace. The great universal deliverance is proclaimed. The three realms are pardoned together — humans, ghosts, and immortals, all delivered at once. Above, it delivers the stars of the Heavenly River and the immortals of the Breath Heaven. In the middle, it delivers the multitudes of the human world. Below, it delivers the departed spirits of the underworld. This universal deliverance of the three realms has never happened before in all of history. Know that it comes only once in one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred years. The folk saying goes: the human world is like a sea of suffering, and the wheel of rebirth is the greatest sorrow. All beings must quickly recognize the truth and return to what is real, return to the origin and restore the source. Where there is the Dao, advance. Where there is not, retreat.
Part One — Breath Heaven Immortals Seeking the Dao
Han Xin knelt on Mount Nanping, begging Ji Gong for thirty-four days. After receiving the Dao, the Eternal Mother conferred upon him the title of Chief Attendant of the Auxiliary Origin Palace.
The Supreme Lord on High has opened his grace.
With tears I kowtow, begging the elders.
I wish to seek the True Dao,
to understand the source of human life.
A departed spirit yearning for the True Heavenly Dao —
a thousand kinds of suffering, ten thousand kinds of hardship.
In this final assembly of the Third Period, the Dao descends to the world
to rescue the remnant from suffering's circle.
Sima Guang was delivered by Elder Han. The Mother Teacher personally transmitted the Dao to him. After receiving the Dao, the Eternal Mother conferred the title of Enlightened Sima Guang Immortal.
The Wandering Maiden was the first Breath Heaven immortal personally delivered by the Mother Teacher. After receiving the Dao, she traveled everywhere, dispelling disasters and healing the sick, manifesting signs to deliver others. The Eternal Mother later elevated her to Teaching Bodhisattva, and she became the leader of the Cloud-Character Class.
The Deputy Mazu of Beigang, Zhuang Yuzhi, served as deputy Mazu of Beigang for five hundred years. After four hundred and ninety years, a believer reminded her that there was a Great Dao to seek. She wished to receive the Heavenly Dao, and through Guanyin Bodhisattva's compassion, she was granted the chance. The Court of Principle convened an emergency meeting. Lord Guan granted his permission, and Guanyin Bodhisattva and Ji Gong allowed her to descend to the altar, borrow a medium, and manifest. Ji Gong then transmitted the Dao to her, and she returned to the Court of Principle, free from the suffering of rebirth. The Mazu of Beigang said:
I was a village girl. In life I fulfilled my filial heart.
At twenty-eight I left the world. The Jade Emperor made me a deputy god.
Five hundred years of incense at Beigang — my allotted span nearly spent,
only ten years remaining. Countless faithful men and women paid me worship.
Never had I heard of such a method of transcendence.
When the faithful came and told me, I suddenly, greatly awakened.
Day after day I sought Ji Gong.
The Teacher told me I must help spread the Dao before I could receive the Primordial Dao.
Ordinary people, with a modest offering, can receive this precious Dao.
They do not know to cherish the road to Heaven, and in vain the immortals manifest signs.
When a god of the Breath Heaven seeks the Dao, they must first build merit and accumulate virtue.
Lin Shanniang, the Thirteenth Mazu of Donggang, received the Dao from Elder Han personally on the seventeenth day of the sixth month, 1977. Lin Shanniang had served as Mazu for two hundred and fifty years, and her allotted time had come. On the first and second days of the month, she went up to Mount Nanping and begged Ji Gong, but the Teacher would not agree. She knelt outside the mountain for an entire week. This moved the Teacher, who, remembering she had committed no evil across many lifetimes, consented. After receiving the Dao, she traveled everywhere, helping to spread the Way.
The Earth God Lin Shenghong — Receiving the Dao (a testimony from the Fude Zhengshen of Kelin Village, Yilan). Lin Shenghong was from Jinjiang in Fujian Province, a man of great wealth who spent his life doing good deeds ceaselessly. He had no children. In the end, he gave his houses and land deeds to the poor. When he died at ninety-four, the Jade Emperor appointed him Earth God, enjoying one hundred years of mortal incense. But when his allotted time was nearly up, the Jade Emperor summoned him to return to the cycle of rebirth. Knowing the times were urgent and the world would not last long, he went to Mount Nanping and knelt before Ji Gong for three days and three nights before he could receive the Great Dao.
After receiving the Dao, he said: I look at the people of this world and think them truly foolish. The Dao is delivered door to door, yet you refuse to receive it — what a pity! You would rather suffer through the calamities, and later regret will come too late. Think of us — gods and departed spirits, without a physical body — to receive the Dao is not easy at all. We must endure every hardship and beg Ji Gong for permission before we can receive it. You who have a body — do not miss this chance. I urge the people of the world: if you have not received the Dao, receive it quickly. Eternal life can be won. You can return to the Pure Land and enjoy vast blessings. May everyone's work in the Dao prosper greatly. I thank Master Ji Gong and the Mother Teacher, and all the elders.
Lin Moniang, the Heavenly Holy Mother and Mazu of Beigang, gave this testimony at Jinde Shrine Hall in Yunlin on the seventh day of the second month, 1986:
The Heavenly Dao is universally transmitted — the golden thread hangs over the world of suffering.
The wise hear it and know the time — do not hesitate.
The sage's compassion fills the dharma ship, carrying the ninety-six hundred million.
Mother and children cultivate together — merit complete, they return to the Heavenly Kingdom.
Seek the truth quickly, walk the good path.
Chase confusion and disputes no more.
When slander comes against the Dao, let wisdom judge.
Accumulate merit and virtue — do not delay.
The Heavenly Holy Mother's instruction: Even if you build bridges and pave roads, without receiving a true teacher's single pointing, when you die you will only reach the Breath Heaven, and when your time is up you must still enter the wheel of rebirth. Therefore, all the immortals of the Breath Heaven are now looking for the opportunity to find someone with whom they have an affinity and ask them to introduce them, so they can receive Heaven's precious Dao. To receive the true teacher's pointing while alive is the most fortunate of all fortunes. A human body is hard to obtain. The True Dao is hard to meet. Birth in the Central Land is hard to achieve. The four difficulties of receiving the Dao — all of you have now accomplished every one. Every immortal of the Breath Heaven, even the departed spirits of the underworld, envies you. Think of me — I too never received the true teacher's pointing in life. Only through Ji Gong's compassion was I granted the Dao, so that I could leap beyond the three realms and ascend to the Court of Principle. The Eternal Mother then conferred a small position upon me. Without merit or virtue, I have this chance to fulfill a small wish, and together with all of you, let us encourage one another.
The Venerable Guangqin — Receiving the Dao (Guangqin, abbot of Chengtian Chan Monastery)
On the fifteenth day of the fourth month, year of Ding Mao, at the Palace of the Limitless, the Heavenly Venerable of Dao and Virtue — Taishang Laojun — descended by the Mother's command to the shrine hall, and after paying respects to the Eternal Mother, addressed the assembly:
The supreme, most exalted treasure of the Dao — the gate of all wonders, the law most profound.
The subtlest essence encompasses all things. The vast virtue of the Source, which all should emulate.
One stroke opened Heaven, in the Yin Assembly humanity was born — confused and muddled, the Dao profound and marvelous.
Study it yourself, examine it yourself, down to the finest hair — follow Heaven, pattern the Earth, and run the course ahead.
I will not say more. By command I bring a Breath Heaven immortal and order him to tell his own story.
I withdraw to one side.
The spirit wrote:
I begged Heaven, I begged Earth, I begged your Mother.
This child was ignorant — I cast aside the highest truth.
Now I regret, but the body is gone — I awaken to my first intention, dimly, dully.
Heaven's grace and the Teacher's virtue embrace my pain.
Today I am led into the shrine hall to tell the cause of my bond.
The great ceremony approaches — my heart is panicked, my words come hard.
I am Li Guangqin, the one people call Monk Guangqin. Today, by the Mother's command and led by Taishang Laojun, I enter the Buddha Hall.
I hastily pay respects to the Eternal Mother.
I bow in thanks to the Heavenly Venerable for his compassionate guidance.
I thank the transmitting master for this glorious grace.
I ask the spirit-writing attendants and all the assembly to be at peace.
Steady your hearts —
let me speak.
When I take up the spirit-writing brush, my heart fills with sorrow. I do not know where to begin.
Since the day I manifested signs — it has been half a month, and my heart has known no peace.
Without the Mother's decree, I could not enter the shrine hall.
The attendants and the transmitting master were frantic.
A thousand kowtows, ten thousand kowtows — the Mother relented
and allowed me to enter the hall to speak clearly.
The test of Heaven and the trial of humans grieve me.
Without mandate, without proof, who would dare to act?
It was not that the transmitting master disrespected the Heavenly mandate,
but that without a mandate, he hesitated.
Now the great ceremony is at hand.
I, this humble spirit, hurried down to the mortal world,
took up the spirit-writing brush to speak —
grief and joy together, words cannot exhaust it all.
From childhood my parents both died. Alone I grew strong.
My spiritual root was not extinguished — I saw through the world's illusions.
I resolved to follow the Buddha's compassion. Bitter practice, toil of body.
Time passed swiftly, days rushed by. With a single heart I chanted the Buddha's name and studied meditation.
People called me the Fruit Monk. Let me tell you why:
during a long meditation retreat, I took no food.
I watched the monkeys bring me fruit.
The buddha-nature is one — the same in all, human or beast.
And so I followed their way — fruit sustained me for sixty years.
Holding fast to my vow, never changing,
transmitting the Buddha-nature in a single thread.
Earnest and diligent, observing every precept,
not daring to deviate by a hair.
A true teacher is hard to meet — I did not know this.
Bitter practice, blind practice, for decades.
I could not see through the true teacher's pointing.
Blind cultivation, blind refinement — regret comes too late.
The Great Dao is hard to obtain, the far shore unknown.
Adrift in the sea, I did not know.
People rumored that I had received the pointing —
but where would such words come from?
Though in life I practiced bitterly,
without the one pointing, transcendence is impossible.
When the great dream first broke, the body was already gone.
At my cremation, many signs appeared.
The hidden will of Heaven was shown in dreams.
Returning — I went to the Breath Heaven.
Without merit or virtue, how could I return to the Court of Principle?
In the Breath Heaven I practiced for hundreds of days.
The Jade Emperor summoned me —
Heaven does not fail the persevering heart.
The merit accumulated across lifetimes — today I receive the pointing.
In awe and trepidation, words fail me.
I begged the Heavenly Venerable to lead me.
I beseeched the Mother and begged Ji Gong.
The appointed day arrived — one pointing received,
and I return to the Court of Principle, free from the turning wheel.
Only now do I know how upside-down I was —
thinking bitter practice alone could bring me home.
Chanting the Buddha's name in heart and mouth,
yet I never entered the inner hall.
Round and round, blaming my own confusion —
but the merit of many lifetimes made today's bond.
And so today I receive the one pointing.
My guide and my guarantor — ten thousand thanks.
The one who brought me, our bond from a past life —
the one who guaranteed me, a joyful reunion across many worlds.
Time is short — I say no more.
Where I have been unclear, we shall meet again.
With a thousand thanks, ten thousand thanks, for the Mother's grace —
she granted me this fortunate day to return to Heaven.
I thank the transmitting master for his generous compassion.
I thank my guide and guarantor for saving me from this cage.
Ten thousand kinds of gratitude reside within my heart.
I can say no more — I take my leave from the Mother's presence,
and withdraw behind the shrine curtain to await the ceremony.
The Venerable Yinguang — Receiving the Dao:
Because I did not receive the Dao, the Court of Principle was beyond my reach.
Though I did good, I only became a Breath Heaven immortal.
I thought that chanting scriptures could deliver me from birth and death,
but I did not know the Pure Land method cannot escape the cycle.
Though the Pure Land practice is indeed a method,
the true Pure Land is assuredly not the chanting of scripture.
Know that we have now entered the White Yang Era —
the cosmic season has turned, and Maitreya holds the heavenly mandate.
In life I knew of the True Great Dao,
but without the one pointing, all was in vain.
I thought chanting scriptures was the highest path,
yet I did not know that what has form is all illusion.
Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin — Receiving the Dao:
I, this humble immortal, am overcome with grief.
My heart burns with urgency as though cut by a knife.
I do not know when I will reach the shore of the Dao.
One pointing — and I leap beyond the Breath Heaven.
My rank in the Breath Heaven is beyond doubt,
yet I cannot escape the cosmic wind that scours all worlds.
When the cosmic wind comes, all people and things are swept away.
How can I escape this pass?
Without the Heavenly Dao there is no release from suffering.
Thinking of this, tears stream without cease.
I humbly beg you all — please spend your hearts.
Help this immortal receive the Dao and board the ship.
Again I am graced by Heaven's generosity —
following the Patriarch's golden carriage, I come to this dharma hall.
I come especially to form bonds with you all.
Please, with compassion, report to the Mother on my behalf.
Register me, board the ship — let me receive the Dao,
and let this immortal transcend the Breath Heaven circle.
Part Two — Records of Universal Deliverance in the Human Realm
Elder Han Yuji — White Water — achieved the Dao and ascended.
Deni Bodhisattva — Elder Zhang Yutai — achieved the Dao. Her testimony:
The Great Dao opens universally to rescue all beings.
Those with resolve, spread the Dao while the years are ripe.
Yuming Great Immortal — the father of Brother Cao — achieved the Dao. His testimony:
In this final age, Heaven alone is generous.
Receiving the true teacher's pointing at the gate of the nature —
how fortunate to receive the teacher's opening of the seamless gate.
Three lifetimes of fortune — hasten, run.
Huide Heavenly Immortal — Point-Transmitting Master Lu of Cixiao Shrine — achieved the Dao. His testimony:
Do not be deluded any longer — end the bitter karma.
Better to cultivate the Great Dao today.
Zheng Chenggong — the national hero — gave this testimony:
To receive the Dao in this life took three lifetimes of cultivation. To attend a dharma assembly took five lifetimes. To reside in a shrine hall took seven lifetimes. To take the vegetarian vow took ten lifetimes. And for those of us who now row the dharma ship together — how many lifetimes? Beyond counting. Across all those lifetimes, the suffering endured and the things given up surpass everything you now wish to pursue. If you do not act in this lifetime, how will you face yourself? Do not say it is hard. Do not say you are busy. Those who say it is hard and busy cannot dodge impermanence.
Zhaode True Lord — achieved the Dao. His testimony:
Bright and luminous, my nature — moon reflected in water.
Virtue flows like a river, never ceasing — all returns to the Heavenly mandate.
True and false together, body and heart as one.
The noble one builds virtue and cultivates the Dao — aspiration as on the first day.
Jinghua Bodhisattva — achieved the Dao at the Daode Assembly Hall in Nagoya, Japan. Her testimony:
Step by quiet step I walk, holding fast to my great vow.
A thousand incarnations to cross island after island.
The bodhi-heart is revealed — arriving at the immortals' homeland.
The buddha-nature always held close — embracing the child-truth seal.
The Illiterate Cimiao Bodhisattva — achieved the Dao. Her testimony:
Compassionate light shines universally — the three realms bathe together in Heaven's grace.
Wondrous principle, deep affinity — transcending all form and language.
The bodhi-nature, the awakened nature — the root of ten thousand virtues and all goodness.
The buddha's cultivation, the buddha's realization — resting on nothing but the truth of one heart's pointing.
Part Three — Departed Spirits Receiving the Dao through Supplication
The parents of Shrine Master Lian, delivered through supplication. Their testimony:
How fortunate we are — our child cultivates the Great Dao
and pulled us free from the road of rebirth.
A filial child who cultivates and builds merit —
nine generations of ancestors and seven generations of descendants are all sheltered.
The parents of Teacher Luo, delivered through supplication. Their testimony:
Entering the underworld — how sorrowful.
Before the Mirror of Karma, everything is shown clearly.
In the year 1982 we were delivered through supplication.
It was as if waking from a dream — entering the immortals' homeland.
At the time we did not know the reason.
We could ascend to Heaven — what boundless joy.
An underworld officer told us: you have been delivered.
In the mortal world, your filial child cultivates the Dao with devotion.
The departed spirit Huang Muyan, delivered through supplication. His testimony:
I remember the scene of my deliverance —
a pardon from Heaven descended to me.
King Yama and the judges knelt to receive it.
The judge turned to me with a smiling face.
My fellow spirits looked on with envy and admiration,
and congratulations reached my ears.
Some spirits wept —
they said their children and grandchildren had no such affinity.
In this final age, the great teaching is opened wide.
Through this, departed spirits pass through the gates of liberation.
On the ledger of life and death, my account was closed.
No more King Yama, no more judges for me.
Chapter 19 — Kind Instructions from Immortals and Buddhas
Shakyamuni Buddha's Vernacular Teaching
The seasons turn from summer to autumn, and the harvest draws near. People do not know the great catastrophe that looms before their very eyes. I hope you will board the Golden Thread Dharma-ship and quickly leap free of disaster!
I am Shakyamuni Buddha. By command of the Eternal Mother, I descend to this altar to pay my respects to the Mother, take up the writing-brush, and deliver this instruction through the phoenix-luan.
Ha ha. I stop.
In ancient times, I abandoned fame, wealth, property, and rank, and entered the mountains. For six years I sat in meditation and fasted. Through six years of this hard and bitter practice — do you know what it was all for? It was all for the sake of seeking the Heavenly Dao, of escaping the four great sufferings, the six paths of rebirth, and the agony of the three realms. And it was because I understood that the spirit can enjoy ten thousand times ten thousand years of happiness — far surpassing the fleeting pleasures of a hundred years in the flesh. If you are now bound by the pursuit of fame and profit, once you close your two eyes, where will you go? What can you take with you? I stayed in the mountains through terrible hardship, giving up my very body to seek the great Dao.
Before long, my heart reached through to Heaven. I received a single pointing of the gate from Dipankara Buddha, and my wish was fulfilled. Then I passed this precious true Dharma on to my own disciples. When my lifespan reached its end, the immortals and buddhas came to welcome me back to the Pure Land of Principle Heaven, and according to my aspiration I reached the ultimate ground of neither birth nor death.
Afterward, my disciples preserved my sacred work in the world by leaving behind the sutras. But I did not become a buddha by reciting sutras. I became a buddha because I received the precious secret treasure of the Heavenly Dao. Believe me, my students! You should understand how precious the Heavenly Dao is. You should know the secret treasure that I received — the Three Treasures of the Heavenly Dao. Everything written in the sutras and scriptures contains this Dao within it, but none of them reveal it plainly. The sutras and scriptures are not meant to be chanted — they are meant to be understood. Then, according to what the scriptures teach, you must strive for the Dao.
In those days, the heart-method was transmitted only in secret, from one person to one person. Now it has become universal. Compared to ancient times, you can receive this precious heart-method simply and easily — the heart-method is right before your eyes. Anyone with the right affinity can encounter it and receive the same precious secret treasure that I received.
The present age is the Third Period, the end of the era. The Dao has become universally transmitted because the age has turned and the world has fallen into chaos — because of the weapons of war and the excess of human luxury. A great catastrophe presses close, and many beings will suffer and be called to account. Those who have done evil and created sin will bear their punishment and be swept away. In Heaven, the Eternal Mother grieves over this, and so she has permitted the Dao to be spread universally. Because the Dao has been opened to all, everyone now has the chance to receive this precious heart-method and return to the Pure Land.
The Three Treasures that I received through hard and bitter practice are truly beyond precious. In ancient times, the conditions for receiving the Three Treasures required you to leave your family, stay in the mountains, and endure decades of fasting and meditation — truly arduous cultivation. While this auspicious time remains, come and seek the Dao! Come and receive the same Three Treasures that I received!
A buddha-hall is a ship of compassion. Once you have established a buddha-hall, you must rescue countless beings and bring them aboard. Saving one person is one deed of merit, and that merit becomes your own virtue. Do not let it become an empty ship with no passengers — fill it to overflowing with as many as you can! This merit will only be revealed after you return to Heaven. No matter how high your position or how great your wealth, once you close your two eyes, your two hands are empty. When that time comes, Heaven determines your rank according to your merit. The nine ranks of fruition are chosen by you yourself — they are not assigned by Heaven. If you accumulate virtue, you can ascend to the highest rank. Without virtue, your rank will be difficult to raise.
Having received the secret treasure of the Heavenly Dao, you will no longer cycle through the painful rebirth of the four births and six paths. You will be free from the four great sufferings and can avoid the three disasters and eight calamities. When your hundred years of life reach their end, you will return to Principle Heaven, severing all ties to the hells. What is called Principle Heaven is a place of eternal bliss, constant and unchanging — the dwelling place of sages, immortals, and buddhas. It is the place beyond birth and death, the place of neither birth nor death, a place free of affliction and stray thoughts, peaceful and joyful!
Those who believe in me should believe in the Heavenly Dao! If you say you believe in me but turn your back on righteousness, then you do not truly believe in me. This single opening of the Mysterious Gate is the true door of the spirit. After death, the spirit departs through this gate and returns to the Pure Land. Concentrate your attention on this single point, and stray thoughts and afflictions cannot arise. And when you recite the oral secret, a great spiritual power is revealed, and you can be rescued from disaster. What is called the mudra is the hand-seal through which the divine and the human communicate. When you clasp your ten fingers together, you are in communion with the divine — the immortals and buddhas descend and stand beside you. If you meet with disaster, use these Three Treasures and in an instant you can be saved!
Before your very eyes, the catastrophe of the Third Period presses close — the terrifying great disaster of nine nines, eighty-one tribulations. For seven sevens, forty-nine days, heaven and earth will turn to darkness, blood will flow like rivers, bones will pile up like mountains, and everywhere you look there will be no houses standing. It is the greatest catastrophe since the earth began, and in it both good and evil will be judged. The golden thread that has now descended is the way of deliverance — there is only this Heavenly Dao! There is no secret treasure better than this, and no secret treasure equal to it. It is the heart-method of the Great Divine Mantra and the Great Bright Mantra. Quickly receive it and escape the terrible catastrophe that draws near!
The merit you establish now will leave a good name in the annals of eighteen thousand years! If you do not establish merit now, when will you? The Heavenly Dao will also cease to be transmitted one day. Once the ship sets sail, it will not wait for those who are late — and then your regret will come too late. Come now, joyfully cultivate and accumulate virtue! You are all people of affinity. As long as you advance toward the Dao, brilliant light awaits you. If you retreat from the Dao, you lose the light. My students, you should understand and believe my words. Strive for the Dao!
At this time, the Heavenly Dao buddha-hall has been established within the Manpuku Temple. You should make good use of it and give as many beings as possible the chance to receive the Dao, so as to save and deliver them. Otherwise the buddha-hall loses its purpose — only when it can carry beings does the buddha-hall have meaning. To establish a buddha-hall without operating it is unacceptable! Fill this buddha-hall with beings. The night is deep, and some have come from far away. I must set down my brush. I take my leave of the Eternal Mother and return to Principle Heaven. I hope you will redouble your strength and work tirelessly for the Dao!
Ha ha.
I withdraw.
Shakyamuni Buddha's Teaching
Buddhist year 2536, the year guǐyǒu (癸酉), April 9, 1993 CE.
In the Dharma-ending age, ten thousand teachings arise at once. The Demon King appears in the world, disturbing all things, displaying supernatural powers and strange arts to beguile the hearts of the people. Therefore, discern your direction clearly. Do not be led astray and follow blindly. "If you seek me through sound, if you see me through form — that person walks the deviant path and cannot see the Tathagata."
Do not study supernatural powers or magical arts. Demons love to play with supernatural powers, magical arts, and illusions. If your heart harbors greed and delusion, you will fall into the demon's circle. Why does the demon also possess supernatural powers and magical arts? Because the demon also cultivated the ten good deeds and entered meditative absorption — but without awakening the heart of bodhi, greed and delusion arose, and so the demon entered the demonic path and cannot become a buddha. Between buddha and demon there is only the distance of a single thought. When the Way rises one foot, the demon rises ten feet. You must be careful with every thought that arises. In this final age, demons seek out demons and buddhas seek out buddhas. If you do not awaken the heart of bodhi, if you do not walk the bodhisattva path, if your heart is full of self-attachment, self-delusion, self-love, and self-pride, you will easily enter the demonic path. Why do deviant religions and side-gate teachings still have countless followers? If those followers are greedy for supernatural powers and do not concern themselves with the great matter of liberation from birth and death, then once they enter the demonic fold they become the demon's own children.
Do not underestimate the single pointing of the Mysterious Gate given by the Point-Transmitting Master. This single pointing is called "bestowing the record of prophecy." It is guiding you to find your own true master. It is not a human being who bestows the record upon the multitude — it is Maitreya Buddha who bestows the record, opening the gate between birth and death. Do not take this lightly. Having encountered this one great cause and condition, cherish it and cultivate diligently. The Heavenly Way of Yiguandao responds to the age. The Heavenly mandate borne by the Point-Transmitting Master is not a command, not authority — it is the mission to save and deliver. Maintain a compassionate heart and walk the bodhisattva path, with saving and delivering as your fundamental vow. What is the heart of bodhi? It is the conscience, the original heart. If you do not lose your conscience, that is the heart of bodhi. "Cultivating the Way is your duty." "Spreading the Way is your responsibility." Each person fulfills their own vow. Some have come riding on a vow; others depart carrying their karma. A single golden thread runs through the "lineage of the Dao" — sixty-four generations across East and West. The sun and moon join their light and illuminate the earth.
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng's Teaching
The year dīngwèi (丁未), January 30, 1967 CE.
All things arise from the mind alone.
Subdue the dragon, tame the tiger — refine the original spirit.
Turn inward and find the self-existent one — seek bodhi there.
Prajñā is thus — board the far shore.
All forms and appearances are false,
Like dew, like lightning, like bubbles on water.
Sudden and gradual — both methods are known to all,
But within them lies a hidden mechanism: understand it, and you see clearly.
I am Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch.
Today, by imperial decree of Heaven, I come to this buddha-hall.
I pay my respects to the Heavenly Throne, and greet the assembled worthies.
I take up the wooden brush and offer a brief instruction.
Ha ha.
The true secret and wondrous treasure are now revealed in the dust of the world.
Since the beginning of time, when has there ever been such an hour?
In former days, Shakyamuni held the Heavenly mandate in his palm.
In the Red Sun era, he was called the World-Honored One.
Carrying forward the past and opening the future, the transmission was from one to one —
The wondrous Dao passed in secret through twenty-eight patriarchs.
Bodhidharma came east, and the Dao turned in darkness.
Shenguang severed his arm and received the pointing of the Valley-Spirit.
The Way that can be spoken is not the constant Way — the times turn.
The name that can be named is not the constant name — there is only one gate.
Huineng received the succession as Sixth Patriarch.
From that moment, the Dao lineage passed to the laity.
People of the world do not understand the meaning of the Heavenly Mandate.
They insist the Dao still resides within the monastic gate.
But the heart-method is the seal of heart upon heart —
How could it ever be transmitted on paper?
Alas! A whole generation of monks and clergy
Still searching the sutras for the true Dharma!
The supreme vehicle, the great Dharma, has no form or image.
The heart-seal and wondrous treasure are self-evident.
The Dao has been transmitted among householders for a long time now.
The time, the destiny — now it passes to the common people.
The eighteenth generation is the lineage of the child —
By Heaven's mandate they are sent to save the original people.
The great literary destiny opens, and the three realms are crossed.
Above, the gods and star-spirits are delivered.
In the middle, the multitudes of beings are delivered.
Below, the ghost-souls of the underworld are delivered.
Ten thousand gates and ten thousand teachings have no Heavenly Mandate.
Who dares claim they can deliver all three realms?
Receive the single pointing from a bright teacher,
And you transcend the five elements and escape the King of Hell.
The divine Dao uses teaching as its method — this is not human power.
Heaven borrows human effort to transform the cosmos.
Those with the affinity hear the call and reach the shore of the Dao.
Enter the hall and cross the threshold — that is the wise.
First receive, then cultivate, then study deeply.
Inner and outer cultivation together — fathom the true essence.
Beneath the twin sāla trees, your original nature is clear.
The towering six-foot frame is the golden body.
Look outward at form — already there is no form.
Look inward at mind — already there is no mind.
Look from afar at non-action — reach perfect stillness.
In the midst of emptiness, wondrous being — profound and deep.
Our Buddha taught people to fly beyond the four marks.
Sweep away the three minds and they vanish into smoke.
The three teachings speak in different words,
But the wondrous principle within them shares a single root.
The Red Sun era has run its course, and those who completed the Dao have departed.
Now, in the White Sun era, Maitreya is honored.
Cultivate the transcendent Dharma while remaining at home —
This is not the same as deviant paths and side-gate teachings.
What a pity that the people of the world are sunk so deep in delusion!
They regard the Heavenly Dao as empty words.
Worthies beneath the altar, prepare yourselves quickly!
Receive the Dao, establish virtue, build meritorious deeds.
Know that the Heavenly Dao is supremely precious.
It does not descend except at the appointed time — the White Sun has arrived.
Becoming a buddha or a patriarch: here is the means.
Aspiring to sagehood or worthiness: the running is your own.
This rare opportunity is the truth of the sincere.
Beautiful years do not return — do not miss this hour.
Where you can cultivate, cultivate quickly.
Where you can do meritorious work, deliver people quickly.
Only because the calamities of the Third Period are so heavy,
Human life is like trampled grass — how it breaks the heart.
Before long the great earth will change again.
If you do not seek the Peach Blossom Spring, where will you hide?
Those who know the times will turn back quickly.
Do not cling to delusion and sink further.
If you do not believe, then wait and watch what comes.
One day, the tribulation will shake your very soul.
I leave behind these plain and common words.
I hope the assembly will not let them pass in one ear and out the other.
I now take my leave of the Mother and bid farewell to the assembly.
The writing-brush is stilled, the phoenix-luan is set down, and I ascend on auspicious clouds.
Ha ha.
I withdraw.
Master Yinguang's "Seeking the Dao" Record
Republic Year 31 (1942 CE), the year rénwǔ (壬午), May 23. Master Yinguang, at Suzhou, comes to the altar to form a bond with his disciples.
Introductory verse by Ji Gong:
North and south, the Dao is spread to rescue the original children.
Beneath the screen, the water flows like the sound of weeping.
The Dao is transmitted across three thousand worlds in the cosmos.
It rescues the suffering and supports the endangered — for the Great Unity of the world.
The age has reached the Third Period, and the final tribulation has come.
The numbers of destiny are fixed and allow no leniency.
The Heavenly Dao, the true principle — wondrous and effortless.
Immortals and buddhas descend in disguise into the red dust of the world.
I am Ji Gong of the Southern Screen. By command of the Mother, I act on behalf of the atmospheric immortal Yinguang and bring him to this buddha-hall. I pay my respects to the August Emperor on High. May the assembled disciples be at peace.
I announce to those gathered before the altar: let no one make a sound.
Yinguang has come to the Dharma-altar today because the Emperor on High is merciful and the immortals and buddhas have earnestly interceded on his behalf, and so he is permitted to descend.
I now set down the writing-brush and let him take it.
Ha ha. I stop.
Yinguang's opening verse:
The Dao of India has returned to the Central Plain —
Yinguang, bringing glory to his lineage, finds natural joy.
This Dharma-body is, in truth, a nature bestowed by Heaven.
The bond between teacher and disciple is deeper than words can say.
I regret the past — how bitterly I sigh!
I hate that my virtue was too thin to receive the transmission.
Under no circumstances should this beautiful chance be missed —
All my hopes have come to nothing, and my heart is torn apart.
I am Yinguang. By decree of the Empress Mother, I follow the Living Buddha to this altar. I step into the buddha-hall. I prostrate one hundred times before the Mother and give thanks for her boundless mercy. I greet all the assembled worthies with a bow. And I ask — are all my disciples well?
Today is an auspicious time, a good and fated meeting. And through the Living Buddha's help, I am able to come.
Ha ha.
Alas! Alas!
I take up the brush
and address the assembly:
listen to what I must say.
When I think back
on those years,
the tears fall without ceasing.
I cannot help it —
I, the monk Yinguang,
am filled with grief and sighing.
I sigh for all the world's
people of cultivation
who do not know the true transmission.
In the past,
I too was like the rest of you —
I did not understand.
Now at last
I see clearly,
but my regret comes too late.
Today I am able
to come because the Living Buddha
has helped me write these words.
If not for his help,
I could not have
delivered this message at all.
The reason is
that I never received the Dao,
and so I cannot return to Principle Heaven.
Though I practiced good deeds,
I could only attain the rank
of an atmospheric immortal.
In my life
I was a person
whose heart was set on compassion.
I saw through
the dust of the world
and entered the mountain wilderness.
I lived upon
the mountain crags,
practicing hard and bitter cultivation.
My heart was firm
and resolute —
I had no wish to cling to the mortal world.
But who could have known
that when my time was spent,
I had not escaped the six paths?
In the year of the dragon
I departed life
and reached only the atmospheric heaven.
I despise my former years
of blind cultivation
when I did not understand the true Dao.
I did not know
that the true Pure Land
is the Mysterious Gate itself.
Though I kept
the deepest stillness,
I did not comprehend the ultimate principle.
It seems that after all
I never penetrated
the root and source of the nature and principle.
While I lived,
my heart loved goodness,
and my disciples revered me.
Those who studied under me
continued day and night
reciting and chanting the sutras.
They all believed
that chanting the scriptures
could free them from birth and death.
But how could they have known
that the Pure Land method
cannot break the cycle of rebirth?
You must understand:
we have now reached
the age of the White Sun.
The heavenly seasons have turned,
and Maitreya Buddha
holds the mandate of Heaven.
The methods I practiced —
the Red Sun Dharma —
have already become the past.
Spending every day
reciting the scriptures —
still you cannot escape the six paths.
Born and dying,
dying and born,
the cycle never ceases.
Within the four births,
amid the six paths,
transformation takes ten thousand forms.
Fortunately for me,
while I lived in the world
I never committed evil.
And so when I came
to the end of my life,
my face was filled with smiles.
My disciples
all believed
my merit was complete and my fruit fulfilled.
But how could they know
that without the true credential
I could not return to Principle Heaven?
The reason is
that the numbers of destiny had turned
and the White Sun era had secretly begun.
The tribulation gathers the wicked,
and the Dao rescues the virtuous —
jade and stone are sorted into their ranks.
All the buddhas and children of destiny
have been commanded
to descend in disguise into the world,
to spread the great Dao
and ferry the original people —
to help complete the great gathering.
When I think of how,
while in the world,
I never sought the true Dao,
and how I missed
this auspicious bond —
my regret is beyond all measure.
Now, though I understand
how precious the Heavenly Dao is,
I no longer have a body of flesh.
Without a body,
to "seek the Dao"
is truly and terribly difficult.
Yet even as
an atmospheric immortal,
it is still possible to "seek the Dao."
But my merit
is too small,
and I cannot attain the true transmission.
My only hope
is that my disciples
will cultivate diligently,
so that perhaps
I too may share
in some reflected light from their merit.
Why must even
an atmospheric immortal
still "seek the Dao"?
Because the catastrophe
of the Yánkāng kalpa
is drawing near before our very eyes.
When that time comes,
not even the sun, moon, and stars
can escape destruction.
How much less can I,
a mere minor immortal
of the atmospheric heaven?
Today I have come
to this Dharma-altar
to speak to you with an honest heart.
I urge my disciples:
do not hesitate!
Rush to the Gate of the Sun!
And for those disciples
who have not yet
"sought the Dao" —
I beg those of you
who have received the Dao
to go and spread the word.
Persuade them
to seek the Dao
and take a teacher without delay.
Then I too,
in the atmospheric heaven,
can rest easy in my heart.
In the future,
if my disciples
can make some progress,
perhaps they may
even move
the Emperor on High to extend his mercy.
You must understand:
only by receiving the Three Treasures
can you illuminate your nature.
Only when you understand your nature
can you truly
become an immortal or a buddha.
The great Dao and its principle,
though it has
no form and no image,
within it contains
Heaven and Earth
and gives birth to all ten thousand things.
While I was alive,
I also knew
about the true principle and the great Dao.
But because
I never received the pointing,
all my knowledge was in vain.
I thought that
chanting the sutras
was the most exalted practice.
How could I have known
that what has form
is nothing but illusion?
I still hope
that those disciples
who have not yet "sought the Dao"
will stop
once and for all
looking at the sky from the bottom of a well.
If you still refuse
to change your heart
and turn back,
I fear that when the time comes
you will want to seek the Dao
and find it impossible.
Though it is true
that cultivating the Pure Land
is one Dharma among many,
the true Pure Land
is absolutely not found
in chanting the scriptures.
If you can
seek the Heavenly Dao,
everything will become clear at once.
When the bright teacher
gives you the pointing,
suddenly all is illuminated — everything is plain.
The true Heavenly Dao,
since ancient times,
has been transmitted in secret, one to one.
Were it not for
the Third Period,
this wondrous mystery could never be known.
I urge the assembly:
break through
your stubborn opinions!
Quickly, quickly
seek the Heavenly Dao
and see the dust of the world for what it is.
Today I have come
to this altar,
and my heart is filled with sorrow.
When I remember
what happened before,
it is as if a knife were piercing my heart.
If I had known
that chanting the sutras
could not transcend birth and death,
I would certainly
have boarded the Dharma-ship
and sought the true transmission.
Now, though I regret it,
it is already
too late for regret.
Who told me
to be so stubborn
in my opinions while I lived?
At this point
the Living Buddha gives the order
for me to return.
I can only
set down the writing-brush
and speak no further.
I set down the brush
and look out at my disciples:
go quickly and spread the Dao!
I urge the assembly:
seek the Dao quickly!
Do not delay even a moment!
The road to the Western Heaven
is one hundred and eight thousand miles,
but a single pointing reaches it in an instant.
This shows you
that the true Heavenly Dao
is not ordinary.
What my heart
holds and longs for
cannot be said in a single word.
I will only wait
for the day
when I may come again to write.
I set down the writing-brush
and prostrate before the Mother,
giving thanks for her great mercy.
I ask the senior worthies
to correct and arrange
this record of my words.
I bow once more
to the assembly of worthies
with a parting salutation.
And I bid farewell
to my disciples —
may we meet again another day.
Alas! Alas!
I withdraw.
Jesus Christ's First Teaching
June 16, 1950 CE, the year gēngyín (庚寅). The Christian disciple Dé Lán (德蘭) and others at the Zhāodé Altar (昭德壇) in Hong Kong reverently request instruction. Jesus the Savior descends to the altar to deliver this teaching.
Moonlight illuminates three thousand worlds;
Wisdom-nature penetrates the Mysterious Gate.
Master and disciple — you know who I am;
The Mother is burdened with the great matter.
Whether brightness or darkness — that is not for humans to decide;
A single pointing can free you from the abyss beneath the hanging horse.
Those who have virtue should advance swiftly;
Those of orchid-fragrance and jade-body should cultivate goodness.
I am Yuèhuì, your Teacher-Mother. By command of the Mother's compassionate decree, together with Jesus, I descend to this dharma-altar.
I enter the buddha-hall. I bow and pay my respects to the Heavenly Mother.
Dear worthy disciples — have you been well these recent days? The times are urgent. The days and months pass swiftly. The great matter of your future should be attended to quickly — do not squander these beautiful days and golden years. I am especially concerned for Dé Lán, worthy disciple. You have encountered the Holy Dao — this is because in former days you established a good karmic bond with the Lord. The causes of the past bear their fruit today — it is no accident. The Lord has been compassionate to you. You received a single pointing from the Master and have been counted among the worthy disciples. And so, moved by this, Jesus himself comes today to this altar. Be reverent and still. Listen carefully to the good news, and let it open your circle of confusion. Ha ha! The time has come — the Lord now takes the brush and speaks. I withdraw.
Jehovah — pointing out a single line of light. Awaken — you lost lambs on the wayward road.
Salvation for believers — the blessed realm is right before your eyes. The Lord today — his voice assists Yuèhuì and the Elder Zhang.
I am the Savior of the former age, Christ, Jesus. By command of Jehovah, the Lord God, together with Yuèhuì, the Savior of the present age, I descend to this buddha-hall.
I bow to God and greet you all — Point-Transmitting Masters and disciples, are you well? They call me the Lord of the Western religion. Yet I have also been to the East. They call me "the Savior" — and today I come to this place. They say I was born in Judea — but was I not also an "Immortal Buddha," a "Dharma King"? On this thirty-first Holy-Year sabbath day, for the sake of my disciple Dé Lán, I have come especially to deliver these wondrous instructions. I bless you! I long for you! Awaken! Receive my pure and sincere counsel. Ha ha.
Raise a towering ambition that pierces the sky.
Let your faith be firm and immovable.
A household of fragrant osmanthus — noble and upright.
Elegant and refined, neither common nor leaning.
The deep roots of former days bear rich fruit today.
Lay a foundation and rest secure forever.
Do you understand the opportunity of the Primordial Age?
Know for yourself how deep or shallow your steps have been.
The last days have grown urgent.
Seek the great road to the Kingdom of Heaven — quickly!
In sincere prayer, kneel and cultivate.
The truth upon the cross.
O Lord! On behalf of the believers, I plead for the wellspring of life. Believers! Understand — I plead on your behalf out of my heart's deepest longing to save you. The anguished earth is a bottomless abyss, full of sin. Who will take pity? The last days ordained by God are already before your eyes. Satan has come out from his prison and gone forth to deceive the households of every land. Gog and Magog wage war in succession. Their numbers are already like the sand of the sea. The demons of this chaotic age have filled the earth. This is the day of the final judgment. Whether on the sea or on the land, all shall be judged by God according to what is written in the Book of Life. Ha ha! My instruction pauses here — let the writing-brush be repaired, and I shall return to the altar. This is the golden hall of judgment.
Believers! Do not despair. I have already opened a new path for you. Those who know repentance, those who know life — I will lead you all into a new heaven and earth, a paradise of happiness. All those whose names are in the "Book of the Lamb" may receive the Savior's guidance, and their blessings shall endure forever and ever. This is one of God's palaces — the very ship that will carry you beyond suffering.
Remember — ever since you ate the forbidden fruit and were cast down into the world, year after year you have labored over the soil of your land. Where is your peaceful home? Believer — Dé Lán! You pray to me morning and evening, and I too am always thinking of you. You can never forget me, and I too am always bestowing blessings at your side. You returned to my embrace forty years ago, on the evening of the second day of the third month, when you sent forth your heart of faith to return to the Lord. O admirable Dé Lán! O longed-for Dé Lán! But the wheel of the age is turning. God's dispensation is shifting. Though Satan fills the earth, the true good news has also been revealed in the mortal world.
Ah! This sinful present is the last year of the prophecy. Though you have been praying to me, my Heavenly Mandate has already passed to a new age. You speak of the "five religions" being different — but in Heaven, are we not two and two and three, all beloved children of God, sent down in different periods to be born in the world?
The terrifying last days — the Heavenly Mandate to save all beings — rests now on the shoulders of the Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì. They are the Saviors of this present age, God's most trusted and devoted servants. He is the bright lamp of this generation and the compass of the last days. He is the shepherd who rescues the "lost lambs." "Noah's Ark" has already appeared in the world. He is God's lifeline. All of us in Heaven should lend our strength!
Ah! Believer Dé Lán, awaken! Do you understand? The angel of fortune stands right before you. You are the most fortunate of disciples. The "truth of the cross," hidden for two thousand years, is now laid open before you.
I urge you, believers! Understand this point. Do not treat these words as idle speech. I once redeemed your sins. On the day of my resurrection, I still thought of my disciples. What stands before you now is the place of your repentance — this is God's own palace. The prophecy of two thousand years is only now made plain. Today is the true day of "returning to the Lord."
The Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì have been entrusted by Heaven to carry out the final remnant of the great work. Believers, awaken! The Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì have received God's command to rescue all disciples. The Eastern Land — China — is today's Holy Land. Jerusalem has moved to the Eastern River. I urge the believers to understand this turning.
O unwise and confused disciples, awaken! Your dreams and illusions are pitifully foolish! You wait for me to descend at the end of days — but how could I be born again in Bethlehem of Judea? Mary has already become a mother of the past. Confused disciples! Do not cling to old attachments.
At this hour, God has opened his grace and revealed the truth. He awakens the confused and leads them together onto the dharma-ship of awakening. At this moment, the world's end has arrived — those who do not seek the "true Dharma of the last days" are pitiable beyond measure. Now God, in his compassion, has sent down the Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì to carry out the gathering-in of the five religions.
I urge all disciples — awaken early from the great dream! Be the first to board "Noah's" ship.
Believer Dé Lán — do not long for me any longer. I will help you from the unseen. The Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì are the Saviors of this age. Transfer the faith you have in me to the Savior — the Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì. Do not hesitate. Devote yourself to the Heavenly Dao and spread the true transmission on Heaven's behalf. Accept my pure and sincere words. Rally yourself and press forward!
Believer Dé Lán, awaken! The confused dream of more than two thousand years is broken today. Ever since you ate the forbidden fruit and descended to the world — that single beautiful and radiant fruit of life — who would have known it was the single pointing of today? Dé Lán, my disciple — the new life that the Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì give you, you must carry forward with all your strength! Remember my words. I will surely lead you back to the Garden of Eden in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ah! "The Kingdom of Heaven is near." God is waiting for you! I am longing for you! You are beyond compare among believers. You are the most fortunate of disciples, the happiest and most envied of all! The seeds planted by religious teachings alone — how can they save you from the abyss of suffering? The time has come. Heaven grants a single thread.
Carry the Lord's children, together with yourself, back to the Kingdom of Heaven — deliver them from the abyss of sinking. Do not long for me any longer.
The hour is late. I must return. Remember my words today — engrave them in your heart. You are the disciple I long for most. I hope your sincere heart is moved. Until we meet again — farewell, Dé Lán! I return now! I take my leave of God, and together with Yuèhuì, I return to the Infinite!
The Almighty, God, has already spoken and poured out his heart to all the world. From the land of the rising sun to the land of the setting sun, all shall bow before the Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì, the Bodhisattvas! This is the one and only "ship of salvation."
Ah! All peoples! Together let us sing praise to the Savior, God, Jehovah!
Ha ha. I withdraw!
Jesus Christ — Kind Teaching (2)
Changhua Bodhi Garden, Taiwan. 1978, the 28th day of the 11th lunar month.
I pray to God that all people may have the wisdom to awaken. I have poured out all my heart's blood, hoping that my Christian believers will swiftly seek the Heavenly Dao. The truth is no longer in books. Seek the pointing of the Enlightened Teacher — only then can every gate within you be opened. You must no longer merely sing hymns of praise and worship! What matters is to go and save your brothers and sisters.
Do not doubt any longer. Those who truly cultivate will surely return to the homeland of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Today's resurrection is also next year's resurrection — for eternity, for ten thousand years. This is the one point of spiritual light, neither born nor perishing. This is the very goal you seek, your compass.
Jesus Christ — Kind Teaching (3)
Bandung, Indonesia. 1991, the 10th day of the 10th lunar month. Manifested through spirit-possession (借竅顯化).
…In order to confirm that the five religions return to one, in order to confirm the truth of the Heavenly Dao — every sentence of the scriptures is true and not empty. God is the truth itself. It is only because the hearts of worldly people have fallen into confusion that they divide themselves into rival sects and quarrel. Believe in the True Lord and you will have eternal life. You are all children of the Heavenly Father. Plainly — God IS the Heavenly Father. Worship God with heart and spirit as one. Those who recognize me, worship me. Pray silently and the True Lord will know.
The laying on of hands that was foretold — it is the Enlightened Teacher's pointing of the aperture. The cross bestowed upon the forehead conceals the agate and the precious stone. The laying on of hands — do you know what it is? It is the same gesture your Enlightened Teacher makes when giving the pointing. And so the scriptures of every religion are in agreement.
I have many disciples here — that is why I have come to manifest! I have come to confirm the Three Treasures. The laying on of hands in those days — have you heard of the baptism? The laying on of hands is like this — (Jesus the sage demonstrates, his gesture resembling the Enlightened Teacher's pointing of the Dao) — is this not the Enlightened Teacher's single pointing? Only those who bear the seal of the cross upon them can escape disaster and calamity.
"God loves the world" — this "God" is your own heart-spirit, your original spirit. After you have received the Dao and its seal, your names are registered in the Kingdom of Heaven. To return to the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter — the Kingdom of Heaven is the Infinite, it is Principle Heaven. So when you come to "seek the Dao," you are enrolling — you are becoming citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Do you understand? After you have received the Dao, the five words are sealed heart-to-heart, sealed within your heart. Do you hear?
When I finished the laying on of hands, I took up a small child — this is your Third Treasure, the hands holding the mudra. Only by returning to the heart of an infant can you return to the Kingdom of Heaven. And so the truth of every religion is the same.
…The truth never changes. But people of later ages — my own disciples — misunderstood the meaning. They thought that hanging a cross upon their chest could shield them from calamity. No. The cross is in your heart. It is right here — (Jesus the sage traces the character "十" upon his face) — hereafter, neither war nor pestilence can harm you. Those who will be harmed are those who have not received the seal.
…The scriptures of every religion confirm the same truth. Your Enlightened Teachers — they were the ones I revealed in those days. Those who take up this responsibility are the pillars of the holy temple. They bear the Heavenly mandate. They carry out the Heavenly work. The Heavenly destiny flows on and on without ceasing. The founders of every religion save the destined ones of their own religion. Different roads, one destination — all return to the realm of Principle!
The good news of the Kingdom of Heaven spreads across the world,
for the appointed time is pressing near.
The last days bring judgment — the wheat is sorted from the tares;
the chaff must surely be cast aside.
Blessed are the holy people of Jehovah;
open your eyes of wisdom and recognize the truth.
Take up the True Person of the cross upon your body;
light the dawn-fire of the spirit.
Pray sincerely in silence and feel the will of God;
know that the Heavenly Father shields and guards you.
Look upon the earth — it is filled with wickedness;
the end of the world is no empty word.
How many in this world are still lost in delusion,
unable to tell the true from the false, trapped in hell?
The end of the world is no empty word;
let the lambs awaken and know the truth within.
Seek the Elder Zhang with all your heart and find the root;
find freedom, joy, and peace.
The Saviors of the last days of the Third Period —
the Elder Zhang Tianran and his successors.
Listen to this voice of deep and tender care;
do not sink any longer into the past.
Holiness and love are with you;
take your brothers by the hand and walk together.
The seal of eternal life endures through all ages;
may the people of the world find lasting peace.
Amen — those who believe in me shall have eternal life.
(I do not mean the false self of Jesus' fleshly body, but the true spiritual self that every person possesses.)
Welcome — join the ranks of the shepherds. Light the bright lamp. Carry the voice of God's heart. Guide the lambs. Walk toward the broad and open road ahead. Uphold the truth.
Do not resist the truth. Let the goodness of Jehovah transform the helpless heart. Lay down your sorrows and grievances and build a foundation of faith and sincerity. Let your faith stand upon the rock and abide. Do not let the filth of the world stain your spirit or cast you into the snare of Satan. Walk uprightly — those who are not forsaken shall receive mercy. Ah! The grace and love of God — how vast they are! Let all the world share in this glory. Turn from darkness. Hold fast to the truth. Let wisdom be opened within you. Seek the Elder Zhang and Yuèhuì quickly — let them deliver you from misfortune. They teach you to do good not out of compulsion but out of joyful delight.
Lead your brothers and sisters together, step by step, up to the Garden of Eden. Glory and radiance, forever and ever. With this I take my leave of God. May truth and happiness abide with you always. Amen! I withdraw.
Jesus Christ — Kind Teaching (4)
…Worthy ones, you have all received the grace of the Heavenly Kindness and Teacher's Virtue, and have come to know the Three Treasures that the Enlightened Teacher transmits. In the past, I too spoke of the Three Treasures — only I did so through hidden metaphor. In the original text of the scriptures there is a passage — Luke, Chapter 11: "The eye is the lamp of the body."
"Body" is the body. "Lamp" is a lamp. "Eye" is the window of the soul — the eye. Why did I record this mysterious line for the people of the world to contemplate? Worthy ones — are your eyes singular, or a pair? Are they not two? [Yes.] Since they are a normal pair of eyes, the grammatical form naturally takes an "S" — making it "Eyes." Yet the profound mystery of the scripture lies in this: I wrote "Eye" without adding "S." Because it does not refer to the physical eyes of the body — it refers to the self-nature. Ordinary people do not notice this. They think it is simply about the eyes. In truth, it signifies one's own self-nature at the Mysterious Gate. The meaning is: that Eye is a bright lamp within the body.
There is another passage recorded: "The Kingdom of God is in your midst." In English: "Your midst." "Midst" — the very center. Why did I say I would die upon the cross? On one hand, to carry away the sins of all beings. On the other, to tell all destined beings that they should direct themselves to their own original nature at the Mysterious Gate and diligently cultivate the Dao. Looking at it this way — did I not teach the Three Treasures in those days? [Yes.] Only my followers did not understand that "midst" is a confirmation of the Mysterious Gate.
The Second Treasure is the oral secret. In those days, I had already told all my disciples that it cannot be spoken aloud. In Revelation I said: "What the Spirit says to the churches — let all who have ears hear clearly. To the one who conquers I will give the fruit of the Tree of Life in the garden of God" — the Tree of Life, which some have translated as "the food that sustains life," and others have translated as "manna"; the various translations differ, but the meaning is the same — "and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed. No one can know it except the one who has received the Dao — and it cannot be spoken." On the stone is inscribed a new name. This new name cannot be spoken. Except for those who have received the Enlightened Teacher's pointing and thereby received the Dao and recognize it — no one else knows.
Did your Point-Transmitting Masters not instruct you that the Wordless True Scripture cannot be spoken? [Yes.] Because the True Scripture is not on paper! When I transmitted this teaching in those days, I spoke to all my disciples at once — and so at that time no one could comprehend it. But for you — is it not perfectly clear at a single glance? Just as when the World-Honored One, at the assembly on Vulture Peak, held up a flower before the assembly — who smiled? Mahākāśyapa smiled, his face breaking into understanding. Worthy ones — having received the Enlightened Teacher's pointing that breaks open the gate of life and death, naturally you smile with sudden understanding: So that is what it was. Is it not so? [Yes.]
The Third Treasure is the mudra. In the past I often said: you must truly return to the likeness of a small child or an infant — only then can you come to see me, only then can you enter my Kingdom of Heaven. And I will lay my hands upon you.
The mudra: Zi and Hai embrace each other, held in the bosom. When you receive the Three Treasures, in the invisible realm the infant of Zi and Hai enters the realm of the Eternal Mother — which is the realm of the Kingdom of Heaven. Because in the Kingdom of Heaven, all the sages, immortals, and buddhas share this state of heart: pure, innocent, and radiant — like an infant, like a small child. The Daoists say: "Can you concentrate your vital breath to the utmost softness and become like an infant? Embrace the origin, hold to the One, and reach the highest good." If you cannot return to the likeness of an infant, you cannot return to the realm of the Kingdom of Heaven. And if you slander those who transmit the Dao, or slander the sages, immortals, and buddhas, you will surely meet with natural disaster and human calamity. Do you understand? [Yes.]
The Dao has no words — people speak on its behalf. The Dharma is not fixed — it opens through skillful means. When beings are lost, teach them diligently. To be without fault, there is only faith. Worthy ones, do you have faith in the great Dao? [Yes.] The five religions work together to universally deliver the Three Realms. You should diligently cultivate the Dao and awaken to the Dao, and escape this final tribulation.
A death can be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a goose feather. Choose carefully, and a splendid future awaits. Though you will meet wind and rain, trials and tempering — if you can hold firm with unwavering will and press through the pass, you will surely break through every obstacle and reach the ideal goal. If you cannot, you will slowly fall back, remain where you are, trapped in the mortal world, unable to find liberation.
Mùlián's Testimony
July 26, 1993 CE, the year guǐyǒu (癸酉). Mùlián (目蓮), also known as Maudgalyāyana — one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, foremost in supernatural powers — descends through spirit-possession (借竅) at a Yiguandao assembly in Bandung, Indonesia, to share his testimony on filial piety, the origin of the Ghost Festival, and the dangers of supernatural powers.
Mùlián rescued his mother — his filial piety moved Heaven.
The Buddha's Sutra of Filial Piety tells of the Yulanpen.
The Venerable One was first in supernatural powers,
Yet could not escape the heretics who destroyed his body.
I am one of the Buddha's ten great disciples — the Venerable Mùlián. By command of the Eternal Mother's sacred decree, I have come to this buddha-hall. In secret I pay my respects to the Mother's throne.
Bodhisattvas and arhats, greetings to you all!
Please, be seated.
Since ancient times until now, so many bodhisattvas have been moved to their awakening through filial piety. The Bodhisattva Dizang — it was filial piety that moved Heaven. The Bodhisattva Guanyin — it was filial piety that moved Heaven. I, the Venerable Mùlián — it was filial piety that moved Heaven. Since ancient times, only those who are truly filial can move Heaven and Earth and the ghosts and spirits. Without a filial heart, without honoring your father and mother, Heaven and Earth will not protect you. The reason I have come today is to talk with you about filial piety, and to talk with you about supernatural powers.
Among the Buddha's ten great disciples, I, the Venerable Mùlián, am foremost in supernatural powers. My family was well-off. In those days, before I received the true Dharma, the four fruits of the side-path that I cultivated were not the ultimate attainment. I used my supernatural powers to roam the human world at play. At that time, during Shakyamuni Buddha's era of the true Dharma, the heretical paths were very prevalent. And so in this place — Bandung — various religions have various supernatural arts. But these are not the supreme great Dharma. There is much about them that you do not understand.
The reason we can all "receive the Dao" today is because the Buddha appeared in the world to universally save all beings. Only because the true Dharma exists and the true Dao exists can you receive the Dao and be liberated from birth and death. How much more so now, when you have received the grace of the Heavenly Kindness and Teacher's Virtue and have even been able to attend this class! It is now the seventh month — commonly called the Ghost Month — when the gates of the underworld are flung wide open. The folk custom of universal salvation — offering fish and meat to "the good brothers" — you should understand the real meaning of this.
It all began because my mother destroyed the Buddha-Dharma. She slandered the Dao and defamed the virtuous. Her sins were boundless, and so she fell into the Hell of Unceasing Torment. At that time I was a disciple of the Buddha. My supernatural powers were vast. I used my supernatural powers to enter into hell, and I saw my mother suffering there. I used my alms-bowl to transform food and bring it to her — but it turned into a ball of fire. I transformed water for my mother to drink — and it turned into blood. My mother had no merit to receive even these. When I saw my mother suffering in hell, tormented and burning, I returned to beg the Buddha for his compassion. The Buddha then told me that my mother had slandered the Three Treasures. Which Three Treasures? The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Now the Heavenly Dao has the Three Treasures of the Self-Nature: taking refuge in the Buddha of the Self-Nature, taking refuge in the Dharma of the Self-Nature, taking refuge in the Sangha of the Self-Nature. These are the Heavenly Dao's Three Treasures of the Self-Nature.
But my mother had created much karma of the mouth, and she had caused monks and nuns to break their precepts. So, bodhisattvas and arhats, you must be cautious! You must not slander — or you will suffer the torments of hell. Every religion is the same in this. Be careful. Every person has the responsibility to protect the Dao, and there is merit in protecting the Dao-hall. If you do not protect the Dao-hall — if, as a fellow Dao-member, as a lecturer, as an altar-master, you speak gossip and slander the Dao-hall — you have created boundless sin. All that sin will fall upon you, and you will be unable to bear it. And so, in those days, my mother fell into hell precisely because she destroyed the Sangha and the Dao. I returned and knelt before the Buddha, begging him to save my mother. Because of all the virtues, filial piety comes first. Of all evils, lust is the worst. I wept and pleaded with the Buddha, and at last the Buddha said: if you wish to save your mother, prepare a feast of one hundred flavors of vegetarian food and offer it to the Sangha in universal salvation. This is the origin of the Universal Salvation ceremony.
I used a basin and placed one hundred flavors of vegetarian food inside it, and made offerings to the Sangha in all ten directions. Because during the seventh month the gates of the underworld are flung wide open, and all the spirits and immortal-practitioners from every cave and grotto are released on that day. So the first thing I had to do was make offerings to the Sangha — only then could I atone for my mother's sin of slandering the Sangha, and turn the merit over to my mother. Then I also had to recite the sutras and perform rites to deliver all the wronged souls and ghostly creditors — whether those who died on the road, those who drowned in the water, all of them, every kind — during the seventh month, the Buddha grants a great amnesty so they can be delivered. And on the fifteenth of the seventh month, the Universal Salvation can deliver ancestors up to three generations back. But at that time, this power was very small.
Now, in the White Yang Dao-hall, the grace of the Heavenly Kindness and Teacher's Virtue is vast. You do not need to perform this kind of Universal Salvation. You need only cultivate the Dao with a sincere heart, take the vegetarian vow, and establish a buddha-hall. If you bring someone to receive the Dao, you can elevate one generation of parents. If you bring even more people, you can elevate a second generation — your grandparents. But people today have twisted the meaning of Universal Salvation. They think that when we make offerings on the fifteenth of the seventh month, we are worshipping ghosts and spirits — praying to "good brothers" to protect the household's peace, to bless them and help them make money. Wrong! Those of us who cultivate the Dao take the Buddha as our friend. We take the bodhisattvas and arhats as our brothers and sisters — not ghosts and goblins and strange spirits. Would you really want ghosts and goblins as your brothers? This is the true origin of the Universal Salvation. And so the Buddha, out of reverence for the importance of filial piety, established the Yulanpen Assembly. The dharma-ceremony that the temples perform on the fifteenth of the seventh month — that is the Great Water-Repentance Assembly. And the Yulanpen Assembly — that is the ceremony for delivering one's parents and dedicating merit on their behalf.
The Red Yang period of understanding the Dao and returning home has turned. Now the age has turned to the Third Yang — the era of the Venerable Maitreya. Now the Elder Zhang and his successors bear the mandate. You have all been fortunate enough to encounter the Heavenly Dao. Having "received the Dao," you should practice the greatest filial piety. For those whose parents have passed on — once the children "receive the Dao," the parents and ancestors in the underworld are given brocade robes to wear, and in the Sutra-Listening Hall of the underworld they listen to the buddhas expound the Dharma. Each person holds a lotus flower. If their children and grandchildren cultivate well, the lotus blooms beautifully. If their children and grandchildren cultivate poorly, the lotus withers. If you can go further and practice the greatest filial piety by performing the rite of elevation for your parents, they can ascend to the Celestial Buddha Academy, the Immortal Buddha Academy, and the Examination Court to receive official posts and positions, and they can appear in various places to transform and inspire others. This is the Eternal Mother's grace — one child achieves the Dao, and nine generations of ancestors ascend to Heaven. So do not look down upon this White Yang Universal Salvation. It delivers upward to the stars of the River of Heaven, delivers in the middle realm the arhats, bodhisattvas, and all faithful men and women, and delivers downward to the ghosts and souls of the underworld. A thousand years must pass before such an opportunity comes again — do not take it lightly.
You have all had affinities with the Buddha across many lifetimes. It is because you have this karmic bond that you have gathered together in this dharma-assembly. Like yesterday and today — to be able to attend through to the closing ceremony — your names are already registered in the Celestial Buddha Academy and you have already been promoted one rank. Do not look down on this dharma-assembly. If you come one day and miss the next, if you arrive late and leave early, if you are not present from beginning to end — if you have not completed the full class, you are not counted as a member of this class. Each class has a fixed number of members and a fixed group of classmates. Urge yourself forward! We may be well today, but tomorrow we may not have the time to come and hear the truth. So seize what is before your eyes. Seize the present moment — and you are a person of the highest wisdom.
In the Buddha's day, there were only a few dharma-assemblies. Now dharma-assemblies are held everywhere — adapting to the time, the place, and the people. This is the dignity of the Dao, and it is the compassion of your Point-Transmitting Masters. So you must be diligent. All of you bodhisattvas and arhats here — you are treasures. Because your beautiful title is "Dao-kin" — bound together through the Dao. If you have the Dao-heart, that is what the Buddha calls the heart of compassion. When everyone has compassion, they can transform and deliver all beings. Every one of you has come carrying a mission — to save those who have the affinity. We too appear and manifest in various places. The reason I have come today through spirit-possession is because I have a karmic bond with the altar-master of this class, Chéng Xuénán.
In the time of the Buddha, he and I cultivated together. (Addressing Chéng Xuénán:) Your spiritual roots are extraordinary. So the Buddha has sent me to come and talk with you, and to meet with everyone. Cultivate quickly! You have given generously — the blessings you enjoy are many. Quickly establish a buddha-hall and dedicate yourself to cultivating and serving, so that you can bring your fruition to completion. In this life you enjoy many blessings — these are the rewards of merit you cultivated in past lives. Cultivate well! Please, be seated.
Bodhisattvas and arhats, treasure this affinity that has brought you to this dharma-assembly. In former lifetimes, you were all classmates who cultivated together. It is only because of that bond that you can continue the Buddha's affinity in this life. Therefore, you should all the more attend every class and cultivate the truth. Develop the heart of compassion and deliver the multitude. Everyone can cultivate to the fruition of a buddha or bodhisattva, honored and revered by ten thousand people. The human world is fundamentally impermanent. Within impermanence, understand the true constant. The Heavenly Dao is the supreme great Dharma. Having received the Dao, cultivate the Dao — do not miss this rare opportunity.
Among the Buddha's disciples, I was foremost in supernatural powers. But supernatural powers are not the ultimate attainment. Supernatural powers cannot overcome the force of karma. Supernatural powers cannot overcome moral virtue. Supernatural powers are not all-powerful. In the Buddha's day, the heretical paths were rampant. Because I gave rise to a single thought of anger and competed with the heretics in supernatural powers, in the end the heretics struck me with stones until I was crushed to a pulp and died. In those days, the followers of the deviant paths and side-gate teachings wanted to destroy the Buddha-Dharma and harm the Buddha. So I set out to protect the Buddha-Dharma and competed with the heretics in supernatural powers. The heretics could not match me, and this caused them to harbor anger and hatred, creating a karmic bond of enmity. The heretics knew that every day I walked past the foot of the mountain, so from the mountain above they hurled stones down and struck me dead. I had supernatural powers — I knew it was coming. I could have escaped. But the Buddha said: this is karma that must be settled, because supernatural powers cannot overcome the force of karma. So the reason I have come today through spirit-possession is this — Bandung is a place where supernatural arts of every kind abound: talisman-drawing, spell-chanting, sorcery, divination, and all kinds of lesser arts. None of them are the ultimate attainment. None of them can save your own life — your spiritual life — and deliver it from the sea of suffering.
Do not be curious and go chasing after supernatural powers. A person who possesses both moral virtue and the Dao will naturally be endowed with supernatural powers. Supernatural powers are not something you learn — they arise naturally. A person without moral virtue who possesses supernatural powers will easily turn to the deviant path. That is why the Buddha naturally possesses every kind of dharma-manifestation. As long as you cultivate well, set aside the human heart and the blood-heart, cultivate the Buddha-heart, develop the heart of compassion, and save and deliver all beings — supernatural powers will come naturally. For ordinary people, learning supernatural powers is not good for you. Because the human heart is restless and disturbed — if you have supernatural powers and know what others are thinking, or know that someone intends to harm you, or know when you will die, or when disaster will strike — if your cultivation is not deep enough, you will be afraid and panicked, and you will fall into madness. Do you understand? So having supernatural powers is not a good thing.
I, as the one foremost in supernatural powers — because I knew when the heretics were coming to harm the Buddha, because I knew in advance what they were planning, I went to confront them first. A single thought of anger and hatred arose, and a million gates of obstruction opened. Where there is a buddha, there is naturally a demon to test you. Where there is the upright, there is naturally the deviant to try you. This is the universal principle of duality — it is not something human effort can reverse. Without the outer demon, one cannot achieve the Buddha-Way. Every thought that arises in the mind creates karma. So be careful with every arising thought. A single deviant thought can create boundless sin. The reason the Point-Transmitting Masters and lecturers of the present-day Dao-halls do not have supernatural powers is that Heaven has deliberately taken supernatural powers away from those who cultivate the Dao, so that they may be plain and ordinary, real and true.
So now, cultivating the Dao begins with the human way. Rectify things and extend knowledge. Make your intentions sincere and your heart upright. Of all virtues, filial piety comes first. Begin by honoring your father and mother. Since ancient times, every bodhisattva has begun from the path of filial piety. Use Confucian teaching to bring the harvest to completion, with the Buddha-Dharma as its support. Let everyone have the heart of compassion, walk the bodhisattva path, and shoulder their mission. Transform this Saha world into a Lotus Land. Turn the world into a place of peace. The root of transforming the world is to begin with yourself. People constantly fall into greed, anger, and ignorance — these three poisons are the gateway to hell. Use discipline, concentration, and wisdom to overcome greed, anger, and ignorance, and make the ground of the heart bright. Practice the Six Perfections to cross over every kind of demon: use keeping the precepts to overcome lust, use generosity to overcome greed, use patience to overcome anger, use diligence to overcome laziness, use meditative absorption to overcome scatteredness, and use wisdom to overcome foolishness. If you cultivate and serve the Dao through the Six Perfections and the ten thousand practices, then every one of you will have more than enough to achieve the Dao. You do not need to cultivate the Four Noble Truths or the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. The shortcut to achieving the Dao is to begin with rectifying things, extending knowledge, making your intentions sincere, and your heart upright.
The Three Teachings are originally one family — do not divide between you and me and him. The ten thousand dharmas return to one, and the one returns to the original root: your conscience, your Dao-heart, your Buddha-heart. Let everyone bring forth their own conscience and original heart, and naturally every person's lotus of the self-nature will bloom and radiate light.
I have taken up your time. I hope that each and every one of you will practice filial piety and move Heaven and Earth. Since ancient times, every buddha and bodhisattva achieved their fruition through filial devotion. I bless you all — may your merit and fruition be brought to completion, and may we meet again in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!
The Eternal Mother's Call
I urge my children: awaken quickly! Beneath gold mountains lie buried countless heroes and champions!
I urge my children: awaken quickly! On mounds of yellow earth, green grass dances in the spring wind — all for nothing!
I urge my children: awaken quickly! In the bitter sea, waves tower ten thousand feet, and all trace of them is lost!
I urge my children: awaken quickly! By the time you wish to honor your parents, they are gone — how deep the grief!
I urge my children: awaken quickly! Your Mother in the Infinite yearns for her original spirits — be filial, be faithful!
I urge my children: awaken quickly! Enter the holy gate, seek the true Dao, and redouble your efforts!
I urge my children: awaken quickly! Hold compassion in your heart, deliver all people, and walk the path of goodness!
Chapter 20 — Methods of Cultivating the Three Treasures
The Three Treasures are the gate, and yet you do not know how to use them. You only remember to use the Three Treasures when disaster strikes, but in ordinary times you should use them to cultivate your heart and refine your nature. Recite them often, and you will be in resonance with Maitreya and with your Teacher. When difficulties come, the response will be swift.
Ji Gong asked: "Those of you who do not use the Three Treasures before sleep at night, raise your hands." No one raised their hands. "Good — you have all made progress. When your Teacher speaks like this, it is called a reminder of love. If you do it, continue. If you do not, take encouragement."
Students, if you do not begin working within your own heart now, it will be too late. Hurry! Hurry and establish the invisible buddha-hall of your own heart. Hurry! Hurry and establish the invisible buddha-hall of your own nature. Let us cultivate the Way right there — in the buddha-hall of our own hearts, in the Way-place of our own natures. Do not be too busy with worldly affairs. Leave some time to gather your heart back in. Use the Three Treasures often, and I guarantee your cultivation will bring both joy and progress.
The Three Treasures and their heart-method — use them daily. Cultivate the heart, refine your nature, and restore your original face. Do not toss this treasure behind your head and waste Heaven's grace in spreading the Way.
The Immortal Elder of the South Pole said: "Whether busy or idle, guard the Mysterious Gate often. The Three Treasures have already been given to you — do not fail to use them. It is not only in times of difficulty that you should use them. In ordinary times, you can already be in heart-to-heart communion with Heaven."
The Presiding Examiner of the Three Heavens said: "The test of lust is terrifying — do you know that? Men and women alike. Quickly gather your hearts back. Hold the Three Treasures with a single-minded, undisturbed heart — all of you, high and low alike. Has your heart become level?"
The Supervising Director spoke plainly: "Drive out all your deviant thoughts and idle fantasies. Coming to the buddha-hall is not for scheming with your human heart. Use your Heavenly heart to conduct affairs. The universal salvation of the three realms is no child's game! Use your Three Treasures."
Ji Gong said: "The benefits and wondrous uses of the Three Treasures are too many to count, but you must apply them in daily life, apply them to yourself. When your heart is not at peace, recite the Five-Word True Scripture. When problems arise, when you cannot calm down, recite the Five-Word True Scripture — and wondrous wisdom will come. When you are confused, bow in reverence — that means asking yourself, examining yourself: why has this problem arisen? Find the root first, then resolve it. This is wondrous wisdom."
I. Methods of Guarding the Mysterious Gate — The First Treasure
Ji Gong descended and said: "Those who aspire to the Way take the practice of guarding the Mysterious Gate as the foundation stone of cultivation. Guarding the Mysterious Gate does not mean only sitting in meditation. It means that in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, you constantly gather body and mind, hold your attention before you, fix your awareness on the Mysterious Gate, and maintain this without interruption, thought after thought. When you bring your heart back to the Mysterious Gate, deviant thoughts and idle fantasies cannot arise. The thoughts that issue from the Mysterious Gate are all right thoughts — thoughts of compassion, thoughts of joyful giving, thoughts of wisdom. Gently raise your awareness to the Mysterious Gate, then use the Mysterious Gate to listen, to see, to respond to all things. In this way you are in heart-to-heart communion with your Teacher."
"A person who can often guard the Mysterious Gate in daily life — the harmonious energy that arises will naturally bring about good causes and good connections."
Ji Gong said: "Keep your attention unified at all times. Do not think of good. Do not think of evil. Do not cling. Silently recite the Five-Word True Scripture at all times. When you are free, use the Three Treasures. The Three Treasures and their heart-method that your Teacher transmitted to you — are they meant for guarding against thieves? Use the Three Treasures at every moment. Let go of the love, the pain, the worry of this human world. When debts are cleared and virtue is established, you will gradually draw near to the immortals and buddhas."
"Purifying the mouth still requires purifying the heart. Sweep away all the garbage and filth — all greed, anger, ignorance, and desire. When you see someone doing wrong, thank Heaven for giving you a lesson from another's mistake. When you see someone doing right, thank Heaven for giving you a model to follow. Truly cleanse the thoughts within your heart. Never, at any moment, depart from your buddha-nature. Do not long for love, fame, or profit. Keep the Three Treasures in your heart at every moment. For past mistakes, resolve firmly to change. Wholeheartedly, single-mindedly change yourself. Use the Three Treasures at every moment to drive away the thieves on your own body: greed, anger, and ignorance. In your idle moments, remember: silently guard the Mysterious Gate at all times, neither floating nor restless, and let your breath fill the elixir field."
Ji Gong said: "You may practice quiet sitting if you wish — you have a method that surpasses all others. They sit there doing nothing but meditating. You can do your work and still meditate, and that is because of this double person — 'the two eyes guard the Mysterious Gate while still attending to affairs.' The double person guarding the one earth, the central wù-jǐ earth: 'When the double person can guard the central earth, only then can one see one's nature.' This is not like their sitting meditation. You can cultivate outer merit and inner virtue. Cultivate long enough, and you will naturally reach the state — you will be able to calm your heart and still your breath. Not a single scripture teaches us to sit in meditation and do nothing else."
The Immortal Elder of the South Pole spoke with compassion to a class participant: "Look at me. Raise your head! The Immortal Elder wants you to look at me. Are you in great pain? You have no master within your heart! Bring out your master." The participant was speechless. "Guard your Mysterious Gate! How can I help you, you say? You must first be your own master — only then can I help you be your own master. If you can be your own master, then I can help you be your own master."
A student asked Ji Gong: "How exactly should we guard the Mysterious Gate? What is the standard method?" Ji Gong answered: "Just have both eyes guard the Mysterious Gate! Guard that place." "Of course guard that place — where else would you guard? The tip of the nose!" "Is the whole mind and intention focused on this place?" "Of course it is here. But you must observe the nose! The two eyes guarding the Mysterious Gate means observing the Mysterious Gate, correct? But you must use the nose to observe the nose!" "Both eyes looking at this place." "Yes! Two parts open, eight parts closed." "Looking at this place, then the mind and intention guarding within." "Correct! Correct!" "And in the end, it is still this way?" "Of course it must be natural! Perfectly natural!" "Does it require effort?" "No! No effort at all."
Ji Gong said: "How do you overcome yourself? First: calm down. This cannot be achieved all at once — it takes practice. Second: fix your awareness on the Mysterious Gate. Third: everything is your own fault, so you must use the Three Treasures as well. Fourth: put yourself in the other person's place. Fifth: the law of substitution — neither too fast nor too slow, following the middle way. Sixth: turn inward and examine yourself. In all things, first think carefully — is it my own fault?"
Ji Gong said: "When you settle down, hands holding the mudra, both eyes guarding the Mysterious Gate — this guarding the Mysterious Gate does not mean staring at this spot." He pointed to the place where the point was given. "That would turn you cross-eyed! When you hold something up here and look at it, do your two eyes not converge on that spot? This 'Mysterious' means 'center.' Put down all your scattered thoughts, idle thoughts, and stray thoughts. Put them down until there is nothing left to put down — what the Taiwanese call 'not a trace, not a shadow.' What the Sixth Patriarch called 'originally there is not a single thing.' That perfectly clear, perfectly pure, 'mysterious upon mysterious, the gate of all wonders.' So from the beginning I tell you to let go, to have both eyes guard the center. The center IS the Mysterious, IS the Way — not staring at this spot. Otherwise people will say, 'How strange — every Dao-relative of the Heavenly Way has crooked eyes!' That is wrong!"
Ji Gong said: "Bring your companions along! Board the other shore! Let the whole family reunite, never to scatter! Do not forget the bright lamp before your eyes! Close your eyes and guard the Mysterious Gate — see for yourself whether your own light is dim or not. In stillness, observe yourself. In action, observe one another. Open your eyes and see: is your own nature-buddha still there?"
Ji Gong said: "The True Person sitting in meditation — how does one sit? At all hours, constantly turn the light back and reflect within. Both eyes guard the Mysterious Gate, eyes eight parts closed and two parts open, watching the place that the Enlightened Teacher pointed to. Do not think of good. Do not think of evil. This is what is called 'the True Person sitting in meditation.' In walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, if you can guard the place of the True Person, you will never depart from your original nature."
The Eternal Mother descended and sent a letter to her family:
One letter I send to you — children, when you see it, turn your hearts back quickly.
The method for nourishing the body: practice diligently. The true secret for returning home — keep it in your heart.
Breathe in and breathe out the breath of the prior heaven. Nurture and preserve this one point of original truth.
This is the bright road home. If you do not cultivate it, you will have no way to see your old Mother again.
The Medicine Buddha of Lapis Lazuli said, teaching the method of reversed flow through the Three Treasures: " 'The One' is the correct principle of all under heaven. Gather the precious radiance of the sun and moon. From above it descends. From below, refine it in reversed flow. This becomes the pure yang unified breath. True yang rises to the Mysterious Gate. When the breath gathers, essence and blood do not leak. Wisdom gradually opens. But to practice this method, you must first refine the elixir."
"One breath in, guard the Mysterious Gate. One breath out, let it pierce the elixir field." With true intention, guide the true breath upward through the coccyx gate and draw it to the Mysterious Gate. Practice this with perseverance. The heart becomes still, the spirit becomes settled, and you tie down the monkey-mind and horse-will. When the Three Treasures — essence, breath, and spirit — converge, the creative transformation of the Way is right here.
"The One is the Mysterious Gate. Gather the spiritual light scattered through the five organs and six bowels, and cultivate it back to the One. The Mysterious Gate will naturally vibrate. When the heavenly thunder sounds and the seamless lock opens — to cultivate to this point is to be a carefree immortal on earth."
"The Mysterious Gate is where essence and spirit unite as one. The seven openings and eight passages are all born from it. Therefore, when the Mysterious Gate opens, all the passages of the body can circulate. To circulate the whole body, use true intention. Open the palace of the Mysterious Gate. Body and mind both empty. Above the head, true breath naturally ascends in audience. At this point, seeing the spiritual light is no longer difficult."
"Practitioners should know the Mysterious Gate and understand where the Way of the Mysterious Gate resides. Students who practice diligently will naturally witness wondrous signs."
Ji Gong said: "Students, your Teacher now asks you to face the Mother-lamp, close your eyes, and be silent for three minutes." All the students followed the Teacher's instruction, closing their eyes and turning the light back within. "Only your own nature — only your own nature can illuminate yourself. Only it is real. When disasters come in the future, it is this one point of true spirit that will save the world. So save yourself to save others. I hope all of you will protect your own spiritual light. Take care of yourselves well."
Ji Gong said: "Very naturally — one breath in, one breath out. Between the breaths, there is already the Way. This is not some visible, material sitting in meditation. When you enter, both eyes guard the Mysterious Gate. Gather your awareness. Gather your scattered thoughts. Do not let the monkey-mind and horse-will run outward. In that moment, right then, right there — THAT is the Way! Where are the immortals? Where is heaven? They are in your heart!"
The Ancient Buddha of the Southern Sea said: "The precious ground of the heart should be kept pure and clear at all times. Let no dust settle upon it. Turn the light back and reflect within at every moment. See the master of your own house. Remember: at all times, tie fast the horse of will and contemplate the unborn."
The Three Officials Emperor taught the One-Truth Visualization Method for the Mysterious Gate:
"The practitioner regards the whole body — the four great elements — as false. Only the one point of the Mysterious Gate is true. This one point is called the Correct Gate. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body are all gates of birth and death — stray thoughts arise and vanish through them. Only this one point of the Mysterious Gate is the gate of no-birth and no-death. When a person's earthly life is over, if the soul does not depart through this Correct Gate, this correct opening — that is, if one has not lived one's whole life in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down according to one's true nature — then one cannot escape birth and death and realize the patience of no-birth."
"In the whole body, only the nature is true. Everything outside the body is empty and unreal. Therefore, constantly visualize this One Truth. Do not let the six thieves slip through the side gates. Do not let the heart follow external circumstances. When the wondrous practice of guarding the Mysterious Gate reaches the state where there is no gate to guard — then, after long and pure cultivation, to visualize without visualizing, to contemplate without contemplating, to follow the heart's desire without overstepping the bounds, to respond to circumstances without changing — then the six senses are constantly still and constantly responsive, constantly responsive and constantly still, and liberation from the six realms of rebirth is already in your own hands."
"The person who guards the Mysterious Gate begins by gathering ten thousand thoughts into one thought, then gathering that one thought into the nature. At the end, one should dwell nowhere and yet give rise to the heart. When this One-Truth Visualization is complete — if instead you fixate on a single point and cling to it, or use it to look down on other methods transmitted by Heaven's heart — then you have already departed from the true Mysterious Gate. Be careful! Be very careful! The true meaning of guarding the Mysterious Gate is: to follow your nature."
"Guarding the Mysterious Gate is the most widely practiced method among White Sun disciples today. Therefore, throughout all hours, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, quiet all conditions, gently raise your awareness, and focus on the one point of the Mysterious Gate. After long and pure practice, you will guard without guarding, and the false will give way to the true. However, in the process of guarding the Mysterious Gate, many illusory visions may appear. Under no circumstances treat them as real or as spiritual powers — visions of heavenly realms, of bodhisattvas passing through, or of your own spirit leaving and entering the body. Do not hold any of these in your heart. If you become pleased with yourself over them, if you boast of them to others, you risk going astray and entering demonic paths. While guarding the Mysterious Gate is indeed a convenient method for gathering the heart and stilling thought, you absolutely must have a clear-sighted person or an Enlightened Teacher to guide you, lest the discriminating spirit take charge and the false be mistaken for the true. Never grope your way alone — the harm will far outweigh the benefit."
II. The True Scripture — The Second Treasure
Ji Gong once taught a method for calming the heart at Lingyin Temple. The gist: when worry or pressure comes, hold the mudra before your chest, close your eyes eight parts, open two parts, press your tongue against the upper palate, fix your awareness on the Mysterious Gate. As you breathe in, silently recite the first word of the Scripture. As you breathe out, silently recite the last four words. Imagine the breath entering and leaving through the Mysterious Gate. Before sleep at night, use this method for self-examination as well. But do not practice too long — ten or fifteen minutes — otherwise it becomes dull emptiness.
Ji Gong said: "Use your mind to observe the breath. As you breathe in, visualize the breath entering through the Mysterious Gate. As you breathe out, let it leave through the Mysterious Gate. With each breath in, recite the True Scripture. With each breath out, recite the True Scripture once, or recite one word per breath — either way is fine. In our Way, the method is the True Person sitting in meditation. The Way follows what is natural. Calm your heart, still your breath. When you sit, your body should be natural. Your spine should be straight. Both eyes naturally eight parts closed. Tongue pressed against the upper palate. Both shoulders relaxed and hanging naturally. Naturally the breath fills the elixir field. Both eyes guard the Mysterious Gate. The True Person sits in meditation. Calm the heart, still the breath. Both eyes guard the opening of the Mysterious Gate. This is called the True Person sitting in meditation."
The Ancient Buddha of the Southern Sea said: "Wherever you are, if there is work to do, go save people. If there is no work to do, cultivate yourself. When a great calamity approaches, it is a tremendous test for every leader and every practitioner. Ji Gong and Yuehui worry about this constantly. You must practice harder. You must bring forth a heart of compassion. Even if you cannot go out and do good, you can recite the scriptures at home and dedicate the merit — using good thoughts to dissolve disaster. Though this is only one method, the most important thing is to bring forth that compassion from within you, to transmit that mercy from the hearts of those who cultivate on earth all the way up to the Palace of the Limitless, and present it to the Mother."
"Right now, many hearts are filled with fear. So when you teach the Way, speak more of the bright side. If someone who has received the Way cannot find peace of heart, tell them to silently recite the Five-Word True Scripture. For those who have not yet heard the Way, tell them to recite a buddha's name. Relying on the compassionate vows of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, combined with the master of one's own body and mind remaining undisturbed — only then can there be salvation."
Ji Gong said: "Silently recite the Five-Word True Scripture in your heart. Recite it with the Heavenly heart — the Mysterious Gate. This kind of cultivation you can carry with you to the ends of the earth. Any place, any time — walking, standing, sitting, lying down — you can silently recite. While walking, while resting, while working, while sleeping — you can silently recite. This is the simplest, most convenient method for gathering your scattered thoughts. All worries, all idle fantasies are disasters in themselves. Silently reciting the Five-Word True Scripture is not seeking a pure land outside yourself. It is giving birth to a pure land within. Use the buddha-hall of your own nature. Offer the heart-incense of your own nature. Chant the wordless True Scripture: guard the Mysterious Gate."
Ji Gong said: "From the moment a person is born, they are ruled by stray thoughts. So to subdue your stray thoughts, you must first subdue your heart. The Buddhist method of quiet sitting is also the function of meditation. 'The heart of meditation' — go and deeply contemplate this. Do you understand?"
Ji Gong said: "In these final days, if you have no certainty, how can you cultivate and serve in the future? From this moment on, your heart and nature must rise! All the conflicts, all the comparisons between people — let them go! If you are still spinning in the wheel of human affairs, what are you cultivating? What are you serving? If all you see is other people's faults — then we say: cultivating and serving the Way means forming good connections with people, not bad ones. When resentment arises in your heart, you have formed an evil connection. So every one of you must rise! No one can do this for you. The Second Treasure — recite it in urgent times, recite it in ordinary times. But the most important thing is: put it into practice! When every thought is like an immortal or a buddha, the demons can do nothing to you. When every thought is a buddha's heart, there is no selfish self. Without selfishness, there is no greed. What is there left to cling to? What is there left to resent? Walk on solid ground and put it into practice!"
Yuehui Bodhisattva descended and taught three adjustments:
Adjust the body: this means adjusting the physical body so that it achieves a state of centered harmony. Usually, choose a time of rest — the hours of the Rat, Horse, Rabbit, or Rooster. In a quiet place with good light and airflow, sit naturally and at ease. In this way you can gather your scattered, dusty thoughts and bring them home. This is the general principle of adjusting the body.
Adjust the heart: seize the monkey-mind and horse-will and hold them fast — do not let them run wild anymore. There are many methods: reciting a buddha's name, holding a mantra, visualization — any of these will work. Over time, the heart settles. After that, wisdom and the power of concentration grow and are nourished in the process of adjusting the heart.
Adjust the breath: under the principle that form and emptiness are one, the psychological and the physical support and influence each other — this is why adjusting the breath is essential. Ordinary people breathe in a rough, hurried way. In this state, body and mind are restless and unsettled. If you can use breath-adjustment to gradually make the breath fine, subtle, and long, then body and mind will reach the goal of centered harmony. Naturally your spirit will be bright, your mood will be calm and settled, fatigue will recover, and the body will be healthy.
The Three Officials Emperor taught the Compassionate-Heart Visualization Method for the True Scripture:
"The special virtue of Maitreya, the Buddha of the Final Gathering, can be known from his very name. 'Maitreya' is Sanskrit. Translated into Chinese, it means Compassion. Maitreya Buddha first gave rise to aspiration from the compassionate heart. In the common understanding, compassion and mercy seem the same. In truth, mercy is the heart of sorrow that rescues others from suffering. Compassion is the heart that gives joy. When living beings have no happiness, you find a way to give it to them. Of course the buddha's heart is complete in both compassion and mercy — this is also why cultivating the Way requires diligent practice of merit through the three kinds of giving. But Maitreya's special virtue is his emphasis on cultivating the compassionate heart."
"The scripture says: when Maitreya Bodhisattva first gave rise to aspiration, he vowed not to kill, not to eat the flesh of living beings. From that time onward, he has always taken Compassion as his surname. We know that Shakyamuni Buddha vowed to become a buddha in the world of five turbidities, to rescue suffering beings. This symbolizes the weight of the World-Honored One's mercy. Maitreya Bodhisattva will descend and be born into a world that is a pure land — the world of Great Unity. He vowed to become a buddha in the pure land, where every person enjoys happiness and well-being. This symbolizes the vastness of Maitreya's compassionate heart."
"White Sun disciples who recite the True Scripture should give rise to the same aspiration as Maitreya Bodhisattva: at all times, in all places, do everything in your power to help others, to bring others peace and happiness. Therefore vegetarianism and not killing are emphasized in the White Sun teaching — because these are the methods for growing the compassionate heart. White Sun disciples who have faith in Maitreya, who recite his name, and who cultivate the compassionate-heart method will naturally be in resonance with Maitreya's compassionate heart, and it will not be difficult to ascend to the Tuṣita Heaven, the Court of the Heavenly Buddha."
"So when people cultivate the Way, they should often recite the True Scripture and visualize Maitreya's joyful, compassionate face. Save the world. Help others. Practice goodness and giving. Think of others. Help others. Be without self, be without contrivance. Let the compassionate heart warm others at all times, without claiming merit or counting virtue. In this way, you will naturally form a deep and great karmic connection with Maitreya — to see the Buddha, to hear the teaching, to realize the fruit, and to be liberated from birth and death."
"Most White Sun disciples use the recitation of the True Scripture only for turning danger into safety and escaping disaster. They think the True Scripture should only be used when facing a crisis beyond human power to resolve — guarding the Mysterious Gate, holding the mudra, reciting the True Scripture to avert calamity. But they do not know that disaster is not merely the body suffering harm or pain. The true disaster is the cycle of birth and death through countless lives. And the cycle of birth and death is caused by stray thoughts pulling you along. If stray thoughts do not cease, the cycle of birth and death will never end."
"Therefore: how to subdue stray thoughts and constantly nurture awakened thought — this is truly the pivot of life and death for the practitioner. The True Scripture transmitted by the Enlightened Teacher of the White Sun era is the Great Bright Mantra that subdues demons and banishes evil, the Great Pure Mantra that liberates from all suffering. If the practitioner understands its wondrous essence and application — when stray thoughts surge and cannot be subdued in the ocean of the heart, simply recite this True Scripture sincerely and earnestly several times, and the stray thoughts will vanish without a trace. It is like the sunlight shining — naturally the clouds disperse and the fog scatters."
"If the practitioner can constantly recite this mantra, not only will they form a holy connection with Maitreya for the Dragon-Flower Gathering, but after long and pure practice — reciting without reciting — not a single thread of stray thought will arise, and the cycle will stop, and birth and death will be resolved. When the cycle stops and birth and death are resolved — that is the true escape from disaster."
III. Methods of Prostration — The Third Treasure
Ji Gong said: "This physical body, if it has no water to wash with, becomes very dirty. So we pray for all living beings every day. Every morning and evening, offer incense and complete one hundred prostrations. Whether you add more is up to you — but I hope you can all add a thousand prostrations each day. Will you?" "Yes!" "Every day, a thousand prostrations dedicated to others — how comforted the living beings will be! Your karmic creditors will not dare come seeking repayment. Every day you pray for others, every day you wash their feet and change their diapers — will they still resent you? No! When you treat others well, others treat you well. Are we happy then? Happy!"
"When you bow your head, your heart must be sincere. Turn the light back and reflect within. Stretch the tendons straight. Relax the head. The hands and head move together. The strength comes from the feet. Prostration is bowing the HEAD, not bowing the HANDS. The movement has extension and gathering. The action from beginning to end is continuous — this is the spirit of the One Thread. Prostration must be sincere. The purpose of prostration is to cultivate a heart of respect and humility. And when the posture of prostration is correct, it opens the meridians and benefits the health of the body."
"When bowing and offering incense, what is needed is a true heart. So bow with utmost sincerity. Do not be careless. Bow one prostration at a time, slowly. Do not bow as if racing to catch a train."
"Prostration, kneeling — what are you bowing to? You are bowing to your own nature!"
"Students, you must learn to steady your own feelings. Do not think that what you see is right, that what you hear is right. In truth, what the six thieves see and hear is not necessarily the truth. So you must use the exemplary conduct of the sages and immortals to correct your own words and actions. Through prostration — the Third Treasure — turn the light back and reflect within at every moment. Only then can you make progress in illuminating your heart and seeing your nature."
The Ancient Buddha of the Southern Sea said: "The mudra represents yin and yang joined as one. The positive and negative, the yin and yang magnetic fields can communicate. If you hold the mudra and bow in daily prostration, cultivating from the correct gate of your own nature — you can receive the purest energy of the universe, and the vast righteous breath will circulate through your whole body."
"In the act of bowing to the Sovereign Mother, a kind of nuclear reaction is triggered throughout the whole body, releasing energy. The whole body grows warm. Chronic illness or infectious disease — combined with the illumination of the buddha-light, the warm current flowing through the whole body during prostration, the blood flowing freely, and the additional practice of merit and virtue to settle karmic debts — through this twofold approach, all manner of illness can be gradually dissolved."
"When prostrating, the nuclear reactor is at your Mysterious Gate. So when you bow, your mind must be clear and pure, your spirit concentrated. Radiate the heart of awakening. Let go of all distinctions between self and other. Sweep away all idle fantasies. Delete all impure thoughts. After long practice, combined with merit and virtue, body and mind will be whole and healthy. Through long cultivation at the nuclear reactor of the Mysterious Gate, you can refine yourself until the light-energy manifests."
"In the act of prostration, guard the one opening of the Mysterious Gate. Recognize your origin and return to your source. Let ten thousand methods return to the One. Let the heart have no distractions. Cut off the seven emotions and six desires. Let everything return to the middle way. Hold the mudra, and make the circle of the ten directions complete, without distinction or comparison. In this way, neither the yin nor the yang magnetic field can bind you."
"Do not think that holding the mudra and bowing is merely a form. The reason you think so is that you do not understand the true and wondrous meaning of the White Sun Three Treasures, or how to use them for cultivation. And so, 'those who seek the Way are as numerous as the hairs of an ox, but those who attain the Way are as rare as the ox's horns.' Those who have entered and received the Way must understand how to use the Three Treasures to cultivate body and nature, to raise their level, and to establish merit and virtue. Remember: the efficacy of the Three Treasures is very great. But you must first help yourself, and then others can help you. Help yourself, and then Heaven can help you. The Three Treasures are for cultivation. If you can cultivate until inner and outer merit are both complete, you will surely be able to escape disaster, dissolve karmic enmity. So when guiding followers of other teachings, you must be able to explain the true and wondrous meaning of the Three Treasures. In daily life, infuse the Way into every moment. Use the Three Treasures to protect your body, protect your life, escape disaster, raise your level, and transform all living beings."
"The Limitless resides at the opening of the Mysterious Gate. The Supreme Ultimate resides at the elixir field. The Limitless gives birth to the Supreme Ultimate. Because the Mysterious Gate lost the One, it fell into the Supreme Ultimate of the elixir field. Those who practice seated meditation mostly refine essence, breath, and spirit — they rarely leave the cultivation of the Supreme Ultimate's yin-yang dual breath. But the true place of cultivation is the precious ground of the heart. This point is where essence, breath, and spirit converge — the focal point. In the end, all cultivation returns to the self-nature and the Mysterious Gate. To cultivate in accord with the ultimate Way and true principle."
The Reporting Spirit-Child said: "The first essential practice of cultivation is prostration. Morning and evening prostration, morning and evening incense — that means lighting the incense of your own heart, bowing to the buddha of your own nature. 'Person bowing once' — the characters together form the word 'life.' The Confession Prayer is repentance. The one hundred prostrations are for expressing gratitude for the five kindnesses: Heaven, Earth, sovereign, parents, and teacher. Gratitude for the Eternal Mother's compassion in sending down the Way. Gratitude for the Introducer and Guarantor who led you to the Way. Gratitude for the senior practitioners who helped you along."
"If the posture of prostration is not correct, or the number is insufficient — one demerit is recorded. If the phone rings or the doorbell sounds during prostration and you get up at once — one demerit is recorded."
Ji Gong said: "You know your Teacher's dharma treasure. But do you know what your own dharma treasure is? If you want to show the treasure — the treasure is in your own body. So the Way is never far from the person. Daily prostration is the basic practice. Every prostration is a reminder, checking yourself against the ten great vows. Each bow is like Heaven's conscience alerting you."
The Dharma Lord Yue Fei said: "Why do you bow? To bow away your sins and transgressions. Lower your head a little more. Bow with a sincere heart. Sincerity moves Heaven. Bow honestly, plainly. Bow your conscience into the open."
Ji Gong said: "Your Teacher knows your karmic burdens are heavy. Sometimes you do not want to behave this way, but the karmic debts come and pull at you, making it hard to understand. You must bow with a sincere heart. Why is the daily incense-offering prescribed? Do the immortals crave your bowing? Your Teacher's purpose is not in that. Bowing is to help you find your own nature again. The daily incense is for repentance. Do not underestimate prostration — if you have something to ask for, prostration is the most powerful. So you should bow diligently. In this way, your karmic debts can slowly be repaid. The power of our own nature is very great!"
"When you meet with things that are not going well, sincerely bow and ask the Mother for her compassion. Only then will the miracle come that breaks through the obstacle. We do not need to think big. We start from the subtle places and cultivate virtue. When you see someone suffering a little, when you see someone acting a little foolishly — we bow for them."
Ji Gong said: "What is the benefit of establishing a home buddha-hall? Daily prostration and worship — you can constantly turn the light back and reflect within, humble yourself, and dissolve your karmic debts. Think of all the sins you have created through countless lives, all that you owe others. Now that you are practicing merit and virtue, of course you should ask the immortals and buddhas for their compassionate protection. Use a repentant heart to ask your karmic creditors for patience. And at home, with the buddha-regulations and ritual propriety to guide you, the family becomes more harmonious and happy. Husband and wife respect each other. Children are raised with the Way. Every day, seeing the buddha-hall at home, you are reminded to fulfill everything well. This is the benefit of a home buddha-hall. And another benefit: every day when you bow, you also bow once to your own ancestors. This is the dedication of merit to the ancestors. This is the special grace of establishing a buddha-hall. A home buddha-hall is good for yourself, good for your nine generations of ancestors and seven generations of descendants, and its influence even subtly transforms those around you. So establishing a buddha-hall is a great deed of merit — a matter for a whole lifetime."
The Great Immortal Zhongli Quan said: "Treat the buddha-regulations and ritual propriety as if they were new. Practice them again and again. Every practice brings a new mood and a new understanding. Have you ever bowed until the heart blossomed? Have you ever bowed for all living beings? Or do you bow before the buddha asking for fame, for long life, for good fortune?"
"Use your Heavenly heart to act. Do not think with the human heart. When Heaven wants to add spirit and wisdom to you, it is added at the moment when you are most without self, most without intention. The fear is that your hearts will not listen and let the eyes and ears lead them. You must learn to catch your thoughts."
The Three Officials Emperor taught the Child's Heart Visualization Method for the Mudra:
"The interlacing of the Child-hour and Pig-hour fingers inherently contains the symbol of yin and yang united as one. It is also the character for 'child' (孩). So holding the mudra is like holding a baby in your arms. The heart of the infant is the innocent, true buddha-nature — the ordinary heart. The child's heart is without discrimination, without knowledge, without desire, without love or hate, without distinction, without contrivance, without clinging. It is innocent and pure. Hungry, it eats. Tired, it sleeps. In all things, it has no calculation. With no calculation in all things. Everything flows naturally. If the practitioner can enter this meaning — the child's heart joins, the child's heart is the same — and at all hours walk with this heart, responding to circumstances, spreading compassion and teaching the Way, practicing all good, abandoning all evil — how could the fruit of the Way not ripen?"
"If every day when the practitioner holds the mudra and bows — whether five hundred, a thousand, two thousand, or three thousand prostrations — they can let go of all conditions, let no stray thought arise, and pour their entire being into the prostration — if this practice continues without interruption, then not only during the time of offering incense and bowing will the heart be free from thought, but even in daily life the heart will be pure and free from delusion. After long and pure practice, to bow without bowing — constantly clear, constantly still — no longer pulled by stray thoughts, and naturally no longer tormented by the cycle of birth and death."
"What is regrettable is that today, few White Sun disciples deeply enter this treasure's heart-method. Some treat the burning of incense and the ritual prostration as mere formality, not knowing to use this time to find the true buddha within their own body. What a pity."
"Finally, I must emphasize one point. Although the true transmission of the Three Treasures is an unsurpassed secret treasure that has descended in response to the time, White Sun disciples should remember: all dharmas are equal — there is no high or low. It is only that dharma has no rank, but awakening has sudden and gradual. According to each person's karmic connection and root of wisdom, a practitioner may use the finger-pointing to see the moon, or sudden awakening, or visualization, or guarding the Mysterious Gate, or the compassionate heart, or the child's heart, or mantra recitation, or ritual prostration. As long as you take refuge and cultivate without slackening, advance with perseverance, and remain true for your whole life — fulfill your vows, carry a heart of equality, save others and save yourself — in the end, all of you will surely see the Buddha at the Dragon-Flower Gathering, hear the teaching, receive Maitreya's confirmation, and realize the fruit."
Ji Gong spoke the verse of the Way-transmission:
In the final age, a teaching never spoken before — the Enlightened One reveals it here and now.
Even the simple-hearted can know the road home. Where we come from in birth, where we go in death — it is all clear before our eyes.
"'The Final Age' means: the very last. This refers to the ten buddhas appointed by Heaven to preside over the teaching throughout this cosmic cycle. Nine have already passed. Now only the tenth — Maitreya Buddha's Dragon-Flower Gathering — remains. The cosmic breath has reached the transition between the Noon and Afternoon Assemblies. The Noon Assembly's time is nearly spent. The season of gathering and harvest is upon us. Therefore the Compassionate Mother has commanded all the spirits and saints of heaven to descend in disguise, to hurry in every direction, each displaying their spiritual powers, to rescue the original beings, to board the Dharma-ship together, and to sail for the Dragon-Flower Gathering — to see the Buddha, hear the teaching, and realize the fruit."
"Maitreya Buddha, from the first arising of aspiration, has cultivated the Samādhi of Compassion through countless aeons until this Afternoon Assembly, when his compassion is fully ripened. His compassionate light extends to the three realms. He will bring about the world of Great Unity, the pure land on earth, and enable every being with karmic affinity to realize the patience of no-birth, to attain the fruit of the arhat, to be liberated from birth and death, and to gain the great freedom. Therefore the Afternoon Assembly is a world of realization — not an era for ordinary beings still planting causes. In other words: in the Afternoon Assembly, the people of the world will have the Way and will follow virtue. Those without the Way and without virtue will not be able to endure. And in the Rooster Assembly that follows, humanity will begin to be gathered back — there will no longer be an environment for cultivating the Way. Only in the final age, at the transition from Noon to Afternoon, is it most suitable to cultivate. It is all the more urgent to practice merit and fulfill one's vows now. Right now is the final threshold of life and death — to transcend, or to fall."
"The Mother has opened her great grace and lowered the White Sun Dharma-ship. All who board the White Sun Dharma-ship, who receive the true transmission of the Three Treasures, who cultivate and practice with sincerity and perseverance, who give their whole heart and do their utmost — all will surely see the Buddha at the three Dragon-Flower Gatherings, hear the teaching, and realize the fruit."
"'The Enlightened One' means: one who truly knows the true transmission of the Three Treasures."
"The meaning of this verse: the final great event of universal salvation — the buddhas and patriarchs of the past never spoke of it. Now, in this final age of the third period, the Enlightened One reveals it here, at the buddha-altar when the Way is being transmitted, so that even the simple-hearted can know the road back to the homeland of the Limitless. Where we come from in birth, where we go in death — it is clear before our very eyes, right here and now."
"This Final Teaching — this universal salvation and gathering of the three realms — is Heaven's last and greatest opportunity for liberation from birth and death. If it is missed, you must wait for the next cosmic cycle — one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred years — for the next gathering. Through such a long cycle of rebirth, changing face and form again and again, who can guarantee that when the next gathering comes, you will still have a human body and meet an Enlightened Teacher? From this you can see how precious the Final Teaching truly is."
"And what does the Final Teaching rely on to liberate the three realms from the four kinds of birth and the six paths of rebirth? What does it rely on to accomplish the universal gathering? Nothing else — it relies entirely on the result of Maitreya Buddha's vast compassionate vow."
"The true transmission of the Three Treasures that your Teacher passes down — the lineage-transmission, the heaven-mandated transmission, the heart-method transmission — all follow the ten buddhas appointed by Heaven. The universal teaching follows Maitreya's great vow and heaven-mandate. As for the heart-method transmission, it is the incense and kindling passed from patriarch to patriarch, from buddha to sage, generation after generation. What all of them hold is one. That is: the true reality of the self-nature true buddha, which every person possesses and none are without."
"For those of the highest capacity, the moment of pointing is the moment of awakening, and the moment of awakening is the moment of attainment — no further cultivation needed. For those of the three vehicles, the moment of receiving is the moment of cultivating, and the moment of cultivating is the moment of forming the karmic connection with Maitreya to see the Buddha, hear the teaching, and realize the fruit. In this very life, the three realms cannot bind them, and they transcend the five elements."
"If it were not for the sake of rescuing countless beings from the four kinds of birth and the six paths, and for preserving the buddha-seed of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity for the next cosmic cycle — why would Maitreya and the immortals, buddhas, and sages of all ages need to descend and help?"
"I too have descended with Yuehui Bodhisattva, for the sake of this universal gathering of the final age, to make public the secret that all past buddhas and patriarchs transmitted only in private, one to one — the Final Teaching, the true transmission of the Three Treasures."
"Today, not a few seekers fail to understand the preciousness of the Three Treasures' heaven-mandated transmission, the rarity of the heart-method's truth. They do not understand Maitreya's vast compassionate vow. And yet they lecture grandly about the mysteries of the Way. They talk endlessly of dual cultivation of nature and life. They insist on seated meditation and contemplation. They insist that only their method is correct, that it alone can reach the summit, and that others are taking the long way or are simply wrong. They boast, they argue, they flatter themselves and belittle others."
"Alas! The reason these seekers behave this way, apart from their own pride and the narrowness of their learning, is that they have not deeply studied the transformations of cosmic time, and they have never deeply investigated the great karmic cause of the Living Buddha's appearance in the world."
"They know Maitreya only as one buddha among thousands, one patriarch among many — they do not know that he is the Buddha of this age, the Patriarch of this time. They know the White Sun teaching as one method among thousands — they do not know that it is a teaching that descends only at the appointed time, is transmitted only to the appointed persons, and arises in response to the cosmic moment. That is why they hear the teaching and abandon it, enter the Way and leave it."
"I hope that White Sun disciples will develop true faith in the special grace of the White Sun teaching, and with an equal heart, spread the good news of this Final Teaching."
Appendix: How to Practice Merit After Receiving the Dao
Ji Gong, the Living Buddha, speaks with compassion.
To store the Dao in your heart — that is virtue. To practice it in daily life — that is moral discipline. To have the Dao without virtue is to fall surely into the hands of demons. Confucius said: "Without the highest virtue, the highest Way will not take hold." Virtue means attainment. To practice merit is to establish virtue. You must do the work of helping others and benefiting all things. You must hold in your heart the will to rescue the world from disaster. You must follow the teachings of the sages of the Three Teachings and put them into practice with all your strength. This is nothing other than what the Confucians call "inner sagehood and outer kingship," and what the Buddhists call "awakening yourself and awakening others."
In the practice of merit, you should divide the labor and cooperate, with everyone mobilized. Some serve as the Three Powers at the altar. Some explain the scriptures and spread the meaning of the Dao. Those with money contribute according to their means to print scriptures and moral books. Those with strength go out in every direction to encourage good and upright friends and relatives to receive the Dao quickly. Some donate funds to establish buddha-halls so that everyone has a place to practice merit. Some devote their hearts to protecting the Dharma, so that the work of the Dao grows day by day. Some resolve firmly to practice with devotion and obey the Master's instructions. Some cultivate the Dao within their families, setting an example for others. In all these ways, each person should practice merit according to their own capacity, so as to attain good fruit.
The principle is simple: relatives guide relatives, friends guide friends. But you must not guide indiscriminately. Confucius said: "When you can speak to someone and do not, you lose that person. When you cannot speak to someone and do, you waste your words. The wise person loses neither the person nor the words." Those you guide to the Dao should be loyal, honest, sincere, and good. As for those whose intentions are crooked and whose conduct is unworthy — even if they are your closest kin or dearest friends — you must not bring them in. If you are careless and admit such people, it will bring not merit but great fault. Be careful! (Yet there is teaching without discrimination — verbal instruction to turn someone from evil toward good is always necessary.)
What is internal cultivation?
To refine yourself and perfect your own being, so that all your actions accord with principle. To purify the heart and diminish desire. To practice the work of recovering the lost heart. This is internal cultivation.
How exactly does one practice the work of recovering the lost heart?
The work of recovering the lost heart is nothing other than a method for governing the mind. The best method for governing the mind is quiet sitting. For wisdom is born from the spirit, and the spirit is born from stillness. To refine essence into breath, refine breath into spirit, and refine spirit back into emptiness — all of this comes down to this single practice of quiet sitting.
To practice quiet sitting: morning and evening, sit with legs crossed, upright and still. Close your eyes and gather your spirit. Let the tongue touch the roof of the mouth. Let the heart be level and the breath calm. Release all scattered thoughts and wild imaginings. Do not think of good. Do not think of evil. Do not move. Do not waver. Do not go out. Do not come in. Sit until not a single thought arises and all ten thousand worries have ceased. Clear and still, luminous and pure — nothing within, nothing without.
This is what the Book of Changes calls "utterly still and unmoving." This is what the Great Learning calls "knowing where to rest, becoming settled, becoming still." Practice this over time, and you will naturally return to the origin and recover your original nature.
What is external cultivation?
We live in the era of the Final Catastrophe of the Third Period. The Heavenly Dao has descended into the world in response to the age. Everyone who has received the Dao bears the responsibility of encouraging goodness and helping others to completion. To do the work of helping others and benefiting all things, to hope that every person turns toward goodness, to hold in your heart the will to rescue the world from disaster, to spread the teaching widely among the faithful, and to guide others to receive the Dao according to the proper rites — this kind of merit is external cultivation.
How should one practice external cultivation?
In practicing external cultivation, you must not harbor the desire for fame and reputation. Still less must you show harshness in your words or severity in your expression. If you practice merit for the sake of fame, then it is not merit at all. If you advise others with an angry temper and an impatient heart, then you are not a cultivator of the Dao. In short: follow the teachings of the sages of the Three Teachings, and put them into practice with all your strength.
To copy out moral books, to print moral books, to establish buddha-halls, to spread the meaning of the Dao, to open people's wisdom — all of these are the highest merit. Know this: to transform one person and help them attain the Dao causes their nine generations of ancestors to ascend. To copy one line of a moral book surpasses material charity. Even the sages of the Three Teachings could do no more than this.
As for ordinary human kindness: relieve the urgent, rescue those in difficulty, aid disaster victims, support those in danger. If the need is small, contribute on your own. If the need is great, gather resources together. Wherever you are, with whomever you meet, at whatever time, in whatever circumstance — guide people in every way you can. Speak to fathers of kindness. Speak to children of filial piety. Speak to elder brothers of friendship. Speak to younger brothers of respect. Speak to husbands and wives of harmony. Speak to friends of trustworthiness. Speak to officials of loyalty and uprightness. When you meet someone doing evil, urge them to turn from wrong and return to right. When you meet someone doing good, encourage them to nourish their nature and cultivate what is true. Spread the Three Teachings widely. Repay the Four Kindnesses. This is the method of guiding others in the practice of merit.
On the Merit of Printing and Distributing Moral Books
The divine Way of setting up teachings aims to encourage people to abandon evil and turn toward good. Saints, buddhas, immortals, and spirits open halls everywhere and establish teachings in every direction. The poetry and prose written through the phoenix brush in spirit-writing — every line awakens the human heart toward goodness, every piece shakes the deaf and startles the blind. These admonitions are nothing other than exhortations to cultivate the great Dao diligently, to be loyal to the nation, filial to parents, friendly to siblings, harmonious with one's spouse, to walk in benevolence and righteousness, to honor propriety and sharpen wisdom, to be clean and upright and guard one's integrity. With bitter earnestness and unfailing patience they guide and transform. Their care is truly deep.
As the saying goes: "To encourage goodness with words reaches only the present moment. To encourage goodness with books can flow through a thousand ages." If people in the world can gather funds, collect the spirit-writing revelations of the saints, buddhas, immortals, and spirits who exhort the world, print them into books, and spread them throughout the world — so that readers develop the heart to turn toward good, and those who have committed wrongs can reform and renew themselves — this accords with Heaven's purpose of universal salvation. The merit of helping to proclaim Heaven's teaching on its behalf is truly beyond measure.
According to the Heavenly Law's articles rewarding goodness, the merit of printing and distributing moral books is recorded as follows:
First: whoever prints and distributes one moral book and spreads it throughout the world, so that readers come to know goodness — the merit of proclaiming Heaven's teaching on its behalf dissolves all karmic debts from previous lives.
Second: whoever prints and distributes two or more moral books and spreads them throughout the world, so that readers come to know goodness, and the good become even more good, and the wicked repent deeply and return to goodness — the merit of proclaiming Heaven's teaching on their behalf is repaid with wealth, honor, long life, and worthy descendants. After death, they are appointed to a divine office.
Third: whoever prints and distributes moral books without ceasing and spreads them throughout the world, so that readers come to know goodness, and those whom the books have touched become even more good, and the wicked, touched by the books, repent and renew themselves and become even more good — the merit of proclaiming Heaven's teaching on their behalf is repaid with wealth, honor, long life, and leisure, and their descendants are repaid with three generations of blessing. After death, they are enrolled among the ranks of the immortals.
These are the merits of printing and distributing moral books to awaken the world. We hope that all people will embody Heaven's virtue of loving life, help to proclaim Heaven's teaching on its behalf, and spread it widely to awaken and save all beings. Good repayment will surely follow.
A poem:
Proclaim Heaven's teaching — wake those lost at the crossing.
Print and share moral books — move the saints and spirits.
Spread them throughout the human world — open the road to awakening.
Plant merit, establish virtue — sow the good field.
Colophon
The Cultivation of the Three Treasures (三寶的修持, Sānbǎo de Xiūchí) is a twenty-chapter Yiguandao doctrinal text transmitted through spirit-writing (扶乩, fújī). This is the complete first English translation.
Translated from Chinese in the gospel register by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: 三寶的修持
Source Text — Chapter 1
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
三寶的修持
第一章、三寶之印證
濟公活佛師尊慈訓
人之真我，虛靈一團，光圓覺照，本無一物，何處惹塵？又何需一法，徒增做作？
只緣眾生落於凡塵，執於萬有，著於形相，未能於相離相。以致真如本來，如烏雲蔽日，明珠蒙塵，其光不彰。今聞至道，得授心傳佛子雖然眾多，但因未能深會如來實相，空執音相理論，不能率性力行實踐，猶如畫餅充飢，終難得飽。更有自作聰明，執於術流動靜四果旁門者，殊不知已離自然至道遠矣。
今承
大慈皇及彌勒佛尊，大開慈門，准許傳唱三寶心法之妙意，以期將至道早日行於天下，大放光芒，照耀大千也。
為師所傳關、訣、印三寶，本為千古不洩，非人不傳之秘寶。乃是諸法之王，普被三曹，總攝上、中、下根之心法。故三寶之意，深者會其深，淺者見其淺。三乘根器對三寶真藏之領受，自然各有異同。蓋三寶真藏確為超生了死之心法與密法。其中蘊含了道統真傳、天命真傳、及心法真傳。雖然得道佛子是從身擔天命之
領受三寶者，但三寶真藏依然絲毫不減半分。得道佛子若能依三寶真藏修持，則今生修持，今生即得解脫，不墜六道輪迴。更能於龍華三會，見佛、聞法、證果也。
大道非至德不凝。故修之者，勿以一味禪坐而獨善其身，除身受師點化，指導功程而外，尚要內外兼顧，行善積德，二六參禪，率性不亂，方能臻九品蓮台之果也。六祖壇經云：「生來坐不臥，死去臥不坐，一具臭骨頭，何為立功果？」古德云：「無師不說聖」，皆此之謂也。
稽查古今仙佛聖賢，無有不求明師而成之者也。故欲求超生了死，修道會真者，豈有不盡心訪求明師點化，而行善立德者乎？今天運三陽開泰，真宗普降，有者不識天時，固執不通，不求明師點化，而盲修瞎煉，真諦無以參，性命無以立。如是在世福德，雖然多如恆沙之數，因不能明心見性故，亦只能享受天界、人間福德。或三界神祇而已。
六祖壇經云：「不識自本心，學法無益」。今日參觀「善行候息室」，諸魂雖能行善好施，誦經禮佛，學法修道，但於本心佛性之所，失乎應現之參證，故雖有天爵可享，但離超生了死，還有一大段距離。希望世上修士，觀閱此篇遊記，能深思實悟，多向靈山菩薩提修養，自能化功德與善氣，凝成圓陀陀、光燦燦之本來面目也。（以上摘錄於《天佛院遊記》）
古聖先賢們的修養是從根本修，起心動念是根本，明師指點的就是這個根本。
三寶修持這個修行法門，這是最根本，最直接，最簡單的修行方法，不要小看玄關一指，這一指點是名【受記】，是名【明心】，是指點大家找到自己的真主人本來面目，點開生死竅門，所以不可輕視。得此是一大事因緣，好好自加珍惜。三寶的第一寶點在這裡，讓你明心，讓你守玄，把萬念歸於一念，再把這一念放下來，那就是你本來的面目，玄關是個門，是下手處，開了正門往裡面走，才能找到真主人，百尺竿頭更進一步，欲窮千里目，更上一層樓。
自省覺道，是修道的第一步，你第一步沒做好，就跨不出第二步，萬里之行，始於足下。修道不懂得反省，哪能走得遠？三寶心法的妙用可以讓我們自性漸漸光明。
三寶的好處，妙用才多了，但要用於日常生活中，用於自身，當你的心不平靜時，唸唸五字真言，就有妙智慧，迷惘時要參拜，就是問問自己，反省自己，為什麼會出現這樣的問題？先找出根本再解決，這樣就是妙智慧了。
休忘了眼前的明燈！閉目守玄，看看自己昏暗不昏暗？靜以自觀，動以相看，眼睛睜開，看看自性佛在不在？
真人做主才能自在，徒兒才能雲遊世界，悠悠四海，見境轉境，不管你看到任何事物的時候，它都能提醒你，點醒你，讓你開智慧，打開你的心鎖，結要快快解，不然你就會窒息，因為太緊了，你要鬆弛它。
修道的根本：飲水思源，隨緣從何處起？根本從那裡來：明師指點處來，你找到了根本了沒？
相書上說，印堂與山根連接，命根處是精氣神彙集的地方，神跑到眼睛，所以老祖宗才說要畫龍點睛。一點真性包天裹地，可大可小，彌滿六合之中。
你想要身體健康，第一心靈要健全，第二要盡仁義禮智信，第三要靜，現在人都太燥，不夠靜，你不仁義，當然肝不好，肺不好，腎不好，心不好啦，你盡了仁義禮智信，你夠靜，就能夠心靈健全，何來的疾病？這才是養生之道。
要與人家比科技，日新月異永遠追不上，要比才華，那都是枝末，因為老子說：為學日益，為道日損，要把根本抱守住，把精神發揮出來才是正確的。
詩經說：永言配命，自求多福，修道君子若能常自省察，配合天理，則不必妄求富貴，自然就能獲得多量的福祉。
今天明白自己身上的這點光，為師點亮徒兒這盞道苗，要徒兒們去傳遞，傳遞燈火，三期末劫年，道降火災，萬家生佛，有這一盞火，才有朝氣，才能活現起來，生命才會光芒。
白陽三寶，本是天地萬法的結晶，盡含歷代祖師的真傳妙意，全貫古今千經萬典的實相奧機。
心裡不平衡會怎樣？如何撫平心裡的傷痛？靜下來好不好？靜靜心，我們要把真主人找出來，我們用三寶，因為你們都沒有常常迴光返照，遇到一個狀況，你們的心裡就會很彷徨。
當你的心念有所雜亂的時候，那時因為你已被識神所牽引，這是你要趕緊二目守玄，緊握第三寶，默念五字真言，元神回來做主時，真假自明。
三寶乃法門，而徒兒不會用，只知遇到災難時趕緊用三寶；平時就蓋用來修心養性，常念，你就於彌勒祖師，與為師（濟公活佛，又名：南無光明磊落佛）有感應，遇困難，感應就快。
紅塵世局紛擾不斷，眾生無明苦根纏繞心神，不得清安自在，這是多麼痛苦啊！徒兒今逢三寶，明白來去之端，但要能善用三寶，安頓自我身心，行外功培內德，這是很重要的啊！
生死之門在哪裡？日月合德在哪裡？陰陽交會在這裡！至靈至善在這裡！你們都知道，可是你們沒有登堂入室，要登堂入室，要真功實善。
要常常往自己身上觀，要往自己身上找，往自己身上觀，是聖人之道，往別人身上看，是小人之道。心定了嗎？時時迴光返照，時常想到自己的不是，不就是【有朋自遠方來】了嗎？你的心常常外放，如能在忙中偷閒，靜下來思己過，心一收回，就從遠而入，朋友的【朋】不就是兩個目嗎？【有朋自遠方來】不就是你的真主人回來了嗎？故不亦說乎。
要走修道的路，首先對道的基礎要明白，對天理要有認識。認理不清，根就不穩，遇到小小挫折，就東倒西歪，一顆樹的根如沒紮穩，風一吹就倒了。同樣的道理，修道只知法門，對真理不理解，就很容易被人事物給困住了。天道人道這些道理你要理解，遇境使用三寶才會得心應手。
發脾氣就是心裡有一把火，那要用什麼克制呢？三寶。當你發脾氣的時候，先靜下心，想一想，為什麼要發怒？發洩之後有什麼好處或壞處呢？常常發脾氣，身體會累壞也會生病的。
人心有四不正，哪四不正？心有所忿懥，有所好樂，有所憂患，有所恐懼，修道就是要擺脫這些外在干擾，這些電波會干擾我們的自性。仙佛菩薩為什麼不會被干擾？因為【守中】嘛！守著中間這一點，剛剛好調到這一點，明師指點這一點，有沒有守住呢？心都不在了，哪能正？不正，又怎麼守得住？所以悟道的人是智慧之心，沒有悟道的人就是煩惱之心。
徒兒們，人生除了錢，還有比錢更有意義的事情，權力有朝一日也會過去，我們如果不知止，不能止在一個至善的地方，一直追求這些功名權位到結束，兩手一放，能帶走這些有形的嗎？你在人世間，有這個名，這個權勢，卻不是什麼大不了的事，如果你能在陰陽五行中，而不被陰陽所轉，那才是真正的了不起！所以要修道才能達到，事情會漸漸跟著順遂。
要回歸自性，才能超越這些物質境界，不被物役，所以聖人養性，凡人養身。
人落紅塵就有一定的因緣要了，但修行人懂得用光明的念頭來看待。珍惜每一個成就自己的考驗；珍惜每一成就自己的淬煉，珍惜每一個提升自己的經驗，珍惜每一改變自己機緣。
命中雖富貴，若多行不義，終有一天要有富貴變賤命，命中雖貧窮，若能善積福德，則必可由貧轉富。因此，一切皆由自己造，惟命不於常，道善則得之，不善則失之，真正的富貴是【充實內德謂之富，行善喜捨謂之貴】，不僅能利人，對自己也有好處，所謂【既以為人，已愈有；既以與人，己愈多】，故富能施為德，貧能守道為貴，富貴在於積善，富壽在乎善心。
眾生無明，無法明心見性，【道】就在你的眼前，徒兒們卻還要向外去覓道，真是捨近求遠！如果你總是要看外在的形象，執著於外在的人事，這樣會把自己迷了，道在師傳修在己，自性唯有自渡，你不修，諸佛菩薩也沒有辦法把你救上天去。
心法，心法，用心在傳法，若不用心傳法就不會知心，用心傳法方能渡盡天下眾生，如果只說法，而不用心，那要如何讓別人能夠體悟到？不管入山修還是在家修，最重要的就是修自己那一顆心。
自古真經不在紙上，唯有往自己身上去探討去找，方能找到自己的生死關門，文字看過了，說多了，它終究是文字，做不出來，行不出來，就不是你自己從心性中去發掘。
人如果終年不洗澡，會塵垢一大堆，你們的自心也是一樣，得要用心天天刷，天天洗滌，這樣煥然一新，做到【苟日新，日日新，又日新】。
【為道日損，為學日益】，我們學道，修道和求學問不同的，求學問、文學、哲學，化學……那些學得越多，知識就越多，這是才華。人世間之所以苦，全來自妄想執著太重了，所以為道日損，是你學道修道後自性漸明，烏雲塵垢越淡越少，損的是各式各樣的執念，道本清淨沒有塵埃污染。
佛說四萬八千法門，例如：誦經回向，打坐、禪七、八關齋…但後面又說：不二法門，不二就是「一」，「一」就是道，是真經，真經不在經典文字上，所以世尊說：正法眼藏。
人人皆有思想，思想不正確，就有不正確的行為，所以經上說：眾生顛倒夢想，失去真道。思想是來自於所知所見，也就是所謂之【知見】，人之所以有那麼多的妄想執著，究其原因乃知見錯誤（癡：有病的知識），隨著累生累世的累積，這個習染很深很重，知見嚴重的偏差，如何導正？數千年來聖賢經典當中就有答案，所以讀經書，就是在聽聖賢的教育，接受真理的思想。
經書的內容，如法雨般，可以滋養我們的心，讓我們心靈成長，向上提升，也可以洗滌我們的塵垢，讓我們的心靈跟清潔光亮。
讀聖賢書，知書達禮，改變氣質，氣質好，這是事實，但自古以來讀聖賢書的人無量，為何每個時代的人類都上演著自私自利、權力鬥爭、愛恨情殺…這麼重的貪慾，這麼重的怒恨，這麼重的執迷不悟？有善根的人，知書達禮的人，難道他們內心沒有掙扎過嗎？但回頭的很少很少，大部分都是識神（識心，分別心）勝利，所以隨波逐流，暗室有虧，悖離了仁義禮智信的常道，以至於世風日下，天理不彰，綱常不振。經上所：眾生之所以常沉苦海，因為失去了真道，真道就是我們的真神，真主人。真神退位，識神當家，當然要天下大亂了。
自古以來，真正有智慧的人，他們為了超脫這個五行的牽制，自性能夠自在，所以要去千里訪明師。
六祖慧能說：不識本心，學法無益，你不能明心，學那麼多的才華，沒有多大意義，達摩西來一字無，全憑心意用工夫，可見心法不在經典上，引出六祖慧能才說：自古佛佛唯傳本體，師師密付本心。六祖慧能又說：世人終日只求福田，不求出離生死苦海，自性若迷，福何可救。
三教經典在中國已有數千年歷史，代代有人講課，哲學系必修，這些學生、教書的老師個個都明白這些道理哲學，但是他們的執著習性，他們的苦惱痛苦…都沒有辦法卸下來。為什麼？因為起心動念的東西，需要以心的法子來降服、來醫治，所以說：萬法由心生，萬法由心滅。
因此才說，你要先明白理路，你自己心裡頭才知道自己的想法正不正確，合不合乎理，不合理，如何用意志力來轉識成智，這股精神力量是需要下功夫修煉的。
所以活佛恩師臨壇教育我們，總是叮嚀我們，求了道還要到佛堂聽道理，才能夠明理，明理了才知道「用」，才瞭解三寶的妙用，三寶心法的殊勝。如果只知使用三寶，但不明真理，沒有真理做根基，你也沒有原動力來修煉三寶，這就是人們常說的『入寶山空手而返』之遺憾。
【經典印證】
玄關一竅，人之樞紐，靈性居存之穴，人之受孕，七日一陽來復，先有此竅。故修行人離此即是外法，名為神氣穴，又名方寸地，又名生死門。
呂祖云：生我之門死我戶，幾個醒醒幾個悟
夜半鐵漢自思量，長生不死由人做。
佛稱為不二法門，正法眼藏。
道家稱為黃庭，谷神
易經：君子黃中通理，正位居體，又名知止所。
大學云：知止而後又定，乃人身大中之地也。
天有斗柄天之中，地有須彌地之中，人有玄關人之中
帝堯傳舜四字心法：允執厥中
子思著書體之，有【中庸】二字，得其指示者，名曰得道。
論語有：『朝聞道夕死可矣』之贊；子貢有『性與天道不得聞』之憂。
梅仙鸞訓：
『道是路來理是法，千經萬殿證明他，翰墨文字滿天下
並無一人知道法，經史人人讀誦它，只少一指路邊差』
二祖神光見達摩祖師後，有詩曰：
不知到底一歸何，是以神光拜達摩，
立雪少林為何事，只求一指躲閻羅。
此竅在陰陽上為太極窩，在八卦為離宮九紫，在五行為中央戊己土，子思言：『中也者，天下之大本也』。又言：君子時中，均與此相連相證。自古千仙萬佛，皆由此而成也
道德經五千言，金剛經三十二分，周易一部，論語二十篇，曾子作大學，子思述中庸，耶穌之聖經，回之古蘭經，說是字字硃磯，一理之道，仍貴在明師之心法傳授也。
各教之立言，乃將天道心法隱於經典，亦望後世，以經覓訪明師，超脫輪迴，無奈今之沙彌，不明不二法門之理，參禪打坐，善化惡食，豈非旁門。亦有鼓打念唱，借假經為利，失其皈戒，不悟真空，欲求成道，不可能也。
三期末劫，火精子，水精子，闡揚儒宗正道，復興中華文化，指開戊己中央，黃中通理之道，使得者能知不偏之謂中，不易之謂庸，中者天下之正道，庸者天下之定理。五教聖人濟世已久，其書雖存，用之真行假行難辨，正邪難分，得之明師，用之則正，不得明師，用之則偽，願天下眾生，欲研無上菩提，須參訪明師，指點修真要言，修之有道，行之有恆，拳拳服膺，而弗失之矣。
經書云：『點破玄關竅，閻王不來叫
地府抽了名，天榜掛上號』
又
說：『一指能超三界外，一點能脫十閻羅』
古聖云：『讀破千經萬典，不及明師一點』
又
云：『讀書萬卷一竅不通，滿腹文章不明生死』
仙家云：『大道不難人自難，迷人如隔萬重山
明師指開玄關竅，不勞彈指到西方』
古聖云：『玄關竅無價寶，點開就是蓬萊島，
蓬萊島神仙洞，洞內自在本性王』
元始天尊曰：『眼前一條路，直通你故家；指你本來面目。道在其中，悟者自得。迷者雖有明燈引路，仍然心猿意馬。東倒西歪，跌下陰溝裡！元始先天大道，只是這麼「一點小意思」』
觀音菩薩曰：『紫竹林中觀自在，淨瓶柳枝悟玄機
菩薩常住谷林中，須臾不離為真宗
大道分明在心頭，有作有為盡下流
識得當前真淨土，萬部丹經一筆勾』
佛經云：『佛在靈山莫遠求，靈山只在你心頭
人人有個靈山塔，好在靈山塔下修』
又
云：『西方十萬八千里，指破西方在眼前』
耶穌曰：『凡不肯背著十字架跟從我的，就不能作我的門徒』
穆罕默德：『回回之地，阿里夫兩目米目』，
阿里夫是指靈性，靈性的所在地
就在兩目米目。
子
曰：『人若一竅通，則不死者，壽在神也。』
耶穌曰：『背自己的十字架見上帝。』這個十字架就是明師所指的地方。
釋迦牟尼佛云：『吾有正法眼藏』此語即暗示玄關之地。
老子《道德經》云：谷神不死。是為玄牝。玄牝之門。是為天地根。
孔子《論語》曰：三人行，必有我師焉。擇其善者而從之，其不善者而改之。即是說有一個真人和兩個假人！
又
曰：『人人有個自性佛，誦經有卷無字經
誦之念之常不忘，保爾平步上天堂
心外求經路便差，水中月影鏡中花』
壇經說：『不識本心，學法無益』。
上等修行悟覺性，中等修行執文字，下等修行重顯化。五祖為六祖於三更半夜講解金剛經，用袈裟蒙住不叫人看見，如果只是講經，為什麼不叫人看見？是因為在受一指點。
玄關妙竅，玄者能通天貫地，關者生死之門戶，竅者神機秘於中藏也，世人常說七孔八竅，即兩個眼睛、兩個耳朵、兩個鼻孔，加上一個嘴巴，總共只有七個孔竅，為何七孔而多一竅呢？此一竅世人無人可以知曉，雖醫學發達，學者博士，不得其玄妙，科學進步，莫明其奧妙。玄關妙竅，真是宇宙之蘊秘，人生之機密，非時非人，雖聖人佛祖，亦不敢洩露天機也。這玄妙機關，乃開天闢地，造化萬物生人之祖竅。這玄關竅為天地人之中心，有神鬼莫測之妙，是古今不輕傳的回天秘寶，得之可以超凡入聖，修之可以成仙成佛，超生了死，永脫輪迴也！
佛經云：『佛在靈山莫遠求，靈山只在你心頭，人人有個靈山塔，好在靈山塔下修』從這一佛偈，就曉得每人身上也有個三寶殿，向此求之，就能化解一切，甚而成就佛道了。我（濟公活佛）今述之：
第一寶：靈山：即是自性地，儒稱「至善地」，道曰「玄關」，此關在心頭，即「良心的頭上」，如能經明師點化，豁然開悟，則在自身可以「求佛」。第二寶：真經：經為通佛之徑，口念佛號，心起佛心，曰頓教，曰淨土，專注於斯，非僧之專利，俗家居士人人可念，稱為「最方便法門」，彼念過去佛，我念未來佛，彌勒當下生，念彼早來世，以開龍華會，人人成佛道。則在自身可以「求法」。第三寶：
心印：眾生若能與佛合一，才可成佛。此心與佛「合同」，手握不離這個：子亥（本來天真佛→孩），自然得佛心印，則在自身可以「求僧」。。
以上即為自身三寶殿，平時多燒香，有事可求之，自然逢凶化吉。所謂「朝登三寶殿，夕下五行山」，如此朝煉道，夕修行，可以脫離三界，跳出五行，永不輪迴。『求道』修佛者甚多，可惜不在靈山尋如來，偏向苦海塵緣覓假相，世人身上這座寶塔跟鎮坐在裡面的那位自在菩薩，已久無去修悟禮拜，以致荒廢不堪，殊為可惜，要在心地上下功夫，將此心修得圓滿無缺，也就是心塔、聖塔完工明心見性之時了！
詩曰：
佛在靈山莫遠求 祖居玄竅悟能修
原靈九六先天性 無極同根溯本流
學道追根究本原 明師指我古玄關
當前徹悟歸家去 脫俗遠離苦惱煩
Source Text — Chapter 10
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
第十章、五常五戒五行理同否
儒之仁義理智信，即為五常，釋之殺盜淫妄酒，即為五戒，道之金木水火土，即為五行，總之三教之名雖異，其理則一，何以故？試想：
若不戒殺，則無仁，而缺木矣；
若不戒盜，則無義，而缺金矣；
若不戒邪淫，則無禮，而缺火矣；
若不戒酒肉，則無智，而缺水矣；
若不戒妄語，則無信，而缺土矣，
所以儒家教人行五常，以合忠恕之道；釋家教人守五戒，以存慈悲之懷；道家教人修五行，以明感應之靈，其理無不同也。
Source Text — Chapter 19
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com). Sections 19–28 of the source file, corresponding to all ten sections of Chapter 19. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
釋迦牟尼佛白話聖訓
氣候由夏天轉入秋天，變為收穫的時期，人皆不知眼前之浩劫，今盼望登上金線法船，快快跳出災難吧！余乃是
釋迦牟尼佛奉
老母之命降臨壇，參叩
老母，執筆飛鸞訓告
哈哈止
在古代時候，余拾棄了名利財產及地位而入山中，於六年間坐禪斷食。在此六年之苦行難行，究竟為了什麼知道嗎？都是為了想求天道，而逃脫四大苦，六道輪迴，及三界之痛苦。且也由於領悟了靈性可以可享有萬萬年的幸福，勝過肉體百年之快樂之緣故。若現在為了名譽利慾而心受拘束，一旦閉上了兩眼之後，能往何處帶走什麼呢？余守在山中非常艱辛且捨身要來求大道。
余之心不久即通達上天，受燃燈佛一指開竅而達成了願望，然後也將此尊貴的真法傳授給我的弟子。當余壽命告終，仙佛即來迎接我回到極樂淨土理天，而按照余之理想到了不生不滅之極地。
其後余之弟子為了保存我之聖業在於世間，而遺留了經典，余並不是誦讀經典來成佛，而是得了尊貴的天道秘寶，而後才成佛的，相信我，門生啊！你們該明白天道的尊貴，該知道我所得到的秘寶，天道的三寶啊。無論經文或經典中，其所書寫的都含有這天道。但都沒有明示，『經文、經典都不是用來誦念的，而是用來悟其意義的，然後按照經典所言，為道而努力才對』。在那時候單傳所授的心法，現在變成普傳了，與古時候比較起來，簡單又容易地可得到這尊貴的心法，心法在眼前。有緣人都可以遇到而與我同樣得到此尊貴的秘寶。
現在的時代正是三期末世。大道變為普傳，是因為時代變遷而成為混沌緣故。亦即由於製造戰爭武器，及人類過於奢華而所造成之危機的緣故。在眼前有大災難迫近而來，許多眾生都要受此災難而被清算，為惡作孽的人都要應罪而被淘汰掉，在上天，老母為此而悲傷，因此始准許道的普傳。由於道的公開，大家才有機會得受此尊貴的心法而可回去極樂淨土。
余經過苦行難行而所得到的三寶，實在是非常貴重的，古時候得受三寶的條件，即要離開家庭，守在山中過著幾十寒暑的斷食冥想，實在是很艱苦的修行。請趁此良辰佳期來『求道』吧！並請得受我所得的三寶吧！
佛堂是一艘慈船也，建立了佛堂則必須拯救無數的眾生來上船。救一人即是一件功德，且成為自己的德也，勿變為無人乘坐的船，希望盡量來載運無數的人吧！這個功德是回去上天之後才顯露出來的，無論地位很高或財富很多，一旦兩眼閉上來則兩手空空也。到那時候在上天按其功德來決定果位。九品的果位是由自己來挑選，而不是經由上天來選擇的。自己積德可以進到上品果位，不積德其品位頗難升進。
有得受天道秘寶，即不再轉入四生六道的痛苦輪迴，免受四大苦，並可躲避三災八難。當百年的壽數盡了之後，返回理天。則切斷地獄之緣。所謂理天就是永遠極樂，常而不變，是聖人仙佛所住的地方也。亦是超脫生死不生不死之地方，無煩惱雜念而平和愉快的地方也！
凡相信我的人，即應該來信天道！相信我又背逆道義，那不是真正相信我的。這一竅的玄關即是靈性的正門，死後靈性由此出去而回到極樂。精神集中在此一點，則無雜念，無煩惱。且又念出口訣則顯出大神通力，可災難中獲救，所謂合同，即是神餘人互相通道之手印也。當將兩手十指相抱則與神相通，仙佛就降下來在你的身邊。如遇到災禍時，使用此三寶一瞬間即可獲救也！
在眼前有三期末劫的災難迫近，即是九九八十一劫恐怖的大災難也。在七七四十九天之間，天與地都要變為黑暗，血如河流，骨積如山，舉目所看的都無房屋，是自從有地球以來最大的災難也，且善惡全部都要受到判別。而現在所降下來的一支金線即解救之道，只有這天道矣！沒有比這更好的秘寶，也沒有與此一樣之秘寶，是大神咒、大明咒的心法，希望快得之，且從迫近而來可怕的災難中逃脫出去吧！
你們現在所建立的功德，將在萬八年的青史上留下好名義！如今不建立功德，那要等待何時呢？天道也有停止的時候。船隻一旦出航就不再等待後面的人，到那時候則後悔莫及了，現在快來快樂修持積德吧，你們都是有緣分的人，只要向道邁進，即有輝煌的光明，若退道則失去光明，我的門生，應該會領悟及相信我的話，為道而努力吧！
當今，在萬福寺內設立了天道佛堂，應該要妥為利用，多給眾生得道而來救渡他們，否則這佛堂即失去了用處，而能夠來載運眾生才有佛堂的意義。光設立佛堂而沒有運作，那是不可以的！就用眾生來填滿此佛堂吧，夜又深了，也有遠路來的人，余要停筆。向
老母辭駕，返回理天。盼再增加力量為道而奔走吧！
哈哈
退
釋迦牟尼佛慈訓
佛歷2536年歲次癸酉公元1993年四月初九日
末法時期，萬教齊發之際，魔王出世，擾亂世間，顯現各種神通奇術，蠱惑人心。故此大家認清楚方向，莫迷失盲從。以音聲求我，若以色見我，是人行邪道，不能見如來。
不要學神通、學法術；魔喜歡玩弄神通法術、幻象，若心存貪妄即墜魔圈。因何魔也有神通法術？因魔也修十善業、入禪定，未發菩提覺心而起貪妄，故入魔道，難以成佛。佛魔只一念之間，道高一尺，魔高一丈，起心動念不可不慎。末後之時，魔找魔、佛找佛；若不發菩提心，不行菩薩道，心生我執我癡、我愛我慢，易入魔道。因何邪教旁門仍有無數的信徒？如果信徒有貪妄想有神通，不為生死解脫大事著想的話，入了邪魔，即成魔子魔孫。
大家不要小看點傳師玄關一指，一指點是名『授記』，是指點大家找到自己的真主人。不是人授記大眾，而是『彌勒佛授記』，點開生死竅門，不可輕視，得此一大事因緣，好自珍惜修辦。一貫天道應運，點傳師所擔天命，不是命令、不是權勢，而是救人濟世的使命，要存慈悲心、行菩薩行，以救人濟世為本願。何謂菩提心？是良心、本心；不失良心，就是菩提心。『修道是本份』，『辦道是責任』，各人了各人的願；有人乘願而來，有人帶業往生。一條金線一貫『道統』，東方西方共六十四代；日月合併光照大地。
六祖慧能慈訓
天運丁未年（公元1967年）正月三十日
萬法皆由自心生
降龍伏虎煉原靈
反觀自在菩提覓
般若如是彼岸登
凡諸色相皆虛妄
如露如電水泡同
頓漸二法人所曉
內蘊有機明得清
吾乃慧能六祖
今奉
天敕
來至佛堂
參叩天駕
問候群英
今執木筆
略略批評
哈哈
真機妙寶今洩塵
亙古何嘗有此辰
昔日釋迦天盤掌
紅陽應運稱世尊
繼往開來單傳授
妙道相傳二八人
達摩東來道暗轉
神光斷臂點谷神
道非常道時更轉
名非常名不二門
慧能承接為六祖
道統由此傳俗人
世人不知天命意
認定道尚在僧門
心法乃是心心印
那有傳在紙上雲
唉歎一般緇黃輩
尚在經典真法尋
上乘大法無形象
心印妙寶自明分
道傳火宅時已久
時也運也傳庶民
一十八代乃子系
奉天承運救原人
大開文運三曹渡
上渡神祇並星辰
中渡云云眾生等
下渡幽冥之鬼魂
千門萬教無天命
三曹普渡誰敢雲
得受明師一指點
能超五行與閻君
神道設教非人力
天借人力化乾坤
有緣聞風等道岸
登堂入室稱智人
先得後修再研究
內外雙修參真蘊
雙林樹下明自性
昂藏丈六是金身
外觀其形已無形
內觀其心已無心
遠觀無為至寂靜
空中妙有玄奧深
我佛教人飛四相
三心掃滅化煙雲
三教言語雖有異
內中妙理同一根
紅陽末運了道去
今值白陽彌勒尊
在家修來出世法
非同左道與旁門
惜哉世人迷太甚
視作天道是虛文
壇下賢士速打點
得道立德建功勳
要明天道至尊貴
非時不降白陽臨
成佛作祖有此作
希聖希賢在自奔
良機稀有誠者語
韶華不再莫錯辰
能修煉處速修煉
能行功處速渡人
只因三期劫難重
人命草菅太傷心
不久大地又將變
不覓桃源怎藏身
識時務者速回首
勿再執迷再沉淪
不信且往日後看
有朝一日劫驚魂
留下一段俚俗語
望眾勿作耳旁蘊
吾今辭母別眾等
收乩止管步祥雲
哈哈
退
印光法師『求道』記
民國31年（即公元1942年）歲次壬午年五月二十三日
印光法師於蘇州
到壇與眾弟子結緣訓
南北闡道挽原童
屏下水潺似哭聲
道傳宇宙三千界
濟困扶危世大同
代至三期末劫至
氣數所定難寬容
天道真理無為妙
仙佛倒裝下塵紅
吾乃
南屏道濟
奉母旨
代氣天仙印光
來至佛庭
參叩維皇上帝
眾徒安平
告訴壇前
皆勿出聲
印光今至法壇乃是
上帝慈憫
佛仙懇請
故能至臨
吾止乩管
令其評批
哈哈止
印度大道返中原
光耀門楣樂自然
法身本系天賦性
師徒情深實難言
悔昔當初甚傷歎
恨己德薄未得傳
萬萬不可佳景錯
般般不成裂心肝
吾乃
印光奉了
皇母敕旨
跟隨活佛來壇
步進佛堂
竭母百叩
謝母恩寬
再與諸眾賢士
身頂一禮近安
再問
眾徒可好
今逢佳期良緣
又蒙活佛助俺
哈哈
唉唉
俺提筆
告眾等
聽我述言
思想起
當年事
珠淚漣漣
不由我
印光僧
心中悲歎
歎世上
修行人
不知真傳
吾從前
亦同眾
一樣未曉
到現在
明白了
後悔晚焉
今承蒙
活佛師
助俺批判
如若是
不助俺
難示訓篇
只因為
未得道
理天難返
雖行善
只落過
氣天大仙
吾一生
本來是
心存慈善
看破了
塵世界
入了巖山
居住在
巖山上
苦修苦練
吾乃是
心堅定
不願戀凡
不料是
大限至
六道未脫
辰龍年
歸空去
只達氣天
恨從前
盲修煉
不明真道
不明曉
真淨土
即是玄關
雖然我
守至靜
不明至理
看起來
未明透
性理根源
吾在世
心好善
弟子信仰
學吾者
日繼夜
誦唸經篇
都以為
唸經文
死生能脫
那曉得
淨土法
難脫循環
要明白
現已至
白陽應運
天時轉
彌勒佛
掌了天盤
吾所行
紅陽法
已成過去
終日裡
唸經篇
六道難脫
生而死
死而生
循環不息
四生內
六道中
變化萬般
幸虧吾
在世上
未曾作惡
所以我
臨終時
笑容滿面
眾弟子
以為我
功圓果滿
哪知道
無憑據
難返理天
只因為
氣數盡
白陽暗轉
劫收惡
道拯善
玉石分班
諸佛子
俱奉命
倒裝下世
闡大道
渡原人
協助收圓
想起我
在世上
未求真道
失誤了
此良緣
悔恨萬般
到如今
雖知曉
天道寶貴
無色身
想『求道』
實在困難
雖然是
氣天仙
亦可『求道』
無奈我
功德小
難聞真傳
但願我
眾弟子
勤加修煉
我或是
還可以
把光來沾
為何故
氣天仙
尚要『求道』
只因為
延康劫
將臨目前
到那時
日月星
亦難躲脫
何況吾
是氣天
區區小仙
吾今日
到法壇
忠言相告
勸吾徒
莫猶豫
速奔陽關
還有那
未『求道』
諸眾弟子
望『求道』
諸弟子
前去宣言
勸他們
早日裡
『求道』拜師
我亦可
在氣天
心中安然
將來吾
眾弟子
稍能進步
或可以
感動了
上帝寬恩
要明白
得三寶
始能明性
明瞭性
才能夠
成為佛仙
大道理
雖然是
無形無象
內包羅
乾與坤
化育萬端
吾在世
亦曉得
真理大道
不過是
未得點
亦屬枉然
自以為
誦經篇
最為高尚
那曉得
有形者
儘是虛幻
吾還望
未『求道』
眾位弟子
再不要
仍舊是
坐井觀天
若然是
再不肯
回心轉意
恐怕你
到那時
想求亦難
雖然是
修淨土
亦是一法
真淨土
絕不是
誦唸經篇
若能夠
求天道
即可明曉
明師點
豁然明
一切了然
真天道
自古來
單傳獨授
非三期
難曉得
這個妙玄
勸眾等
早打破
固執己見
速速的
求天道
看淡塵凡
吾今日
示此處
心中悲歎
想起了
以前事
心如刀穿
早知道
誦經文
難超生死
我必定
上法船
求了真傳
到如今
雖後悔
亦是無用
誰叫我
在世時
固執己見
批至此
師下令
叫俺回返
只能夠
停乩圈
不再批言
吾止乩
望諸徒
速去勸化
勸眾等
速『求道』
切莫遲延
西天路
十萬八
一指即到
可見是
真天道
不同平凡
吾心中
所懷念
一言難盡
只等候
有機時
再來批言
收乩管
叩謝母
宏恩慈俺
望前賢
將吾訓
修正順穿
吾再叩
眾前賢
身頂一禮
再別那
眾弟子
日後結緣
唉唉
止
耶穌基督聖訓（一）
公元1950年歲次庚寅年6月16日基督信徒鄭德蘭等在港昭德壇恭求
耶穌救主降壇指示訓
月光照三千；慧性透玄關
師徒汝知我；母掛心大事
明暗豈由人打算；一指可脫懸馬淵
有德之人應速進；芝蘭玉體宜修賢
吾乃月慧汝師母
奉
母慈諭
同
耶穌降至法壇
進佛樓
參叩
天母
諸賢徒近日可安，天時緊急，光陰荏苒，前程大事應速辦，勿辜負佳日華年，尤牽掛，德蘭賢士逢聖道，此乃是昔日歸主結善緣。往日因，今結此果非偶然。主慈汝，受師一點列賢徒。故感動，耶穌今日來此壇地，宜誠靜，恭聽福音啟迷團。哈哈！時候至矣，換主批言。止
耶和華，指示一線之光。穌醒吧，迷途上的羔羊
救信徒，福境目前即是。主今日，音助月慧弓長
我乃前期救世主
基利斯督
耶穌
奉
耶和華上帝之命
同
月慧
今期救世主
降臨佛堂
禮拜上帝問一聲，點傳諸徒安康！說我是西洋教主，我也曾到過東洋，稱我為『救世主』，今日我到此方。說我生於猶太，又何曾不是『佛仙』、『法王』。今值聖年三十一安息日，為會信徒德蘭，特來指示妙章，我佑望你！我懸望你！醒來吧！要接受我這純誠的忠告心腸。哈哈
樹起沖天大志
信心堅定不移
丹桂清香門第
芳芬不俗不倚
昔日根深今茂
建下基礎永逸
先天時機明否
腳步深淺自悉
末日已漸急緊
天國大路速覓
誠心默禱跪修
十字架上真理
主啊！我代信徒們乞求生命的源泉。信徒們！要明白，我這救徒的心念。苦惱的大地，正是無底的深淵，都是罪惡，誰來可憐？上帝注定的末日已現眼前。撒旦已從牢裡出來，走惑四方家園，哥格、瑪克，相繼爭戰。他們的人數，已如海沙一般。亂世的魔鬼，遍滿了大地，這就是末日審判的今天，不論那海中和大地，都要按生命冊上的注載，受上帝審判。哈哈！示到此處機止住，修理乩筆再上壇。這裡是審判的金殿，信徒們！別失望了，我已經給你們開闢新的路線，知道懺悔的人，知道生命的人，我皆道你們進入新的天地，幸福的樂園，凡是『羔羊冊』的人們，都可受救世主的指點，幸運永永遠遠。這裡是上帝的宮殿（之一），就是你們超苦的法船。記得你們，自從偷吃了禁果，被罰在世界上，年年復年年辛勞的耕種你們的地土，何處是安樂的家園？信徒啊德蘭！你早晚的祈禱著我，我也是時時牽掛；你時時不能忘我，我也時時賜福你的身邊；你也歸到我的懷抱，是遠在四十年前，在三月二日的晚上，你發出了歸主的信心啊，可欽佩的德蘭！可懸望的德蘭，但時代的輪子在轉動，上帝的氣運在流遷，撒旦雖佈滿了大地，真正的福音，也洩露在凡間。啊！罪惡的今日，便是預言中的末年。你雖然在祈禱著我，但我的天命，已時過境遷。你們說什麼『五教』不同，在天堂，何嘗不是二二三三，都是上帝的親生子，分期降生世間。使人可怕的末日，救眾生的天命，就在弓長月慧雙肩，他們是當世的就是救世主，上帝最親信的孝男，他是斯世的明燈，又是末日的羅盤，他是救挽『迷路羔羊』的牧師，『諾亞的方舟』已現在世間，他是上帝的生命線。天堂的我們，都應力助一肩！～啊！信徒德蘭醒來吧！知道嗎？幸運的天使，就在你的目前，你是最幸運的徒男，二千年來未露的『十字真理』已經擺露在你們的目前。望信徒！明白此一點，勿當作平淡之言，我曾為你們贖罪，『復活日』尤念徒男。目前是你悔罪之處，這裡就是上帝的宮殿。二千年來的預言，今日才指明言，今日才是真正的『歸主日』。
弓長月慧代天辦理『末殘』，信徒們醒來吧！弓長月慧已奉上帝之命，挽救徒男，東魯（即中國）是今日的『聖地』，耶路撒冷已移東川。望信徒明白此機關，無智的迷徒們，醒來吧！你們的夢想，愚癡得可憐！你們期待著我末日降世，我何能再生於猶太的玻利恆間，瑪麗亞已經成為過去的母親。迷徒們！不要再迷連。斯時下，上帝開恩真理闡，啟迷徒共登覺路上法船，現時下，世界末日已經臨危，不求『末日真法』太可憐，現今日上帝憫恩賜下弓長月慧辦理五教之收圓。望徒們！早早醒來大夢覺，捷足先登『諾亞』船。信徒呀德蘭，你不要再憧憬我，我要在不見中助爾福田。弓長月慧是今世的『救世主』，你要把信我的心，移到那『救世主---弓長月慧』身邊。不要再遲疑，對天道下些苦功，代天闡揚真傳。你要接受我這純誠的語言，且要速速振作向前！信徒啊德蘭，醒來吧！二千多年的迷夢，今日已打破，自從偷吃了禁果而降世，一顆美麗光鮮的生命果，誰知道就是今天的一指點。德蘭呀信徒弓長月慧給你的新生命，你千萬要繼續向前！你要遵記我的話，我一定領你返回天國的伊甸園。啊！『天國近了』上帝在期待著你！我在懸望著你！你已是非其他信徒可比，你是最幸運的徒男，你是最快樂使人羨慕的徒男！教法種下的因豈能救苦出深淵？時候到了，天賜一線。你要把主的孩子們，和你一樣，同時領回天國，脫出那沉淪的苦淵。千萬不要在憧憬著我。時已不早，我要歸去。今日囑咐你的話，千萬要銘記，你是我最懸望的信徒，希望誠心感動，後會有期，再見吧德蘭！我歸矣！辭叩上帝同月慧返回無極！
大能者上帝，已經發言苦述天下，從日出之地，到日落之地，都要禮拜弓長和月慧菩薩！這就是唯一的『救生船』。啊！萬民啊！大家一致要歌頌救世主上帝耶和華。哈哈退！
基督教主慈訓（二）
彰化菩提園‧公元1978年歲次戊午農曆十一月二十八日
……我禱告上帝讓人能有智慧醒悟，我盡了心血希望一群的耶民信徒，速求天道，真理不在書中了，求『明師一指』才能竅竅皆通，你們不再只是讚美的歌頌念唱！要緊的是去救救同胞手足……不必疑了，真修者必能返回天國故鄉……今日的復活亦是明年的復活，於永久於萬年，這就是一點靈光，不生不滅，這也是你們說求的目標、指南針。
耶穌基督聖訓（三）
公元1991年歲次辛未農曆十月初十日於印尼萬隆借竅顯化
……為了印證五教歸一，為了印證天道真理，聖經句句實不虛，上帝原本是真理，乃因世人心迷起，分派教門起爭執，信奉真主得永生。眾等乃是天父之子，明明上帝就是天父，膜拜上帝心神一，認識我的膜拜我，默默禱告真主悉。當時預示覆手禮，即是明師竅一指，額上十字架印授，隱藏瑪瑙與寶石，覆手禮知道嗎？就是你們明師在指點的方式，所以各教經典一致。這裡我的門徒多，所以才來顯化！我是來印證三寶，當年覆手禮，洗禮聽過嗎？覆手禮就是這樣（耶穌聖人有示範與明師點道相似），這不就是明師的一指點嗎？十字架上有印授者才能躲災避難。
神愛世人，這個神，就是你的心神，元神。你們得道印授以後，你們的名字，天國註冊，以後要回天國，天國就是無極，就是理天。所以你們來『求道』要掛號，要做天國的子民知道嗎？求了道以後，你們的五個字，以心印心，印在心中，聽懂了嗎？我覆手禮完畢，抱起一位小孩，就是你們的第三寶，手抱合同，唯有復回赤子之心才能回天國，所以各教真理一致。
……真理永不變，但是後世的人，耶穌的門徒，誤解了意義，以為把十字架掛在胸前即可躲劫，不是的，十字架在你心中，就在這裡（耶穌聖人在臉上比劃「十」字），以後刀兵劫瘟疫傷害不了你們，要傷害到的就是沒有印授的人……各教經典印證一樣，你們的明師，也是當時我所啟示，負起職責的人是聖殿的棟樑，所以他們擔天職，辦天事，天命綿綿流傳。各教教主救各教的有緣人，殊途同歸返理域！
天國福音傳被世宇；因為天時已近逼；末世分判分出良莠；必將稗子來分離
耶和華的聖民有福；慧眼開睜識真理；背起身上十字真人；點燃性靈之光曦
誠心默禱體會神意；亦感天父護佑你；眼觀大地充滿罪惡；世界末日非虛語
多少世人依舊迷癡；未明真假困地獄；世界末日非是虛語；羔羊知醒底蘊悉
竭求弓長尋其根本；找得自在樂安怡；三期末日的救世主；弓長天然與子系
聽聽關懷深切之音；莫再沈迷於往昔；聖潔慈愛與你同在；牽引弟兄共參與
永生之印萬古不朽；願世界人永安怡；阿門信我者得永生。
（我非指耶穌的肉體假我，而是每個人都具有的靈性真我）
歡迎加入牧羊人的行列，亮起光明之燈，傳遞上帝的心聲，導引羔羊，邁向康莊前程，扶持真理
不要抵擋真理，讓耶和華的美善感化無助的心靈，息解愁怨造下信誠，信念以盤石常住，莫被世俗污穢你的性靈，墜落撒旦陷阱裡，行事端正不被棄絕必得寬容，啊！神的恩惠與恩愛，是多麼浩大，讓世人共沾此光榮，遠離黑暗，守定真理，智慧開啟，速求弓長月慧解厄運，教你們善行，不是出自勉強，而是歡心喜悅
引領弟兄，齊同步上伊甸樂園，榮耀光芒，直到永遠，就此拜別上帝，願真理幸福與你們同存，阿門！退
耶穌基督慈訓（四）
……賢士皆已沾露天恩師德，得知明師所傳之三寶在過去我也講三寶，只是用隱藏暗喻的方式罷了。在聖經的原文裡面有一段話﹝路加福音第十一章﹞：The eye is the lamp of the body。
﹝Body﹞是身體，﹝lamp﹞是燈，﹝Eye﹞是靈魂之窗﹝眼睛﹞。為什麼要記下這句玄機給世人悟？賢士你們眼睛是單的、或是雙的？是不是一對？﹝是﹞既是一對正常的眼睛，那句形當然要加﹝S﹞那就是﹝Eyes﹞。而經義玄妙之處，即在於﹝Eye﹞我卻不加﹝S﹞，因為他不是指我們身體有形眼睛，而是指自性。一般人沒有注意到，以為就是這個眼睛罷了。其實，他是寄意著自己的玄關自性，意思是說：那個眼睛是身體裡的一盞明燈。
還有一段記載：神的國就在你們中間，英文：Your midst，﹝Midst﹞正中央，為什麼說要死在十字架上？一方面要帶走眾生的罪過，一方面要告訴所有的有緣眾生，應該要向自己的本性玄關之處，好好的修道；這麼看來，我當初講不講三寶呢？﹝講﹞只是我的教徒他不明瞭Midst是證明玄關。
第二寶是口訣，在我當初已經告訴所有的眾徒不能講。在啟示錄吾有說：聖靈向教會所說的話，凡是有耳就當要聽清楚。得勝的人吾必賜給他上帝園中生命樹的果子，﹝生命樹，有人翻譯成維持生命的食糧；也有人翻譯成嗎哪，所以種種的翻譯不一樣，但是意思是一樣的﹞以及特賜給他一塊白石，石上刻著新名，除了領受得道的人認識他以外，其餘的沒有人能認識也不可說。在石上刻著新名，這個新名不能說，除了有得明師一指點的人領受得道認識他以外，其餘的人都不知道。
點傳師有沒有交待你們無字真經不能說？﹝有﹞因為真經不在紙上！由於吾這段的傳法對著所有眾徒說，所以當時沒人能體會，但爾等是否一目瞭然呢？就像世尊靈山會上拈花示眾，是誰微笑？迦葉尊者破顏微笑。賢士得受明師指破生死門當然會會心的一笑：原來如此，是不是呢？﹝是﹞
第三寶合同，我過去常常說：你們要真正恢復小孩子或嬰兒的樣子，才能來見我，才能入我的天國，我要給你們按手。
合同：子亥相親懷中抱。你得三寶，無形當中子亥嬰兒進入老母的境界中，也就是天國的境界之中，因為在天國裡面，所有的聖賢仙佛，他們的境界都是這樣的心懷，就像嬰兒、小孩純真、無邪、光明。道家說：『專氣致柔可嬰兒乎，抱元守一達至善』。假若你們不能恢復嬰孩的樣子，就不能回到天國的境界當中，如果你們譭謗傳道之人、或是譭謗聖賢仙佛，必會得到天災與人禍懂不懂？﹝懂﹞
道無言，人代宣，法不定，方便開；眾生迷，勤以教；要無過，唯有信，賢士對大道有沒有信心？﹝有﹞五教同助三曹普渡，爾等應該好好的修道、悟道，脫離這最後末劫關。
死有重於泰山、輕於鴻毛，謹慎選擇方有錦繡的前途。雖然會遇風雨考驗、磨煉，若能持恆志毅力沖關必能突破重重難關，到達理想的目標；若不能則會慢慢的掉下來，待在原地，困在凡間，而無法解脫了。
目蓮尊者結緣紀事
西元一九九三年歲次癸酉七月二十六日
目蓮救母孝格天
佛陀孝經話孟蘭
尊者第一神通變
難逃外道將身殘
吾乃
佛陀十大弟子
目蓮尊者
奉
皇母聖諭
來至佛閣
隱身早參
母座
諸位菩薩羅漢大家好
坐下吧！
自古及今多少的菩薩，都是由孝道感動天，地藏王菩薩也就是孝感動天，觀音菩薩也是孝感動天，我目蓮尊者也是孝感動天，自古及今的孝子才能感動天地鬼神。沒有孝心不孝敬父母，天地不會庇佑，今天我會來，是要與大家談一談孝，談一談神通。
在佛陀十大弟子中，我目蓮尊者屬神通第一，我家境好，當年我未得正法之時，我所修的四果旁道不是究竟，我以神通遊戲人間，當時釋迦牟尼佛正法時期外道很盛行，所以萬隆這個地方，各教有各種神術，它不是上乘大法，有很多是諸位不瞭解的。
我們今天能夠『求道』，是因佛在世普度眾生，才有正法有正道，大家才能得道了脫生死，更何況今天大家沾到天恩師德，又能來開班，現在七月，俗稱鬼月，大開鬼門關，人間的習俗普度，拜兄弟大魚大肉，其實你們要知道七月初一到月底，甚至七月半大家拜、大家普度，這個普度意義要懂。那個是因為當年我母親毀壞佛法，毀道謗德罪過無邊，所以她入無間地獄。我當時是佛弟子，我神通廣大，我以我的神通力進入地獄，看到我的母親在那裡受苦，所以我用我的托缽化飯給母親吃，卻變成一團火。我又化水讓我母親喝，又變成血水，我母親無福消受。我看到我母親在地獄受苦受煎熬，我回來求佛陀慈悲，佛陀才說我母親譭謗三寶，哪三寶呢？佛、法、僧；現在天道有自性三寶，皈依自性佛、皈依自性法、皈依自性僧，這就是天道自性三寶。
但我的母親造的口業多，而且讓僧人尼姑和尚破戒。所以諸位菩薩羅漢，你們要謹慎，不能譭謗，會受地獄的苦刑，各教都是一樣，這一點要小心。每個人有護道的責任、護道場的功德，若是你沒有護道場，身為道親身為講師壇主，若是說是非譭謗道場，你己造下無邊的罪業，所有的罪業你難以承擔。所以，當年我母親就是破壞僧道才入地獄，我回來跪求佛陀，讓佛陀救我母親。因為百善孝為先，萬惡淫為首，我痛哭求佛陀，佛陀才說若要救我母親，設百味僧品素食普度，所以普度是由此而來的。
我用盆子，放百味僧品，供養十方僧眾，因為七月間大開鬼門關，所有的洞府修行者精靈，那一天全部解放。所以第一要供養僧眾，我才能彌補我母親譭謗僧眾的罪，功德回向給我的母親。然後我還要唸經超度所有的冤魂鬼債，不管是路上死的，水中亡的，一切一切在七月間，佛有大赦可超度他們，而且七月半所普度的可以超渡三層的祖先，當時這個力量很微小。現在白陽道場天恩師德浩大，不用這樣普渡，只要你們誠心修道清口設立佛堂，你有渡人就可以超拔一層父母，渡的人更多可以超拔第二層祖父母。但現在的人把普渡意義扭曲，認為我們七月半在普渡是奉承鬼神，是祈求好兄弟是不是？祈求好兄弟保佑閤家平安，來保佑你們賺大錢，錯了！咱們修道是以佛為朋友，是以菩薩羅漢為兄弟姐妹，並不是以鬼靈精怪為兄弟，難道你們願意與鬼魂精怪為兄弟嗎？這就是普渡的由來。所以佛陀念於孝的重要，設下孟蘭盆會，七月半的廟宇所做的法會那就是水懺大會，才有孟蘭盆會，那就是在超渡父母所做的功德。
紅陽了道歸家去，轉到三陽彌勒尊，現在弓長子系應運，大家得逢天道，『求道』要能盡大大孝。有父母歸空的，兒女『求道』後父母祖先換上錦袍，在（地府）聽經所聽佛講經說法，每一個人手持一朵蓮花，子孫修得好，蓮花就長得好，他的子孫修得不好，他的蓮花會凋零。若是你們更能盡大孝以超拔父母，他能到天佛院、仙佛院、考試院去派職位官位，各處化人顯化。這是
皇母的恩典，一子成道九祖升天，所以你們不要看輕這個白陽普渡，上渡河漢星斗，中渡諸羅漢菩薩善男信女，下渡地府鬼魂，千載難逢才有這一會，不要看輕了。
你們都是幾世與佛有緣，你們大家有緣才會在加入這一班法會。像昨天今天能聽到畢班，你們的名冊，在天佛院已經注好，已經更勝一級。不要小看這個法會，若是這個法會來一天，不來一天，有時來晚早回，沒有從頭到尾，若是沒有畢班就不算這班的班員。每班的班員有一定的人數，有一定的同窗，要鞭策自己，我們今天能過得好，明天未必有時間來聽道理，所以掌握眼前。掌握現在，你才是上上的智者。
當年佛陀法會沒幾次，現在的法會各處開，因時因地因人那就是道的尊貴，是你們點傳師的慈悲，所以你們要認真。在座的菩薩羅漢你們都是的寶，因為你們美其名道親，以道為親，有道心就是佛說的慈悲心，人人有慈悲才能化渡眾生，大家都是帶著使命來的，各救有緣人。我們一樣各處顯化，我今天來借竅，是因為我與這一班的壇主程學南有一段因緣，在佛陀的時候，他與我同修過（對程學南說：你的根基非凡，所以佛陀派我來，與你談談，與大家見見面。趕快修，你佈施很多，享的福報多，趕快安壇修辦，才能圓證你的果位，你這輩子享的福多，這是累世你修的福報，好好修吧！請坐！）
諸位菩薩羅漢能來這裡開法會，好好珍惜此緣，你們累世以前都是同窗都在一起修過，今世才能續佛緣，故此大家更應該每班真理修下去，發慈悲心渡大眾，人人都能修成佛菩薩的果位，受萬人崇拜敬仰。人世間本是無常，無常中明真常，天道上上乘大法，得道修道莫要錯失良機。佛弟子當中，我神通第一，但是神通不是究竟，神通抵不過業力，神通抵不過道德，神通並不是萬能。當年在佛陀的時候外道猖狂，我因動念與外道比神通，最後我被外道亂石擊成肉醬而死。當年旁門左道，想破壞佛法，加害佛陀，所以我為了護持佛法與外道比神通。外道比不過我致使造下嗔恨心結下了業，外道因知道我每天經過山腳下，故在山上用亂石把我擊死。我有神通我知道，我也可以躲，但佛陀說這是該了的業，因神通抵不過業力。所以我今天來借竅，萬隆這個地方各種神術多，畫符唸咒，術流動靜，種種下乘法，都不是究竟，都不能救自己性命（靈性）脫出苦海。
大家不要好奇去學神通，道德兼備的人自然俱足神通，神通不是學來的，沒有道德的人，若有神通容易變成邪道，所以佛自然具備了各種法相。只要你們好好修，把人心血心放下，修成佛心，具備慈悲心，救渡萬眾自然就有神通，一般人學神通，對本身並不好，因人心紛紛擾擾，你有神通知道人家在想什麼，或是人家要害你，或是你知道幾時要死，幾時要遭劫，你修行不夠，你會害怕慌張致使走火入魔，知不知道？所以有神通並不是好現象，我以神通第一者，因為我知道外道幾時要來害佛陀，幾時外道要做什麼事情，我事先知道，我事先去找他們，一念嗔恨起，百萬障門開。有佛自然有魔來磨，有正自然有邪來考驗，這是宇宙間一體兩面的對待之理，不是人為因素能扭轉，沒有外魔成不了佛道，每一個人起心動念都會造業，所以起心動念要注意，一念不正能造無邊罪業。現在道場的點傳師，講師為什麼沒有神通，這是上天要修道人平平凡凡，實實在在而把神通收走。
所以現在修道從人道做起，格物致知，誠意正心。百善孝為先，孝順父母做起，自古菩薩皆從孝道做起。以儒教收圓，以佛法為輔助。人人有慈悲心，菩薩行，人人擔其使命，把娑婆世界化成蓮花邦，把世界變成和平；要化天下的根本就是要由自己做起，人人常犯貪嗔癡，此三毒是入地獄的門徑；要以戒定慧來渡貪嗔癡，使心地光明。持以六度波羅蜜度盡種種邪魔，以持戒去渡邪淫，以佈施度貪念，忍辱度嗔恨，精進度懶怠，禪定度散亂。智慧度愚癡，若以六度萬行修道辦道，則你們諸位成道有餘；現在不必修四聖諦十二因緣法，而成道捷徑從格物致知誠意正心做起。三教本是一家，不要分你我他，萬法歸一，一歸本根（良心、道心、佛心）。大家掏出自己的良心本心，自然人人的自性蓮花放出光華。耽誤大家時間，希望你們一個一個盡孝道感動天地，古有的佛菩薩皆是孝子修成。祝福大家，祝功果圓滿，極樂世界裡見面團圓！
無極老母的呼喚
勸原兒，速覺醒，金山埋沒無盡好漢英雄！
勸原兒，速覺醒，黃土堆裡青草空舞春風！
勸原兒，速覺醒，苦海洪波萬丈人影無蹤！
勸原兒，速覺醒，子欲養親不在多少幽衷！
勸原兒，速覺醒，無極母念原靈盡孝盡忠！
勸原兒，速覺醒，進聖門求真道加緊用功！
勸原兒，速覺醒，心懷慈度世人善道遵從！
Source Text — Chapter 20
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
第二十章、三寶的修持方法
1、濟公活佛慈訓：
三寶乃法門，而你們不會使用，只知遇到災難時趕緊用三寶，平時就該用來修心煉性，常念你就與彌勒祖師、為師有感應，遇困難感應就快。
2、濟公活佛慈訓：
晚上睡覺沒有用三寶的請舉手？（無人舉手）不錯，你們都有長進。聽老師講這種話叫做愛的叮嚀，有則繼續無則嘉勉。
徒兒們，你再不往自己內心著手，就太遲了。趕快！趕快安設無形的自心佛堂。趕快！趕快安設無形的自性佛堂。咱就在自心佛堂，自性道場裡修道吧！凡事不要太忙碌，留點時間收收心，三寶常常來使用，保證修道法喜又進步！
3、濟公活佛慈訓：
三寶心法日常用，修心煉性復本容
莫將此寶丟腦後，辜負上蒼把道弘
4、南極仙翁慈訓：
有事沒事常常守玄，三寶已經給你了，不要不懂得用，也不是遇到困難的時候才用，平常的時候就能跟上天心心相印。
5、三天主考慈訓：
色考非常可怕，知不知道？男的女的都一樣，趕快把心收回來，抱三寶一心不亂，上上下下都一樣。平心了沒有？
6、監班院長白話訓
把你們邪思妄想一概驅除出去，來佛堂不是以人心揣測，用你們的天心來辦事，三曹普渡豈可當兒戲！用用你們的三寶。
7、濟公活佛慈訓
三寶的好處、妙用太多了，但要運用於日常生活中，用於自身，如心不平靜時，唸唸五字真言；有問題時、靜不下來時，唸唸五字真言，就有妙智慧。迷惘時要參拜，就是問問自己、反省自己，為什麼會有這樣的問題？先找出根本再解決，這樣就是妙智慧了
一、守玄法（第一寶：玄關竅）
1、濟公活佛降
有志於道者，以『守玄』功夫為修行之基石，守玄功夫非專指打坐禪定而言，而是在行、住、坐、臥中常收束身心，取念於前，意守玄關，唸唸不離而相續。把心收回玄關，就不會起邪念和妄想。從玄關發出的念頭，都是正念，都是慈悲心、喜捨心、智慧心。輕提心念在玄關，再用玄關去聽、去看、去應對一切事物，如此便能與師以心印心。
一個人若平日能夠時常『守玄』，祥和之氣自然會引發善因緣的發生。
2、濟公活佛慈訓：
時時念頭守一，不思善，不思惡，不執著，五字真言時時默念，有空三寶用一用。為師傳給你們的三寶心法，是不是要用來預防盜賊？時時刻刻用三寶，放下人世間的情愛、痛苦、煩惱，債清德立，就漸漸與仙佛接近了。
清口還要清心，把垃圾污穢一切貪嗔癡慾望掃除。見人不好，感謝上天讓我們有前車之鑒，見人好，感謝上天讓我們見賢思齊，把內心念頭真正的清乾淨，時時刻刻不離佛性，恩愛名利不戀，時時刻刻三寶存心。對以往的過錯要下定決心去改變，一心一意去改變自己，時刻用三寶趕走身上的賊人：貪嗔癡。徒兒閒暇要記住：時時靜心默守玄關，不浮不燥氣貫丹田。
3、濟公活佛慈訓：
要靜坐可以，你有一訣，比他們更高超的，他們天天坐在那裡，事也不做的去靜坐；你可以做事，也可以靜坐，那就是你這個雙人，『二目守玄，而又能做事』。雙人守一土，中央戊己土，『雙人能守中土，才能見性』，不像他們那樣靜坐來的；你能培外功修內德，修久了，你自然到達境界，你就能平心靜氣。沒有一個經典是教我們參禪打坐的。
4、南極仙翁慈訓：
（仙翁對班員慈悲）看著俺啊？（班員叩響頭）抬起頭來！仙翁要你看著我！你很難受是嗎？心中沒主啊！把你的主人拿出來（班員……）默守你的玄關！你說我要怎麼幫你？你先要自個兒作主，老朽才能幫你，你能夠自我作主，我才能夠幫你作主！
5、濟公活佛慈訓：
（陳經理請示：守玄要怎麼守比較標準？）就兩目守玄而已啊！（守這個地方）當然是守那個地方，不然，你守那裡？鼻尖嘛！（那麼整個心意是在這個地方嗎？）當然是在這裡，但是，你要觀鼻啊！兩眼守玄是觀玄，對不對？但是，你們要以鼻觀鼻啊！（兩個眼睛看在這個地方）嗯！二分開八分閉（看在這個地方，然後心意守在裡面）對！對！……（那到最後也是這個樣子？）當然要自然啊！自自然然啊！（要不要用力？）不用！不用用力。（謝謝老師慈悲）好！好！
6、濟公活佛慈訓：
如何克己呢？一、冷靜。這不是一次就能冷靜下來，是要慢慢、要功夫的。二、意守玄關。三、凡事都是自己的錯，所以要並用三寶。四、將心比心。五、替換定律。不急不緩，做到中庸之道。六、反求諸己。凡事先想一想，仔細思考是不是自己的錯？
7、濟公活佛慈訓：
你靜下來當手抱合同二目守玄，這個守玄不是叫你守在這裡（點的地方）這樣會變成鬥雞眼，你們現在東西拿在這裡看，眼睛的兩眸會不會集中在這裡？這個玄就是中。把你的心思雜念妄念都放下來，放得一無所放，台語說的『無影無一隻』；六祖說的『本來無一物』，都無一物的那個至清至淨、玄之又玄眾妙之門。所以原先叫你放下，二目守中，中就是玄就是道，而不是叫你守在這裡，人家會說奇怪，他們天道的道親，每一個眼睛都斜眼『脫窗』（台語）這是不對的！
8、濟公活佛慈訓：
要載同伴！要登彼岸！要閤家團圓不分散！休忘了眼前明燈！閉目守玄，看看自己昏暗不昏暗？靜以自觀，動以相看。眼睛睜開，看看自性佛在不在？
9、濟公活佛慈訓：
真人靜坐，如何坐？二六時中時時刻刻迴光返照，二目守玄，眼睛閉八分睜二分，看住我們明師所指點的地方，不思善不思惡，就是所謂的真人靜坐。行、住、坐、臥之間都能夠守住真人之地，就不離本性。
10、無極老母降
皇母家書：
一封信，傳給你，兒女見信早回心
養身法，習要勤，回家真訣要記忖
呼吸調順先天氣，涵養本來一點真
此是返鄉一明路，不修難見老娘親
11、藥師琉璃佛：三寶逆流法
「一」是天下之正理，采日月寶華，由上降下，由下煉逆流，為純陽一氣，真陽上玄關，氣聚精血不洩，智慧漸開，此法要先煉丹才可得。
『一呼守玄關，一吸貫丹田』。……以真意接引真氣，上串尾閭關引至玄關。恆心勤煉此功夫，心靜神定，拴住心猿意馬，至三寶（精氣神）會合，道之造化在於此矣。
「一」即是玄關，將一本散於五臟六腑之靈，修皈一本，玄關自能震動，待天雷響，無縫鎖開，煉至此，便是人間逍遙自在仙。
玄關本是精神合一之所，七孔八竅由此生，故玄關開，週身關竅才能運轉。轉週身要用真意，打開玄關府，身心兩空，頭上自有真氣上朝，此時見靈光就不難。
學者應識玄關，早知玄關之道所，生等勤煉之自有妙相矣。
12、濟公活佛慈訓：
徒兒們！為師希望你們現在自己面對母燈，眼睛閉上，靜默三分鐘（班員都依師指示閉眼迴光返照）……唯有自性，你的自性才能照亮自己，只有它才是真的，以後災禍來臨就是靠這一點真靈救世，所以自救救他，希望徒兒都能保護自己的靈光，好自為之。
13、濟公活佛慈訓
很自然的，一吸一呼，呼吸之間本是道，不是有形色在那裡坐禪道，你們進來的時候，兩目守玄，把心念收攝，收攝你們的心念，不要讓你們的心猿意馬往外放，那時候、那一刻，當下就是【道】！神仙在那裡？天堂在那裡？在你們的心中！
14、南海古佛慈訓：
方寸寶地應時時讓它清靜，無塵埃染著，時時迴光返照，照見自家主人。記取無時無刻牢拴意馬念無生。
15、三官大帝慈訓：玄關（一真觀想引導法）
修子將渾身四大皆認為假，唯有玄關一點是真，這一點處名【正門】。眼、耳、鼻、舌、身皆生滅之門（妄念隨之起、消也）。而唯有此玄關一點是不生不滅之門，人在世壽結束後，倘若魂魄（識神），不從此正門正竅（即率性之謂道：一生行住坐臥皆秉本性）就不能了脫生死，證無生法忍！
全身唯性是真，身外皆是虛妄不實。因此時時觀想此『一真』，而不讓六賊走旁門，心不隨外境所專，守玄之妙到達關無所關之境。則久久功純，觀而無觀，想而非想，一切隨心所欲而皆不踰距，如常應緣不變，則六根常靜常應，常應常靜，而超脫六道輪迴，已操在自己之手矣！守玄之人，最初乃以收萬念皈一念，收一念而率性，至終則應無所住而生其心，如此一真觀法成矣。若是固執一點之上，死守不放，或借此輕視其他天心所傳引導法門，如此則又離真門玄關矣。切慎！切慎！守玄之真義乃是率性也。
守玄之修法為現今白陽弟子最通用之門。故二六時內，無論行住坐臥，屏息諸緣，輕提心念，專注於玄關一點，久久功純，守而無守，也能離妄顯真。不過守玄之過程中，會有許多幻境出現，千萬不可當真（以為神通），譬如看著天堂光景，或見菩薩往來，或親睹自己識神出入，這些情景千萬不可放在心上，否則以此沾沾自喜，以此傲人誇人，則易走火入魔。此守玄固然是斂心息念方便之法門，然而務必要有明人或明師指點，以防【識神用事，認假為真】，切忌自行摸索，弊多利少也！
二、口訣（第二寶：五字真言）
1、濟公活佛慈訓：
濟公老師曾在靈隱寺教的『調心』的方法：大意是當有煩惱壓力時，手抱合同在胸前，眼睛八分閉，二分張，舌抵上顎，平心靜氣，去一切雜思妄想，也不思善，也不思惡，不動不搖，不出不入，坐至一念不生，萬慮皆息之時。湛然澄清，內外無物，這個時候就是易經上所謂『寂然不動』的景象，大學上『知止定靜』之時也，久而久之，自然可還原復初也！
吸氣時默念口訣第一個字，吐氣時默念口訣後四個字，想像著呼吸從玄關進出。晚上睡前反省也要這樣使用。但不可太久，十分鐘十五分鐘，否則會變成頑空。
2、濟公活佛慈訓：
用心觀想呼吸，吸氣時觀想，氣從玄關吸進，再由玄關吐出，而吸氣時要念真經，吐氣時念一次真經或一次氣念一字都可以。我們道中是真人靜坐，道法自然，平心靜氣，坐的時候，身體要自然，背脊要直，兩眼自然八分閉，舌頂上顎，兩膀輕鬆下垂，自然氣貫丹田，二目守玄真人靜坐，平心靜氣，兩眼守玄關竅，這叫真人靜坐。
3、南海古佛慈訓
無論在何處，有事辦則渡人，無事辦則修己。一個劫數的來臨，對於領導者及所有的修行人來說，都是一大考驗，因此濟公及月慧為此憂心忡忡；你們要多用功，要發慈憫心，平常在家雖不能行善，但也可以多唸經回向，以善念消弭災劫。這雖是一個法，但最主要的是要讓你們發出那一份『慈悲心』，讓人間的修行人，把這一份的慈心傳達到無極宮，報之老母娘。
現在諸多人心惶恐，因此你們在講道時，要多提光明面，若有『求道』者的心性不能安寧，就叫他默念五字真言；沒有聞道的人，叫他唸唸佛號，仰仗諸佛菩薩的悲願，再加上自我身心的主人不亂，才能有救。
4、濟公活佛慈訓
五字真言默念於心，用天心（玄關）去念，這種修持，可以讓我們帶到天涯海角，任何場所，任何時間，行住坐臥，都可以默念。散步時、空閒時、工作時、睡覺時都可以默念，這是收束心念最簡單，最方便的方法。一切煩惱、妄想都是劫難，默念五字真言，不是外求淨土，而是內生淨土，用自性佛堂，獻自性心香，誦無字真經：守玄。
5、濟公活佛慈訓：
人自有生以來就是妄念用事，所以要調伏你們的妄念，就要先調伏你們的心，佛家之靜坐方法，也是禪定的功用，『禪定心』你們好好的去參悟，懂否？
6、濟公活佛慈訓：
到末後了，沒把握往後怎能修辦？從此刻開始，心性一定要提升！一切的人我、對待，不要存在！如果在人事上打轉，那你還修什麼？辦什麼？光看的都是別人的不對，所以說修道、辦道，要與人結善緣，而不是結冤；心裡起憎恨心，就與人結了惡緣！所以每個人都要提升！這是沒有人可以代替你的；第二寶（口訣）在緊急的時候念一念，沒事的時候也要念，最重要的是：要去『實踐』！唸唸如仙佛，魔就對你沒有辦法！唸唸都是佛心，就沒有私我，沒有私，就不會貪，還會執著什麼？憎恨什麼？要腳踏實地去實踐！
7、月慧菩薩降：
調身－指調身體，使生理能獲得『致中和』之狀況，通常選擇子午卯酉等休息時間，於靜處光線空氣均通之地，自然安泰端坐，自可把散亂之塵念，收回皈來，此為調身之大概。
調心－把心猿意馬，牢牢看住，不讓牠再到處亂跑。方法很多，如：念佛號，持咒，觀想等皆可，時久就安靜下來，續之，智慧與定力，就在調心的過程中培養滋長。
調息－在色空合一之理下，心理與生理是互相依持影響的，此乃調息之所必要之點。一般人氣息急促而粗，如此心身亦處在一種動盪不安之狀態下，若能藉調息，慢慢使氣息精微細長，就會使心身達到『致中和』之目標，自然精神爽朗，心情平靜安定，疲勞恢復身體健康。
8、三官大帝慈訓：真經（慈心觀想法）
末後收圓佛──彌勒佛之特德，可以從他姓名而知。彌勒乃梵語，譯成中國語就是【慈】，彌勒佛最初發心就是從慈心出發。慈悲在一般人之觀念裡，似乎相同。其實，悲是悲憫心，著重在拔救他人之苦痛。慈是與樂心。眾生沒有快樂與幸福，要設法給於他，當然佛心是俱足慈與悲的，這也是修道需多行功德，三施勤培之因。而彌勒佛之特德，乃側重在修習慈心！經云：彌勒菩薩最初發心時，即不殺生，不食眾生肉，從此以來，都以【慈】為姓！我們知道釋迦牟尼佛，發願在五濁惡世裡成佛，拔濟苦痛之眾生，此乃象徵世尊之悲心殷重。彌勒菩薩當來下生的世界是淨土（世界大同），怹發願在淨土成佛，人人得享快樂幸福。這象徵著彌勒佛之慈心宏博。當今白陽弟子持念真經就要與彌勒菩薩一樣之發心，隨時隨地，盡自己之力量去幫助別人，使他人得安樂，得幸福，所以素食、不殺生，為白陽法門所重視。因為那是增長慈心的方法，因而白陽弟子信仰彌勒，因持念彼法號，又修習慈心法門，當然會與彌勒佛之慈心相應，而不難上生兜率天（天佛院）了。
故人們修道，要時常持真經，觀想彌勒祖師那皆大歡喜之慈容，救世度人，行善佈施，多為他人著想，多幫助他人，無心無為，使慈心時時溫暖別人而不執功計德。如此理所當然必與彌勒祖師結上甚深見佛、聞法、證果、了脫生死之大事因緣也！
再說一般白陽弟子都把持念【真經】用來逢凶化吉，脫劫避難。因此很多白陽弟子往往認為只有在發生人力無法解決之危困時，才能守玄，抱合同，念真經，以求逢凶化吉，脫劫避難。而不知【劫難】不僅僅是指肉身受禍、受苦、受傷而已，其實真正的劫難乃是累世之輪迴生死，而輪迴生死，更是因於妄念牽引，故妄念不息，輪迴生死永無休止。因此如何降伏妄念，常萌覺念，實是修子之生死關鍵！當今白陽明師所傳之真經，乃是降魔伏邪之大光明咒，脫離一切苦厄之大清淨咒。修子若能明白其中體用妙意，在妄念不能降伏澎湃心海之時，只要誠誠懇懇地持此真經默念數遍，而妄念頓時就無影無蹤。猶如太陽之光明一照，自然雲消霧散一樣。修子若能常常持此咒，不但與彌勒佛結了赴龍華會之聖緣，久久功純，持而無持，妄念一絲不起，則輪迴即止，生死即了。而輪迴止，生死了，方是真正之脫劫避難。
三、叩首法（第三寶：合同）
1、濟公活佛慈訓：
這個肉體如果沒有水可以洗，是很髒的，所以我們天天為眾生祈福，早晚獻香叩完一百叩首，要不要加叩是看你們，可是希望你們都能夠加叩一千叩首，好不好？（好）你每天一千叩首的回向，眾生好安慰啊！你的冤欠不敢來找你啊！你天天為人家祈福，天天為人家擦腳、換尿布，他還恨你嗎？（不會）是啊！你對人家好，人家就對你好，那我們快樂嗎？（快樂）
磕頭心要誠，要迴光返照，筋脈拉直，頭部放鬆、手和頭一起動，力量由腳來支撐。『叩首』非『叩手』。磕頭的動作，有發有收，頭尾動作一貫，這是一貫的精神。叩首要誠心。叩首的目的在於養成恭敬謙和的心，而且叩首的姿勢正確，可打通經脈，有益身體健康。
磕頭燒香，要的是一顆真心，所以磕頭要至誠，不要隨便，要一叩一叩慢慢的磕，不要像趕火車般快。
叩首，跪拜，拜什麼？拜你的自性！
徒兒們要學習著平緩自己的感覺，不要以為自己看到的就對，聽見的就對，事實上六賊看到的、聽到的，未必是真理，所以你們一定要藉著聖賢仙佛的典範行誼，來端正自己的言行舉止，藉著叩頭（第三寶）時時迴光返照，才能夠對明心見性有所幫助。
2、南海古佛慈訓：
合同代表一陰一陽融合在一起，正負陰陽磁場能相通，如果抱合同，平日叩首禮拜，依於自性正門實修實煉，能接收宇宙至清能源，浩然正氣循環週身。
在叩拜 皇母當中，全身會引發核子分裂反應，釋放出能量，全身熱呼呼，身障慢性疾病或傳染感冒，加上佛光照耀，叩拜時暖流流注全身，通暢血液，再加上行功立德，抵償因果，雙管齊下，可一一消解各種病症。
叩首禮拜時，可引發全身的核子反應，核子反應器，即在你的玄關處，所以叩首時：
（1）意念清靜
（2）心神集中
（3）散發菩提心
（4）無人我對待分別
（5）掃除妄想
（6）刪除不潔念頭
久久功成，配合行功立德，必定身心健全，久依玄關核子反應器修持，可煉得光能顯現。
在叩首當中，守住玄關一竅，認本皈宗，萬法皈一，心無旁騖，斷除七情六慾，一切皈於中道。抱起合同，做十方圓滿，無有對待分別，如此陰陽磁場，皆無法束縛於你。
莫以為抱合同叩拜是一種形式，原因是你不明白陽三寶之真實妙義，以及用來修煉，以致『求道』如牛毛，了道如牛角。登堂入室『求道』的修士，要瞭解如何運用三寶來修身養性，提高境界，行功立德，切記三寶的效用是很大的，然後必須自助而後他助，自助才能得天助。三寶是用來修煉的，能修至內外功德圓滿，定可躲災避劫，消冤解孽，所以在接引各教信徒時，要會講說三寶真實妙義。日常生活當中，能將道注入其間，運用三寶來保身、保命，躲災避劫，提高境界，感化眾生。
無極在玄關竅，太極在丹田，無極生太極。因為玄關失一，落入太極丹田，參禪打坐者，即修煉精氣神，多半不離煉太極陰陽二氣，但真正煉處是方寸寶地，此地為精氣神會聚的那一點、集中點，最終究竟不離修持自性玄關，修煉合乎至道，真理。
3、報事靈童慈訓：
修道的首要功課是叩頭，早晚叩頭，早晚獻香就是點燃心香，叩你們的自性佛，『人一叩』就是『命』，願懺文就是懺悔，一百叩首是要感五恩，天地君親師，感謝老母慈悲降道之恩，感謝引保師引渡之恩，感謝前賢們成全之恩。
叩頭姿勢不標準，次數不足，記一過；叩首時電話來時或有人按門鈴，隨即起身，記一過。
4、濟公活佛慈訓：
你們知道老師我的法寶，可知道你們自己的法寶是什麼嗎？要獻寶,寶在自身,所以道不遠人,每天叩首是基本功課，叩首就是在反省這十條大願,這一叩一叩就像天理良心在警醒你。
5、岳飛岳法律主慈訓：
為什麼要叩頭？叩掉你們的罪過，頭低一點，叩頭要誠心的去叩，誠心感上天，老老實實的叩，叩出你們的良心。
6、濟公活佛慈訓：
老師也知道你們業障較重，有時候你們不想這麼做，偏偏業障來牽纏，令你難以體悟，你們要誠心的叩首，為什麼要定獻香禮？難道仙佛貪你們的叩拜嗎？（不是）為師用意不在此，叩拜是要讓你們找回自性，每天的獻香是要你們懺悔，你不要小看叩頭，有什麼事要求的話，叩頭最靈了，所以你們更應該勤勞的叩頭，這樣你們的冤債就能慢慢還了，我們的自性的力量是很大！
當你遇到不順的時候，就誠心叩求老母慈悲，才會有突破阻礙的奇跡出現，我們不必從大出想，我們從細微處做德性，見到人家有點苦難，見到人家有點愚癡，我們叩頭。
7、濟公活佛慈訓：
開佛堂有什麼好處？每天叩首禮佛，能夠常常迴光返照，低心下氣，又可以消罪業，想想自己生生世世造了多少的罪業，欠了人家那麼多，現在要行功立德了，當然要請仙佛慈悲保佑一下，再用懺悔的心讓冤家債主慢一點來討，另一方面，在家裡有佛規禮節的約束，家人之間會更幸福美滿，夫妻相敬如賓，孩子也是用道來教導，而且天天在家就可以看到佛堂，就會想到至極應該好好地圓滿一切，這就開佛堂的好處，另外一個好處是，每天叩首拜佛，也向自己祖先一叩首，這叫功德回向祖先，這也是開設佛堂的殊勝，家庭設佛堂對自己號，對九玄七祖也好，甚至對週遭的人也能夠潛移默化，所以開設佛堂是大功德一件，是一輩子的事情。
8、鍾離權大仙慈訓：
把佛規禮節當作新的，不斷一次再一次的演練，每一次演練就有每一次的心境和體悟，有沒有磕頭磕到心花朵朵開？有沒有為眾生磕頭？還是佛前求名，求壽，求福氣？
用你的天心來做事，不要用人心想，上天要給你加靈加智慧，是在你最無為，最無心的時候給你加的。就怕你們心不聽話，任耳目來導引心，你們要懂得抓住念頭。
9、三官大帝慈訓：合同（赤子觀想法）
子亥相叉本含陰陽合一之象，亦是一個【孩】字，故手抱合同好比手抱一嬰孩。赤子之心即是天真無邪之自性佛，亦即平常心也。赤子之心非識、非知、非欲、無憎愛、無分別、不造作、不執著、天真純潔、餓來吃飯、困來眠、於事無心、無心於事。一切順乎天然之流露，修子若能入此含意，赤子之心合，與赤子之心同，時時懷抱著一顆赤子之心，二六時中與隨緣而化，興慈布道，眾善奉行，諸惡莫作，何患道果不能成熟？故吾帝深盼白陽弟子能深解天然如來甚深法義也。
續說修子每日抱合同叩首禮佛，若能心持赤誠，天真顯露，五百叩、一千叩、或二千叩、三千叩之時，皆能萬緣放下，雜念不興，全神貫注於叩首。如此工夫若能始終不斷，不但燒香叩首之時，能心無念，即是日常生活之中，心亦能清淨無妄，久久功純，叩而無叩，常清常靜，不再受妄念牽纏，則亦自然不被生死輪迴所苦。
所遺憾者是，現今白陽弟子少人深入此寶心法，或把焚香禮視為形式，不知藉此時找自身真佛，實是可惜也。
最後吾要強調一點，三寶真傳雖是應運而降之無上密寶，但白陽弟子應切記，是法平等，無有高下。只是法無高下、悟有頓漸，此乃隨個人之機緣與慧根，修子或以藉指見月，或以頓悟，或以觀想，或以守玄，或以慈心，或以赤子，或以持咒，或以禮佛叩首。只要皈依修持不怠，精進堅恆，終生不渝，立願了願，持平等心，度人度己，最後必皆能在龍華會上見佛、聞法，受彌勒佛授記，印可而證果！！
10、活佛師尊慈訓：
點道詞：
末後一著昔未言，明人在此訴一番
愚夫識得還鄉道，生來死去見當前
「末後」者，最後也，即指本元會天定十佛掌教，業已過了九佛，現在只剩下第十佛──彌勒佛之龍華收圓了！現天地之氣數已至午未交際，午會氣數已將盡，而收束收圓之時節（秋收）已迫在眼前。故 慈母敕令諸天神聖倒裝下凡，各處奔忙，各顯神通，挽救原人，齊登法船，待機開往龍華會，見佛聞法證果也。
彌勒佛從初發心即修【慈心三昧】，經歷無數劫至此未會，因滿果熟，其慈光澤被三曹，成就未會之大同世界，人間淨土。令有緣之靈性，個個皆得證無生法忍，成就阿羅漢果，了脫生死，得大自在解脫。因此未會乃是證果之世界，非屬修因凡夫時代。換句話說：未會時，世界人有道遵德。無道失德者則存在不了。而酉會，人類開始收回，已無修道之環境。故唯有午會交未會之末劫年最適宜修道，更宜及時行功了願。現在正是生死最後關頭（超生或下墜）。
老母大開恩典，放下白陽法船，只要是上了白陽法船，得受三寶真傳，修之行之，真誠堅恆，實心以赴，盡力而為，必能於龍華三會，見佛聞法證果。
「明人者」，乃指實知三寶真傳者。
這一段之含意為：【最後一次普渡收圓之大事，過去諸佛祖皆未曾說過，於今三期末劫，【明人】在這裡（佛壇辦道之時）宣解一番，令愚夫愚婦也能識得返回無極故鄉之路，生從何來、死從何去，於當前即心了了分明！】
【末後一著】──此次三曹普度收圓，乃是上天恩賜之最後一次超生了死之良辰佳期，如果失掉的話，則還要再等下元會(129600年)天開收圓才有機會。試想經過如此長期之輪迴生死，改頭換面，誰敢保證下元會的普渡收圓，爾還能得人身遇明師？由此可見末後一著是何等地重要！而【末後一著】憑什麼令三曹即生了脫四生六道？而普度收圓更是憑什麼來完成？無他，這完全依靠 彌勒佛之鴻慈大願所加被之結果。
老師所傳之三寶真傳，其中道統真傳，天命真傳皆是依天定十佛掌教而來，而普化之的更是依 彌勒祖師之大願與天命而開，至於心法真傳，實為代代祖師，諸佛諸聖之香火薪傳，其所秉者皆一。亦即人人俱備，個個不無之【自性真佛】之實相實義也！
故而三寶真傳對於上上根人而言，即指即悟，即悟即成，不假修持。對三乘根人而言，即受即修，即修即與 彌勒佛結了見佛聞法證果之佛緣，即生不受三界所縛，超出五行矣！
若不是為要拯救無數眾生免於四生六道，留下下元會天地人之佛種，何必勞煩彌勒佛與歷代諸仙佛神聖，及儒釋道已成道之弟子下世打幫助道！
吾亦是為要普度收圓末法眾生，才與月慧菩薩把往昔諸佛諸祖單傳獨授之末後一著──三寶真傳公諸於世！
今有不少學人，不明三寶真傳天命之寶貴，心法性理之稀有，更不明 彌勒祖師之鴻慈大願，而大談修道玄妙之理。或開口閉口性命雙修，或一味講求靜坐參禪或開口一定要如此修，閉口一定要遵彼行。而不知萬法平等，只在方便引導而已，因此往往局限個人一己之見而非議他人所學。或自命自己之修持方法才是正確的，才能登峰造極；而他人之修持是走遠路或錯誤；或逞口舌之辯，師心自用，自是其是，揚己抑彼。鳴呼！此輩修子之所以如此者，除了個人之自高自大及所學所悟不夠博大圓融，對天地時節對運行變遷沒有深入瞭解之外，甚至對活佛出世之一大事因緣不曾深入探究。
這些學子只知 彌勒祖師為千佛萬祖中的一佛一祖，而不深知其為應運佛，應運祖師。只知白陽法門為千門萬法中之一個法門，而不深知白陽法門乃是非時不降，非人不傳，應運而生之法門。故方會聞法棄法，進道離道矣！吾望白陽弟子對於白陽法門之殊勝，能發真信並持平等心去弘揚此末後一著之福音！
附註：『求道』後如何行功---濟公活佛慈訓
以道存心，謂之德性，行於倫常，謂之綱常，有道無德，必定出魔。子曰：「苟無至德，至道不凝焉」。德者得也，行功即立德也。要行濟人利物之事，要有拯災救世之心，要遵三教聖人之訓，竭力躬行實踐。（不外乎儒之內聖外王，佛之自覺覺他）
對於行功，應分工合作，全體動員，或擔任三才，或講解經訓，宣傳道義，有錢者，量力出資，印刷經典書訓，有力者，四處勸導良善親友，速行入道，或捐資設立佛堂，以便眾人行功，或盡心維護佛法，使道務日漸發揚，或立志篤行，謹守師命。或齊家修道，以示模仿，凡此種種均應各自行功，以期得證善果。無非親度親，友度友，然後不可濫度，孔聖云：可與言，而不與之言，失人，不可與言，而與之言，失言。君子不失人，亦不失言。所度之人，總以忠厚篤實，良善者為宜。至於心術不正，品行不端之輩，雖屬至親厚友，亦不可度，倘若不慎，度進此輩，不惟無功，過莫大矣，各宜慎之！（但有教無類，言語上的教化，勸其改惡向善乃是須要也）
何為內功？
修身成己，使一切行為皆合乎理，清心寡慾，用求其放心的功夫，即為內功！
求其放心的功夫，究竟如何做法，可得聞乎？
所謂求其放心的功夫，就是一個制心的方法。制心之法，當以靜坐為最要，蓋智慧生於精神，精神生於安靜，而煉精化氣，煉氣化神，煉神還虛，也不外這靜坐一法。要想行此靜坐之法，可於早晚盤腿端坐，閉目凝神，舌抵上顎，平心靜氣，去一切雜思妄想，也不思善，也不思惡，不動不搖，不出不入，坐至一念不生，萬慮皆息之時。湛然澄清，內外無物，這個時候就是易經上所謂『寂然不動』的景象，大學上『知止定靜』之時也，久而久之，自然可還原復初也！
何為外功？
現值三期末劫，天道應運降世，凡是『求道』後，各負勸善成人之責任，行濟人利物之事，希人人向善，存拯災救世之心，廣化善信，依規『求道』，此種功德，即為外功。
行外功時不知如何做法為宜？
行外功，不能有『沽名釣譽』之心理，更不能有『惡言厲色』之表示，若為沽名起見而行功，則無所謂功矣，若性躁氣憤而勸人，則非修道人矣！總之行外功要遵三教聖訓，竭力實行為是。
凡抄寫善書，印刷善書，設立佛堂，宣揚道義，以開人智，皆是上等功德。要知化一人成道，使他九祖超生，抄一句善書，勝如佈施，則三教聖人，無過於此。
至於凡情上，濟急救難，賑災匡危，小則出資獨辦，大則集資共舉，要隨地隨人隨時隨事，多方而利導之。與父言慈，與子言孝，與兄言友，與弟言恭，與夫婦言和睦，與朋友言信實，與官吏言忠正。遇惡人勸他改邪歸正，遇善人勸他養性修真，廣行三教，報答四恩，此度人行功之法也！
【印贈善書勸世之功德】
神道設教，旨在勸人棄惡從善，聖佛仙神處處開堂，方方閘教，扶鸞以木筆題砂之詩文，句句啟發人心向善，篇篇振聾啟聵，其箴言無非是勸人勤修大道，忠於國家，孝於父母，友於兄弟，和於夫婦，履仁行義，敦禮明智，清廉守節，苦口婆心，諄諄勸化，其用心可謂良苦矣！
語云：「以言勸善，僅得一時，以書勸善，可流千古」。世人苟能鳩資（聚集財資），集聖佛仙神勸世鸞文，印刷成書，廣傳天下，俾使讀者能發生向善之心，犯過者能改過自新，可符合上天普渡之旨，其協助代天宣化之功德，實無可限量也。依據【天律】獎善條文記載：凡印贈善書，廣為頒贈，協助代天宣化，導人行善者，其功德有下列明文規定：
一、凡印贈善書一部，廣佈於天下，俾使讀者能知向善，其代天宣化之功德，可解消其前世一切業障。
二、凡印贈善書二部以上，廣佈於天下，俾使讀者能知向善，行善者更加行善。行惡者能痛改前非而歸善，其代天宣化之功德，以富貴福壽，子孫賢達報。死後列為神職。
三、凡不斷印贈善書，廣佈於天下，俾使讀者能知向善，受其感化者更加行善。行惡者受其感化，悔過自新而更加行善者，其代天宣化之功德，以富貴福壽清閒報，其子孫以三世福祿報。死後列籍仙班。
以上乃印贈善書勸世之功德，希世人上體天心好生之德，協助代天宣化，廣為勸世度眾，自有善報也。詩曰：
代天宣化醒迷津
印贈善書感聖神
廣佈人間開覺路
樹功立德種良田
Source Colophon
Chinese source text from the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, Shànshū Túshūguǎn), taolibrary.com. The site states: "Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate" (歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通). The source text has been reformatted from the original web presentation; line breaks damaged by the web layout have been repaired to restore the original sentence structure. No characters have been added, removed, or altered.
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