回天的五項資糧
The Five Provisions for Returning to Heaven (回天的五項資糧, Huítiān de Wǔ Xiàng Zīliáng) is a Yiguandao spirit-writing compilation of Ji Gong's (濟公活佛) teachings on the five essentials every cultivator must possess to return to the Realm of Principle: moral character (德性), precepts (戒律), right thoughts (心念), inner tempering (火候), and the fulfillment of vows (愿��). The text is composed of excerpts from multiple spirit-writing sessions at Taiwanese altars, compiled thematically into five chapters. Each chapter opens with a classical epigraph, then unfolds into Ji Gong's characteristic voice — warm, direct, colloquial, sometimes stern, always meeting his students where they are.
Ji Gong — the Living Buddha, the Crazy Monk, the Holy Fool — is the most beloved figure in Yiguandao devotion. In life a Chan Buddhist monk of the Southern Song dynasty (1130–1209 CE), he became an immortal folk saint whose spirit continues to descend through planchette-writing (扶鸞) at Yiguandao altars across the Chinese-speaking world. The Five Provisions is pure Ji Gong: a teacher speaking to ordinary practitioners about the substance of daily practice, never abstract, never distant. A Buddhist parable about Ananda and Sariputra is woven naturally into the chapter on thoughts, demonstrating how a single moment of compassion or aversion echoes across lifetimes.
This is a Good Works Translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, rendered in the gospel register to preserve Ji Gong's natural voice. The Chinese source text follows the translation for reference and verification. Source: taolibrary.com (善書圖書館), Category 52, c52060. First English translation.
1. On Moral Character
Moral character is the perfected state. With moral character, whether in sacred work or worldly life, you can navigate everything with grace — even suffering and slander dissolve into peace. — Ji Gong the Living Buddha
Moral character is the root of self-cultivation
The person of benevolence has no enemies. If someone has talent but no virtue, they will only attract jealousy. The stronger your abilities, the more complete your moral conduct must be. When someone has true benevolence and virtue, everyone will gladly keep their company. The Dao is your original face; virtue is your natural conduct. Learn to act from your true nature and bring forth the conduct that is naturally yours.
Courtesy is the measure of a person's cultivation — it touches upon one's moral character and expresses the warmth and dignity of the Dao. So the first step in practice is "look not at what is contrary to propriety." Does the Dao De Jing not say: "Do not display what is desirable, and the people's hearts will not be disturbed"? When the eyes do not see, the heart is not troubled — and in time this becomes second nature. All of this requires a correct heart, working from the root.
Cultivating the Dao must contain moral character within it. And what is moral character? It is sincerity within, taking form outwardly. If you truly wish to help others, seek no reward — just do it quietly. This is real moral character, real merit. My students! Remember to nurture your virtue!
What does cultivating the Dao mean? It means cultivating the heart. And how do you cultivate the heart? Among the sixty-four hexagrams, which is the strongest? Is it not the hexagram of Humility? The first thing a cultivator must learn is humility. The character for "humility" — what radical does it have? Is it not "speech"? Speech represents your words, your expression — it means expressing yourself with propriety and care. Words spoken from a sincere and respectful heart: when the heart is true, everything becomes true; when the heart is sincere, all things respond. When your heart is true, sincere, and lowly — aren't the words you speak the very embodiment of humility?
Body, mouth, and mind — the three karmas must be pure
To have rich moral character, you must have rich experience, so you can provide whatever sentient beings need. You must also have the great vow to universally deliver all beings — only then can your virtue spread across the human world. First of all, change your temper. Body, mouth, and mind — all three karmas must be purified.
Haven't I said it before? It's fine if my students are a little simple — just be simply good, all the way through. Cultivating and spreading the Dao is not about your eloquence or your abilities. It is not about competing — who wins, who loses, who does it better, who reaches further. Where is the real contest decided? In true cultivation and genuine practice. Yet you keep competing with your mouths, don't you? Is it the person who speaks the best who wins? What use is that? Start cultivating from your mouths, won't you?
Sweep the ground, sweep the ground, sweep the ground of the heart! How do you sweep the ground of the heart?
First: when sweeping, the corners are the hardest to reach. Likewise, the small matters of cultivation are the hardest to notice. You must cultivate to the point where even the tiniest details are attended to.
Second: the ground must be swept daily to stay clean. The work of cultivation must also be done every day. As the inscription on King Tang's basin reads: "Renew yourself today; renew yourself daily; renew yourself again." The meaning lies right here.
Third: no matter how well you sweep, if doors and windows are shut tight, dust still gathers. So cultivating the Dao and cultivating the heart means working from the ground of the heart, grasping the root — not simply relying on not looking, not thinking, not speaking, not listening. Cultivators of the White Sun era practice right in the midst of the busy marketplace. You must grasp the root and truly work from the cultivation and discipline of the ground of the heart.
Don't you all talk about beautifying the environment and beautifying the home these days? Have you ever thought about beautifying the landscape of your heart? Beautify your own heart and the hearts of everyone around you — and take it further, beautifying your entire life. Remember when you received the Dao — weren't you told to keep good thoughts, speak good words, and do good deeds? Good words beautify speech. Good deeds beautify conduct. Good thoughts beautify the heart. When you beautify your face, there is no anger upon it — only a radiant smile — and this is not cosmetic beauty but the beauty of the spirit. Appearance is born from the heart; when your heart is beautiful, your face cannot be ugly. Simply put: beautify your speech, beautify your conduct, beautify your heart. Simplify it further: a mouth full of good words, hands full of good deeds, a heart full of joy — and let your joy infect everyone around you. Grasp this root firmly and do not labor over the branches. This is the function of the heart. Cultivate the Dao, cultivate the heart, beautify the landscape of the heart — and this heart must be pure and upright. Do you understand?
Guard your ears, your eyes, your nose, your mouth. Without any intellection at all, everything depends on this heart as the master. But now your heart has gone crooked — the six thieves of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and thought-faculty have all rebelled — and that is why you have fallen into the four births and six realms to suffer. Cultivating the Dao means cultivating this heart. The heart must be pure, must be upright, with not the slightest deviation.
Doing good without others knowing — that is true goodness. If your conduct is open and upright, would you fear someone digging a hole behind your back? Unless your heart is not at peace and you are suspicious of everything! Do nothing shameful and you will not fear the ghost's knock at midnight.
Cultivating the Dao requires nurturing one's character and temperament, and you must never harbor hidden motives — that would shame the very name of cultivation. Remember to nurture virtue. I hope you, my students, will set your course toward this: cultivating heart, body, mouth, and mind, cultivating away everything that is not upright. Do you understand?
Everyone has already received the Dao. What you need next is a single word: act. Only through action can you create the virtue that heaven and earth consider natural and right. Only through action can you accomplish the great work of sages, worthies, immortals, and buddhas. Remember: one part effort, one part harvest. No effort, no harvest — and you all know this already. What your teacher wants to say is: every one of my students who wants to reap the fruit of joyful success must be diligent in the planting.
Reflection can keep you from error throughout life
In this final age, cultivating the Dao requires constant self-examination. Only someone who reflects constantly can recognize their own mistakes. In ancient times, it was Zengzi who examined himself three times daily. He used three questions:
First: have I given my full heart to the work I've done for others? Second: have I been trustworthy in my dealings? Third: have I reviewed what I've been taught?
If a practitioner can reflect daily on their conduct toward people, affairs, and the study of the Dao, and can constantly review these things, they will make very few errors throughout their whole life. Those who study the Dao can take Zengzi as their model. Isn't it always said: "Think of your own faults, and do not discuss the wrongs of others"? "Take the blame for errors yourself; give others the credit for success." Do you actually practice this?
A cultivator must learn to be wise enough to listen to others, rather than stubbornly insisting on their own way — and then learn to be bright enough to turn the gaze inward. A truly wise person is not obstinate but listens to counsel. In stillness, they nurture and examine themselves; in action, they do not let their heart be disturbed. At every moment they turn the gaze inward, reflecting: do my thoughts accord with the principle of Heaven and the voice of conscience? Does my conduct violate what is naturally right? That is to say: a good person, a successful person, succeeds not by cleverness but by willingness to invest heart and care. As long as you are willing to make the effort, how are you any different from a sage?
2. On Precepts
When the heart is level, why labor to keep precepts? When conduct is straight, why practice meditation? Seek bodhi only in the heart — why seek the mysterious outside it?
Take the precepts as your teacher, and you will not fall into laxity
Keeping the precepts is not something you do for others to see — it is something you do for yourself. Is your cultivation just surface work? When others are watching, you're scrupulous and careful; where no one can see, you slacken completely. That's surface work, isn't it?
If your precepts are to be sound, you must be careful with your words. If you can't even keep the vow of silence, how much less the other precepts! How will you temper your inner fire? How will you fulfill your vows? If you don't temper the inner fire, the mind's thoughts will be even harder to guard!
Do you understand the Buddhist rules and etiquette? Can you observe them one by one? Every time you recite the fifteen rules:
One: Revere the immortals and buddhas.
Two: Respect the elders, support those who follow.
Three: Be solemn and centered.
Four: Follow the rules and walk the path.
Five: Take up your responsibility.
Six: Give weight to the sacred, lighten the worldly.
Seven: Be humble and gentle.
Eight: Do not discard the holy teachings.
Nine: Do not cling to appearances.
Ten: Keep your hands clean.
Eleven: Report when leaving, announce when returning.
Twelve: Do not disrupt the proper order.
Thirteen: Treasure public property.
Fourteen: Be lively and responsive.
Fifteen: Be careful in speech, cautious in conduct.
Because when you recite them long enough, the impressions deepen, and deep impressions help you remember — so you won't have to cram at the last minute. And remember: the Buddhist rules aren't only to be kept inside the temple hall. Do they still apply when you step outside?
It doesn't matter what you are doing — whether it is a great matter or a small one — you must bring a heart of sincerity and reverence. Take your prostrations, for instance: when you bow, is there sincerity and reverence in your bowing? If there isn't, bowing and not bowing are exactly the same. My students, you have too many scattered thoughts — you can't even concentrate through a single prostration, with your minds running in all directions. This is precisely because your heart of sincerity is insufficient. Isn't the very purpose of the precepts to collect the heart? To gather in that restless, wandering heart?
Devoting yourself to your duties is also a form of discipline
If you give your whole heart, you need not feel unworthy before heaven and earth — because only wholeheartedness lets you harmonize with heaven and earth. If you cannot give your full heart, you cannot accomplish anything in the world — not even eating a meal in peace. The Dao is in daily life! Eating is the basic principle. Standing between heaven and earth, we must act naturally to reach completeness. Before that, you must learn to respect life — which is to respect others. The source of life lies between heaven and earth. Without wholeheartedness, you cannot know the mystery of your original nature!
Cultivating the Dao is not troublesome at all. It doesn't waste your time or disrupt your family. If you can't make the human world feel like paradise, then wherever you go there will be trouble, quarrels, and difficulties. Being human means keeping to your proper place. Immortals and buddhas were once ordinary people — they just feared that the ordinary heart might waver! Like the farmer who should focus on farming and the worker who should focus on working — the farmer shouldn't dream of being a boss, and the boss shouldn't dream of being president. Since you wish to become immortals and buddhas, lay the foundation well. Plant the bodhi tree deep and it will not topple in the wind.
Whatever you do, focus completely and you will succeed. Like eating a meal: you must eat with your full attention to taste the flavor. When you bring full attention to everything you do, that is the Dao. From this you can see: work and cultivation do not conflict. Take the experience of cultivating at the temple and bring it into daily life — then sacred and worldly are cultivated together.
Cultivating the Dao doesn't mean running to the temple every day, or standing up to give talks, or just following the elders around. If every person in the world just followed the elders or followed your teacher around proclaiming heaven's will — is that possible? Of course it's difficult! You need the worldly for the sacred to exist; with the sacred, the worldly flows smoothly. Don't just chase excitement or follow the crowd when it comes to cultivation. Understand how to hold your own position and duties. Do what needs to be done without worrying: "If I miss one day, I'll lose my merit." Merit doesn't work like that! Do your work with a clear conscience, openly and honestly — "Look up and feel no shame before heaven; look down and feel no guilt before others." That accords with the Dao.
The most important thing in cultivation is whether or not you apply your heart. The truth is, the Dao is right here in daily life. Some people go out and practice and gain understanding. If you can watch, speak, listen, and act all at once — your heart will naturally deepen and rise. You are all good people. The pity is that you know the Dao is good but don't realize you need to actually cultivate!
Self-mastery is the first step of discipline
When we study the way of the sages, the first thing we cannot yield on is the practice of self-mastery. What is self-mastery? Controlling all your desires and stray thoughts. Whatever you have no business thinking about is a deluded thought, and you must use the practice of self-mastery to counteract it.
How do you practice self-mastery?
First: stay calm. This doesn't happen in one go — it takes time and practice.
Second: guard the Mysterious Pass.
Third: everything is your own fault, so apply the Three Treasures together.
Fourth: put yourself in the other person's shoes.
Fifth: the principle of substitution — not too fast, not too slow — find the Middle Way.
Sixth: turn the demand inward. Before anything, stop and think: is this my mistake?
Cultivation means making demands on yourself, not waiting for the immortals and buddhas to make demands on you.
As the saying goes: "The sage has many faults; the fool has few." Why would a sage say they have many faults? Because cultivation is like cooking. The chef stir-fries a colorful mixed dish, brings it to the table — it looks wonderful! But does it taste good? That depends on the tempering of the fire. Cultivation cannot be like a dish that only looks beautiful on the outside — what about the inside? Does it have fragrance? Is it nourishing? We're talking about substance, not appearances. So cultivation requires heart — you must experience it with your heart.
When you have developed bad habits, life becomes very hard. People can hardly get along peacefully, and you'll find it difficult to adapt anywhere you go. This is why "cultivating the Dao" means "transforming your nature" — not suppressing your temper. Suppressing it breeds resentment and dissipates your energy. Transform it instead — dissolve the temper, the bad habits, and the stubbornness.
3. On Thoughts
The sage seeks the heart, not the Buddha. The ordinary person seeks the Buddha, not the heart. The wise one adjusts the heart, not the body. The fool adjusts the body, not the heart. Therefore guard this heart well — when the heart inclines toward the truth, you realize bodhi. — Ji Gong the Living Buddha
When you have a knot in your heart, how do you untie it?
How can you change yourself? Think about where your knot actually is. What exactly can't you let go of? Why can't you move past it? What's blocking you? See these problems clearly. Why can't you do it? Where is the issue? Why does it feel so hard — is it a matter of personality? Why do you feel so powerless? Why can others walk the path so well while your center of gravity keeps slipping? Where are you sick? Doesn't cultivation always teach "turning the thought"? You've been to so many classes — can you turn it?
Being overly fearful means you can't achieve what is right. Being overly swayed by likes and dislikes means you can't achieve what is right either. If you cultivate the Dao with a furrowed brow and a long face — why? Because the knot in your heart hasn't been untied, hasn't it? If you cultivate until your body and mind are unhealthy, until others think you're abnormal — isn't that pitiful? Cultivating until your head is filled not with principles but with gossip and blame — isn't that tragic? As a senior practitioner, if your head is filled with "that person needs to improve" — that is the most tragic thing of all. Everyone has eyes. Everyone can see. The biggest problem people have today is talking much and doing little. Can you feel it?
When your heart is tangled with a thousand knots, you must tell yourself: the one who tied the bell must untie it. The obstacles in your heart — only you can break through them. No matter how impossible communication seems, you must try.
After you've heard all kinds of gossip and slander, you still must tell yourself: go to the temple. The temple needs you.
When you are in the midst of adversity and tests, you must tell yourself: face these circumstances and difficulties with an optimistic and grateful heart.
When you disagree with a fellow practitioner, you must tell yourself: doing Heaven's work requires that we be of one heart and one virtue to fulfill the mission.
When you disagree with a senior practitioner, you must tell yourself: whether or not the elder is right, you still must respect the elder and obey the Buddhist rules. Why? Because you are clinging to your own view. So first learn to lower your heart and soften your stance, and accept counsel with a gracious spirit.
When you have doubts you cannot resolve and dare not ask the elders — what do you do? Find your answers in the Four Books and Five Classics.
When your thoughts are scattered, it means someone else has pulled you off center. Quickly close your eyes, hold the Mysterious Pass, grip the Three Treasures, silently recite the five-character true words — and the true and false will become plain.
Do not become a slave to money. When the elders ask you to go abroad to spread the Dao, don't make excuses. Tell yourself: the sentient beings need your compassionate heart to save them.
When others slander or criticize you, bear it with patience and weight. Don't worry about what they say — as long as you feel no shame before Heaven.
When everything is going well, don't get carried away. Tell yourself: Heaven has given you this opportunity to spread the Dao.
When you feel your thoughts have drifted off course, give yourself time to readjust.
When you reach the middle stretch of your cultivation, you will become lax — this is part of the process. You must keep pushing yourself to cultivate and spread the Dao from beginning to end, with constancy.
When you find that the longer you practice at the temple, the more you suffer and the further you drift from the Dao — tell yourself: know yourself.
When you see someone gossiping, are you going to leave, or stay and gossip with them? Tell yourself: be someone of true cultivation and practice, not someone who stirs up trouble.
When you feel you can't do anything at all, hurry up and strengthen yourself — elevate the landscape of your heart.
When you realize you are living inside other people's opinions of you, tell yourself: break out of this whirlpool.
If you feel you have truly given your all and people still ignore you, tell yourself: a hundred battles, a hundred victories — keep going, try harder.
When you realize you are demanding that everyone act according to your will and they ignore you, tell yourself: start by changing yourself.
When you want to protect and set right the temple, tell yourself: start with yourself.
When you notice your junior practitioners don't know how to do anything, you must not just cultivate alone and look down on them. Teach them everything you know.
When you believe your opinion is correct but others won't follow it, use a gracious attitude and speak privately. Ask yourself: is your approach wrong? Are you too sharp, so that others won't listen or follow?
When you realize your relationships at the temple are poor, tell yourself: change yourself. It's not that others are biased against you — you simply haven't been gracious enough.
When you find yourself envious, resentful, or dissatisfied with someone, tell yourself: look for their strengths and their good qualities.
When the elders give you advice you can't accept, tell yourself: the elders have walked more of this road and have more experience than you.
When you learn that a fellow practitioner has stopped cultivating and spreading the Dao, tell yourself: hurry and pull them out of the abyss.
When you have opinions or prejudices about a junior practitioner, tell yourself: the Eternal Mother and your teacher haven't given up on them — why would you?
When you realize you are clinging to your own views, tell yourself: let go of "I" and consider what others have to say.
Break through attachment — cast off habits!
In truth, nothing in this world is inherently good or bad. It depends entirely on your thoughts and perspective. Do not cling to judgments of what is good and what is not!
What does being at ease mean? When your heart has let go, when the grasping of self and other is gone, when you've forgotten even yourself — that is true ease. Take your teacher, for instance — what you see now is this medium's body; she is a woman. But your teacher does not see her as male or female. It's the same for you. You always think: "I'm a girl, so I can't do heavy work," or "I'm a man, so I can't be as refined as a woman." Those are your own ideas. A person of true cultivation can see through everything. When you see through it all, you won't cling to others' views of you or to whether circumstances are favorable or not. Then you can become a truly free person.
Whatever the heart thinks of, that is what it sees. Think of the Buddha and you see the Buddha. Think of your teacher and you see your teacher. Think of an apple and you see an apple. So don't let your thoughts run wild. When you have scattered thoughts and the heart is unfocused, you're thinking only of distracting things — all just a single thought's difference. Let me ask: if you came to the temple and saw something unpleasant, would you stop cultivating?
A tiny flaw in someone else is a mirror for us. If another person is ugly in conduct, we must not be the same. Your teacher looks at all of you and sees aspiring hearts, compassionate hearts, hearts that want to help others — so your small flaws don't affect your teacher's heart toward you at all.
If you have an enemy — someone you absolutely cannot get along with — ask yourself: why? Because you won't yield! Yield, and the problem disappears. Cultivating the Dao means learning to see through things and not creating further karmic entanglements. If others ask you to do something, it's for your own good — why not step back? Stepping back, your days will go much easier. Try it. Try changing yourself. All right?
Life has certain suffering that must be endured — whether in worldly affairs or sacred work, there is suffering you must accept. But when you're doing worldly things, you may unknowingly invite even more suffering upon yourself — that is creating more karma. So why is it said: "Without the sacred, the worldly does not flow"? Without a sacred heart, without a heart for all beings, thinking only of yourself and unwilling to change — you'll just keep drilling into dead ends. More suffering on top of suffering, making trouble where there was none! That's why you cannot leave sacred work behind. When you are doing sacred work, you are giving. When you are helping others grow, you yourself are grown. Isn't that right?
Cultivating the Dao is cultivating the heart — have you cultivated yours?
Are all of your teacher's students a bit simple? Simple people have simple blessings. If you are truly simple, that simplicity is lovable. But in today's society, people look capable on the outside while their hearts are empty. One kind of person is shrewd; another kind is earnest. Which kind are you? Fill your heart. To be full — that is beauty. You might not look like much on the outside, but if the heart is beautiful, then you are a person of true cultivation — growing more beautiful and youthful the more you practice.
Nowadays among cultivators, compassion comes more easily; humility is harder. Learn the humble heart — seek instruction with openness, study with openness. In ancient times, people carried loyalty and filial piety in their hearts. Modern people carry them on their lips only — all talk, no walk.
Every person's thoughts are different — like a zither. Different hearts produce different music. A stringed zither can play melody, but so can a stringless zither — you can play it with the landscape of your own heart. The human heart changes, and so the world changes. Everyone needs to invest a little heart in tending this heart. If a person does not awaken, how many lifetimes can they afford to waste?
Do you ever feel lost when you come to the temple? Unsure of what to do? Don't know why you're here? Just think of who you were before. Think of how you used to look, how you used to think. Think of your hardest time. Think of that crisis. Then think of now — isn't there a difference? Today you are truly not the same as before. You've improved, because your heart has risen higher and your problems have changed. Before, when you hit trouble and the pain was sharp, you were desperate to grab a floating board, to cling to a piece of driftwood — just so long as you didn't sink. You saw so little, so near, and so you were impulsive, made mistakes, piled up grievances. Now it's different. You don't react the way you used to, because you've learned to be grateful in the face of difficulty. So — was receiving the Dao, was cultivating the Dao, worth it or not?
When we go out and people point and whisper — saying our temper is bad, that we have too many faults — that is serious. So we must adjust ourselves well.
If your moral character is insufficient, of course people won't listen to what you say — whose fault is that? Your own. From beginning to end, it turns out we ourselves are the problem!
The story of karmic affinity
Do you believe in karmic affinity? Do you believe it was decided long ago?
In the stories of Shakyamuni Buddha and his ten great disciples, there is one that tells this...
One day, as he was teaching the Dharma to all his disciples, he suddenly called Ananda forward and said: "Take a bucket, walk five li to the small village ahead, and ask the old woman washing clothes by the well for a bucket of water. Remember — be polite and gentle."
Ananda nodded, took the empty bucket, and set off in the direction the World-Honored One had pointed. He thought: this is such a simple task — surely I'll complete it easily.
He walked and walked until he reached the village, and indeed there was a white-haired old woman washing clothes at the well. Ananda bowed respectfully and said: "Old mother, old mother — may I have a bucket of water?"
The old woman looked up at this young man, and an inexplicable anger rose in her heart. She said sharply: "No! This well is only for people of this village. Outsiders are not permitted!" She drove Ananda away and would not relent no matter how he pleaded.
Ananda had no choice. He returned with his empty bucket and told the World-Honored One and the disciples everything that had happened.
The World-Honored One nodded, gestured for Ananda to sit down, and sent Sariputra instead.
Sariputra walked and walked until he reached the village. He too saw the white-haired old woman at the well. He bowed politely and said: "Old mother, old mother — may I have a bucket of water?"
The old woman looked up at this young man, and her heart bloomed with inexplicable warmth — as if she were seeing a dear relative she had longed for. She said happily: "Of course! Of course! Come, let me draw the water for you..."
After filling his bucket, she hurried home and brought back food for Sariputra to eat along the way.
He returned with the full bucket and told the World-Honored One and the disciples everything. They were bewildered. Ananda and the others asked the World-Honored One: what karmic cause produced such different treatment?
The World-Honored One explained: in a distant age, a past life, this old woman had fallen to the animal realm and become a mouse. It died by the roadside and lay baking under the scorching sun.
In that life, Ananda was a traveling merchant. He saw the dead mouse, felt disgust, held his nose, and walked past.
In that same life, Sariputra was a scholar on his way to the capital examinations. He saw the dead mouse, felt compassion, scooped up a handful of earth, and covered it.
After vast kalpas of time, when they met again in this life, the difference in how they were received was enormous.
Even the smallest stirring of intention creates this vast difference in the fruits of good and evil — how much greater the consequences of directly causing suffering to another being!
Karmic affinity is truly mysterious. Sometimes you pass a complete stranger on the street and feel an inexplicable dislike. Other times you meet someone you barely know and feel an instant, inexplicable warmth — just as I feel about you. I wonder — do you feel the same?
A broad and ordinary heart can be at ease wherever it goes
Cultivating the Dao means cultivating until there are no more worries. Wherever you go, you can adapt. Wherever you are, your heart is at peace, at ease with whatever arises. You can keep passing the Dao forward. Isn't that just like the immortals and buddhas, roaming the four seas, carefree? Whether facing hardship or smooth sailing, they pass through calmly and accept it calmly — that is what it means to be an immortal! Even immortals and buddhas encounter difficulties. But whether in favorable or unfavorable conditions, they face everything with an ordinary heart.
To be an evergreen tree, you must keep the heart level and the energy calm at all times. When your heart holds no resentment, no delusion, no competition — that is when you can be truly happy. But how do you maintain a level heart? Simply by applying your heart and holding to fairness. Look at your teacher: do I especially favor one student or especially dislike another? Your teacher can do this. I believe you can too.
The good field is our heart — it governs our entire being. So if your heart is not in what you do, you will not succeed. What the Buddhists call "sweeping the three hearts and discarding the four marks," what the Confucians call "examining yourself three times daily and guarding the heart with the four restraints" — all of it points to this heart. If you can maintain an ordinary heart in your practice, your heart will gain something. Pursuing the goals of life and the meaning of existence also depends entirely on this heart — and the most important thing is being grounded. The Dao De Jing says: "Many words are soon exhausted — better to keep to the center." This emphasizes the importance of being grounded. A cultivator must be grounded to endure.
Cast off the procrastinating, slack heart
Some people approach cultivation wanting only a carefree and comfortable life, turning the spreading of the Dao into a side job — cultivation first, spreading the Dao second. But what time is it now? You still don't realize how urgent Heaven's timing is, how urgently you should be saving more people? When it's time to play, play with your whole heart. But when the time comes for sacred work, sacred work must come first. Do what needs to be done — that is what matters.
What is all your effort for? Isn't it to take care of the Buddha and take care of the belly? All the worldly work you do now — you hope your life can be a little better. And the sacred work you do — isn't it for your future? But have you considered how long you can live? You can't predict, can you? Now, if in the final selection of the refined and the excellent — three thousand six hundred sages and forty-eight thousand worthies — you happen to be among those who pass: how long will that be? Ten thousand eight hundred years! So you are working for the future. What you need to do now is give weight to the sacred and lighten the worldly — not forever putting the belly first and the Buddha second. Whether you can do it comes down to whether you are willing! So it's not a question of whether the immortals and buddhas will save you — it's a question of whether you will let them!
Today you have set out on the path of cultivation and spreading the Dao. You must accept it and do it, because every one of you has a responsibility, a mission, a role — and this was your own choice! If you do it grudgingly, with an unwilling heart, your teacher will be very sad. Do you understand? In these final days, the ledger of good and evil must be settled. How are qualifications chosen? If the settling were happening right now, many of my students would be struck from the rolls. Your teacher knows how hard each of you walks this path. Trying to keep both the sacred and worldly in balance — how could your teacher not understand your suffering? But your teacher still hopes you will face yourselves honestly. All right?
4. On Tempering
Meeting is easy. Getting along is easy too — so long as it accords with Heaven's will, everything naturally falls into place.
The time you spend alone may be far greater than the time you spend with your elders. You all know the Dao is in daily life. You may be very good at living in community, but you don't know how to live with yourself — with that inner landscape. You may not be able to adjust it very well! Sometimes when you're with your dao-friends doing sacred work, the Dao-energy fills you. But once you go home, after a week, a month, or longer, you no longer know how to face yourself. How do you keep this heart of the Dao as alive as it was at the temple? Getting along with others is the outer path. Getting along with your own heart and spirit — that is much harder. Isn't it?
What does it really mean to be at ease wherever you are? Whether you are in any country, any family, any workplace — stay in your proper place, keep to your duties, and let go of resentment. Whatever your destiny holds, settle your heart and settle your life — hold your heart in the most peaceful state possible. If you still carry resentment or jealousy, it will be very hard to be at ease.
If you are not gracious in your dealings with the world, your character will have gaps. Don't insist on being the center of attention, always wanting to be the main character. Have you forgotten the saying: "Even the red flower needs green leaves to set it off"? If you keep pushing to the front, what you earn in the end may be nothing but a pile of vexation!
Navigate the world with both squareness and roundness — be principled yet adaptable, lively and responsive, adjusting as the moment requires. Only then can affairs reach their fullest outcome and your path remain clear. Otherwise you are like a ship adrift in a vast sea without a helmsman — unable to move a single step!
5. On Vows and Action
Take the Buddha's vow as your own vow. Take the teacher's vow as the student's vow. Make a vow and fulfill it. Fulfill the vow with your whole heart. Only by fulfilling your vow can you end your suffering. Only by ending your suffering can you clear your debts. Do not make vows with your lips only, thinking it a small thing. A spoken vow is still a vow — make it and fail to fulfill it, and it still does not pass. Make a vow and fulfill it. Fulfill the vow with your whole heart.
Think about how much you have grown over these years. Even if you have done little outer merit, at least let your inner virtue be well cultivated. Can you give in quiet ways? Have you truly made and fulfilled your vows? Do you remember the vow you made? How much of it have you carried out? You must think about this every day. Is everything you do part of fulfilling your vow?
What does it mean to give your whole heart? Is your heart on the sentient beings? Can your heart unite with the Dao? How much of your heart have you given to the Dao? Is delivering people, teaching, and serving the same as wholeheartedness? First, you need faith. Second, you must truly apply your heart. Ask yourself: have you truly given your heart to the Dao? Only with heart can you truly fulfill your vow!
Simply keep the ten great vows you made when receiving the Dao and practice them with care — from beginning to end, with unwavering resolve to see them through. I am certain you can return to Heaven and transcend the cycle of birth and death.
Do your human best and listen to Heaven's will. Don't limit yourself — or how can the power of your vow extend?
Cultivate the Dao with your heart, spread the Dao with all your heart. Only by fulfilling your vow can you end your suffering. Only by ending your suffering can you clear your debts. The road of human life is long and swift. But the road of cultivation? Inevitably rocky and rough. Since you understand even this much of the principle, how could a little wind and rain at the temple make you collapse? Why do you retreat at the first setback? Ask your conscience! Listen to the voice of Heaven. And know what vow you made — it was not made for the elders to see, and certainly not for the immortals and buddhas to see. Your elders have suffered and sacrificed — they are each fulfilling their own vow. But your vow — what about yours?
You want to clear your debts — but how? With what? Clearing debts requires a great vow! Without a vow, you become careless, drifting along, failing to cherish your life. Forgetting your vow, accumulating faults — whose suffering is that? Why not cherish the connections you've made and the bonds you've formed?
Every person who descended from the Realm of Principle made a vow before coming. I don't blame you for losing yourself in the human world and forgetting your oath. But once you've entered the gate of the Dao and taken on a sacred responsibility, I must remind you! Know this: when one person falls, ten thousand fall with them — nine generations of ancestors suffer the consequences. And don't think your case is small, that you've only committed a minor wrong, a small error. Remember: "Though each drop of water is tiny, it gradually fills the great vessel." Do not dismiss the drops. Do not dismiss the small faults — they fill the vessel.
Life is a sea of suffering. You must pilot your boat through this sea. Every one of you is a helmsman. If you lose your grip on the helm and the waves rise — can you hold on? That helm is your vow, your direction.
Cultivation means using the false to cultivate the true — using appearances to understand the principle. Only after understanding the principle can you take the next step.
The way forward in these final days: whatever heart you hold, that is the kind of demon you attract. Relying on signs and wonders — nothing can come of it.
Have you let go of the private self and put the greater good first? When the heart is partial and private, the crooked path may very well be yours.
Always be grateful. Remember the source when you drink the water. Know grace and feel gratitude. True gratitude produces the action of repaying that grace. Pressure is encouragement; adversity is cause for gratitude. Everything is arranged by Heaven.
Those who are content and know their blessings constantly create happiness. Those who cherish their blessings can surely create more blessings. Seize every opportunity to accumulate merit and fulfill your vow — when you can act, act. Cherish the encounters and the knowing that brought you here.
A selfless aspiration — that is a great aspiration. What you aspire to determines who you become. Set your resolve with decisiveness; never hesitate or regret. Let your will be constant, and you can accomplish great things. Establish the three imperishable merits, and enjoy ten thousand eight hundred years of freedom.
Colophon
The Five Provisions for Returning to Heaven (回天的五項資糧) is a Yiguandao spirit-writing compilation of Ji Gong the Living Buddha's teachings on the essentials of cultivation. Translated from vernacular Chinese by the New Tianmu Anglican Church. This is a Good Works Translation — the English was independently derived from reading the Chinese source text. The first English translation of this text. Gospel register.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Tulku Mínghuǒ (明火), scribe.
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Source Text: 回天的五項資糧
Chinese source text from taolibrary.com (善書圖書館), Category 52, c52060.htm. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
回天的五項資糧
德性篇
德性，是圓滿境界。有了德性，不論在聖在凡，皆能處世圓融；即使受苦受毀謗，也能化於平淡〡濟公活佛
（一）德性，是修身的根本
◎仁者無敵，一個人若有才而無德，便會遭來別人的嫉妒；如果能力強，德行就要愈齊全才行。一個有仁德的人，大家都會心甘情願地跟你在一起。道是本來面目，德是當然的行為，你要學習率性而行，把當然的行為做出來。
◎禮貌是一個人修養的指標，涉及一個人的德性，也表現道的親切與尊貴。所以初步的功夫，要做到「非禮勿視」，道德經不是講「不見可欲，使心不亂」嗎？眼不見心不亂，慢慢的就習以為常了。這一切都要心正，從根本處下手。
◎修道要蘊含德性，而德性是什麼？那是誠於中、形於外的表現。若真心想幫助他人，就不求回報，默默地去做，這才是真德性、真功德。徒啊！要記得「養德」啊！
◎修道是修什麼？修心。那麼心怎麼修？八八六十四卦裡哪一卦最強？是不是謙卦？修道人得學會第一個要「謙」。「謙」字有個什麼邊？是不是「言」？言，代表言語、言詞、表達，就是在言詞上表達得要得體、要謹慎，由誠心敬意所講出來的話，那麼心真一切就真，心誠萬事就靈。你心真、心誠，你心低下，所講出來的話，不就是「謙」了嗎？
（二）身、口、意，三業要清淨
◎你們要有豐富的德性，就要有豐富的經驗，以便濟渡眾生的所需，你們也要有普渡眾生的大志愿，才有辦法德普人間。首先，脾氣先改，身、口、意，三業要清淨。
◎老師我不是曾經說過嗎！徒兒傻傻沒關係，傻人傻到家就好，是不是？修道辦道不是憑你的口才能力，不是在爭、在計較誰贏誰輸，誰辦得好，誰辦得廣，輸贏是在什麼啊？在「真修實煉」。你們常在口舌上爭輸贏，是不是啊？輸贏決定在誰啊？會講話的人？那有用嗎？從你們的口修起，好不好？
◎掃地掃地掃心地，心地要如何做掃除工作呢？
一、掃地時，角落是最難掃的，而修道的小節也是最難注意到的，修道要修到連最細微小節處都注意到才行。
二、地要每天去掃才會乾淨，修道的工作也是每天都要做。湯之盤銘曰：「苟日新、日日新、又日新。」其義即在此。
三、地再怎麼掃，門窗緊閉仍會有灰塵。所以修道修心，就是要從心地上下功夫，從根本處著手，而不是只靠不去看、不去想、不去說、不去聽來遏止。白陽的修道人都是在鬧市中修，故必須從根本處著手，真正由心地的修養、修持上來下功夫。
◎你們現在不是每個人都說要美化環境、美化家庭嗎？有沒有想過要美化心境？美化你自己和每一個人的心境，更進一步去美化你的整個人生。還記得求道時，不是叫你們要存好心、說好話、做好事嗎？說好話是美化言語，做好事是美化行為，存好心是美化你們的心境。美化面容，臉上就沒有嗔怒，滿面笑容，而不是在外表上做美容。相由心生，你的心是美的，面相就不會醜到哪兒去。簡單的講，就是要去美化言語、美化行為、美化心境，再美化為更簡單的滿口好話、滿手好事、滿心的歡喜，再讓你的歡喜去感染別人。這根本要抓得住，而不是在枝末上用功夫，這就是心的作用。所以說，修道修心，要美化心境，這個心須純正，聽懂嗎？
◎守著你的耳朵、你的眼睛、你的鼻子、你的嘴巴，沒有一點知識的作用，全靠你這個心做為主人；但是你現在的心邪了，六賊眼耳鼻舌身意全都造反了，才會淪落到四生六道中受苦。修道就是修這個心，心一定要純、要正，不可稍有偏差。
◎行善不為人知才是真善，如果行事能坦蕩磊落，還會畏懼背後讓人挖一個窟窿嗎？除非是心不平氣不和、疑神疑鬼！既不做虧心事，夜半當然不怕鬼敲門了。
◎修道要涵養氣質，切不可深藏心機，這就有愧於修道的名了，要記得「養德」，望徒兒們能朝這目標去做，修心、修身、修口、修意，修去一切不正的。懂嗎？
◎大家已經求了道，接下來所需要的就是一個「行」字！只有「行」，才能創造天經地義之德，才能成就聖賢仙佛之偉業，記住了！一分耕耘，一分收穫，有耕耘才有收穫，這徒兒們也都知道。為師要講的是，每一位徒兒想要採收「成功歡笑的果實」，就要勤於耕耘。
（三）反省，可以終身寡過
◎末後修道要時時自我省察，一個能時時反省的人，才能知道自己的過錯。古時一日三省吾身的是曾子，他用三件事情來反省自己：
一、為人做事有否盡心？二、對人是否信實？三、求學有否溫習？
一個修行者，若能每天反省對人對事及對道的學習，能時時溫習，則可終身寡過。學道者可以把曾子做為學習的對象。修道就是要「當思己過，而不論人非」，這不是常講的嗎？「有過歸己，有功讓人」，你們有沒有這樣？
◎修道人要學習「聰者聽人」，而不是一味地固執；再學習「明者反觀」。聰明的人是不固執、多聽別人的勸導，靜的時候能存養省察，動的時候不亂我心，時時刻刻反觀自醒，反省一下自己的思想，有沒有合乎天理良心？反省自己的行為有沒有違悖天經地義？也就是說，一個做好的人、成功的人，並不是因為他的聰明，而是因為他肯「多用心、多費心」，才成功的。只要你肯下功夫，與聖賢又有什麼兩樣呢？
戒律篇
心平何勞持戒，行直何用修禪；菩提只向心覓，何勞向外求玄。
（一）以戒為師，不致放逸
戒律要守，就不是做給人家看的，而是做給自己看。你們修道是圖個表面功夫而已嗎？別人看得到的界限，就做得戰戰兢兢，別人看不到的地方，就鬆懈得很，這就是表面功夫，對不對？
◎戒律要好就要謹言，一個默語戒都守不好了，更何況其它的戒律！火候、愿行要怎麼行啊？火候不煉，心念就更難守了喔！
◎懂得佛規禮節嗎？能一一遵守嗎？每次都要你們用心念十五條規，
一、尊敬仙佛
二、遵前提後
三、齊莊中正
四、循規蹈矩
五、責任負起
六、重聖輕凡
七、謙恭和藹
八、勿棄聖訓
九、莫著形象
十、手續必清
十一、出告反面
十二、不亂系統
十三、愛惜公物
十四、活潑應事
十五、謹言慎行
因為念久了，印象就來，有深刻的印象，才能讓你們記住，不致臨時抱佛腳。要知道，佛規不是只有在佛堂才要守，出佛堂要不要守啊？
◎不管做什麼事情，不管大事、小事，一定要有誠敬的心，就像你們的叩首，有沒有誠敬的心在叩呢？如果沒有，有叩跟沒叩是一樣的。徒兒們的雜念太多了，連叩個頭都不能專心，胡思亂想，這就是誠敬心不夠的原因。戒律的作用，不就在收心，收攝那個妄動的心嗎？
（二）盡心守份，也是一種戒律
◎你能盡心盡力，就不愧於天地，因為盡心才能與天地相容，如果你無法盡全心，就沒辦法做天下事，就連吃飯也沒辦法安心。道在日常啊！吃飯是基本道理。我們立足於天地之中，就要行乎自然，才能達到圓滿。在這之前，你要學會尊重生命，也就是尊重他人。生命的本源就在天地中，你不盡心，無能知曉本性的奧義呢！
◎修道一點也不麻煩，既不耽誤時間，又不影響家庭，你如果在人世間不能像天堂一樣，到哪裡都會有麻煩、爭執、困擾的事發生。做人啊，就是要守本份，仙佛也是由凡人做，只怕凡人心不堅！就如同種田的要專心種田，上班的要專心上班，不可種田的想要做老闆，做老闆的想當總統。既然你們想成仙作佛，就要把基礎打好；菩提樹要種得深，風來就不會倒。
◎凡事專心去做，才會成功，如同吃飯必須專心的吃，才能吃出滋味，做任何事都專心，那就是「道」。由此看來，做事與修道是不會互相衝突的，把你在佛堂修道的經驗用在生活中，就能聖凡兼修。
◎修道並不是說天天跑道場就是修道，也不是說上台講道就是修道，當然也不是一味地緊跟隨前賢身邊就是修道！如果全世界的人都跟隨前賢或跟為師跑、代天宣化，這可能嗎？當然很難啦！有凡才有聖；有聖，凡才會如意。修道可別儘湊熱鬧、人云亦云，要懂得守住自己的崗位、職責，該做的事就趕緊去做，毋需多擔心「我一天沒跟上，就沒有功德」，功德不是這樣來的！問心無愧地做事，坦坦然然做到「仰不愧於天，俯不怍於人」，這才合乎道。
◎修道最主要在於「用心」與否？其實，道就在日常生活當中，有人去行了，就有所體悟，若能一方面看、一方面講、一方面聽、一方面行，心中自有體悟、昇華。你們都是善良的人，可惜的是，知道道好，就是不知道要修啊！
（三）克己，是戒律的起步
◎我們學聖賢之道，第一個是「克己」的功夫不能讓。什麼是克己？克制自己一切的慾念雜想。不是你本份該去想的叫「妄想」，所以要用克己的功夫來對治它。
◎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？
修道是要對自己有所要求，而非讓仙佛來要求你們。
◎常言道：「聖賢過多，愚人過少。」為什麼聖賢會說自己的過錯很多呢？因為修道就像煮菜，廚師炒個什錦大雜燴，上菜了，這色香味俱全，但是好不好吃呢？火候功夫怎麼樣，這就得看功夫到不到家了。修道不能像只有外表看起來漂亮的菜，但是內在怎麼樣？味道香不香？營不營養？咱們講的是實質的東西，不做這個外相，所以修道得用心去體會。
◎當你們有了習性時，就很難生存了，人與人之間也很難和平相處，你也會變得很難入境隨俗。所以「修道」兩個字就是「化性」，而不是忍氣，忍氣會厭氣、會散氣，所以要化性，把它化掉，化解掉脾氣、毛病和個性。
心念篇
聖人求心不求佛，凡人求佛不求心；
智者調心不調身，愚人調身不調心。
故當善護其心，一心傾，則證菩提。〡濟公活佛
（一）當你有心結時，如何打開？
◎怎樣才能「改變自己」？想想自己的心結到底在哪裡？到底為了何事而想不開？為什麼走不出來？受到什麼阻礙？要把這些問題看清楚，為什麼會做不到，問題在哪裡？為什麼當會覺得很為難，是不是個性的問題？為什麼會覺得很無力？為什麼人家可以走得很好，而我卻重心一直都不很穩？是哪裡生病了？修道不是都講「轉念」嗎？聽課都聽那麼多了，會不會轉？
◎過於恐懼，就沒辦法得其正！過於好惡也沒辦法得其正啊！你修道修得愁眉苦臉，什麼原因啊？心結沒打開是不是啊？修道身心不健康，讓人家覺得是變態，可不可憐啊？修到最後，腦袋裡不裝道理，只裝一些是是非非，可不可悲？身為前面的人，你腦袋裡裝著某人怎樣啊！某人要改進啊！那是最可悲的。每個人都有眼睛，每個人都會看，現在人最大的毛病，就是多說少做，有沒有感覺？
◎當你心有千千結的時候，你要告訴你自己，解鈴還須繫鈴人，心中的障礙須自己去突破，再怎麼溝通不了的，也要試著去溝通。
◎當你聽了許多的是是非非、毀毀謗謗之後，你還是要告訴你自己，要來道場，道場需要你。
◎當你處在逆境考驗的時候，你要告訴你自己，要以樂觀、感恩的心態，來面對這種種的處境與困難。
◎當你與同修有分歧的時候，你要告訴你自己，辦上天的事，一定要同心同德，才能夠圓滿達成任務。
◎當你與點傳師、前賢意見不合的時候，你要告訴你自己，不管前賢對不對，你還是要尊重前賢、謹守佛規。為什麼？因為你固執己見，所以要先學低心下氣、圓融的心，以接受諫言。
◎當你有所疑惑，沒辦法解答，又不敢問前賢、點傳師的時候，你怎麼辦？從四書五經中找答案。
◎當你的心念有所雜亂的時候，是你被他人所牽引，趕緊二目守玄、緊握三寶、默念五字真言，真假自明。
◎不要當錢的奴隸，每當點傳師要你出國辦道的時候，你不要找藉口，你要告訴你自己，眾生需要你的慈悲心挽救。
◎當你遇到人家對你的毀謗、批評時，你要忍辱負重，不要管他人說什麼，只要無愧於天就好。
◎當你遇到順境的時候，不要得意忘形，你要告訴你自己，上天給你這個好機會辦道了。
◎當你認為你自己的心念有偏差的時候，多點時間讓自己調整調整。
◎當你修道到中途的時候，你會懈怠，這是一個過程，你還是要不斷的鞭策自己，要始終如一修道辦道。
◎當你發現你在道場愈修愈痛苦、離道愈遠的時候，你要告訴你自己〡認識自己。
◎當你見到別人在說是非的時候，你是要走，還是跟他一起說人長短？你要告訴你自己，做個真修實煉的人，不要做個是非人。
◎當你認為你自己什麼都不會的時候，你要趕緊充實你自己、提昇心境。
◎當你發覺你已活在別人對你的看法時，你要告訴你自己，要跳出這個漩渦。
◎如果你認為你真的盡心盡力，反而眾生不理你的時候，你要告訴你自己，百戰百勝、再接再勵。
◎當你發覺你處處要求別人照你的意思去行，而他人不理睬你的時候，你要告訴你自己，先從改變自己開始。
◎當你想護持整頓 老○道場的時候，你要告訴你自己，從本身開始著手。
◎當你發覺你的後學什麼都不會的時候，你不可以獨善其身、輕視他人，你要把所會的都教給後學。
◎當你認為你的意見是正確，而別人不遵從的時候，你還是要以圓融的態度，私下溝通。你要告訴你自己、問你自己，是你做的方式不對，是否你太尖鋒，以致別人不採信、不照你的話去行？
◎當你在道場發覺你的人際關係不好的時候，你要告訴你自己，改變你自己，這不是別人對你有所偏見，而是你自己做得不夠圓融。
◎當你發覺你有嫉妒、怨恨、不滿對方的時候，你要告訴你自己，多看別人的長處與優點。
◎當前賢給你的意見，你沒有辦法採信的時候，你要告訴你自己，前賢走的路比你多、比你還要有經驗。
◎當你知道有同修不修不辦的時候，你要告訴你自己，趕快把他從深淵裡救出來。
◎當你對後學有意見、有成見的時候，你要告訴你自己， 老○、老師都不放棄他，你為什麼放棄他！
◎當你發覺你在固執己見的時候，你要告訴你自己，放下「我」，參考別人的意見。
（二）打破執著、拋開習慣！
◎每一件事情，其實都沒有所謂的好與壞，只在於你的心念想法，不要去執著於什麼是好、什麼是不好！
◎什麼叫做「自在」？你內心放下了，人我執著對待也沒了，把自己都忘了，這樣才是真的自在。就像為師，你們現在看到的是這個竅手，她是個女的，可是為師並不覺得她是男或女。你們自己也是一樣，你們總是覺得是女孩子，就不能做粗重的事情，是男孩子，就不能像女孩子那樣斯文，那都是你們自己的想法。真修的人是能把一切都看空，當你看空一切的時候，就不會執著在人我的看法、環境的順逆，你才能成為一個真正自在的人。
◎心裡想佛，就會看著佛；想老師，就會看著老師；想著蘋果；就看著蘋果，所以咱們不要胡思亂想。有雜念的時候，心不專，所想的儘是一些雜事，只在一念之差而已。請問，如果你到佛堂，看到不好的地方，是不是就不修道啦？
◎別人一點點的缺點，都是給咱們做借鏡的，別人醜，咱們就不可跟別人一樣；就像為師看到徒兒都是上進的心、慈悲的心、想幫助別人的心，所以你們的一點點缺點，都不會影響到為師對徒兒的心。
◎如果說你一直有一個死對頭的人，為什麼會和他成為死對頭？就是你不讓他嘛！讓他，不就沒事了！修道要懂得看破，不要結因果。人家希望你怎麼做，都是為你好，為什麼還不退讓一步呢？退讓一步日子會更好過。試著去做做看，試著去改變自己。好嗎？
◎人生有一定要受的苦，不管你是做凡事還是做聖事，都會有必受的苦，但是在你做凡事的時候，有可能於無形中又招來更多的苦，那就是再結因果。所以為什麼說「無聖，凡不順」？你沒有這種聖心，沒有為眾生的心，都只為自己，又不知要自我改變，就會一直往牛角尖裡頭鑽，結果苦了更苦，沒事找事！所以才說不能離開聖事。當你在辦聖事時，是一種付出；在成全人時，反而自己被成全了，對嗎？
（三）修道修心，你的心修了嗎？
◎為師的徒兒是不是都傻傻的？傻人有傻福，徒兒們若真的傻，那也是傻得可愛，但是現在社會上的人都是外表看起來好像很能幹的樣子，內心卻是空虛的，一種是精明，一種是傻勁，你們是屬於哪一種？把你的心充實起來，充實之謂「美」，外表看起來不怎麼樣，但內心是美的，才是「真修」的人，愈修愈年輕美麗了。
◎現在的修道人，慈悲心較容易，謙卑心較困難。學習謙卑的心，虛心求教，虛心去學習。古時人忠孝不離心，現代人忠孝不離口，上口不上身。
◎每一個人的心思都不一樣，就好像琴。不同的心理，所彈出來的音也就不一樣；有弦的琴可以撥弄聲音，無弦的琴亦可撥出聲音，你可以用自己的心境演奏。人心變，局世也在變，人人皆需花一點心，來耕植此心。因此，人若不覺醒，有幾世可以浪費呢？
◎你們會覺得來佛堂很茫然嗎？不確定自己該怎麼做嗎？不知道來佛堂的目的嗎？你們只要想想從前的你，從前的樣子，從前的心態，想想你最苦的事情，想想那個難關，再想一想現在，有沒有什麼不同？今天的你的確和從前不一樣了，有改善了，因為你的心境更提昇了，問題也改變了。以前的你遇到事情，正痛的時候，是急於抓一塊浮板、抱住一塊木頭，只要不讓自己沉不下去就好了，看得很淺近，所以容易衝動、犯錯，甚至怨尤一堆。現在不同了，不再像以前一般，因為你們懂得遇事感恩，所以你求道、修道，值不值得？
◎我們今天出去被人家指指點點，說我們脾氣壞，說我們毛病多，這樣就很嚴重了，所以要好好的調適自己。
◎德性不足當然你講的話人家就不聽，怪誰啊？自己。從頭至尾講來講去，原來是我們自個兒出了問題！
緣份的故事
你相信緣份嗎？相信緣份是早就註定好的嗎？
在釋迦牟尼佛和十大弟子的故事中有提到.......
有一天他對著所有弟子在講經說法，
忽然他叫起了阿難說.....
“你拿一個桶子，到前方五里路遠的一個小村莊，
向一個在井邊洗衣服的老婦人，要一桶水回來，
記得態度要客氣和善一點。”
阿難點點頭，拿著空桶子，往世尊指示的方向去要水。
他想說，這麼容易的事，一定輕易就能辦妥世尊所交待的任務。
走啊走的，走到了那村莊，真有位白髮蒼蒼的老婦在井邊洗衣服。
阿難，很有禮貌的向這位老婦恭敬的作揖，說：
“老人家啊！老人家，可以跟你要一桶水嗎？”
那老婦一抬起頭望向這年輕人，不由怒從心生.....很生氣的說：
“不行，這口井只能給這村子裡的人使用，任何外人，是不被允許的！”
接著就把阿難給趕走了，任由阿難苦苦哀求也不為所動！
阿難無奈！只有帶著空桶回去......
他將他所遭遇的種種情形，娓娓的向世尊和在場的弟子道來......
世尊點點頭，示意阿難坐下，接著祂叫舍利弗去
舍利弗一樣走啊走的，走到了那村莊；
一樣見到那個白髮蒼蒼的老婦還在井邊洗衣服。
舍利弗一樣很有禮貌的向這位老婦人，說：
“老人家阿老人家，可以跟你要一桶水嗎？”
那老婦一抬起頭望向這年輕人，不由得心花怒放.....彷彿見了一個很投緣的親人。
很高興的說：“行！行！來來，我來幫你打水.....”
打好一桶水給舍利弗後，又叫他等一下；
老婦人匆忙的回家拿一些齋食叫舍利弗帶著路上吃。
他帶了整桶水回去，將他所遇到的種種情形，
也娓娓的向世尊和在場的弟子道來..........
世尊點點頭一樣示意舍利弗坐下.....阿難和在場弟子就很納悶、疑惑，
問世尊是何種因緣？造成阿難和舍利弗這兩人有這麼大的差別。
世尊開示說道.....：
在遠劫前的一世，這位老婦淪為畜牲道，是隻老鼠；
牠死在路邊被烈日豔陽暴曬著........
阿難那時候是個趕貨經商的賈人，見到這隻死老鼠，
心中起了嫌惡之心，掩鼻而過........
舍利弗那時是個正要赴京趕考的讀書人，見到這隻死老鼠，
心中起了憐憫之心，順手捧把泥土將牠掩蓋。
經久遠劫以後，現在他們見了面，產生這樣不同的差別待遇。
小小的起心動念，就有如此大的善惡果報，
何況是直接加諸痛苦在人身上呢！！
緣份真的很奧妙！！
有時候走在路上，看到一個完全不認識的人，莫名其妙就覺得很討厭；
有時候又跟個完全不認識的人或不是很認識的人產生莫名的好感，
就像我對你的感覺一樣。不知道你是不是也有同感......
（四）坦蕩、平常的心，才能隨遇而安
◎修道要修到沒有罣礙，走到哪裡都能適應，都能心安理得、隨遇而安，都能把道繼續傳下去，如此不就跟仙佛一樣雲遊四海、逍遙自在了嗎？衪們不論困難或平順，都能安然的渡過、安然的接受，這就是「仙」啊！其實仙佛也會有碰到困難的時候，但不管順、逆，衪們都能以平常心去面對。
◎要當常青樹，就得時時保持心平氣和，當你心中沒有怨恨、沒有痴想、不與人爭時，才能時時快樂。但是如何才能經常心平氣和呢？只要用心、秉持一片公心，就可以了。就像為師，有沒有特別疼愛哪一個，或特別討厭哪一個？為師可以做得到，相信你們也可以做到。
◎良田，指的是我們的一顆心，它主宰我們的一身，因此，做事若心不在焉，則不會成功。佛家所說的「掃三心、飛四相」，儒家說的「三省其身、四勿其心」，在在皆指此心。修持若能保持一顆平常心，心中就有所得，而追求人生的目標，或生命的意義，也在在都靠此心，其中最重要的是踏實。道德經說：「多言數窮，不如守中」，就是強調踏實的重要，修道人要踏實才能久遠。
（五）拋開推拖、怠慢的心
◎有的人修道心態只想過逍遙自在的生活，將辦道變成副業慢慢來，以修道為主，辦道為輔。現在什麼時候了，還不知道天時緊急，不知道要趕緊多救一些人，有沒有？玩的時候可以盡情的玩，但到了該辦佛事的時候還是應以佛事為重，做該做的事，才是重要。
◎你們現在的努力為的是什麼？不就是為了要「顧佛祖也顧肚子」嗎？你們現在努力的做凡事，就是希望現在的生活可以過得好一點，而做聖事是不是為了自己的將來？但你們有沒有想到自己可以活多久？不能預料，是不是？如果說將來末後的選精拔萃，三千六百聖、四萬八千賢，很巧被你們都考上了，那時候有多久，一萬零八百年是不是？所以你們是為了將來而做的。現在要做的是「重聖輕凡」這件事，而不是永遠都做「先顧肚子再顧佛祖」的事。能不能做到，關鍵就在你願不願意去做而已！所以不是仙佛救不救你們，而是你們要不要讓仙佛救的問題，對不對！
◎今天你們走上了修辦這條路，就要去接受它、去做它，因為你們每個人都有責任、使命、自己的角色，這是你們自己的選擇的！如果做得心不甘、情不願的，為師也很難過，明白嗎？末後了，善惡功過要刷清，這資格是怎麼選拔的？如果現在就要刷清的話，可能很多徒兒是要被刷掉的。為師都知道你們每個人走得很辛苦，這種聖凡要圓滿兼顧，為師怎麼會不瞭解你們的苦呢？但為師還是希望你們要好好的面對自己，好嗎？
4、火候篇
相見容易，相處也容易。合得天意，自然如意。
獨處的時間可能會多於與你們前賢相處的時間，你們都知道「道在日常」，你們可能很會在團體中生活，但卻不知道如何與自己相處，與那個心境相處，平常你可能都無法把它調適得很好喔！就像有時你與道親在一起辦事時，會道氣充滿，一但回到家，經過了一個禮拜、一個月，或更長久之後，你不知該如何面對自己了，接下來該如何讓這顆道心保持得像在佛堂時的道氣呢？外在的是與人的相處之道，內在與心靈的相處，卻不容易了。是不是？
怎樣才叫做隨遇而安呢？不論你們在哪個國家、哪個家庭、哪個工作崗位，都要各安其份，也就是安守你的本份，不要有不平的心。是你的命，就要安你的心、安你的命，把你的心抱持在最平和的狀態。如果你還有怨恨、忌妒，就很難隨遇而安了。
處世不圓融，做人才會有缺陷。不要刻意顯露自己，凡事都喜歡讓自己成為主角，難道你們忘了「紅花也要綠葉襯」嗎？如果你要一再地強出頭，到頭換來的，可能是一堆的煩惱喔！
處世要有方圓，要能行方處圓、活潑玲瓏、隨機應變，遇事才能圓滿，做事也會理路明確，否則就如困在茫茫滄海之中，沒有舵手，寸步難行啊！
5、愿行篇
以佛愿為己愿，以師愿為徒愿。立愿了愿，盡心了愿。了愿才能了苦，了苦就能了罪。不要口頭立愿，以為事小。口頭立愿一樣是愿，你立愿不了，還是不行的。立愿了愿，盡心了愿。
想自已這些年來進昇了多少？外功縱然做得少，也要讓內德培養得好：可以默默地付出，是不是真的立愿了愿了呢？自已立的愿，還記得嗎？實行了多少？每天都要去想想。你所做的每件事，都是在了愿嗎？
何謂盡心？心是否在眾生身上？心能和道契合嗎？你們對道盡了幾分心。渡人、講課、辦事就是盡心嗎？第一、要有信心，第二：要真正用心。想想，平時對道是否真的用心了？用心才能真正了愿！
只要守住求道時所立下的十條大愿去謹慎奉行，自始至終地矢志完成它，相信一定能回得了天，也一定能超生了死的。
要盡人事、聽天命，不要劃地自限，愿力又怎麼伸展。
修道修心、辦道盡心，了愿才能了苦。了苦就能了罪。人生路途長且速，可是修道的路途呢？難免也是坎坎坷坷的。既然知道這一點理，那麼道場受了些風風雨雨又怎麼會支持不住呢？為什麼稍遇到挫折就退縮不前進了呢？問問你的良心吧？（聽聽老天的聲音）且該曉得你立了何愿，不是立給前賢看，更不是做給仙佛看，你們前人苦，犧牲奉獻，都是在各了各愿，但是，你們自己的愿呢？
你想了罪，要如何了呢？用什麼了呢？了罪得要有大愿哪！你沒有愿，就會馬馬虎虎，得過且過，不會珍惜你的人生。你忘了你的愿，造罪累累，苦的是誰？為何不珍惜你現在所結下的緣，好好的惜緣，圓你這個緣呢？
每個人從理天下來皆是立愿而來的，不怪你來到人世間迷失了自已，忘記了誓愿，可是一旦你進入道門，擔了神聖的職任，就不得不再提醒你們！要知道，你一人墜、萬人墜，九玄七祖皆遭殃？且不要以為你一個人事小，只不過是造了小惡、小過，要知道「滴水雖微，漸盈大器」，不要小看一滴一滴的水源，一點一點的小過：漸盈大器。
人生似苦海，你要在這苦海中撐舟，各個都是舵手，凡若是把舵不住，起了波濤洶湧：你撐得住嗎？這個舵就是你的愿，你的方向。
修道就是借假修真，藉相明理，明理之後才能向前一步。
末後修辦方針：你有何心態，就招感什麼魔；依賴感應，了不可得。
您放開了私我，以大體為前提了嗎？心偏私了，左道旁門可能就是你。
永遠都要感恩：飲水思源，知恩感恩；真正的感恩，要產生報恩的行為；壓力是激勵，逆境要感恩。（一切都是上天的安排）
珍惜知足的人，經常製造快樂；惜福的人，必能造福。把握行功了愿機緣，能做就做；珍惜彼此的相遇、相知。
無我無私的志向，才是大志向。立何志，成何人。立志要果決，切勿猶豫後悔。志要恆，才能成大事。立三不朽業，享萬八逍遙。
Source Colophon
Source: taolibrary.com (善書圖書館, Morality Books Library), Category 52 (一貫道經典二, Yiguandao Classics II), c52060.htm. Accessed 2026-04-04. The site states: "歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通" — "Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate." Encoding: UTF-16 LE with BOM.
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