To worship God is to show one’s sincerity. We always pay respect to all who have helped us. God descended Tien-Tao to depict the Truth in Oneness. With this revelation, mankind knows that Oneness is the beginning of everything, and God is the only Lord who created the cosmos.
We named God as Wu-Ji Lao-Mu 4 because God is the Mother of our souls as well as the Origin of our body. Once a man is born, he loses his True Self and forgets where he comes from. As one is lost, he suffers the tragedy of going through the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in eternity. Since Lao-Mu constantly thinks of us, She descended Tien-Tao to bring salvation to mankind.
Tien-Tao is the lighted road for us to follow and restore our True Selves. How could one be arrogant when he tries to receive Tien-Tao which brings salvation to his life and True Self? To worship God is to express gratefulness and sincerity in receiving Tien-Tao, how could it be regarded as superstition?
51. Can one worship God and pray for blessing?
If one worships God with the intent to pray for blessing, one must prevent oneself from making mistakes and repent one’s sins. Otherwise, he will be punished, despite all his prayers.
However, a practitioner of Tao places emphasis on practicing Tao and places little importance on praying for blessings. In history, many kings and emperors were greatly blessed and where are they now? This is why the Fifth Patriarch of Tien-Tao said:
“The mortal knows only to pray for blessing, but never ponders that
if the True Self is lost,
what blessing is there to pray for?”
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52. Is there any reason why we use the left hand to offer incense and always place the first incense in the middle?
The left hand symbolizes kindness, and would not hold knives or hit others; that is why we use the left hand to offer incense.
We always place the first incense in the middle. The doctrine of Tien-Tao is to achieve “Center” and “Oneness”. Center means not bent or not leaning. Oneness means there is only one Truth and nothing else. Center and Oneness represent the essence of Tao.
To place the first incense in the middle during the incense offering symbolizes the establishment of the essence of Tao. Center could also mean oneself because, besides Heaven and Earth, mankind is the greatest. All matters and lives between Heaven and Earth are subjected to mankind’s governing. Thus one becomes the center wherever he goes.
For example, if one stands east of a city, the city is in the west. However, if one stands south of the city, the city is in the north. The city remains stationary while its relative orientation changes. The reason the orientation change is because one has moved. That is why no one shall feel that he is insignificant.
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53. Why it is so common that whenever a person receives Tien-Tao, he dedicates himself at the beginning but eventually becomes lax?
An ancient Sage said once,
“When getting Tien-Tao is made easy,
practicing Tao becomes difficult.
When practicing Tao is easy,
attaining Tao becomes difficult.”
This is telling us that most people cannot start and finish as Oneness. The methods ancient Saints used to teach people were to have the awakened enlighten the non-awakened and to have the non-awakened model after the awakened.
Now Tien-Tao is made available to everyone, but most people are so lost that few could model after the awakened. Thus it is the leaders who bear the responsibility of awakening the others and the success of the Altars.
A bell will not sound if it is not rung, and one will not awake to Tao if no one awakens him. An ancient Saint said, “It is men who spread Tien-Tao, Tien-Tao cannot spread Itself among men.”
Even the ancient Buddhas and Immortals still needed guidance from their masters. During our time, most are ordinaries and need more help. That is why all leaders in Tien-Tao must set examples for the others so they can be touched.
Usually, the students have to come to learn from the master, not the master going to the student. However, not even one in ten thousand can attain Tao without a teacher. This is why the lnitiators and Guarantors of Tien-Tao are urged to dedicate themselves to teach and encourage those whom they brought into receiving Tien-Tao.
It is especially important to ask all to obey the following sixteen set rules:
- establish oneself,
- dedicate to one’s mission,
- rid of hobbies,
- commit no adultery,
- carry out duties,
- obey Tien-Ming, 1
- establish a firm will,
- rid of motley thoughts,
- practice Gong-fu, 15
- be thrifty,
- offer incense to God,
- be a vegetarian,
- cultivate virtues,
- rid all mistakes,
- repent, and
- search for the Truth.
An Elder said:
“There is no peerage
if one has no merits.”
Even though we are helping others outwardly to accumulate merits, in reality, we are helping ourselves to attain Tao. This is why we must start and follow through all the way in practicing Tao until we finish.
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54. If one receives Tien-Tao but still has not rid of his sinful practices, how should we exhort such person?
The doctrine of Tien-Tao is to teach people the Truth and to move evil with goodness. All bad habits and addictions must be given up.
If one receives Tien-Tao but still has not rid of his sinful practices, depending on the person and the circumstances, we can present the benefits and damages, or repeatedly induce them, or sincerely warn them, or directly or indirectly persuade them until we see the person repents.
