Dadao Series — Book 8
English Edition · 大道明心
◆ Prefaces ◆
Autumn Equinox, Dingyou Year, September 2017
The eighth volume of the Grand Dao series, *Grand Dao: Illuminating the Heart*, elucidates the fundamental function of the Buddhist concept of "illuminating the heart" and fosters the wholesome cultivation of all human beings. This approach not only arises from realizing the efficacy of "illuminating the heart" but also integrates with the "New Consciousness-Only Doctrine," thereby elevating and transcending religious faith to a greater extent.
Contents of the Eighth Volume of the Great Dao Series, *Great Dao: Illuminating the Heart*, are as follows:  
Ultimate Truth, Conventional Truth, Dharmata and Emptiness, True Emptiness and Real Nature,  
True Emptiness within the Provisional and the Empty, Wonderful Existence within True Emptiness,  
Indestructibility of Latent Causes, Karmic Retribution of Cause and Effect,  
Wholesome and Unwholesome Causes and Conditions, Human Fabrications,  
Establishing Destiny and Navigating Fortune, Loss of Destiny,  
Currency and Resources, and the Reckoning of Karmic Retribution.
Next, from the human world:  
Blessings, prosperity, longevity, and virtue; boundless merit and virtue; inexhaustible wisdom; goodness, virtue, intelligence, and wisdom; deep cultivation of moral character; the original nature of spirituality; the practice of good deeds; great acts of kindness and virtue; the blessings and wisdom of virtuous conduct; the illusion of fate; the true reality of feng shui; the true purpose of study; gaining blessings through good deeds; the Great Dao illuminating the heart; the world of sincerity—all the noble, kind, and virtuous qualities of humanity.
Why must all existence in the human world pass through such conditions as the essence of the soul, the three souls of the spirit, the seven emotions of the soul and the ethereal soul, the distinctions of the ethereal soul, the functions of the ethereal soul, and the original soul and ethereal soul? Precisely because these conditions are synthesized and anchored by the "spiritual soul and ethereal soul." Every individual among humanity must rely on this foundation for survival.
The fundamental framework of *The Great Path Illuminating the Heart* never departs from the daily lives of humanity. It grounds ordinary existence in a basis of blessed reward, cultivating the fulfillment of "deeply rooted virtue." Such conditions and affinities within the human world represent the abundant grace bestowed by Heaven in subtle ways—a return that most people can witness!
The Truth of Heaven and Earth:  
When the Real World enters into mundane objects and vessels, it is through self-cultivation and practice that existence is synthesized, becoming the totality of the human world. Only by dividing and cooperating with the actions of all sentient beings can this totality be formed as a whole. Thus, the union of one's own "spirituality and materiality" is manifested in both worlds.
In the human world, the distinction is made between the "realm of objects and the realm of spirituality." What can ascend, and what marks the boundary of sinking and falling? In all human actions, there is a differentiation between "ultimate truth" and "conventional truth." This is a process unknown to humanity, a terminology found only within religious contexts.
"Sheng Yi Li Di" is a term borrowed from Buddhist terminology, where "Sheng Yi" refers to the true principles that facilitate the elevation and manifestation of one's spiritual self. It is essential to realize that "Sheng Yi Li Di" represents an immutable and authentic law, which governs the highest principles of the phenomenal world. Moreover, in the realm of actual phenomena, the combination of any material entities often falls short of reaching these inherent limitations.
The primary karmic conditions for harmonization in the human world are realized through the transformation of thought and the attainment of action within the realm of objects, enabling a union with both the "world of objects and true reality." There is absolutely no separation from or abandonment of the world of objects! If the conditions for reaching the true principle are difficult to fulfill, it is only through the human capacity for "spiritual resonance and intuitive understanding" that this is manifested.
If the world of material objects lacks the manifestation of "hearts connecting through spiritual resonance," it becomes difficult to achieve the integration of the "spiritual world" and the "world of material objects." Why is this so? In the world of material objects, many inventions and creations that can bring well-being to all beings are revealed precisely through the process of "hearts connecting through spiritual resonance."
The human world is the true self of Suchness. The contemplation and construction of the spiritual realm are beyond the reach of today's technological civilization or even scientists! As for creation and invention, it is precisely what the Heavenly Providence grants to humanity's creations and innovations, providing endless blessings. For all living beings, this serves as a long-term educational curriculum and resource, guiding and enlightening sentient beings.
Does the adequacy of common currency depend precisely on each individual's accumulated blessings and karmic conditions? Indeed, it is profoundly interconnected! Even in the realm of true reality, this can be understood. Yet no human being can escape such limitations, nor is it certain whether one can harmoniously cooperate with other sentient beings in this regard.
Worldly truth manifests in the fact that the provision of sustenance for human survival must be supplied by others to be complete. It is a composition formed by contributions to one’s own existence. Neither I nor others can detach ourselves from communal life—this is especially true in contemporary urban survival. Viewed from a rural perspective: what one can provide for oneself is merely a portion of the necessary sustenance.
Nor can one detach from the world of true reality. If everything is centered on "self-preservation" and guided by self-sufficiency—as created and deduced by the worldly principles within human existence—then human survival, through the overall combination of "collective and individual existence," is merely about creating greater comfort and enabling the invention of well-being.
"Worldly Truth" that deviates from "Ultimate Truth" prevents sentient beings from attaining transcendence and achieving deeper elevation. Within the synthesis of the "spiritual world and the world of true reality," both Ultimate Truth and Worldly Truth are mutually elucidated by the sentient beings of the human realm, thereby benefiting all living beings.
Master Lixin Guangming inscribed at
Preface to the Republication of "The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart" Celestial Book
Editorial Journal of *The Great Path Illuminates the Heart*

English Translation:
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
## Chongxin Great Chairman, Lord of the Southern Heaven, Sage Emperor Wenheng
With unwavering diligence and courage, neither slacken nor neglect.
◆ Prefaces ◆
Autumn Equinox, Dingyou Year, September 2017
In the course of human existence: it is essential to pass through the elevation of one's own spirituality, not merely in the process of human survival alone, to be able to integrate the "spiritual world and the world of actuality." Moreover, in the "spiritual world," without the mutual cooperation of the "world of actuality," it would be difficult for one to achieve both return and transcendence!
It will inevitably manifest in the physical world as an orientation toward existence rooted in the spiritual realm. In observing the course of human life, if one relies solely on the physical world without the complementary perspective of the spiritual realm—much as contemporary science tends to do—many aspects remain difficult to deduce through scientific logic, along with the true processes that govern and validate reality.
The secular truth is based on the world of actuality: that is, it must not deviate from the spiritual world! Moreover, all living beings in the mundane world, through their processes of survival and accumulated experiences, inevitably integrate and mutually validate their own physical existence with heaven and earth. Through various forms of secular survival as a process of nurturing life, there emerges a measure of care that fosters growth and existence—this is what all beings pursue.
In comparing and verifying the self against the vastness of heaven, earth, the cosmos, and the void—spanning immense stretches of time—this is an essential undertaking and a direction of contemplation that human society must embrace. Therefore, humanity must cultivate a perspective of elevation and transcendence, not merely adhering to the implementation of worldly principles, for that alone becomes the seed cause for continued rebirth in future cycles.
Karma and Retribution—This principle guides all sentient beings in transforming the ordinary human world, refining it within peaceful and favorable circumstances. It is hoped that all sentient beings, while dwelling in ordinary conditions, will elevate and refine all resources of the human world. In the future, they will inevitably encounter the cyclical recurrence of "karma and retribution"! How, then, should one undertake such refinement and transformation?
The great wise one understands that in favorable or adverse, smooth or challenging circumstances, it is relatively easier to perceive the process of growth through the point of "cultivation and transformation." However, in ordinary and uneventful situations, one is often lulled by the mundane and the tranquil, causing the self-nature of "Buddha-nature" to become obscured. This is the blind spot most difficult for sentient human practitioners to eradicate.
In the human world, the understanding of geographical feng shui lies in the practice of studying and performing good deeds, relying on these as essential for one's own sustenance in life. It serves as an orientation in existence that can be beneficial, not merely to highlight the process of human survival, but more importantly, it is connected to the accumulation of "karmic causes from past lives." These accumulated factors shape the fortunes and misfortunes of one's current life destiny.
One's fate, two's fortune, three's feng shui, four's learning, and five's virtuous deeds—these are the processes that reveal the quality of one's destiny in the journey of self-orientation. It is precisely the distinction between "right and wrong" and wisdom versus ignorance that determines how one will become the master of their own future. Will they be swayed by circumstances and become their own slave? This is decided by these very factors!
The extent of one's future fortunes and misfortunes, prosperity and decline, is also determined by the essential conditions of these outcomes, which guide one's orientation toward survival. Whether it results in comfort or unfavorable circumstances, it is all connected to the karma created in past lives, forming the acquired fortune of the present moment. This is primarily shaped by human factors, a truth that most people find difficult to comprehend!
Goodness, Virtue, Fortune, and Wisdom: These are the fundamental concepts that sentient beings must uphold in the human world. It is absolutely impermissible to rely on strength to oppress the weak. In the principles of heaven and earth, this aligns with the law of reversion when things reach their extreme. It is essential to understand that when one’s own virtue and fortune are abundant, one must also ensure that such "abundant virtue and fortune" bring benefit to the welfare of all sentient beings!
In the practice of virtuous deeds, the concept and action of "accumulating blessings through good deeds" should be understood as being rooted in the welfare of all sentient beings and the protection of all beings in heaven and earth. This is fundamentally related to the basic principles of the sentient world and, moreover, to the core principles and truths of the vast cosmos. These principles can thus be implemented in the human realm.
Through the attainment of blessings and wisdom from virtuous deeds, one must not harbor the notion that one is performing good deeds and thus accumulating merit for oneself. It is essential to learn from heaven and earth, and from the sun and moon, which act with "selflessness and impartiality." This means that by being capable of action, one ultimately reaches a state of non-action. In the fundamental truth, one resolves the karmic causes and effects that have been formed, and through one's actions, one transforms the karmic retributions from past lives.
In the human realm, one must inevitably engage in the actions of a Mahayana Bodhisattva, who awakens sentient beings with compassion. This is not merely confined to performing good deeds and accumulating merits, nor is it about safeguarding only minor blessings for oneself. One must understand that through purposeful action, one attains non-action; by transforming the mindset of seeking achievement, one accumulates eternal wisdom and merit.
In the human world, it is essential to understand that the most important purpose of "deep cultivation through virtue" lies in whether one can clearly discern for oneself: Is one deeply cultivating virtue or merely skimming the surface? This is profoundly connected to whether one's "virtue = hidden merits" will manifest in the future. Such cultivation is intimately related to each individual's blessings and fortune, which are fully endowed by profound virtue!
In the cultivation of virtue, whether shallow or deep, if one succumbs to external temptations or is led astray by other factors, it becomes impossible to root virtue deeply within one's inner self. Consequently, one cannot engage in profound cultivation. This stems from one's own ignorance and inability to comprehend how to act. Remaining only in the shallow planting of virtue inevitably leaves one vulnerable to external inducements and domination.
Inscribed by Zen Master Li Xin Guangming
Preface to the Republication of the Eighth Volume of the Da Dao Series
Preface to *The Great Way Illuminates the Heart*

English Translation:
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
## Before the Wuji Throne  Ma Xiangu

English Translation:
With unwavering diligence and courage, never faltering nor neglecting,  
we steadfastly fulfill our duty to complete this sacred text,  
bowing in gratitude to the divine and humankind alike.
## President Chong Xinzheng　The Supreme Being of the Void
November 26, 1999 The 19th Day of the 10th Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Friday)
In Joyous Accord with Chongxin's Reception of the Sacred Decree,  
The Ruler of the Southern Heaven Descends to Bestow Revelation.
Continuing the Great Dao Series Volumes  
Promoting Universal Transformation Across the Cosmos
Reverently Receiving the Mandate to Compose Works
What true delight! Tonight, the Chongxin Dao Lineage has once again been honored to receive the Sacred Decree of the Empress Mother, authoring the eighth volume of the Great Dao series of celestial texts. This truly brings comfort to our Chongxin, and through the cooperation of all divine beings and humans, each volume is successively composed. It is indeed the grace of Heaven bestowed upon this sentient world, and precisely our duty to uphold sincerity and responsibility toward Heaven.
The auspicious hour has arrived. We hereby command the Venerable Celestial of Void-Penned Scripture and the Venerable Celestial of the Great Way of the Void-Silver Pen from our hall to receive the honored arrival thirty li away; we command the Immortal Maiden of Void-Colored Clouds, the Immortal Maiden of Void-Colored Radiance, and the Immortal Maiden of Void-Colored Mists from our hall to receive the honored arrival twenty li away. All other divine beings and the cultivating scholars of the Wuji Great Way Institute shall line up in formation to await the arrival, maintaining utmost propriety without fail!
The Great Tao Series, Volume Eight: The Great Tao Illuminates the Heart — Receiving the Decree to Compose This Book
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
With unwavering diligence and courage, without slackening or neglect, fulfill your duties to completion. This will bring comfort to a mother's hopeful heart, and joy will follow!
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
## Imperial Commissioner, Prime Minister Zhuge
Wuji Before the Chariot, Serving the Mother Goddess  
Deputy Seat of Chongxin Taoist Temple Descends
The Great Tao Series, Volume Eight: Expanding the Divine Texts for Wider Propagation
By the sacred decree of Wuji, we humbly gather at the Chongxin Daoist Sanctuary. The divine mandate is proclaimed; let no ritual be neglected. All beings, celestial and mortal, bow in reverence!
Imperial Edict Proclamation
By Imperial Command
The Supreme Celestial Mother of Wuji Proclaims Her Sacred Decree
The Mother resides in the sacred realm of the Heavenly Principle, repeatedly sending immortals and buddhas to descend to the mortal world to guide and ferry the souls of her children back home. Thus, she established the Five Religions as a collective educational curriculum, granting the fallen souls the ability to comprehend the teachings of the Supreme Truth. Through the integration and promotion of the teachings of the Five Religions, she leads all souls to manifest their true nature and reveal their buddha-nature, enabling them to return to the Wuji Heavenly Principle and the Pure Land.
The Mother Heart's Sacred Edict of the Dao Lineage—After the establishment of Chongxin Hall, the compilation of the "Great Dao Series of Celestial Books" commenced. Each volume conveys genuine meanings, and every chapter embodies the truth, guiding all spiritual children to comprehend the true significance of the cosmos's operation. It enables all sentient spiritual beings to possess the provisions for returning, achieving self-realization and the liberation of all beings.
Mother observes the devoted hearts of Li'er and all spiritual children, who remain steadfast in fulfilling their duties with unwavering diligence and courage. They carry out the heavenly responsibilities bestowed by the Supreme without compromise, advancing bravely without retreat. Such dedication and resolve are truly commendable. Moreover, by widely spreading the teachings on behalf of Mother, they bring profound joy and comfort to Mother's heart. Now, the Great Dao series, comprising a total of seven volumes, has been completed.
The Mother's Heart is especially comforted and rewarded, granting the eighth volume of the Great Dao series of celestial texts to Chongxin for further authorship. The Mother's Heart is deeply gratified! It is titled "The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart." The mandate appoints the Ancient Buddha of Nanping Daoji as the chief immortal master author, with other high immortals and Buddhas from the three realms serving as assisting immortal master authors. It is hoped that the book will be completed and promulgated to the world at the earliest opportunity, widely guiding all spiritual children to return. The work shall commence upon receiving this decree, with no time limit but an earnest hope for early completion. The Mother's Heart earnestly hopes that all deities and personnel of the Chongxin Dao lineage, under the Imperial Decree, will cooperate wholeheartedly and with full effort, broadly embracing the grand purpose of education and transformation. May this further illuminate "the compassion of the Great Dao and the essence of illuminating the heart to realize one's true nature," enabling transcendence. It is also deeply wished that the book be completed at the earliest possible time.
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
November 30, 1999  
The 23rd Day of the Tenth Lunar Month, Year Jimao (Tuesday)
Praise, Blessings, and Preface
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
With unwavering diligence and courage, without negligence or oversight, fulfill your duties and complete the eternal legacy of the Dao Series. It is my earnest hope that this may bring fulfillment to all living beings.
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
## Chongxin Chairman, Xukong Tianzun, Wenheng Shengdi
The Wuji Huangmu Issues a Sacred Decree to
Wuji Great Dao Academy  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
The nineteenth day of the tenth month in the year Jimaо of the Heavenly Cycle, during the Xu hour.
The decree has been proclaimed. Congratulations to all deities, Buddhas, and virtuous disciples of this hall for once again receiving the opportunity to compile the eighth volume of the Great Dao Series, *Great Dao: Illuminating the Heart*, under the sacred decree of the Eternal Venerable Mother. This is a testament to the high regard of Heaven and a distinguished honor for our Chongxin Dao lineage. It is hoped that all will remain steadfast in their duties and fulfill this sacred mission. Each volume we compile aims to help sentient beings understand the true meaning of heaven and earth’s evolution, liberating them from endless cycles of rebirth and enabling transcendence. This is an auspicious opportunity to achieve divine purpose through one’s own efforts. Everyone must strive diligently. To all deities and personnel, your dedication is deeply appreciated. As your teacher, I shall now swiftly return to the Celestial Realm to report the completion of this decree. Farewell!
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
December 3, 1999 – The 26th Day of the 10th Lunar Month, Year Jimao (Friday)
Chapter One: The Ultimate Truth of Principles

The Ultimate Truth of Principles is the supreme truth, the highest principle, the ultimate truth, the supreme principle, the ultimate principle, the supreme truth, the highest truth, the ultimate truth, the supreme truth, the highest principle, the ultimate principle, the supreme principle, the ultimate truth, the highest truth, the ultimate truth, the supreme truth, the highest principle, the ultimate principle, the supreme principle, the ultimate truth, the highest truth, the ultimate truth, the supreme truth, the highest principle, the ultimate principle, the supreme principle, the ultimate truth, the highest truth.
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
Void and solidity are principles of the human realm,  
Emptiness and truth must be inwardly realized.
The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart, Continuing Onward  
Grateful for the Divine Grace and Benevolent Intent of Heaven
Tonight marks another grand sacred occasion for our Chongxin. To be able to receive the eighth volume of the Celestial Texts of the Great Dao Series once again is a testament to Chongxin being highly valued and praised by the Heavenly Realm. This has truly been achieved through the diligent efforts of us divine beings, filling us with immense joy. We continue to welcome the sacred decree from the Heavenly Jade Emperor into our hall.
The Life Faction of this hall commands the Living Buddha Ji Gong, the Second Pass Saint Emperor, and the Third Pass Saint Emperor to receive the imperial carriage twenty li away; commands the Celestial Venerable of Void Imperial Transmission and the Celestial Venerable of Void Golden Pen Illumination to respectfully receive the Imperial Decree of Haotian Jade descending upon the hall ten li away. All other deities, Buddhas, virtuous disciples, and spiritual cultivation academicians of the Wuji Great Dao Institute shall line up in order to await the imperial carriage.
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
## Homage to the Ancient Buddha Dipamkara
December 7, 1999 — The 30th Day of the 10th Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Tuesday)
Chapter Two: Worldly Truths
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
Imperial Envoy Descends to Chongxin Hall
Zhuge Prime Minister Foretells Auspicious Signs
The Great Dao Series Uplifts All Beings, Guiding Souls Back to the Heavenly Voyage.
On this night, I first arrive at the Chongxin Daoist Sanctuary, bearing a decree to proclaim, as both divine beings and mortals bow in reverence!
Jade Edict: Commence Reading
Respectfully Presented
The Great Jade Emperor,  
Supreme Mystical Spirit,  
Exalted Shangdi,  
Proclaims the Jade Decree:
We, the Emperor, hold the authority to regulate the ascension and descent of the Five Teachings, enabling all celestial beings, immortals, and Buddhas across the heavens to transcend, elevate, and draw forth their intrinsic nature and Buddha-nature. This brings peace, stability, and joy to all corners of the world, allowing sentient beings to return to transcendence and advance further into higher stages of liberation, which is the manifestation of the great virtue of Heaven and Earth. Our heart at times hopes and at times looks forward—who can guide all living beings? Those who comprehend the operation of the Great Dao without deviation can clarify themselves: using their original mind and intrinsic nature as provisions for the journey of return, broadly guiding the opportunities for teaching and transformation, enabling ascension, transcendence, and growth—this is the benevolent grace bestowed upon sentient beings.
Now, by decree of the Dao, Chongxin Hall, under the guidance of the virtuous scholar Li Bi, has dutifully completed the writing of the Heaven Books of the Great Dao Series, a collection of seven volumes bestowed by the Supreme Heaven. These provide sentient beings with the provisions for their return and offer further opportunities for transcendence. This is what Our heart earnestly hopes for—that each volume of the Great Dao Series Heaven Books may illuminate the true meaning of heaven and earth, integrating it with the nourishment of human life, which is the genuine reality. Now, the seventh volume of the Great Dao Series Heaven Books, *The Buddha Heart of the Great Dao*, has been completed to widely propagate and universalize its teachings, enabling self-accomplishment and the salvation of all beings. This is truly commendable.
Our hearts are greatly pleased, and We bestow upon you the eighth volume of the series of celestial books on the Great Dao, titled *The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart*. This work manifests the essence of illuminating the heart and realizing one’s true nature, demonstrating that self-transcendence originates from one’s own efforts to elevate the fundamental cause. It is through achieving this oneself that one can then assist all sentient beings in their elevation and transcendence. We appoint the Ancient Buddha Nanping Daoji as the chief immortal author, with other exalted beings from the three realms serving as assisting immortals. Upon receipt of this decree, commence the writing without delay. There is no strict time limit, but strive to complete the book at the earliest opportunity, so as to widely guide all sentient beings across the vast universe, helping them understand that the essence of self-elevation lies in achieving it within the human world.
The students of Chongxin, with their steadfast resolve and unwavering perseverance, are opening a celestial ladder of return and transcendence for themselves and all living beings—truly commendable. It is hoped that they may long continue to widely guide the multitude of sentient beings toward return and transcendence, enabling them to escape the vortex of reincarnation. This is the primary purpose. May the Da Dao series endure and continue to be authored.
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
##Namo Mahavairocana Buddha
December 10, 1999  
The 3rd Day of the 11th Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Friday)
Chapter Three: The Emptiness of Dharmata
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
The Great Heavenly Jade Emperor, the Supreme Deity of Mystical Radiance, descends to bestow the Jade Decree upon
Wuji Great Dao Academy  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
The nineteenth day of the tenth month in the year Jimao of the Heavenly Cycle, during the Xu hour.
The decree has been proclaimed. We extend our congratulations to all deities and practitioners of the Chongxin Dao Lineage for their unwavering resolve and courageous perseverance. This fully demonstrates that the Celestial Realm has selected pillars of talent to carry forward the great mission. We are also deeply moved that the Patriarch of the "Li Bi" lineage has guided the Chongxin Dao Lineage in advancing the propagation of the "Sacred Teaching of the Confucian School and the True Buddha Heart School," which is truly worthy of celebration. Congratulations! Congratulations!
First time visiting your noble hall! Observing this steadfast determination and the vast overflowing of Taoist energy, truly you are a pillar of talent and a model creator. In the future, there will surely be opportunities for broad transformation and guidance, enabling sentient beings and spiritual souls to ascend and transcend. Congratulations! I now return to the Heavenly Vault to fulfill the decree. Until we meet again, everyone!
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
## Namo Medicine Buddha

English Translation:
December 17, 1999 — The 10th Day of the 11th Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Friday)
Chapter Four: True Emptiness and Substantial Nature
◆ Decrees & Forewords ◆
接旨著書
Gratitude to Heaven for bestowing the decree descending,  
The Great Way enlightens the heart, opening the world's chapter.
The Truth of Reality Enriches Life  
The World of Objects Manifests True Form
Tonight! This truly marks a grand occasion for our hall. We are honored to receive the eighth volume of the Heavenly Texts of the Great Tao series, *The Great Tao Illuminates the Heart*, for its composition. Moreover, throughout the process of the tests and trials set forth by Heaven, all divine beings, Buddhas, and virtuous disciples have witnessed that our hall has consistently passed each examination and assessment, never wavering in our resolve but instead advancing courageously forward. This is the fundamental driving force of Chongxin.
It is evident that under the leadership and diligent efforts of the principal figure—the Patriarch of the Li Bi lineage—such achievements are truly gratifying and worthy of celebration! We are also grateful to the **Heaven** for its profound trust in the Chongxin Taoist Center, entrusting it with a significant mission: to guide and ferry sentient beings back to their origin and facilitate their transcendence. This is the inherent duty and responsibility of Chongxin. By upholding sincerity and responsibility toward **Heaven** and advancing courageously, a bright and promising path will surely unfold, welcoming all beings back to their true home.
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
## Ancient Buddha Nanping Daoji

English Translation:
December 21, 1999 — The 14th Day of the 11th Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Tuesday)
Chapter Five: The True Emptiness Within the False

English Translation:
## Nanhai Ancient Buddha
December 24, 1999 – The Seventeenth Day of the Eleventh Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Friday)
Ignite the Heart's Lamp to Illuminate One's Own Mind
The Ancient Buddha Praises: Diligence on the Great Path
The Foundation of Education Lies in Universal Propagation and Promotion  
The Heavenly Sound Is Expounded Through the Great Dao's Illumination of the Mind
Eulogy
Hymn—Providing all sentient beings in the vast universe with teachings and courses of cultivation, offering genuine provisions for their return, serving as the fundamental cause for nourishing life and spiritual practice. Since all beings are influenced by external defilements, they fundamentally lack the means to provide for their return and transcendence of root causes, and are inevitably unable to comprehend the true reality of human existence.
In the human world, the "world of actuality" must be integrated with the "spiritual world." The means of sustenance provided for one's own existence serve as a path for elevating the spirit beyond the present. Through this, one engages in the educational process of returning to the source, thereby creating a more comfortable and stable living space for oneself.
All sentient beings are often swayed and influenced by the five dust realms, which lead them to face numerous trials and setbacks. Unable to comprehend the true meaning of existence or grasp the essence of cosmic operation, they fail to reveal the fundamental causes of survival in the sentient world. Consequently, they cannot resolve adversities and frustrations—precisely the point of delusion for sentient beings.
"The Great Way Illuminates the Heart" reveals the true meaning of existence. Without the actual process of living through reality, the human body cannot accumulate genuine experience, and thus one cannot truly comprehend how the sufferings of the human world transform into the foundation of achievement. Only then can precious lived understanding emerge, allowing knowledge to become the daily substance of survival.
This is the path of sentient beings, who grow through contrary thinking and the accumulation of experience. It inevitably allows sentient beings, in the course of existence, to transform genuine experiential knowledge into elevated wisdom, engraving profound feelings within. This serves as the foundation for future achievements, leading to transformation and refinement. Thus it is praised!
Namo the Ancient Buddha Dipamkara Descends, Praising and Saying:
Wuji Great Dao Temple  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
Seventh Hour of the Night, the Twenty-third Day of the Tenth Month, in the Year of Jima
Chapter Six: The Wonder of True Emptiness
## The Supreme Dao Ancestor, The Celestial Venerable of Dao and Virtue
December 31, 1999  
The 24th Day of the Eleventh Lunar Month, Year Jimao (Friday)
Namo the Great Unveiling of Universal Enlightenment  
In daily ordinariness lies the primordial center
The Tathagata Buddha descends upon Chongxin Hall,
The Great Dao illuminates the heart with blessings.
Benediction
The Great Dao has come to widely propagate the "Sacred Teachings of the Confucian School" and promote the "True Buddha Heart School." Within the nearly two thousand years of Buddhism's dissemination, it has been exceedingly rare for such celestial opportunities to arise. Regarding the selection by Heaven of those truly capable of establishing centers for propagating the Dao and serving as pillars of the faith, the primary consideration has always been to "test and refine one's spiritual capacity."
One must possess: great compassion, great wisdom, great equality, and great universal love, and must also be equipped with a profound and abundant reservoir of resources. Only then can "Chongxin," in the present moment of selection, truly promote and teach the curriculum. This is to achieve equality in religion, equality in self-nature, and equality in spiritual practice, while also providing the causes and conditions for self-elevation and accomplishment.
It is precisely because of the accumulation of all past richness or lack thereof, serving as the primary cause and condition for future teachings, that the Heavens were able to select such a pillar of talent during the three hundred and fifty great kalpas of sages! That one could become a sublime cause and condition for the teaching curriculum is not without reason—it is observed through all past causes and conditions that brought this achievement to fruition.
The Supreme Heaven bears a certain responsibility towards Buddhism, signifying that those selected by the Supreme Heaven are precisely the ones who can remain steadfast and unwavering in the Chongxin Dao Lineage. The most fundamental principle is to ensure self-elevation in the future, bringing forth the upliftment of all sentient beings and further manifesting the true suchness of their inherent nature.
In truth, daily life is the Dao, and daily life is spiritual practice. If one deviates from daily life and even claims, "I am cultivating, I am nurturing life," it is no different from plunging oneself into a predicament from which it is difficult to turn back. Within heaven and earth, humanity is regarded as one of the Three Talents, precisely because humans possess the capacity for reflection, serving as the junction between ascent and descent. It is within this duality of entering the cycle of rebirth or transcending it that one draws the line for one's own ascent or descent. Human beings are the realm of life transformation. Therefore, ascent is achieved through ordinary actions, yet one must also avoid falling back into the whirlpool of cyclical descent in the midst of the ordinary. May this be earnestly aspired to! May this be earnestly aspired to!
Namo Mahavairocana Buddha　Descended Verses at
Wuji Great Dao Academy  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
The twenty-third day of the tenth month in the year Jimaо, during the Xu hour
Chapter Seven: The False Emptiness Holds the True Substance
## Deputy Dean of the Wuji Great Dao Academy, Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun
January 4, 2000  
The 28th Day of the Eleventh Lunar Month, Year Jimao (Tuesday)
The Medicine Master Dispels Calamities and Relieves Suffering  
Thus Come One, Thus Gone One, Ascends to the Heavens as an Equal
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart, Recognizing the True Nature  
Spreading Teachings, Uniting with the Truth
Preface
Preface – The primary purpose of a preface is to introduce a celestial book, affirming the value of a volume by using the "preface" as an opening to establish the karmic connection for the celestial book's introduction. Moreover, Chongxin's unique blessings are not without reason; having endured genuine trials and examinations, it is capable of providing long-term teachings, thus giving rise to the creation of the celestial books in the Great Tao series.
Even without any provisions to sustain them, they can remain steadfast and unwavering, which precisely demonstrates the supreme principles and truths of heaven and earth. Each chapter reveals genuine meaning, and every volume embodies truth—this is something other religions can scarcely match! Such conditions are exceedingly rare, and thus the affinity of Chongxin is no ordinary matter. Only through this can such achievements serve as celestial opportunities.
The Confucian School and Sacred Teachings Propagate Our Buddhist Dharma,  
Illuminating True Suchness and Revealing Buddha-Nature,  
Eternally Upholding Unity as One.
The True Buddha Heart Sect Illuminates Principles Without Partiality  
Embodies the Vast and Profound Equality of Heaven, Earth, and All Teachings
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart and Proclaims the Truth  
Human Existence Is Its Fundamental Form
Nurturing life and cultivating practice advance in tandem,  
Perfecting the vehicle to uplift sentient beings.
The Great Dao Series Expounds Consciousness-Only
Each Volume Reveals the True Meaning and Illuminates the Essence
Each chapter holds truths grounded in reality,  
Returning to transcendence is self-mastery.
Preface – The Preface of Prefaces, representing the primary karmic connection of a celestial book. Within the Tao series of celestial texts, it is bestowed upon sentient beings to study the "theory of consciousness-only, the concept of consciousness-only, and the practice of consciousness-only," thereby entering the essence of "Chan and Tantra." It serves to elevate wisdom for manifestation and to benefit sentient beings in achieving transcendence.
The fundamental principle of cosmic evolution, as revealed in the Dadao series of celestial texts, is elucidated not through obscure classical theories but in plain language, offering profound insights into the obstacles of spiritual practice. It is hoped that all living beings in this era may truly comprehend the compassionate virtue and intent of the Divine, thereby benefiting sentient humanity in their growth.
May all sentient beings clearly comprehend the true meaning within these chapters at a glance. It is hoped that none shall discard it for its simplicity, nor fear it for its profundity. The very essence lies in elevating one's own spiritual Buddha-nature and integrating the spiritual world with the world of true reality. This is precisely how we carry forward the compassionate nature of Heaven within the Buddhist tradition!
Namo Bhaisajyaguru Buddha’s Preface to the Descent
Wuji Great Dao Academy  Yi Chi Chongxin Hall
The twenty-third day of the tenth month in the year Jimaо of the Heavenly Cycle, at the hour of Xu.
Void-Golden-Pen Wisdom-Opening Celestial Worthy
Gratitude to the Three Honored Ones of Buddhism  
Preface to the Praises for Illuminating the Mind
Truth Proclaims the Great Dao's Sentiment
Universal Education Nurtures the Primal Cause
Tonight! "The Great Way Illuminates the Heart" is composed with: Eulogies, Blessings, and a Preface. We are deeply honored by the joint descent of the Three Great Revered Masters of Buddhism to compose this work. It serves as educational material for the future "True Buddha Heart School" of the Chongxin Tao Center, manifesting that the inheritance of the "Confucian Sacred Teaching" shall never change! It is hoped that all may understand the importance and weighty responsibility bestowed upon Chongxin by the Heavens. May it flourish under the leadership of Patriarch Li Bi, spreading the virtuous grace of the Heavens to nourish all living beings on earth!
Chapter Eight: The Unceasing Continuity of Causes

The law of karma is inexorable, and the cycle of cause and effect is unending. The seeds sown in the past inevitably bear fruit in the present, while the actions of today become the causes of tomorrow. This principle, known as "han yin bu mie," reveals that no cause is ever truly extinguished; it merely transforms and continues through the fabric of existence.

Within the vast tapestry of the Dao, every thought, word, and deed is a thread woven into the pattern of destiny. These threads, these causes, do not vanish into nothingness. They lie dormant, awaiting the convergence of conditions to manifest as consequences. Thus, the wise understand that to shape the future, one must be mindful of the present, for the present is the future in the making.

The continuity of causes is not a chain of bondage but a river of potential. By comprehending its flow, one learns to navigate its currents, transforming obstacles into stepping stones and adversity into wisdom. This is the path of liberation—the realization that within the unceasing cycle lies the power to change its course.
## Supreme Lord of the Wuji Great Dao Academy – Lingbao Tianzun
January 7, 2000  
The First Day of the Twelfth Month in the Year of Jǐmǎo (Friday)
The Great Path Illuminates the Heart, First Chapter  
Nanping Daoji Descends to the Hall Assembly
The Ultimate Truth Creates Spirituality  
Promoting Universal Transformation Brings Greater Practical Benefit
The Truth of Heaven and Earth
From the world of true reality entering into mundane objects, it is through the practice of self-conduct as a synthesis of existence that one becomes an integrated entity within the human realm. Furthermore, by engaging all sentient beings in division of labor and cooperation, it is possible to achieve a comprehensive union of the whole. Only in this way can the self manifest the harmonious integration of the "spiritual and material" worlds.
Taking the world of "objects and spirituality" as a point of distinction, which can ascend? What marks the boundary between sinking and falling? In evaluating all human actions, a distinction is made between "ultimate truth and conventional truth." This is a process unknown to sentient beings, a terminology found only within religious contexts.
"Sheng Yi Li Di" is a term borrowed from Buddhist terminology, where "Sheng Yi" signifies the true principles that facilitate the elevation of one's spiritual nature and its manifestation. It is essential to understand that "Sheng Yi Li Di" represents the immutable and authentic laws governing the highest principles of the phenomenal world. Within the realm of actuality, any material entity inherently faces limitations in fully attaining these principles.
In the human realm, one serves as the harmonizing agent of causal conditions, while in the material world, through the transformation of thought and the achievement of action, one can unite with the material world in mutual integration, never departing from or abandoning it. If it is difficult to attain the conditions for realizing the true principle within the material world, then it is only through the human mind’s "tacit understanding and spiritual resonance" that it is manifested.
In the realm of material objects, if the manifestation of "spiritual resonance at a single touch" is lacking, it becomes difficult to achieve the integration of the "spiritual world" and the "material world." Why is this so? In the material world, many inventions and creations that can contribute to the well-being of all beings are revealed through the process of "spiritual resonance at a single touch."
This is the true self, providing the conceptual framework for the spiritual world. Otherwise, with today's technological civilization or scientists alone, it would be difficult to achieve such creation and invention. It is the divine providence that grants humanity the capacity for creation and invention, offering boundless blessings. For all sentient beings, this serves as an enduring educational resource and nourishment, guiding and enlightening them.
Ultimate Truth of Principle
In the mundane world, it is essential to integrate with human livelihood and sustenance—that is, through contemplation, construction, and synthesis—to manifest the blessings of invention and creation. This very opportunity heralds the expansion since the millennium of the year 2000. Regarding this supreme meaning, which is constructed upon immutable laws, it often encounters difficulties in being smoothly applied within the human world.
In the constant pursuit of material abundance and personal comfort, when one transforms the "supreme truth" into various "worldly" behaviors, it prevents sentient beings from comprehending the true essence of the supreme truth. Unaware of the karmic consequences created in the secular realm, it becomes difficult to reveal the fundamental nature of the "supreme truth."
"Victory" lies in transcending the self among sentient beings, while "righteousness" lies in descending to transform sentient beings through the self. Thus, within the immutable laws, it is essential to establish the concept of a thinking subject. Through the "supreme righteous truth," sentient beings in the world are enabled to elevate and manifest their own spirituality, thereby entering the spiritual world for growth.
If the human world consisted solely of the spiritual realm, it would inevitably struggle to offer the myriad beings of the sentient world the opportunity for ascension and transcendence. Would this imply that Heaven is not compassionate? Not at all! Moreover, in today's society, where countless teachings flourish, every religious sect or lineage tends to proclaim itself as the truth, the wisdom, or the embodiment of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, saints, deities, and immortals!
I boast and inflate myself, even comparing myself to a celestial being descending to guide all living beings, claiming that those who believe in me can ascend to the ultimate bliss, that those who believe in me can return to the Wuji Heavenly Realm, and so on. Little do I realize that in the human world, there are still many processes that require diligent effort to achieve results and accomplishments—it is not something that can be attained in a single step!
If this is the case, how can one ever know whether the self can return? Or, when it comes to discerning the boundary between ascent and descent, it becomes even more difficult to comprehend! If, in the course of promotion, many misleading and illusory manifestations are added, further confusing people in the world, it would be no different from planting the seeds of hellish causes and creating prisoners of the lower realms!
"The victorious must not be arrogant," "the righteous must not lack compassion." In the world of sentient beings, the Bodhisattva path is one of awakening all living beings. It must not deviate from humanity by seeking self-perfection alone without also benefiting the world. Moreover, through education and guidance in the present moment, we can teach all beings to understand the true principle—the "ultimate truth" that transcends all!
The sublime truth creates the path of return,
The victor without pride shall surely return.
Heaven and Earth with feeling moisten all living beings,
The true principle of reality must return to converge.
Principle unfolds all living beings,  
Virtue nurtures myriad things with profound blessings.
Coexisting in this vast world  
Living everywhere without disturbing the dust
If we do not employ the supreme truth and instead rely on mundane theories, how many can truly transcend and grow? All of us—the sages of the Confucian tradition, the true essence of the Buddha-heart school, and the entire assembly of immortals and Buddhas within the Chongxin Dao lineage, along with our students—bear a profound responsibility for long-term teaching and education. This is precisely the duty and mission that the Chongxin lineage must fulfill. Understand this! Understand this! It must be carried out!
Chapter Nine: Cause, Effect, and Retribution
## Yuanshi Tianzun

English Translation:
January 14, 2000  
The Eighth Day of the Twelfth Lunar Month, Year Ji Mao (Friday)
The Book of Creating the Great Dao in the South Sea  
The Ancient Buddha's Compassionate Heart Knows No Bounds
Worldly truths shape reality's form,  
Fundamental existence clarifies itself.
The Principles of Human Affairs
Human beings, transitioning from the spiritual world into the world of actuality, must engage in actions guided by the ultimate truth. Amidst the various processes in the secular realm, the primary purpose is to orient the daily lives of sentient beings toward nurturing existence and survival. In the human world, this process is transformed into the driving force of survival, constituting an essential progression within the very act of living.
For all human beings in secular life, one must not deviate from the process of accumulating survival experience based on reality; therefore, the "world of reality" is sustained through practical survival. Hence, in the world of reality, regardless of the type of being, all will inevitably strive for actions that ensure their own sustenance and survival—this is a necessity.
This gives rise to orientations toward the food chain and the chain of affairs, precisely because the food chain is structured around humanity’s pursuit of a comfortable living space. Consequently, the very act of self-preservation inevitably involves a degree of craving and seeking. In the human world, survival is thus integrated into the fabric of daily life—a reality common to all human beings.
No sentient being can exist independently of the combination of sustenance and desire, which is part of the cyclical process of the food chain. Within this food chain, there must also be a transactional chain to bind it together. For all living beings, a "currency chain" is essential—that is, the composition and fulfillment through universal currency. Moreover, it is shaped by the choices and actions of each individual.
This condition precisely relates to all karmic connections from previous lives or accumulated lifetimes, concerning whether the conditions for currency accumulation are fulfilled. It must be transformed through self-creation within a comfortable living space to bring about change. Moreover, in the human world, the living space primarily relies on universal currency as the fundamental basis for exchanging and purchasing goods.
The adequacy of universal currency is precisely determined by the fulfillment of each individual's blessings and karmic conditions, and is profoundly interconnected with them! That is to say, in the world of true reality, one can come to understand that among human beings, not a single person can escape this limitation. Moreover, whether other sentient beings can cooperate with one another remains uncertain!
Worldly Truths
For the provision of sustenance essential to human existence must be fulfilled through others—this constitutes the composite support for one's own survival. Neither I nor any other person can detach ourselves from communal life, particularly in urban existence. Observing from a rural perspective: it merely represents a partial provision of the sustenance I am capable of obtaining.
Nor can they be divorced from the world of true reality, for all are centered on "self-preservation" and guided by self-sufficiency. Within human existence, they are created and deduced by worldly principles; human survival is achieved through the overall combination of "collective and individual existence," which aims to create greater comfort in living and enable the invention of well-being.
"If the 'conventional truth' deviates from the 'ultimate truth,' it will make it difficult for all sentient beings to attain transcendence and achieve deeper elevation. Within the combined framework of the 'spiritual world and the phenomenal world,' both the ultimate truth and the conventional truth are mutually interpreted and evolved by the emotional human beings in the mortal realm."
In the journey of existence, it is essential to elevate one's spirituality, rather than merely navigating the process of human survival. Only by integrating the spiritual world with the phenomenal world can true progress be made. Without the mutual alignment of the phenomenal world, it becomes difficult to achieve both return to one's essence and transcendence beyond it.
It is imperative to manifest the orientation of the spiritual world within the realm of actuality. In examining the course of human existence, if one relies solely on the tangible world without the harmonizing presence of the spiritual realm—as contemporary science often attempts to validate—many phenomena remain beyond the reach of scientific logic, along with the true processes that govern and authenticate reality.
Worldly Truths
The World of True Reality: It is precisely that which cannot deviate from the spiritual world! Moreover, all the processes of existence and accumulated experiences of sentient beings in the mundane world inevitably integrate and mutually verify their own bodies with heaven and earth. Using various worldly means of survival as a process of nurturing life, there emerges a growth and sustenance of existence—this is what sentient beings pursue.
If one deviates from true existence, which being can transcend and return, or advance to a deeper level of elevation? It is exceedingly difficult! All are influenced by worldly life, and within the human realm, none can truly offer spiritual solace, nor do they know why they have come into this world.
Thus, within the realm of existence, it is difficult to find true spiritual sustenance, nor can one generate the inner drive to pursue higher aspirations for the self. This becomes a source of creating transgressions and karma, making spiritual refuge even more elusive. It is precisely through the elevation of the mind that one must integrate the "worldly truth" with the "supreme truth."
Moreover, the integration of the "spiritual and phenomenal" worlds is precisely what is essential within human faith. However, if the pursuits of the spiritual world lack the cooperation of the phenomenal world, it would be akin to the current third-space realm of departed souls, where transforming past "latent causes" becomes exceedingly difficult—indeed, a difficulty among difficulties!
Secular Existence: This is the true process of the human world. When viewed in the context of the enduring heavens and earth, the vastness of the cosmos, and the infinity of the void, one cannot help but lament the "transience" of human existence. It evokes a deeper sigh over the fleeting and impermanent nature of humanity. Yet, precisely because the heavens and earth endure, we should strive to transform and advance the human world within the brief span of a few decades.
In comparing and verifying oneself with the vastness of heaven, earth, the cosmos, and the void, humanity must undertake such actions and adhere to such directions of contemplation. Therefore, the human world must elevate and transcend its concepts, not merely applying them within secular principles, for that would only plant the seeds of rebirth and cyclic existence in future lives!
Worldly existence and life's principles,  
Incompatible and hard to reconcile.
Supreme meanings complement each other,  
True forms unite in spiritual reliance.
The principles employed by humanity are as varied as the difficulties encountered in life.
All beings under heaven and earth possess sentience,  
Thriving and flourishing thus find their way home.
It is hoped that one may come to understand the world of human existence, which not only provides a long-term pursuit for the nourishment of the self, but also offers a lasting aspiration for spiritual elevation. To achieve this is to embody verification and action, which are essential concepts of the secular truths in the real world, as well as the driving force behind enduring practice.
Chapter Ten: The Causes and Conditions of Good and Evil
## Ancient Buddha Nanping Daoji

English Translation:
January 18, 2000  
The twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month in the year of Jǐmǎo (Tuesday)
The Supreme Tao Ancestor descends in grace,  
The Celestial Lord of Virtue reveals the source of his trace.
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart, Chapter Three  
Contemplating Freedom in the Nature of Dharma and Emptiness
The True Reality of Dharmata
The transition from the world of true reality into the world of material objects necessitates the establishment of essential ideologies and concepts. This constructs the creation of well-being within the human world and benefits the myriad living beings across the vast cosmos, allowing all to receive tangible benefits. Furthermore, it involves integrating the material world into the transformation of ideologies and concepts, aiming at transcending spirituality, and additionally, preparing the spiritual world for further refinement.
How, then, must one understand this spiritual and metaphysical realm? It is essential to integrate the spiritual world into the driving force that creates human well-being. This necessarily requires "emptiness and dharma-nature" as the catalyst. Moreover, in the phenomenal world, every sentient being of any species must transcend; otherwise, they will remain confined to the cycle of repeated rebirth.
The action of entering the spiritual world lies in the fact that "Dharma-nature" is precisely the process through which all species evolve from one origin into myriad forms. Only this can facilitate, within the equality of the "Wisdom of the Dharma Realm's Essential Nature," the evolution, transcendence, and return of all species. Thus, the various behaviors of the human world can be integrated into steps that are thinkable, creatable, and evolvable.
The Realm of Dharmata
All living beings can be incorporated into the normative framework of the Dharma Realm’s species. It is essential to understand that among all living beings, regardless of their form, none can ever detach from the primary function of human existence—that is, creation centered on humanity. Moreover, the human world is capable of recording and categorizing, clearly documenting in detail all that has transpired throughout history.
Only then can it be achieved within the human world; otherwise, it cannot be established between heaven and earth. It is precisely connected through the triad of heaven, earth, and humanity, with the human species as its foundation—taking the point where humanity can ascend or descend as the boundary. This serves as the driving force for the evolutionary creation of the human world, and moreover, it provides an inexhaustible sustaining power.
When speaking of sentient and non-sentient beings among all species, it is precisely the fundamental force capable of comprehending all that can act. In providing "dharmatā" to sentient beings, if there is no dharmatā, there is no śūnyatā. This is because dharmatā is precisely what connects all beings of any species, and this holds true regardless of whether they are sentient or non-sentient.
The Emptiness of the Dharmadhatu
The Fundamental Tenets of Dharmata
The essence of Dharmata lies in establishing the fundamental causes for self-realization within the spiritual realm, providing sentient beings with essential methods for ascension and transcendence. It further enables the human world to integrate, govern, and guide these principles, thereby allowing humanity to be described as existing within the "Wisdom of the Dharmadhatu's Essential Nature." This is because all sentient beings are equal, and every species possesses its own intrinsic nature.
It can indeed be said: Only within the human realm can the Buddha-nature—the intrinsic nature—of sentient beings be fully realized. For other species of sentient beings, it is comparatively more difficult to establish the fundamental causes for such attainment. Therefore, from within the Dharma-nature, this species is equalized, transcended, and also returned to its origin and evolved! This brings benevolent welfare to all living beings in the universe.
Dharma-nature enters the spiritual world within emptiness. If Dharma-nature cannot be established, how can emptiness exist? Precisely because emptiness resides within Dharma-nature, it enters the realm of true space. This occurs through the process where "telepathy" accomplishes "hearts communicating without words," generating an endless creative force.
The Emptiness of Dharmata
For genuine practitioners engaged in actual cultivation, only through "Dharma-nature and Emptiness" can true alignment be achieved. However, for ordinary sentient beings, discussing "Dharma-nature and Emptiness" is akin to playing the lute to a cow—why is this so? It is because it is exceedingly difficult for them to truly comprehend. At the very moment heaven and earth created humanity, it existed within the holistic process of the "Dharma Realm's Essential Nature."
However, if one merely possesses clarity of understanding without accumulating the resources for upward advancement, it becomes impossible to realize that all phenomena exist within "Dharma-nature" and to actualize the function of "Emptiness," which is precisely the means of ascending and transcending. If one struggles to comprehend the processes of cosmic operation and the cycles of human cause and effect, one will likewise be unable to attain experiential realization of—Emptiness.
When the eternal workings of heaven and earth are compared to the human life process, all existing phenomenal worlds become the world of Dharma-nature. This can be integrated as the "spiritual world and the world of true reality," and must also be applied through the union of ultimate truth and conventional truth.
One who can enter the world of True Nature within the Dharma Nature and Emptiness Nature shall accomplish all things in the True Nature realm and the human world. Yet in the process of determining the orientation of human existence, it is difficult to depart from the reality of Dharma Nature’s presence. It also requires that within Dharma Nature, one enters the threefold cycle of “true, false, and empty” in Emptiness Nature.
Vacuum and Illusory Emptiness
In the realm of true reality where creation unfolds, all existence may be described as the "void of truth." Yet this is defined through the presence of the "void of illusion." However, in the process of "wondrous being arising from the void of truth," the foundation must lie in "reality dwelling within the void of illusion." Without the "void of truth," there would be no "void of illusion," and thus one would remain entangled in distinctions between truth and falsehood.
If one cannot align with the actual world in the process of human existence, nor meet the demands of transcendence, return, and ascension, one will forever remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth! It is hoped that one may realize that within the realm of Dharma-nature and actual reality, one accomplishes what is created by emptiness, and further enters into transcendence and return for elevation.
To be the master of oneself and avoid repeated reincarnation in the human world—if one lacks this enlightened experiential process, it creates significant delusions for sentient beings. In truth, by comprehending this process, one may more easily enter into transcendence and return to the vehicle of liberation. To understand and realize this is to be a great sage.
The Dharmata realm ascends into emptiness,  
Emptiness enters the Dharmadhatu, reaching perfection.
In both true and false emptiness, all resonates;  
Through mutual cycles, understanding becomes clear.
Do not be lost in the mundane world of dust;  
Resolve and understand the empty, false, and true.
Return to Transcendence and Re-enter the Vehicle  
The Dharma-nature and Emptiness Attain Self-realization
Expectation! Only by comprehending that it should not be approached simplistically can one avoid becoming lost in confusion. In the midst of an unclear and ambiguous process, many obstacles will inevitably arise—these are the result of not applying sincere effort. It is essential to engage with genuine intent, for only then can one truly reap benefits and gain insights. Can you grasp this principle? Reflect upon it yourself!
Chapter Eleven: Artificial Constructions
## Homage to Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva
January 21, 2000  
The 15th Day of the Twelfth Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Friday)
Amidst the sounds of blessing and celebration descends the noble heart,  
The Celestial Worthy of Supreme Oneness, Savior from Suffering, arrives.
The Void's True Nature Reveals Primordial Light  
Enlightened Understanding Returns to Self-Awakening
Entering the mundane world from the nature of Dharma and emptiness, one must be able to comprehend that in the process of realizing the true nature of emptiness, one accomplishes oneself. Furthermore, one must understand that the actions within the true reality of the world are facilitated only by accumulating the provisions for ascension. Therefore, the true nature of emptiness is an indispensable fundamental requirement for oneself. Whether in the cycle of rebirth or in the process of ascension, one cannot depart from the journey of realizing the true nature of emptiness.
It is the elevation of the self-spirituality, also the "suchness of self-nature" of the unchanging true suchness. Within the processes of ascension and reincarnation, it is distinguished through the function of discernment. Based on the fundamental principle that the true emptiness and actual nature are precisely the "unchanging true suchness," it is precisely in the moment of ascension that this can be facilitated. Moreover, such conditions can absolutely bring about wholesome benefits for all sentient beings.
The true nature of emptiness is the true nature of reality, which is the unchanging essence of true suchness—precisely the self-nature, the Buddha-nature! Within the true nature of emptiness of the self, no matter into which level of space one enters, it can neither be erased nor vanish. Moreover, if all dharma realms fail to comprehend the distinction between "dharmata and emptiness," they will be unable to enter the foundation of the true nature of emptiness.
It is essential to possess the true nature of emptiness in order to engage in the process of activity. Moreover, the true nature of emptiness is the inherent essence possessed by all sentient beings—that is, the true suchness of self-nature, the true suchness of reality! In the actual process of existence, one cannot be separated from the true nature of emptiness. It is through the existence of emptiness that all beings in the dharma realm exist, yet with regard to dharma-nature, they are unable to enter into emptiness.
What more can one seek in tangible survival experiences? In the true process of existence, all beings in the Dharma realm are constrained by survival itself. They are unable to clearly perceive the presence of emptiness, nor can they dismantle the illusion of the "false self" inherent in emptiness. Thus, when viewed from the vast perspective of heaven and earth, the limitations and obstacles of human survival have, in fact, long been in existence.
Within the nature of Dharma, emptiness is the true practice for those who genuinely cultivate to attain accomplishment. Otherwise, how can one comprehend the state of emptiness and thereby enter into the existence of the true reality? It is precisely through this function that emptiness is recognized as the fundamental essence of all dharmas, accomplished through the principle of "emptiness within the provisional, the provisional within emptiness."
The nature of all dharmas is inseparable from emptiness. Yet sentient beings often claim that their physical bodies are illusory forms, frequently misled by religious teachings on the illusory, the provisional, and the empty. They fail to realize that without the experience of the non-existence of their own bodies, one cannot speak of true emptiness and reality. It becomes even more difficult to utilize the "ālaya-vijñāna" to achieve the deeper elevation of the "amala-vijñāna."
Thus do human beings act, precisely because they fail to comprehend that the false within the empty is meant to dissolve the emptiness of Dharma-nature! Regarding "the true within the false" and "the false within the empty"—these are the systems governed entirely by Dharma-nature and emptiness. How can emptiness exist within the false alone? It is profoundly difficult! Within the false that resides in emptiness, all Dharma-nature remains incapable of entering into emptiness.
Thus it is said of all sentient beings in the mundane world! Hence, within the illusory, "emptiness" cannot eliminate the fundamental conditions of existence. Within all dharmata, it accomplishes the totality of emptiness-nature, applying "emptiness within illusion, illusion within emptiness" mutually, enabling mutual fulfillment. If one fails to comprehend the true essence of absolute emptiness, how then should one proceed?
It is precisely by striving to be one's own master that growth and elevation can be achieved. If one fails to establish an accomplished subject, then in relation to all sentient beings in the dharma realm—all composed of dharmata and emptiness—one will be unable to dispel their obstacles. Without the realization of dharmata and emptiness, one would be surrendering the true reality of emptiness, allowing oneself to merely accumulate experiences throughout the process of existence.
Moreover, taking the existence of all dharmas in emptiness to achieve entry into the true nature of emptiness; in the world of human existence, it is precisely the world of emptiness and also the world of true reality. However, within the essence of true nature, one cannot comprehend the principal relationship between 'dharma-nature and emptiness.' It is merely entering into existence for the sake of survival alone.
If one merely drifts along with the demands of daily life, bound by all its limitations and obstacles, it is indeed the helpless plight of humanity! It is an unchangeable reality, and one cannot help but live for the sake of living itself. This is what the common saying describes as “no longer being human.” Under such conditions, one may then align with heaven and earth to mutually reflect and mutually fulfill each other.
I am Heaven and Earth, I am Dharma-nature, I am Emptiness, I am True Void, I am Ultimate Reality! Moreover, what is created and transformed by Heaven and Earth is the mutual application and mutual verification of the false within the true and the emptiness within the false. Indeed, one cannot depart from this cyclical process, but can enter into the Lotus Buddha Land of True Suchness and Ultimate Reality, ascending therein to attain accomplishment!
How can one guide oneself into the original state of the true nature of emptiness, which inherently resides in the true nature of emptiness itself? Precisely by returning to the subjective factors within oneself. Moreover, the true nature of emptiness, existing within the three realms, must not harbor any acts of deviation, error, or fallacy. It neither increases in the sage nor decreases in the ordinary being—it is the self, the true suchness of Buddha-nature.
All processes of existence are inseparable from human needs and desires. Within the "Realm of Life's Causal Transformation," if one cannot dispel worldly delusions, it becomes impossible to comprehend the entirety of existence: the cycles of heaven and earth, the Wuji, the void, and the unfolding of the cosmos. It is essential, within the immediacy of human life, to personally realize the preciousness of life.
It is formed precisely due to this reason. It cannot be said that I am too insignificant, for only when each individual exists can there be a connection with heaven and earth, the Wuji, the void, and the cosmos. The preciousness of humanity also lies herein. When compared with other sentient beings, it further gives rise to the causes and conditions for accomplishment, which also reside within this.
The world of true reality! It is an authentic process that cannot be called the false self; it is only within the false self that the existence of emptiness can be found. In relation to Dharma-nature, which is the fundamental cause and condition for the accomplishment of all sentient beings, the world of true emptiness can exist. To comprehend the preciousness of true reality is determined by humanity itself—whether to ascend or descend. What is desired? All is self-created!
True emptiness, rare is substantiality,  
Human affairs, through causes and conditions, can be shaped.
To clarify the meaning within, all beings return to such practice.
The process of true nature is like a mirror,
Reflecting the present to preserve its form.
Once departed, it leaves no trace behind,
Only the true nature of emptiness remains.
No deity, immortal, Buddha, or Bodhisattva can substitute for one's own transcendence and elevation. It is essential to engage in genuine cultivation and practice personally, through which profound realizations can be deeply experienced. Indeed, one cultivates for oneself and attains for oneself. Only by immersing oneself in the true emptiness of inherent nature can one create elevation and transcendence, enduring and uninterrupted.
Chapter Twelve: Establishing Destiny and Navigating Fate
## Nāmo Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva
January 28, 2000  
The 22nd Day of the Twelfth Month in the Year of Ji Mao (Friday)
The Tongtian Patriarch exalts the Three Purities  
The Lingbao Heavenly Lord illuminates the world with compassion.
True Emptiness and Falsehood Are but Processes  
Promoting Truth Reveals the True Nature in Myriad Forms
From the perspective of the human existence process, it is the concept of "object and subject." Within this concept, it is necessary to regard oneself as the subject and others as the object of conditions. This is because, in relation to all sentient beings in the mundane world, there must be an understanding that it is discussed through the true principle of "the false within emptiness, the true within the false." But why is this so?
It is precisely by delving into the "theory of Consciousness-Only" that one can truly grasp the "essence of Chan and Esoteric Buddhism." This signifies that in the human living environment, it is only through the "Doctrine of the Mean" that all causes and conditions in the world can unfold harmoniously. Only then can one avoid being confined to one-sided extremes and prevent misguided concepts from leading astray.
From the perspective of all living beings, they often pursue the benefits and pleasures of human existence. However, they are frequently constrained by self-imposed limitations, which leads to the formation of causes, karma, and consequences. This illusory process in emptiness inevitably takes others as objects, which is an inherent part of the journey of human survival.
One often becomes entrenched in the independence of "between people," which not only involves the distinction between self and others but also entails viewing others as objects. At the same time, I am the subject, yet from the perspective of others, they are the subject, and I myself become the object. Every matter in the human world follows this pattern, leading to the distinction between subject and object.
If this process remains unclear, no matter which religious sect or scripture expounds upon it, one cannot comprehend that between "subject and object," it is necessary to traverse the "Middle Way" to achieve realization. This Middle Way perpetually exists within the space "between you and me," within the distinction of "subject and object."
The true self of the subject and the false self of the object must have a connecting cause—that is, the Middle Way. This "Middle Way" fundamentally lacks any distinctions of right and wrong, approval or disapproval, correctness or error, good or evil. It is essential to understand that in the process of the "Middle Way," no worldly phenomenon or thing can escape this kind of limitation and obstruction.
True Emptiness, Provisional Existence
What is truth? This is precisely what all classics find difficult to elucidate clearly! In the midst of the foggy journey, sentient beings are left to grope their way. Only after a period of time, when genuine clarity, realization, and verification are attained, can true discernment emerge. No scripture, regardless of its nature, can ever fully and exhaustively articulate it.
It will only leave sentient beings bewildered and unable to grasp the essence. What is the reason? It is precisely because those who genuinely cultivate and practice cannot fully comprehend the true meaning within, so what can be done? One must truly engage in the conduct of the Mahayana Bodhisattva path to achieve this; otherwise, if one merely simplifies the teachings for dissemination, human beings will fundamentally fail to realize their depth.
I fear one would encounter many irresistible bottlenecks, unable to truly comprehend the essential meaning, nor discern the true reality of heaven and earth's operation. This would result in great difficulty in experiencing all hardships, while remaining far from genuine understanding. For those seeking transcendence and elevation, this becomes a considerable setback, making it exceedingly hard to attain clarity!
Regarding "emptiness within falsehood" and "truth within falsehood," each process aligns precisely with the Confucian doctrine of the Mean. Moreover, this Middle Way serves as the fundamental driving force for all ascension. Without this primal impetus, regardless of one's level of practice or attainment, it becomes exceedingly difficult to achieve elevated realization! What, then, is the cause of this?
"Truth" is the entire process of experiential realization, making actual verification within the nature of Dharma and emptiness. Sentient beings in the Dharma realm must realize emptiness to attain genuine principles and truths, and must comprehend within the true emptiness and actual nature. In the process of falsehood within truth, it is essential to understand how falsehood and emptiness combine—yet how is this possible? Fundamentally, such a concept does not even exist!
Take an example: the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are a combination of mutual generation and mutual restraint. If we say that supreme goodness resembles water, it is because water can integrate into all vessels and every form. Thus, speaking of water: it is composed of liquid, clear, transparent, and bright, allowing one to see directly to the bottom; when water is heated and rises, it becomes mist.
In the process of water being heated and rising as mist, water is the subject, and mist is the object. The heating process itself does not involve any distinctions of right or wrong, yes or no, correct or incorrect, good or evil. This condition of dependent arising is precisely the "Middle" Way! Within this, it is neutrality, it is the Middle Way, and it is what Confucianism refers to as the "Doctrine of the Mean"!
However, if one adheres to the "Middle Way or Doctrine of the Mean," there is no longer any distinction between right and wrong, yes or no, correct or incorrect, good or evil. In this sense, when water rises as mist, and the mist is warmed to become clouds, the mist serves as the subject while the clouds become the object. The relationship between them embodies the Middle Way. Then, when the clouds encounter cold air, they condense into rain and descend to the human world.
When clouds are the subject and rain is the object, what exists in between is precisely the Middle Way, the Doctrine of the Mean! Within the Middle Way, there must be a convergence of causes and conditions to give rise to the process, which enables the formation of the object’s existence. Moreover, in the course of the subject’s existence, it has already transformed into the object.
The subject is precisely non-existence—that is, emptiness. It is precisely because there is a real process, yet this process of "true emptiness" no longer exists—it once existed, and cannot be said to be unreal—but having passed, it becomes "emptiness." For all things, one may speak of the subject, and one may also speak of the object.
Let us consider another example: Can we truly comprehend the existence of our ancestors, from our grandparents up to our great-great-grandparents of seven generations past? They once existed in the past, but they no longer exist in the present, thus revealing their emptiness! Similarly, the process of our own existence may seem real to us, yet to our great-great-grandchildren seven generations into the future, it will appear as an illusory form, also embodying emptiness.
Therefore, the present self is a real existence, while future generations such as great-grandchildren do not exist in this present moment. They may be called illusory, but cannot be termed empty, for emptiness necessarily requires a prior process of existence that has already passed. Otherwise, the future can only be described as illusory.
True within false, false within emptiness. Let us take water as another example: as previously mentioned, clouds condense into rain upon encountering cold, then descend to the mortal realm and fall into the vast ocean, transforming into boundless water—precisely the seawater at sea level. When a gentle breeze blows, waves arise; it is because seawater meets the wind that waves are stirred. Yet seawater itself possesses true nature, which may also be called the subject.
Waves arise only through the causal condition of wind; thus, waves are but transient phenomena. However, in relation to seawater as the true essence, waves are empty and even illusory. Speaking of illusion within truth, the Middle Way therein is the wind. When a stronger wind blows, the wave as the subject merges into swells; and when swells encounter fierce winds, they transform into billows!
"Lang" is both the subject and reality, while "Tao" is the illusory form, which is called emptiness. However, without the strong wind blowing through the Middle Way, it would be difficult for conditions to arise and form the Tao. Its nature, the Middle Way, is precisely devoid of any: right or wrong, ○ or ╳, correct or incorrect, good or evil—it is the unchanging true principle.
Tao Lai further stated: Whether by the assault of a great wind or other causes, this Tao Lai can be transformed into a tsunami. Thus, Tao Lai is the subject, while the tsunami becomes the object. This results in devastation upon the sea or land, affecting all races and species—whatever exists within this dimension will suffer harm!
As waves, swells, billows, and roars are already past, they become emptiness; thus, in the clear process of truth within illusion and emptiness within illusion, there must be a subject that undergoes transformation! Moreover, when seawater enters into waves, the seawater is the subject, and the waves exist as the object—this too is illusory.
However, if a wave enters between swells, then into billows, and further into roars, its essence is simultaneously the seawater, the wave, the swell, the billow, and the roar. Yet, viewed conversely, when the roar is taken as the essence, the billow becomes a provisional form; thus, the essence ceases to exist, which is emptiness. And when the billow reverts to a swell, the billow becomes the essence while the swell becomes the object.
Again, it is merging the wave back into the ocean! Therefore, in relation to the wave as the subject, the ocean is the emptiness of that which no longer exists, yet it returns again as the wave, as the ripple, and again becomes the seawater. Each is the subject, and each is the object, for the subject no longer exists—that is emptiness. This emptiness is but a fleeting moment of the past.
The object becomes the subject again, and the mutual cycle constitutes the process of "truth within falsehood" and "falsehood within emptiness." Thus, it becomes clear that everything in human life is merely a matter of distinguishing between "subject and object." If one can discern where the subtle intricacies lie within this dynamic, one will understand the perspective from which humanity operates!
True Emptiness and Provisional Existence are the process  
All causes and conditions thus arise
Remember Life's Great Principles  
Only Through Continuous Encounters Do They Become Real
Understand clearly in every detail  
The meaning of emptiness and illusion within reality.
Proper application yields apt results,  
Thus karma's cause and effect accord.
If there is no Middle Way, then nothing is brought about by any causes and conditions. This is the principle of neutrality and moderation in human existence, where there is no right or wrong, no yes or no, no correct or incorrect, no good or evil. May this be clearly understood! Only then can one truly enter into the knowledge of the cyclical processes of heaven and earth, and thus grasp the source of nourishment for the ascent of life, benefiting oneself!
Chapter Thirteen: The Enigma of Fate
## Homage to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
February 11, 2000 – The Seventh Day of the First Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
The Primordial Venerable Lord of the Three Purities  
With a reverent heart, he promotes virtue and preserves its vastness.
The Void and the Marvelous Being merge into the Origin,  
The Confucian School and the Sacred Teachings propagate the Dao in harmony.
From the emptiness of true suchness, entering into the process of "truth within illusion, emptiness within illusion" is constructed within the Middle Way. It is essential to have the causes and conditions of the Middle Way in order to manifest all worldly phenomena and the processes of things. Furthermore, when observing from the perspective of truth within illusion, one must understand that it is accomplished through emptiness within illusion—that is, all processes unfold through the causes and conditions of the Middle Way.
Only then can we facilitate the process of opening the karmic connections within the human world. If sentient beings do not enter into the creation of karma, the human world would fundamentally lack creation and evolution, let alone return and transcendence. This condition is a truth that genuine practitioners must understand.
All conditioned processes must be fully unfolded before one can truly enter the stage of perfection. Thus, in the process of the false within the true, one enters the cycle of interdependent causation, ensuring that during the process of combination, it does not fall into illusion. Taking illusion as space is also governed by human thought, concepts, and the consciousness of the mind.
There must be a comprehensive body of genuine practitioners who truly cultivate—only then can authenticity be realized! In confronting the false within the true, it is not merely a matter of "metaphysical" causes and conditions, but also involves "physical" subjective causes and conditions. If sentient beings lack this conceptual cause and condition, they will also lack the means to understand the process of the "Middle Way thought."
Indiscriminate Causality: Good and bad, right and wrong, yes and no, correct and erroneous, righteous and evil—all can be discerned as entering the empty subject within the false. This is further accomplished through the construction of thought. Within the empty falsehood, one enters the Middle Way constructed by thought. It must be understood that within true emptiness, there necessarily exists wondrous existence, and this "wondrous existence" is precisely the constructed thought within the true and the false.
Human beings and sentient beings: 
They often misunderstand the literal meanings of the classics and are unable to realize their true essence. Consequently, they frequently become entangled in words, inevitably trapped by the obstacle of language. Even worse, they fall into the limitation imposed by textual thinking. Furthermore, in Zen Buddhism, no reliance is placed on words. Any establishment of words is not spoken of as Zen.
Thus it cannot be skillfully applied:  
Using Zen as a means of transmission makes it exceedingly difficult to truly grasp its profound essence! To apply it flexibly without being confined by the establishment of words, and without creating obstacles or disconnections, it is necessary to have a portion of textual transmission. Only in this way is it correct, enabling future learners to benefit from it.
To observe from the perspective of the exoteric teachings:  
It is precisely the subject established through language that must be able to discern whether it operates within the "ultimate truth" or the "conventional truth." This principle applies uniformly to all religious schools and lineages. If one cannot transcend the limitations imposed by linguistic constructs, it will be difficult to achieve either return or transcendence.
Moreover, one often becomes entangled in the barrier of words and is even more unable to break free from the sorrow of samsara in the human world! In the process of "true emptiness, wondrous existence," which is the transformation of "truth within falsehood," one can verify all realities of human existence in the phenomenal world. However, this process cannot be perceived within "true emptiness." It is necessary to enter into true emptiness and elevate one's wisdom and spirit.
Only then can one reach its true emptiness, and observe: the subject of mind-consciousness. Thereafter, one will be guided into the realm of "the wondrous within the wondrous, the existence within existence" regarding the spiritual world. As for the multitude of human beings who cannot comprehend that within the sky, there exists any observable substantial phenomena—it is limited merely to the sky visible to the naked eye.
What exists in the sky: merely scattered white clouds or the azure expanse—none of these allow one to perceive all true realities beyond the celestial realm, namely: the vast cosmic void of the universe! Even with the verification possible through today's technology, it remains limited to such observations. Yet there are still many spiritual worlds difficult to substantiate empirically, realms that human beings can hardly prove through sensory experience alone.
It cannot be observed or perceived with the naked eye, yet it can be verified and revealed through technology! As for the "wondrous existence within emptiness," it exists solely within the spiritual realm as its principal domain. One must attain a deeper elevation in the spiritual field to perceive it. Otherwise, without engaging the realm of consciousness and spiritual awareness, it is exceedingly difficult to enter the spiritual world!
Can mortal beings possess all the primordial driving forces of creation and innovation? Moreover, is human technological civilization solely directed by humanity itself? Does there exist another unknown world that guides the operation of all cosmic stars and galaxies? Consequently, the human world often falls into the fallacy of believing that "man can conquer nature."
This condition: Without the mercy of Heaven, could "man's determination conquers nature" exist? Certainly not! This arises from the "arrogant misconception of sentient beings." Observing the world today, in the face of the great earthquake's retaliation against sentient beings before the millennium, it is precisely as the ancient saying goes: "When the earth-ox turns over," can humanity foresee it? Control it? They possess no such ability!
It is essential to understand that in the process of "true emptiness and wondrous existence," the elevation of the human spiritual realm is paramount. This will inevitably lead to the creation and advancement of the human world through the process of "illusory emptiness and tangible reality," thereby generating greater well-being. This enables sentient beings to attain a more comfortable and abundant living space, bringing about transformation and renewal for humanity in the realm of sentient existence.
It is certain to achieve the existence of emptiness within the void. Therefore, in the sentient world, it is not only humans who exist; there are also other sentient and non-sentient beings among the vast multitude of living creatures. It is the duty of sentient human beings to lead and cherish them, to systematically preserve and protect them. By safeguarding all other living beings, we shall attain the blessings and benefits of goodness and well-being.
"True Emptiness and Marvelous Existence" is not merely an elevation in the spiritual realm; it is essential to comprehend "truth within illusion" and "emptiness within illusion" in order to enter the state of "reality existing within illusory emptiness." Otherwise, the spiritual realm will inevitably encounter many bottlenecks that are difficult to understand, and one may even become attached to the state of stubborn emptiness, thereby failing to attain the realm of "the three blossoms gathering at the crown, and the five energies returning to the origin."
In the human world, spiritual practitioners often encounter bottlenecks and obstacles at this very stage, hindering their ability to accumulate the resources needed for ascension. One must understand the process of "truth within illusion" and "emptiness within illusion," and abide in the "wondrous existence of true emptiness." Establishing "reality within illusory emptiness" is the gateway to the spiritual world.
Otherwise, if one cannot enter through the great gate to behold the more abundant spiritual world, and yet seeks to enter the actuality of the true void, a considerable amount of energy will be required to achieve this. This would result in the human world remaining unable to comprehend the existence of the "wondrous being within the true void," which is precisely what has long been stored within the genetic code, thereby inflicting even deeper harm upon human ignorance.
One will inevitably be unable to ascend further, remaining trapped in a bottleneck. Moreover, one may even become attached to the state of "stubborn emptiness." It is hoped that one may come to understand that the world of true reality is precisely lacking this actual process of "wondrous existence within true emptiness." Yet this "wondrous existence within true emptiness" still resides within the process of "the false within the true" and "emptiness within the false," and thus one remains unable to break through "the false emptiness to preserve the real."
True within false is the essence of being  
False within emptiness is the ultimate truth of causality
Human existence is the reality,  
The spiritual world offers no salvation from ignorance.
True Emptiness Wondrous Being, Do Not Cling to Stubborn Emptiness;  
Apparent Emptiness Holds Reality, Transforming into Empty Space.
All causes and effects arise from conditions,  
The Middle Way's true nature proclaims the ultimate truth.
This verse! May all sentient beings and living creatures encourage each other with it, for it can shatter all illusions within "the wondrous existence of true emptiness" and lead to growth in "the reality within illusory emptiness." This is the principal causal condition for upward elevation, which will provide abundant resources for learning, enabling oneself to benefit endlessly and transform all obscurations of ignorance.
Chapter Fourteen: Currency and Resources
## Homage to Guanyin Bodhisattva
In the Gengchen Year of the Dragon, a new lineage unfolds,  
The Dao's energy overflows, distinct from all the world beholds.
Nanping Avenue Guides All to Unity  
Moral Renewal Relies on Self-Transformation
Ancient Buddha Jishi, Benefactor of Humanity,  
Reveals the Chapter on Illusory Emptiness and True Existence.
The millennium's end draws near, a cycle complete,
The year two thousand returns as destiny's decree.
Opening the Confucian School to Promote the Sacred Teachings  
Expanding the True Buddha Heart Sect Assembly
Vacuous Yet Sublimely Existent: Entering the spiritual world is to guide genuinely cultivated beings toward comprehending the mysteries of the spiritual realm. It is essential to recognize that all human conduct in the mundane world is precisely the process of manifesting true suchness and revealing Buddha-nature. One must not harbor any unwholesome latent causes from the human world; rather, it is necessary to dismantle the aggregate of conditioned processes.
The human world, through the convergence of causes and conditions, makes possible the activation of all karmic connections. This process, which contains the accumulation of causes and effects across countless lifetimes, is precisely what propels the human world toward a more transcendent state. This is absolutely true. However, ordinary beings often allow these karmic causes and effects to drag them downward, resulting in repeated cycles of rebirth—a situation that is profoundly lamentable.
The Wonderful Existence of True Emptiness—It is precisely due to the process of dependent arising. In the process where "the latent cause initiates the activation of conditions," if there is no "latent store of causes and conditions," it would be difficult to achieve the fruition of karmic retribution. It is initiated by the latent store of causes and conditions, meaning the process is set in motion by the latent cause. To speak of it before the latent cause is activated: it is none other than the seed cause of all things.
Without the containment of causes, there would be no formation through contact and conditions, let alone the ability to enter into the process of dependent arising from beginning to end. If there is no action of containing causes, it becomes impossible to unfold the primordial driving force behind all creation and progress in the human world, nor can the accumulated causes across lifetimes be manifested. Therefore, it is essential to activate the conditions and causes within the human world.
One will then enter the state of "false emptiness containing reality" within the "true emptiness and wondrous existence." Yet, that which cannot be deemed false within false emptiness is precisely the cause and condition that harbors existence. For all living beings between heaven and earth, this was already latent before the heavens and earth came into being. It is only after the creation of heaven and earth that it can find a space for continuation. This is precisely what cannot be called—false emptiness!
Within the False: There must be dependent conditions, and moreover, there must be a causal body of existence for value to manifest in the future. Viewed from this perspective, there remain many phenomena in the human world that cannot be deduced or explained through the current perspectives and concepts of people, as all things are formed by intricate causes.
"Containing Causes" provides resources for the upward development of sentient beings. In the present moment, they do not exist, yet in the future, they persist through the convergence of causes and conditions. They also harbor latent factors: to wish to see all of the future in the present is nothing but a fool's idle talk. However, if we speak in terms of future technology, what might it be like?
Without the factor of containment, there would be no space for existence. What exists in false emptiness cannot be called true reality. Consider human technology as evidence: Are there human-like species on other planets today? Could their technology be millions of times more advanced than ours? All such possibilities exist as reality within false emptiness and can be realized!
Contained Cause: It is thus termed by means of false emptiness, yet it exists within the future and can be perceived to the utmost! Because it resides in the true emptiness and wondrous existence, it is the elevation of thought; while false emptiness containing reality is the elevation of the real world. Hence, false emptiness cannot be called false! The reason lies precisely in this: if false emptiness did not exist, the existence of reality would be even less worth discussing.
"In the past, when Wuji descended to nurture human existence on Earth, if judged by the opportunities of that time, it would have been impossible to verify its implications for the future. What conditions, then, could allow a return to the transcendent archetype? At the moment when Wuji descended to imbue sentient humans on Earth with affection, it was difficult to comprehend what courses and practices of return and transcendence could be realized within human life on this planet!"
Furthermore, for future generations, there should be an opportunity to transcend; if one cannot, within the encompassing factors, substantiate the actual process of future reality, it will be impossible to manifest the real through the illusory void. Relying solely on the spiritual world's "true emptiness and wondrous existence" makes it difficult to use the concept of "storing reality in illusory emptiness" to achieve actual verification through future integration.
This is precisely entering the state of stubborn emptiness! It is fundamentally difficult to achieve elevation and transcendence. Therefore, in confronting the illusory emptiness to preserve the real, it is precisely within the human world—containing the accumulated factors of the past—and within this "containment of causes" that the opportunity for verifying the future reality of human technology lies. This offers sentient beings a means of upward elevation, enabling them to ultimately transcend.
In the midst of the present moment, it is precisely because one cannot know what future evidence may arise to validate upward realization that the provisional and empty cannot be called illusory! Yet, when observed from the present: it is precisely illusory, but in the future, "the provisional can become true" and "the true can manifest as actual reality," inevitably serving as validation for sentient beings.
Therefore, the primordial souls descended from Wuji can undergo spiritual reform, and even achieve verification during this transformation. This will inevitably manifest through the benefits that human technology brings to all beings. It is precisely through the manifestation and verification of numerous technological civilizations by the Heavenly Realm in the future that sentient primordial souls will have guiding principles and purposes to follow!
The Spiritual Foundation of Emptiness and Marvelous Existence  
From Provisional Emptiness Emerges True Reality
True and false intertwine in life's principle,  
False and true alike bring satisfaction as intended.
False Emptiness Holds True Reality, Future Depends
Holding True Reality Must Again Reveal Opportunity
The Unspeakable Eye Has Yet to See  
Technology Confirms the Meaning of True Reality
Among sentient beings, it is common to perceive what is currently seen as reality, unaware that in the blink of an eye, it may vanish without a trace. Can one seize the present moment to enact transformation? It is about elevating current achievements, so that in the future, there may be a genuine goal to follow.
It is through the world of sentient beings, encouraging one another alongside all living creatures, that we must also genuinely complement the world of reality within the spiritual realm. Otherwise, relying solely on spirituality would fail to highlight the various transformations needed in the world of reality. It is precisely this essence of sudden enlightenment that is lacking in the human world, which often only gradually revises and reforms itself.
However, it often obstructs oneself, leading to obstacles caused by the influences of survival in the human world! It is essential to understand the meaning of survival, which is precisely to create the "Great Union of Cosmic Life." This requires pioneering the spiritual elevation of the human world, thereby complementing and mutually reinforcing the world of true reality! It also benefits sentient beings, enabling them to gain reciprocally.
Chapter Fifteen: The Retribution of Karma
## Lord of the Netherworld  
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
February 15, 2000  
The Eleventh Day of the First Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
Namo, all beings aspire towards the Great Dao,
Enlightening the mind to appreciate the wisdom's glow.
Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta Descends to the Hall  
The Inherent Cause Remains Unceasing, I Myself Bear the Responsibility
To enter the original essence of True Suchness, it is essential to embrace the concept of "true emptiness and wondrous existence." For sentient beings relying on the process of cultivation and transformation, it is necessary to enter the realm of "provisional emptiness preserving reality," which is precisely the true reality of the phenomenal world of existence. Within this true reality, if one fails to engage in the transformation of inherent causes, what then will become of them?
The difficulty lies precisely in preserving truth amidst falsehood. The process of "movement containing causes and continuation" necessitates self-initiated creation and transformation. This inherent causality is embedded within the initial activating conditions, relying precisely on the cultivation of human beings as its foundation. It is through sentient beings transforming their minds and natures that all obstacles are dissolved.
Contained Causes: It is precisely the accumulation of causal fruits from countless lifetimes that allows one to undertake self-cultivation and transformation for upward progress. This involves integrating the hearts and natures of all beings into genuine, practical cultivation—not merely taking responsibility for one’s own spirituality but also assuming responsibility for one’s living conditions. Moreover, as Heaven bestows great responsibilities upon all beings, it is essential to become the master of oneself.
However, sentient beings often lack this essential remedy. They are frequently influenced by the external five dust realms and fail to penetrate the original substance of phenomena within themselves. Thus, they often fall into self-constructed traps from which they cannot extricate themselves. Under such circumstances, how can they possess the conditions to discuss transcendence and return? It is exceedingly difficult! Why then do they remain confined within such limitations?
It is essential to understand that in transforming one's past negative habits, dissolving self-imposed traps and whirlpools, one can achieve greater growth and learning, thereby gaining substantial benefit. This is truly about taking responsibility for oneself, transcending and returning to one's true nature—this is authenticity! All accumulated causes within humanity can thus yield wholesome benefits.
Concealment—It is precisely the karmic retribution of accumulated lifetimes that human beings cannot directly experience in the present moment. In the process of personal learning, they often place their hopes on future lives or the next incarnation to achieve realization. Such a tendency essentially leads one into a state where true understanding can never be attained. Yet, to harbor such hope is, in itself, not without reason.
It is essential to understand that if one cannot even grasp one's own future destination in the present moment, and fundamentally lacks the actual karmic capital for upward elevation, one will inevitably be constrained by the limitations imposed by external worldly conditions. This makes it exceedingly difficult to eliminate obstacles and create an opportunity for achievement in the future—a truly cruel circumstance for oneself.
The celestial immortals, Buddhas, sages, deities, and exalted beings have spoken: Observing the myriad mortal beings in the mundane world, each person is "mistaking the false for the true and suffering for joy." Little do they realize that Heaven's care for all beings is nothing short of meticulous, offering teachings everywhere for the convenience of all, providing guidance everywhere to facilitate their return and transcendence.
Particularly in this modern era of electronic communication and video media, there are abundant opportunities for learning. The condition for all living beings to have the chance to study and achieve depends entirely on whether they are willing to learn. Moreover, those who expound the teachings—the inheritors and transmitters of knowledge—bear responsibility not only to themselves and the Divine but also to all sentient beings.
In the very process of learning, teaching serves as a means of mutual growth, transforming accumulated resources into refined wisdom, which can then illuminate all sentient beings. One must be accountable to Heaven, taking responsibility for oneself and for all beings through this reciprocal process of teaching and learning. Yet, in the present age, humanity finds it difficult to comprehend that within the process of latent causes, it is through the conditioned arising of "reality within illusion" that fulfillment is achieved.
It is precisely in awaiting the arrival of time and space that one can truly establish the fundamental causes and conditions for one's own future. This future cannot be deemed illusory, for as time flows by, it is both "truly without sentiment" and yet an act of "great sentiment and great love." It has never paused for even a fleeting moment for any sentient being.
Example: When Chongxin Temple was first established, it was difficult to foresee the arrival of the millennium. Time flows by in the blink of an eye, and the millennium has now ceased to exist—it has become empty! Yet, at the time of the temple's founding, could one have said: "The millennium is illusory?" No, it could not be said. For in the future, it was destined to become a reality. This illustrates the principle of "reality containing emptiness" and "illusion containing substance."
The principle of "falsehood in emptiness, truth in substance" is realized only through one's own practice, and its depth depends entirely on the extent of one's cultivation. It is the Heavens that evaluate one's progress—how much one can accomplish and how much one actually practices is clearest to oneself, while others may scarcely comprehend it. It is through self-transformation that one shapes the causes, conditions, and effects of karma. By benefiting both oneself and others in equal measure, why worry about failing to transcend?
All matters of life are transformed, refined, and dissolved through one's own actions and conduct. It is by oneself that one achieves oneself, by oneself that one transforms oneself. This is also an authentic and impartial manifestation of the law of the indestructibility of latent causes! If latent causes remain unmoved, all sentient beings across the dharma realms will find it difficult to attain the opportunity for realization. It also requires a keen and discerning power of observation toward oneself.
It is essential to comprehend the subjective process of "containing causes." In striving for one's own necessary elevation and achievement, it is the manifestation of one's own spirituality that constitutes authenticity. Within the containment of all causes, conditions, and karmic retributions, it is exceedingly difficult for any sentient being to attain such a state. Moreover, reaching this state requires a constant and enduring process of cultivation.
Otherwise, believing that one can attain such a state is merely a form of self-deception, driven solely by the workings of one’s own mental consciousness—what is called "shishen yongshi." To truly comprehend the accumulated karmic causes and conditions across lifetimes, one must engage in human action and conduct. Only then can one achieve liberation from the various behaviors and tendencies that lie ahead.
If one cannot achieve further elevation and transcendence, it is precisely because latent causes remain unresolved within worldly phenomena, and it is also due to the accumulation of karmic conditions that bring about consequences. It is essential to allow oneself to dissolve unfavorable factors for the future. Through the accumulation of experience, one can genuinely cultivate growth and elevation, thereby attaining upward progress, enhancement, and transcendence.
The Unperishing Hidden Cause: It will inevitably await the arrival of all times and spaces. Every sentient being undergoes such mutual cycles, for the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death arises precisely from the convergence of causes and conditions. Moreover, it is the accumulation of causes and effects across countless lifetimes that enables one to encounter oneself in future times and spaces. This hinges on whether, in the future, reality can be found within illusion!
It is precisely the process of the three temporal phases in flux, yet these three phases are spoken of in the present moment: one cannot say "the provisional within the empty, the empty within the middle" is called non-provisional! That is to say, "the true within the empty, the provisional within the empty"—all phenomena of existence, the functions of human life and activity, cannot escape this cyclical, recurring flow. To see this clearly is to be one of great wisdom!
The cause of existence has long been present,  
Only the mortal eye finds it hard to perceive.
The inception of all causes and effects  
Shall ultimately manifest in future forms.
The undying essence is veiled by human ignorance,  
Few understand the root, hard to grasp the true affection.
All things come into creation from the void,
Form emerges from that which has no form.
Such a function! It is precisely through the process of containing causes that achievement is attained. Sentient beings may not realize that within the accumulation of causes and effects across lifetimes lies what is called the world of true reality. To understand this is to recognize that it is intimately connected to one’s own "faith, vow, and practice"—the three virtues of attainment. It is precisely through this that fulfillment is achieved!
Chapter Sixteen: Fu Lu Shou De
## Homage to Maitreya Bodhisattva
In the Gengchen Millennium Dragon Year's dawn,  
Currency flows naturally, in order drawn.
Namo Original Self-Nature Connection  
Manjusri's Creation Awakens Nature's Transformation
The Bodhisattva Descends to Reveal the Chapter of Illuminating the Heart  
Cause, Condition, Effect, and Retribution Naturally Extend Themselves
The human world is accomplished through all moving conditions and all actions. In the process of survival within the human realm, causes and conditions are created and developed, allowing the accumulation of karmic causes and effects across lifetimes to be stored and transformed into latent causes for change. The primary purpose is to bring together and resolve all past causes and effects, as well as all debts of gratitude and grievances.
It is essential to transform the process of human existence into the primordial driving force for upward elevation. The activation of the cause is integrated with the journey of sentient beings, yet the cause itself is inherently difficult to perceive. It is only through humanity’s engagement within the movement of conditions that this becomes possible. If there is cause but no condition, it becomes exceedingly challenging to facilitate the convergence of cause and condition, thereby advancing the creative process.
The Immobility of Cause: It neither accomplishes nor grows in response to any condition. Rather, it transforms the latent cause into motion through the fundamental conditions of human existence. Thus, it unfolds through the fundamental conditions, accomplishing within the cause the creative emergence of conditions. This accomplishment of cause is precisely the total integration of time and space, thereby ensuring the indestructibility of the latent cause.
The Unchanging Latent Cause: It merely serves to manifest its function when conditions ripen. For all sentient beings, the latent cause is transformed into the most essential resource for growth. Within the time and space of human existence, it cannot be said to be unseen or unarrived. It is through the process of "illusory emptiness containing reality" in relation to the future that its causes and conditions can begin to activate.
Connection—The Continuation of Causes and Conditions:  
It is precisely that all sentient beings are bound to perceive scope and process. This involves activating "causes and conditions" through latent causes, entering into the process of contact and creation. Through the movement of causes and conditions, latent causes are drawn forth and take form. It is essential to understand that within latent causes, they merely await the arrival of time and space to manifest.
All sentient beings find it difficult to comprehend that within causes and their effects, there is merely a transformation of time and space. Thus, "if the latent cause remains inactive, the encounter with conditions cannot give rise to manifestation." However, in the activation of the latent cause, conditions are stimulated and guided by the latent cause toward a tendency, which then enters into the composition of the effect. It is through the acceptance of the latent cause by conditions that the process of initiation occurs.
The attainment of rewards through fruition is indeed a primary occurrence that humanity frequently encounters in this world. However, all the varied processes of "sweetness, sourness, bitterness, pungency, and sweetness" in human life—if devoid of "latent causes"—would lack "triggering conditions," and thus be unable to manifest as "fruition" wherein the subject bears the "retribution." Moreover, there exists a distinction between "enjoyment and bearing."
The Formation of Fruit: This occurs when illusory emptiness harbors reality within the causal matrix, which then receives all influences—whether good or bad, upright or crooked, evil or biased—through the convergence of various causes and conditions. Only when these conditions stir and enter the stage of fruition can the fruit manifest. Moreover, all sentient beings are subject to the recompense of their fruition, unable to alter or transcend this state.
Bodhisattvas fear causes: They sever causes before they take form, thereby transforming circumstances and remaining unswayed by them. The ancient proverb "Bodhisattvas fear causes, sentient beings fear effects" further illustrates that bodhisattvas eradicate the formation of causes altogether. Moreover, they do not enter into causes to receive karmic retribution, thus remaining unobstructed and unconfined by causes!
Sentient beings fear the consequences: often, even after experiencing the retribution of karma, they are still unable to sever its effects. They may even think: "Why is this retribution coming after such a long time has passed?" Thus, they become unwilling and resentful, creating new calamities once again. This results in adding consequences to causes and causes to consequences, repeatedly forming all things, making it impossible to ever break free from the cycle of karmic retribution!
Retribution – The Receiving of Recompense: In the retribution of all actions, whether favorable or unfavorable, the fundamental elements of human conduct are distinguished. Because retribution often falls upon the boundary between "favorable and unfavorable," one can understand it simply by observing the outcomes of good and bad deeds. However, in ordinary retribution—that is, within ordinary circumstances—the minds and natures of sentient beings are often obscured.
If one falls into the retribution of karma, it becomes most difficult to recognize the predicaments of all sentient beings and even more challenging to rise above and transcend them. Often, one merely descends and sinks into difficulties, inevitably losing one’s true nature in ordinary circumstances. Therefore, for all sentient beings, it is exceedingly hard to bring about transformation from within the ordinary state.
If one merely focuses on receiving retribution from the outcomes of good and evil, it becomes difficult to dissolve these karmic imprints. Consequently, one will inevitably re-enter the cyclical process of reincarnation in the future. Why is this so? Precisely because such ordinary circumstances are the most likely to influence the cycle of reincarnation in the human world, serving as the fundamental seeds that perpetuate this repetitive cycle.
Cause, Condition, and Retribution—this principle transforms all sentient beings within the human world beyond the ordinary state of existence. It operates within the realm of smooth and favorable conditions to bring about transformation. It is hoped that if sentient beings fail to elevate and refine the resources of the human world in ordinary circumstances, they will inevitably continue to revolve in the cycle of 'cause, condition, and retribution' in the future.
It is hoped that those of great wisdom may understand that in favorable or adverse circumstances, it is relatively easy to discern the process, which precisely constitutes the point of cultivation and transformation. However, in ordinary and smooth situations, one often becomes obscured by the mundane and the tranquil, losing sight of the manifestation of one's Buddha-nature and intrinsic nature. This is the most difficult blind spot for sentient cultivators among humanity to eliminate.
The Sequence and Reversal of Cause, Condition, and Effect  
The Formation of Causes Meets Conditions Through Contact
When karma yields its fruit, the mind must be clear;  
In ordinary times, favorable circumstances are hard to change.
Even more so, sentient beings are lost in delusion,  
For causes and conditions are all unfamiliar to them.
The retribution of karma burdens the heart,  
Transcend it to know the master of great wisdom.
All the karmic causes and effects of human existence are precisely the predicaments in which sentient beings often lose their way, and the difficult-to-navigate realms within the human world. It is essential to understand how, in ordinary favorable circumstances, one can perceive one’s own true nature—Buddha-nature! This is the most crucial practice, and it lies within the process of karmic cause and effect—encompassing latent causes, encountering conditions, producing results, and reaping retribution—which is a continuous and interconnected action.
Chapter Seventeen: Immeasurable Blessings and Virtue
## Immortal Sage Li Taibai
February 18, 2000  
The Fourteenth Day of the First Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Namo the Great Dao Ming Xin Ce  
Puxian descends to elucidate principles and clarify precepts
The Bodhisattva's Treatise on the Chapter of Truth  
The Causes and Conditions of Good and Evil Become Even More Clear
The principle of cause, condition, and retribution entering into compensation is precisely differentiated through good and evil, serving as a criterion for evaluating the quality of existence. Moreover, the process of human survival inevitably influences the distinctions between future blessings and misfortunes within the realm of good and evil. Its purpose is to allow the Heavens to judge merits and demerits, as well as to distinguish right from wrong, based on all modes of human existence.
Good and evil enter into the causal relationships shaped by karma. This means that what is good, bad, virtuous, or wicked is judged by human thought and concepts to determine right and wrong, righteousness and evil. Human actions then influence subsequent merits and karmic obstacles. This world of human existence is precisely the dividing line between good and bad, virtue and vice.
Goodness: When it enters the stage of containing causes, it must be activated by conditions—that is, it enters the phase of receiving retribution only within the compensation of effects. Thus it can be said: Goodness is what sentient beings pursue and delight in. Moreover, the concepts of good people, good deeds, and good karma are often established within the Alaya-vijñāna in the realm of human thought and existence.
Human thought and concepts often maintain distinctions between good and evil. Moreover, in their interactions with sentient beings, humans inevitably engage in mutual judgment and differentiation within the human world. Therefore, religions often encourage their followers to practice "accumulating all virtuous deeds." As the saying goes: "Human nature is inherently good at birth," thus goodness serves as the fundamental starting point.
This is an indispensable educational course for students who have just entered a religious Daoist temple: it is essential to establish a fundamental understanding—to act within goodness and, as goodness demands, reduce the causes and conditions that create karma. Through human thought and understanding, one refrains from generating karma and further amplifies the power of goodness. This is something that sentient beings often find difficult to comprehend.
The Seed of Goodness: When deeply embedded in the religions of the human world, it is regarded in the teachings as an absolute, undeniable, and unchangeable truth. Thus, religion takes goodness as the foundation of its teachings, shaping a virtuous concept that influences even those outside religion. This noble moral idea is called "goodness."
The Nature of Evil: It is an impermissible concept of existence, and "refraining from all evil" serves as the fundamental basis of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism. Precisely because good inevitably entails evil, the world of true reality cannot escape this interdependence. It is also meant to educate religious disciples to refrain from acting upon or being tainted by evil while dwelling within it.
Evil: It is the undesirable conduct rejected by worldly beings, who have long since eradicated all practices of evil in their thoughts and concepts, further casting aside both the actions and notions of evil beyond the ālaya-vijñāna. Yet deep within the heart, there remains a constant distinction between creating good and creating evil, causing one to revolve in the midst of evil.
Nor can one comprehend that in the arising of thoughts and intentions, due to the notions of survival and relationships, one often creates unwholesome karma. Even when fully aware that it is an unwholesome cause, one remains driven by the intoxication of gain, unable to break free from such constraints in the midst of creating karma. This is the sorrow of the human world! In truth, every person who creates karma knows: unwholesome causes inevitably lead to adverse retribution!
Karma of Good and Evil—This serves an educational and instructional function for sentient beings in the realm of consciousness. In the human world, individuals are often swayed by their own interests, creating negative karma with no means of redemption, while also being constrained and influenced by the cycle of rebirth. Thus, human beings are distinguished within the framework of good and evil karma.
This efficacy, within humanity, operates through mutual interaction and cyclical processes, fundamentally incapable of transcending such reciprocal actions; furthermore, within the realms of good and evil, the human world exists in a state of mutual conditioning and opposition, unable to break free from these limitations. Thus, it remains trapped within the vortex of karmic seeds, ceaselessly tumbling through the six realms of samsara in endless wandering.
The distinction between good and evil, from the perspective of both cultivated and uncultivated beings, is generally perceived as good being favorable and evil being unfavorable. However, when examined by those who genuinely practice cultivation, it is not so. The notions of good and evil are, in fact, mutually dependent and governed by the law of cause and effect, giving rise to oppositions such as right and wrong, yes and no, correct and incorrect, and uprightness and wickedness.
It is precisely that human beings find it difficult to understand how they relate to one another; they are inevitably governed by the law of mutual influence and cannot free themselves from this predicament. Thus, they become confined within these obstacles, bound by the traps that were preordained. This is a rather helpless state of affairs, and every individual is subject to it in the same way.
The One is inherently non-being: distinctions such as good and evil, favorable and unfavorable, right and wrong, correct and incorrect, righteous and wicked exist only within the human world, shaped and conditioned by conceptual constructs. The karmic retribution of good and evil causes and effects is precisely judged through human actions in existence. Moreover, notions of good and evil, right and wrong, correct and incorrect, righteous and wicked are principles frequently invoked by humanity.
Within the "Law of Truth," the human world is constrained by such limitations and cannot escape this cyclical process of conceptual adherence. All actions and functions are often bound by the dualities of right and wrong, yes and no, correct and erroneous, righteous and evil, subject to their restrictive and cyclical influences. In the process of samsara, one is perpetually hindered by one's own thoughts and beliefs.
"The Cause of Causes" exists as a cause even before its formation, meaning the origin of the cause was already established in the prior state. Without the "pull of conditions," it would be difficult to reside within the cause, and there would be no "clinging toward conditions." Moreover, it would remain unmoved by the arrival of conditions. Only when conditions arrive through: spacetime, time, space, environment, and location, can accomplishment be realized.
Karma is the foundation of all causation. Its function is such that without cause, there is no karma; even with cause, "karma" is necessary to draw one into the cycle of retribution. If one can alter the "effect," it must be through virtuous causes leading to virtuous retribution, and even negative causes can be transformed into virtuous retribution. It is precisely through human actions and conduct that the distinction between good and evil is determined.
Predestined Affinity: When actions enter into the realm of consequences, it is through the distinction of good causes producing evil results and evil causes producing good results that human factors truly determine the outcome, rather than it being decided by Heaven. As it lies within human capacity to influence, there is the saying, "Three parts are destined by heaven, seven parts depend on one's own efforts," which serves as a common phrase of encouragement for humanity.
Good and evil karma, if not entering into the fruit, will not result in retribution or recompense. This is precisely the fundamental concept that humanity should eradicate. As the saying goes, "Bodhisattvas fear the cause and eradicate it at its root," while "ordinary beings fear the fruit and try to eliminate it at the stage of fruition." This aligns with the function and efficacy of the law of cause and effect, requiring profound and diligent effort.
It is through "causes and conditions" that one enters into the realm of "karmic retribution," distinguishing between virtuous and unwholesome causes and conditions for future blessings. Moreover, the teachings of Chongxin in the present moment cannot be judged solely by "virtuous and unwholesome causes and conditions." Such teachings inevitably become entangled in mutual cycles of cause and effect, forever trapped within their snares—what can be done?
Good deeds bring good rewards through the guidance of karma,  
Evil acts yield evil consequences that must be cleared.
Circumstances may shape the human condition, yet change remains within one's power—  
For both good and evil, cause and effect, arise from the mind alone.
Enlightening sentient beings to understand duality
Is the fundamental duty upon first entering the Dao field.
Without true practice and enlightenment,
One cannot escape the traps of ignorance.
This verse! May it inspire all sentient beings together, an encouragement indeed! An encouragement indeed! Precisely for ordinary beings, it speaks of the causes and conditions of good and evil; thus it is essential to teach the understanding that good and evil are mutually dependent traps. Can one leap beyond their constraints? To transform adverse retribution arising from evil into favorable outcomes—this is the mark of great wisdom!
Chapter Eighteen: Infinite Wisdom
## Ancient Buddha Nanping Daoji

English Translation:
The Year of the Dragon brings a fresh atmosphere,  
Blessings, prosperity, longevity, and virtue draw closer together.
Namo, praise to Guanshiyin
Who beholds the insentient and transforms them into the sentient
Sound carries summons across boundless distances  
Bodhisattvas create through human causation
The causal relationship between good and evil arises from human factors. In distinguishing between virtuous blessings and calamitous evils, it is primarily human actions that determine the quality of existence. This serves as the foundation for sentient beings, with the distinction between good and evil used to judge the subjects of meritorious blessings and sinful calamities, forming the basis for such evaluation.
It is necessary for human artifice to manifest, and even more so to observe the distinctions in the "arising of thoughts and intentions" throughout the process. In actions, deeds, and conduct, there exists a significant connection to the entire "arising of thoughts and intentions." Moreover, human artifice distinguishes between good and evil, right and wrong; it is only through the "arising of thoughts and intentions" that merit and misfortune can emerge.
Thus arises the distinction between "acting with purpose" and "acting without purpose." It is essential to understand that such judgments regarding action and purpose arise from human thought and conceptualization, emerging from the stirrings of mind and intention. Yet, viewed from the perspective of the Supreme Divinity, there is but one aspiration: that all sentient beings may "manifest their Buddha-nature and reveal their True Suchness," thereby ascending and transcending.
Sentient beings provide the true curriculum of spiritual cultivation, serving as the primary agents of "arising thoughts and intentions." Moreover, human ideologies and concepts serve as the criteria for practice and conduct. In distinguishing whether sentient beings are ascending toward elevation or descending toward decline, one must observe and evaluate based on the "arising thoughts and intentions," not merely judge by the already manifested "causes, conditions, and effects."
It is precisely through individual mentality and purpose that the karmic conditions of life are transformed into the overarching foundation of the survival process. It is essential to manifest, through the processes shaped by human factors, whether there exists purpose and action. This is the original driving force of humanity's "non-action" in creative advancement, which fosters virtuous growth for benefit and elevates oneself toward transcendence.
The significance of human factors lies precisely in their ability to transcend the outcomes of karmic causes and conditions. Moreover, human factors can even alter the predetermined destiny set by Heaven. In light of this, it is essential to recognize that human actions—shaped by beliefs in survival, commercial endeavors, family life, interpersonal conduct, and overall approaches to handling affairs—hold greater influence than any other aspects.
In any given situation, it is possible for human beings as the primary agents to surpass the predetermined policies and Mandate of Heaven set by the Supreme. Moreover, they can transcend the already established policies and Mandate of Heaven through their actions, thereby effecting change. As stated by the Supreme: "Disasters wrought by Heaven may still be averted, but calamities brought about by human actions are inescapable." Thus, the Supreme places significant emphasis on human factors.
Far more crucial than established policies is the determination that arises from them. Within the actions of heaven, earth, and humanity, it is the human factor that prevails over the predetermined factors of heaven. Moreover, when observing the predetermined factors of the divine in relation to the whole, they never depart from the overarching environmental factors. This condition absolutely allows all human beings the space to strive.
Since the policies of the Supreme Heaven are already established, the grand environment cannot be altered, while the minor environment can be differentiated based on the good and evil deeds of humanity. Thus, it is essential to understand that within the causality of good and evil, it is human actions that shape the outcomes. This serves as the basis for bestowing blessings or misfortunes in the future, which constitutes the fundamental principle of human determination triumphing over fate.
Furthermore, regarding the human factors in the human world, it is possible to alter the predetermined destiny of a small environment, but the predetermined destiny of the larger environment remains unchangeable. When human beings, as the main agents, transform the destiny of a small environment, it is inevitably differentiated based on the karmic retribution of good and evil—whether for oneself or for a group—and is shaped by the overall causes and conditions.
It is essential for the human world to understand that the transformation of the micro-environment is necessary to make it virtuous and beautiful. It is imperative to eliminate the distinctions between the unwholesome and the corrupt. Consequently, in all human endeavors, one must observe the principal causes and conditions of karmic retribution for good and evil, thereby providing a fundamental method of transformation for sentient beings. This enables all living beings to progress and elevate themselves.
All good and evil in the human world arises from the interplay of favorable and unfavorable conditions. It is precisely through transcending one's own conceptions of good and evil, fortune and misfortune, that one can elevate oneself. Moreover, the human living environment provides the fundamental nourishment necessary for such ascension. Thus, the distinctive characteristic of human beings lies in their clear discernment between good and evil, and it is through human actions that such distinctions are realized and perfected.
As the primary agents of deliberate action, humans are inevitably subject to evaluation based on the rewards of good and evil, fortune and misfortune they receive. This involves distinguishing between merit and calamity, thereby forming judgments and assessments regarding the principal causes and conditions within the human world. Thus, the significance of human effort lies precisely in its capacity to transform the predetermined Mandate of Heaven and reshape the immediate environment surrounding oneself.
In the grand environment of operation, precisely because the Mandate of Heaven cannot be altered, one acts without defying it; this inevitably gives rise to individual karma borne by the individual. The essence of karma and its consequences lies in aligning with the universal and unobstructed law of cause and effect. When it comes to sentient beings among humanity, if one cannot provide the causal conditions for their upward transcendence, what else can be done!
Such actions are bound to fail to gain human favor. Moreover, when human factors are at play in the sentient world, it is essential to rely on the karmic conditions of humanity as the main agent to achieve transformation and reform in conduct. This is a way of taking responsibility for oneself; it is also necessary to provide sentient beings with a clear understanding of how karmic cause and effect are formed.
When something is created by human factors, how should it be constructed? How should it be accomplished? How should one act in accordance with the "cause of causes," thereby developing a sense of responsibility and duty toward oneself? "Cause and effect" operate precisely through the formation of causes, which then lead to retribution, and this retribution serves as the basis for further action. It is essential to engage in transformation and strive for upward elevation.
The human world is precisely where predetermined karmic outcomes can be transformed. It requires channeling all the driving forces of human existence into spiritual pillars. Consequently, in both the subjective perspectives and actions of humanity, they will not be bound by predetermined destiny. It is essential to observe: only through all subsequent deeds can the merits and demerits of human beings be truly assessed!
From causes and conditions arise karmic fruits,
Good and evil follow like shadows, inevitable and absolute.
Human factors can be transformed,  
Good and evil deeds yield their due retribution.
Since karma has already formed the conditions for retribution,
Human actions are the fundamental source.
Transcending mental states brings clarity,
Cause and effect are shaped by human action first.
This verse! Let us share it with all sentient beings for mutual encouragement:  
Regarding the principal factors of the human world, which are based primarily on human actions themselves—that is, with human agency as the main element—it is indeed possible to transform one’s personal environment and minor deeds. Yet, this does not enable one to alter the greater environment, for it is precisely the Mandate of Heaven, decreed by the celestial order. Can this be understood?
Chapter Nineteen: Virtue, Wisdom, and Intelligence
## Shangyuan Blessing  Celestial Official Great Emperor
February 25, 2000 The 21st Day of the First Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Beings in darkness yearn for deliverance;  
The compassionate leader's benevolent virtue shines.
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva  
Discourse on Establishing Destiny and Navigating Fortune in the Human Realm
From the perspective of human actions and conduct, it is because the predetermined Mandate of Heaven by the Supreme Being is bestowed upon every being in the mortal realm, endowing each with responsibilities and missions. This is what is referred to in the mortal world as the "Mandate of Heaven." The execution of this Mandate of Heaven is established by the Supreme Being, yet it also requires humanity to engage in creation and practice through their own efforts.
Its purpose: to differentiate based on human actions, thereby evaluating future merits, virtues, and calamities. Thus, in the original intent of the Heavenly Realm, all living beings are granted an opportunity to ascend through divine providence, determined by human conduct. This serves as the judgment of all principal causes and conditions concerning good and evil, right and wrong, truth and falsehood, and affirmation or negation.
It is precisely through the actions of each individual that the distinction between merit and wrongdoing is judged. The demarcation point for elevating oneself upward or descending downward, as well as the differentiation between sinking or rising, is determined by human factors. All of these are related to one’s own deeds, and whether one makes the effort to strive is a matter of personal choice. Yet, this is already predetermined by Heaven as the "innate destiny."
It is precisely because what cannot be altered at the moment of birth, yet is determined at that very moment, that human beings descend into the mortal world. While innate destiny cannot be changed, "acquired fortune" can be created and improved by humans themselves. This must be discerned by observing the totality of causes and conditions, environment, time, and space.
It is precisely through the distinction among Heaven, Earth, and Humanity that "the timing of Heaven, the advantages of Earth, and the harmony among people" provide human beings with the choice to follow a great path. This means that while human beings select according to their own interests, they also create divergences for the future in the present moment. Moreover, at every stage of the process, each individual must take responsibility for their own actions.
It lies precisely in the practice, through which one can understand: merits, virtues, misfortunes, and faults are all judged based on human-made factors. The primary function given to humanity is the ability for each individual to choose their own desired direction and matters of practice. This is established upon the original destiny—that is, the innate nature—which cannot be chosen or altered in relation to these matters.
An ancient proverb states: "One's fate is sealed at the moment of birth." This means that at the very instant of coming into this world, the course of one's future is already predetermined by past karma. Regardless of how one conducts oneself or attempts to change in this life, it is impossible to alter the inherent destiny set by the Eight Characters at birth.
It is determined by the eight characters of one's birth time, which already predestine all future fortunes and misfortunes, prosperity and decline. Thus, human beings exist within the cycles of flourishing and withering, of rise and fall. As for how one's future unfolds—it is all decided by oneself! This is precisely the viewpoint of innate destiny. As the ancients said: Innate destiny is difficult to alter, and so it is.
"Establishing Fate" refers to the innate destiny, which is inherently unalterable and cannot be changed even with the assistance of immortals or Buddhas. At the moment fate is established, it is precisely determined by all the blessings and misfortunes, virtues and vices, and actions and conduct from past lives. These factors distinctly influence the various fortunes, calamities, honors, and declines in the present life, which is the immutable essence of the "innate destiny."
It is precisely the inheritance from previous lifetimes or the cumulative sum of all past existences that constitutes one's innate destiny in this present life. This innate destiny determines the main framework and guiding direction of one's acquired fortune, allowing one to gain insight into one's future. While the overall trajectory cannot be altered, within the smaller scope of personal direction, one can still exercise self-discipline and make diligent efforts.
One can reshape the past, or determine previously ordained fortunes and misfortunes, prosperity and decline, precisely through one's own efforts! This aligns with the principle that "three parts are destined by heaven, seven parts depend on striving," and also resonates with "three parts innate destiny, seven parts acquired fortune"—the most fundamental theory in the human world.
"Fate Navigation" originates from one's innate destiny, enabling one to avoid falling into previously accumulated negative causes and harmful, unfavorable karmic conditions. Furthermore, by adhering to the direction of one's own practice, one can transform the past innate destiny. Moreover, in the human world, it is essential to break free from the karmic retributions of past harms that one was destined to suffer. This transformation must be achieved through the thoughts, concepts, and actions of humanity.
Regardless of one's innate destiny, if one can receive assistance from noble individuals, elders, parents, ancestors, or other benefactors in shaping their acquired fortune, it will invariably influence all aspects of the innate destiny. Through this process, the innate destiny is transformed, precisely guided by the distinction between good and bad, with the innate destiny taking the lead and further refined through efforts in the acquired fortune.
It enables one to break free from the accumulated adverse predispositions inherent in one's innate nature, which necessitate reliance on acquired effort and struggle. This allows one to grasp the present moment without drifting with the tide. Moreover, by refusing to accept fate, one can actively shape one's destiny through personal endeavor and perseverance, firmly holding the reins of life in one's own hands, and thus operating and conducting oneself in accordance with the ordained path.
"Establishing Destiny and Navigating Fortune" is an essential concept for humanity to comprehend. Within the realm of innate destiny or acquired fortune, the two are in constant interaction. The saying, "What is destined to be yours will come, and what is not should not be forced," serves as a profound admonition for humankind. If one strives toward virtuous pursuits, how then will the future unfold—whether favorable or adverse?
All that one encounters in the present moment is beyond one's own capacity to foresee or comprehend. For instance, wealth and offspring—goals pursued by all humanity—can be attained through human effort and diligence. Transforming all unfavorable underlying causes is precisely what turns the adage "Do not force what fate does not grant" into "Create what fate does not grant" as a source of encouragement.
It is through self-directed pursuit of virtuous causes and conditions that one may attain desires previously unattainable in the future. Thus, by exercising the principal function of shaping destiny and guiding fortune through human agency, one can establish goals originally beyond reach. This aligns with the principle that seeking a child yields a child, seeking wealth yields wealth, and seeking prosperity, nobility, longevity, and blessings—all may be fulfilled.
Regardless of the objective, as long as it aligns with the conditions for human pursuit of fulfillment, it will inevitably be attained in the future—and truly realized. Therefore, regarding the seed cause of "establishing the innate destiny" to "transform the acquired fortune," it is essential to maintain a resolute mindset and attitude, avoiding any notion of indifference or ambivalence.
Humanity must understand that one should observe whether one's thoughts and intentions are correct when they arise. Are they driven by purpose? This serves as the basis for future judgment and evaluation! As the ancient proverb says: "When performing good deeds, do not seek reward." With such a mindset, the blessings and fortunes bestowed by Heaven will be more abundant. The opportunity to enjoy blessings and virtue arises from human effort, and all sincere prayers may be answered in return.
The human world must understand that establishing destiny and navigating fortune lies precisely in using one's personal fortune to compensate for the inherent flaws in one's innate destiny. It is also through human effort that one can achieve accomplishment. Where there is diligence, there will be returns; where there are returns, there will be blessings and merit. This is because the human world stands as the boundary between ascension and decline.
Human factors determine how future actions will unfold! All are intrinsically connected to the human world—whether one strives or not. It is essential to transform past negative causes and understand how to dissolve them. It is up to humanity to discern and judge every causal process of its own deeds and conduct. Only then can correctness be achieved!
Good and evil karma are all preordained,  
Human effort can amend past transgressions.
Establishing Destiny and Transforming Past Karma  
Blessings and Misfortunes Are Self-Wrought by Humanity
The Netherworld's descent is upheld by virtue,  
Human deeds are shaped by one's own making.
Celestial Ascent, Virtue Attained  
Transcending Return, Grace Follows
This verse! May it inspire all sentient beings together;  
As the Master who oversees the underworld and presides over transcendence and ascension, I hope that the virtuous disciples of Chongxin will widely guide the fallen primordial souls to return, so that they may resonate with the Master's heart; I also hope that the wise student Libi can further lead the primordial souls back to transcendence, accomplishing the great compassionate virtue of Heaven. I earnestly hope for this! I earnestly hope for this!
Chapter Twenty: Cultivating Virtue
## The Great Emperor of the Middle Primordial Earth Official
February 29, 2000  
The 25th Day of the First Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
Namo to the Sacred and Pure Land,  
Where Maitreya descends to become the Buddha.
The Bodhisattva Descends to Reveal the Book of Illumination  
The Illusion of Fate Obscures the True Self
In the context of establishing destiny and navigating fortune: The journey of life, shaped by the causes and effects of past lives and accumulated lifetimes, is closely related to each individual's previous connections and karmic debts. Moreover, every sentient being carries different accumulated causes into this present life. Thus, the factors through which one bears the consequences of past connections and karmic debts are just and equal, as this principle of equality is enacted in the process for every sentient being.
All sentient beings in the mundane world bear the accumulated karma and conditions from past lives, which enable them to realize today: how to construct their present existence and how to achieve the transformation of their unfavorable destiny! It is precisely by confronting the cyclical factors shaped by their own past karma and conditions that they endure the process within their capacity to bear.
Furthermore, there exists a cyclical interplay with one's own destiny. The process of contemplating one's confusion within fate serves as the fundamental nourishment for self-elevation in this lifetime. It is precisely through religious inspiration that one can profoundly realize all experiences, which are then endowed and transformed by humanity.
In the course of one's own destiny, it is impossible to truly grasp the future. Moreover, even in the present and the future, one cannot genuinely learn the ways of the immortals, Buddhas, saints, deities, and Bodhisattvas. This results in an inability to provide oneself with the means for transformation in the process of future practice, let alone to understand and master what lies ahead.
Destiny: It follows the cycle of karmic causes and karmic effects, drawing one into its whirlpools and traps. Yet humanity, unable to break free from these snares and vortices of fate, often drifts along with the current to the end of life—how sorrowful! Who among sentient beings would willingly accept such an existence? None would!
Yet all pass through this life in a process of helplessness, and moreover, complete this existence with no alternative. How, then, can one dissolve all the delusions of fate? It is essential to understand: human beings inherit this life through the causes and effects of past lives and accumulated lifetimes. It is precisely within the world of human existence—the "realm of life transformation"—that one can surely ascend and transcend.
If one cannot transform the limitations and obstacles of this present life, but instead perpetuates the cycle of creating sins and karma, how can one possibly accumulate the fundamental resources needed to transform the underlying causes? It is exceedingly difficult! Moreover, in this very lifetime, one may fail to perform virtuous deeds and accumulate merit, thus remaining unable to alter the creation of karma, sins, and evils. This is precisely the profound and difficult obstacle that most sentient beings find hard to comprehend.
Nor can one comprehend the process of delusion within destiny itself; for fate is precisely the predetermined karmic retribution from previous existences, making no distinction between good and evil, favorable and unfavorable. All blessings and misfortunes endured in this present life thus become the very manifestation of what Buddhism declares: "If you wish to know the causes from past lives, look at the circumstances of your present existence; if you wish to know the consequences in future lives, observe the actions of your current life."
Moreover, within the innate destiny, the life pattern formed by the accumulation of past lives and karmic connections is even more irreversible and unchangeable. One must inevitably bear it oneself and personally bring it to completion. Only in the process of eliminating karmic causes and breaking the cycle of karmic effects can one achieve a state of "freedom from all debts." Yet, more often than not, reality contradicts our wishes—what is the reason for this?
Human beings often remain unaware while creating karma, further "adding causes upon causes and effects upon effects," making it exceedingly difficult to alter their course. Even if change were possible, whether one is cultivated or uncultivated, it remains impossible to fully comprehend the accumulation of inherent causes within one's congenital destiny, which are distinguished through the eight characters of human birth.
How can one discern the year, month, day, or hour when calamity may strike? This is deduced from the Eight Characters. The blessings and karmic consequences that this life must bear align precisely with the principle of "past-life causes, present-life effects; present-life causes, future-life effects." All these are shaped by human actions, and everything conforms to the impartial law of cause and effect.
The unalterable nature of one's innate destiny is primarily due to this reason. If one could return to the past, it might be possible to transform it by resolving karmic imprints from previous lives. However, such actions would fundamentally violate the laws of cause and effect, allowing arbitrary interference in the lives of sentient beings. In the context of innate destiny, such manipulations are inherently impossible.
Postnatal Fortune: This is precisely governed by the innate destiny, encompassing every action and undertaking of human beings. It includes the accumulations from past lives, past karma, and past affinities, providing oneself with the space to bear and transform. Regardless of whether past lives were good, bad, or entirely ordinary in nature.
All of this stems from the accumulation of one’s own actions and deeds in past lives, representing the overall outcome of karma. However, the governing of fate lies precisely in the differentiation of fortune and destiny. Moreover, every sentient being is unable to thoroughly trace the origins and consequences of their own actions and conduct. It is common for them to blame heaven and others, or even to single-mindedly accuse others of wrongdoing.
But if one never reflects on whether they themselves have made any mistakes, they will only "add causes upon causes and effects upon effects." How then can they alter their acquired fortune? I ask you, can such a person truly correct their faults? It is all very difficult to change, indeed exceedingly hard! Precisely when it comes to acquired fortune, one must, in the very moment of human action, understand how to bring about transformation.
How to dissolve past karma causes and effects is the true essence of authenticity. One should repeatedly reflect on one's own mistakes: Why did I act this way? How can I completely eliminate the creation of such karma causes and effects? Do not blindly blame others for their faults. Therefore, in practicing "reflection," one achieves growth through confronting one's own shortcomings.
Furthermore, take the mistakes of others as a mirror for self-reflection, using them as a warning to reform oneself. In contemplating the correction of faults and the seeds of causality, it is essential to possess strong causal seeds to initiate action. Indeed, thought guides behavior and actions; through self-reform, past errors and missteps can be dissolved.
It is through vigilance and self-reproach that one achieves self-refinement, which is the fundamental transformation of causes. How, then, can one come to understand the phenomena of life and the world? It is not merely about repeated cycles of rebirth across lifetimes; rather, it is about remaining perpetually trapped in the cycle, unable to break free from the snares and whirlpools even within the human realm.
The Myth of Destiny: Sentient beings are unable to fully comprehend or penetrate it, often finding themselves dominated by past karma and predestined affinities. This is precisely why it remains unchangeable. Moreover, as sentient beings fail to understand how transformation operates, it becomes exceedingly difficult to alter such obstacles to existence.
The "Great Dao Series Celestial Books" authored by Chongxintang meticulously document in each volume how to dissolve, how to completely eliminate, how to thoroughly understand, and how to achieve realization. Each book serves as a genuine and abundant source of spiritual nourishment. Congratulations to all virtuous students for having this rare celestial opportunity and favorable affinity, enabling you to transcend and ascend to the future Maitreya Pure Land for your ultimate return.
It is a great blessing and affinity, unattainable by ordinary sentient beings, that enables one to directly transcend and enter the Wuji and Void Celestial Realms. It provides sentient beings with the provisions for returning and transcending. With the Chongxin series of works, it is earnestly hoped that sentient beings will study the "Great Dao Series Celestial Books" in detail. In the future, they will surely be able to directly transcend to the worlds of Ultimate Bliss, Wuji, and the Void.
There is no need to re-enter the Maitreya Pure Land and cultivate the "theory of consciousness-only, the concept of consciousness-only, and the practice of consciousness-only." Such conditions can bring greater benefits to sentient beings, enabling upward growth. This is precisely the great blessed affinity that worldly beings can fully attain, and it is also the crucial point of whether sentient beings make this choice themselves.
Destiny's enigma is conquered by self-mastery,  
While karmic causes from past lives accumulate in profusion.
All human actions bear consequences,  
Transforming latent causes requires self-initiative.
Chapter Twenty-One: The Original Nature of Spirit

The spirit is inherently luminous,  
Pure and undefiled from the very beginning.  
It neither comes nor goes,  
Transcending life and death.  
Like the moon reflected in water,  
Or an image in a mirror—  
Though manifest in form,  
Its essence remains untouched.

When clouds disperse, the sky reveals its vastness;  
When thoughts cease, the spirit shines forth.  
Do not seek outside,  
For the treasure lies within.  
Awaken to your original face,  
And return to the source of all being.
## Emperor of the Lower Prime and Water Official

English Translation:
March 3, 2000  
The 28th Day of the First Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Li Zi carries the ancestral legacy, blessing ten thousand generations;  
The Immortal Elder Taibai descends to this world.
Gengchen Year Begins Writing to Illuminate the Heart,  
Goods and Resources Freely Arrange Themselves.
Examining the Misconceptions of Fate Calculation: The innate foundation of one's destiny must be endowed with sufficient blessings and resources to be fully realized from its inherent potential. This is further cultivated through postnatal efforts. To manifest what is inherently embedded in one's destiny, the necessary latent factors must be present. Without a fully endowed innate destiny, it becomes difficult to possess the essential conditions.
How should it be manifested in the human world? It is by taking the innate destiny as the primary existence that one can achieve later fulfillment. Furthermore, with the "currency resource" of money as the main medium applied in the human world, it is connected to the innate destiny. Thus, the blessings and misfortunes accumulated from past lives are what manifest in the present moment.
Innate Destiny Theory: When one lacks resources in their actions and endeavors, it is essential to cultivate them within this present lifetime. For all sentient beings, it is only by allowing the innate destiny to take the lead that one can truly benefit. This is because the innate essence, which governs the entirety of existence, is precisely connected to the outcomes of various actions and deeds accumulated over countless lifetimes.
It is essential to transform these various latent potentials into resources for the human world, thereby fulfilling the karmic conditions of the primordial nature. As for the myriad sentient beings in the world of feeling—their past innate destiny, or primordial fate—what if it could be fully realized? Then, in this present life, they would enjoy the blessings accumulated from past lives, thereby elevating all aspects of their quality of life.
In the next life, one will either enjoy blessings or repay kindness, thereby accumulating great fortune; if one lacks the fortune to enjoy such benefits in ordinary circumstances, they will encounter misfortune and disturbances. Taking material resources as an example: it is necessary to possess innate sufficiency in order to enjoy blessings and fortune in this present life.
"Destined things will come in time, while undestined things should not be forced"—this is indeed a proverb in the human world. Yet, as currently taught by the Chongxian Buddhas, it is: "Destined things will come in time, while undestined things must be forged." When one's desires are not overly ambitious, it is essential to transform the innate karmic accumulations in order to reap rewards.
It is necessary to have more than three years of dedication to virtuous deeds, and various practices must be carried out with genuine goodness. First, allow everyone to accumulate learning and growth experiences. If resources were granted too easily, would everyone be able to maintain them? Could they maintain an ordinary mind? Could they truly cultivate themselves? Would they be able to understand the transformation of their own mindset?
It is precisely by observing all mental states of individuals as the guiding principle, providing structure and discernment, and offering educational resources for cultivation that genuine development is achieved. Therefore, while currency is beloved and cherished by all, sentient beings often betray their own spirituality for the sake of minor gains and currency, frequently leading themselves into degradation.
Moreover, in the very act of "manifesting true suchness" and "revealing Buddha-nature," one often obscures the self-natured Buddha-body. Viewed through the eyes of sentient beings, this pursuit is precisely the quest for currency—the accumulation of universal monetary wealth. Rarely are there humans who do not delight in or appreciate the abundance of currency, that is, the accumulation of wealth.
The stock market in the Taiwan region is currently thriving and is in a phase of upward momentum. Many sentient beings have lost touch with their innate spiritual essence, chasing after greater wealth to satisfy their desires. In reality, this is a form of "gambling." To put it more favorably, it is referred to as "investment" or "speculation"!
It is truly wonderful to provide sentient beings with a place where they can "gamble." Moreover, with ample currency—not merely represented by numbers but also tied to choices affecting the comfort of life—isn't this the case? For those blessed with fortune, greater wealth can be attained, and the accumulation of riches can be achieved without the slightest effort.
Delving into its cause: it lies in the innate destiny, where there exists a treasury of currency and accumulated causes. If one's original fate lacks the accumulation of such reserves, then in this very lifetime, there will be no possibility of possessing sufficient currency resources or wealth accumulation. Therefore, the importance of innate destiny is self-evident!
When destiny fails to provide abundance, some worldly beings resort to incantations or other means to accumulate wealth. Yet all such acquired riches merely represent the premature realization of one’s future blessings, fortune, and financial resources in the present moment. What, then, is the reason for this?
In future times, one will still have to return to their original destiny, and thus must pay interest! Is it worthwhile? Consider and you will understand clearly. Some may transfer resources to meet immediate needs, but in the long run, it is indeed a loss outweighing the gain. It merely brings one’s future resources forward to the present, for one’s own enjoyment or emergency use.
It is precisely the cost and interest paid for the future that will greatly influence the currency of blessings in this lifetime. Therefore, if the wise can apply timely relief when conditions permit, they can better manifest the various merits of aiding others and practicing generosity. Moreover, from the perspective of the Divine, the attitude in the heart—the starting point of thoughts and intentions—is always observed, and adjustments are made accordingly.
If one performs good deeds without seeking reward and persists in doing so over a long period, it will surely invite the blessings of Heaven, bestowing fortune, prosperity, longevity, and wealth as a form of recompense. For those who act selflessly and without ulterior motives, their future merits are brought forward to the present, serving as an immediate relief in times of need. Moreover, this may enhance their wisdom. If such enhancement does not occur, they will inevitably experience the cost and interest of borrowing.
The Supreme Being is impartial and equal to all, allowing humanity to pray and receive in return. Yet, it observes the actions of each individual to guide outcomes, and whether one's future blessings are advanced or bestowed by the Supreme Being—such as "prosperity, rank, longevity, and wealth"—all are connected to the choices made by sentient beings in the very moment of "arising thoughts and intentions," thereby distinguishing every deed.
Destiny is the innate fate, which must be complemented by acquired fortune to achieve meaningful accomplishments. In the principle of "three parts innate fate, seven parts acquired fortune," human factors constitute the majority. Therefore, the heavens will never arbitrarily bestow gold or wealth—such concepts exist only within the realm of human application.
The Supreme Heavens judge bestowal or reduction based entirely on merits, virtues, and blessings, all of which are attained through human effort and diligence—this embodies fairness. The initiation of promoting the "Sacred Teaching of the Confucian School" in the Gengchen year and inspiring the advancement of the "True Buddha Heart School" precisely signifies the Supreme Heavens' affirmation of the Chongxin Taoist Center, serving as a foundation for its future propagation.
It is through the leadership of the Patriarch of the Li Bi lineage, with unwavering determination and perseverance, that the affirmation and praise of Heaven are consistently received. Only in this way can the expansion of the lineage be firmly established. Hence, there exists both a preordained sacred mission and the exercise of acquired responsibilities, obligations, and rights, all directed toward the holistic development and propagation of the sacred work in the future.
Moreover, the Supreme Heaven has observed the virtuous student Li Bi for a full seven years, and has come to understand that amid the most difficult, unfavorable, adverse, frustrating, and slanderous trials, he has remained steadfast and unshaken. This has earned the admiration and praise of all the Masters, proving him worthy of shouldering great responsibilities. He is indeed a pillar for the future, one who will propagate the true lineage of the Dao.
Currency Abounds as Fundamental Resource  
Heaven's Grace Bestowed Without Partiality
Wisdom ascends in dual progression  
Teaching and transmission, virtue boundless
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Cultivation of Virtuous Conduct
## Han Zhongli, the Immortal Elder
March 7, 2000 – The Second Day of the Second Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
The universalization of truth transcends all,  
Resources are at your disposal for greater expansion.
Haha! Tonight! As the work is bestowed in the millennial Gengchen year, the celestial book *The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart* carries a distinct state of mind. It enables one to understand that the establishment of a new lineage must undergo numerous trials and processes to be realized. It also continually tests the mindset and perspectives of humanity, precisely because it is governed by human factors, which guide and attain it.
Fate's design from past lives shapes this existence,  
Fortune's course is bound to causes from former incarnations.
Lost yet knowing can be dissolved  
Thoughts transformed return to self-so-ness
This verse! When shared among sentient beings for mutual encouragement, it serves as a means to recognize and dissolve the illusions of fate—this is the mark of true great wisdom. Written at the end of the Jǐmǎo year in the millennium, it hereby draws to a close. We look forward to the coming spring, in the millennium's Gēngchén year, to resume writing the *Da Dao Series* of celestial texts.
Chapter Twenty-Three: The Grandeur of Virtuous Deeds
## Lan Caihe, the Immortal Elder
March 10, 2000  
The Fifth Day of the Second Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Gengchen Spring brings fresh vitality anew,  
Virtue and fortune come to greet you true.
The Book of Great Dao Illuminating the Heart

Cause and Effect, Retribution and Compensation, True Reality Intimately Connected
The inflow of currency resources is precisely facilitated by the accumulation of karmic retribution, and is also related to the combination of karmic retributions from past or accumulated lifetimes. Thus, it can be understood that all unfavorable causes formed in past or accumulated lifetimes, regardless of how they came into being, entail a share of personal responsibility, serving as the basis for transformation and rectification.
Before the formation of "causes," it is essential to understand the distinction between causality and retribution. Only then can one accumulate sufficient virtue and merit, or amass adequate material resources. These form the foundation of all karmic conditions in this lifetime, serving as the basis for future fortune or misfortune, blessings or calamities. They become the critical point for enjoying blessings or receiving retribution, thereby determining future achievements.
The formation of "latent causes" necessarily requires the assembly of "encountered conditions" to enter into the "fruition of effects," subsequently leading to the outcome of "retributive recompense." This constitutes an assessment of one's accumulated past actions and deeds, determining whether one will endure the suffering of karmic causes, karmic effects, and karmic hindrances, or partake in the enjoyment of virtuous merit, blessings, and fortunate retribution.
All stem from one's own previous causes, which must be assembled from past lives and can be observed as formations of accumulated causes. Only thus can the accumulation of all karmic effects in this present life be facilitated. The formation of causes itself is precisely a cyclical process of repeated rebirth, whereby various karmic conditions from numerous past lives converge, transplanting all retributions of good and evil into the present moment.
The primary factor in the formation of causes and conditions lies in sentient beings within the realm of consciousness, who often lack that nourishment for the soul, and moreover, lack that completeness in worldly phenomena. Frequently, in the arising of thoughts and intentions, they create numerous karmic causes, yet are unable to achieve perfect actions. Consequently, this diminishes their enjoyment of blessings, fortune, merit, and karmic rewards in this lifetime.
"Cause" – Implicit Cause: It is the combination of past karma, observable within the future, determining whether one will enjoy blessings or suffer misfortunes. This distinction inevitably arises from the combination of past causes, allowing one to foresee what the future holds. All are judged by past causes; it also relates to the thoughts, intentions, and stirrings of the human mind in existence, all of which take past causes as the primary factor shaping the future.
Sentient beings: Often, it is due to human factors failing to achieve perfection that one creates bitter consequences difficult to reverse. These are shaped by prior causes, creating for oneself the distinction between karmic outcomes of fortune and misfortune, as well as the primary reasons for cultivating virtue or incurring calamity. If humanity can sever these causes, the formation of future calamities and predicaments will be reduced.
This state of being represents a process scarcely comprehensible to the human world—a tangible manifestation of the function of merit. In the modes of human thought, one is incapable of invoking perfect action in the present moment. All is driven by the craving for trivial gains, often at the cost of betraying one’s own spirituality. It is oneself who creates the karma, and thus it is oneself who must bear the retribution.
"Yuan" – Contact Yuan: It is precisely through all the laws of dependent arising in the great cosmos that it is necessary for the subject of "yuan movement" to undergo the process of cyclic recurrence in order to complete the formation of yuan. Without the initiation of yuan, it would be impossible to accumulate latent causes into the fruition of karmic retribution.
The Stirring of Conditions: It requires the continuation of the process through human factors to fully manifest the stirring of conditions. Within all laws of cause and effect, if humanity does not grasp at conditions or fails to continue them, the stirring of conditions cannot take form. Only when all combinations of latent causes come together can the stirring of conditions arise, thereby enabling sentient beings to receive beneficial outcomes.
Moreover, there is no inherent distinction between good and bad, right and wrong, righteousness and evil, truth and falsehood, or ○ and ╳. All such divisions are made by human judgment. Righteousness and evil, truth and falsehood, ○ and ╳, right and wrong—all arise from the convergence of conditions. In the human world, we are unable to fully comprehend the workings of the "law of dependent origination," much less understand that humanity itself is the very realm of "karmic transformation" set into motion.
If not through the activation of conditions, coupled with the exercise of grasping power, the movement of conditions cannot influence human karmic retribution. It is also formed through the combination of causes, which enables the activation of conditions. Moreover, conditions themselves are not divided into good or bad, right or wrong, yes or no, correct or erroneous, righteous or evil. It is humans who determine the combination of causes and conditions, observing the process of efficacy to make judgments and choices.
"Fruit" — the outcome, through the initiation of the "cause," is followed by the facilitation of the "condition," which then sustains the manifestation of the fruit and its recompense. Thus, within the mindset and perceptions of human beings, it is impossible to truly comprehend: the combination and succession of cause, condition, and retribution must pass through human factors to possess sustaining power.
Perseverance is essential for the fruition of outcomes. Moreover, the "fruits" manifest to sentient beings as either blessings or calamities, all of which are connected to the causes previously created by humanity and enter into the retribution of karmic results. This also relates to whether humanity possesses sufficient currency and resources. Within the human world, one can discern this by observing the brightness or dimness of the energetic aura, thereby understanding whether there is an accumulation of sufficient currency and wealth.
When other contributing factors are involved, how is the recompense of outcomes judged within the human world, where all is assessed according to one’s own state of mind? One must bear combinations of good and bad, virtue and vice, all evaluated through human mentality. Yet, even with good causes, there are times when one endures evil consequences shaped by human thought and perception. What, then, is the reason for this?
At times, good causes and evil causes may be transformed through shifts in human thought and perception, leading to outcomes of good or ill. Thus, human thought and perception precisely determine whether "good causes yield evil results" or "evil causes yield good results." This constitutes the most fundamental element of transformation within the human world.
"Retribution" – Compensatory Retribution: Through "cause, condition, and effect," one enters into "retribution," whether it be enjoyment or suffering. All are related to human thoughts, concepts, and actions. Thus, it is essential for the human world to understand: when bearing the fruit, one is subjected to the conditions that contain the cause, thereby entering into the compensatory retribution of the effect. This is precisely the dominant factor guided by human thoughts and concepts.
If one enters into the retribution of karma, it becomes unalterable. Only when past lives and present causes and conditions mutually converge can one enter into fruition. It is the human mindset and conceptual framework that dominate these causes and conditions, thereby determining the future retribution of karma: whether it is good or bad, right or wrong, correct or erroneous, upright or wicked, a circle or a cross—all must be clearly discerned. Precisely so.
In ancient beliefs, "good causes inevitably yield good retribution, evil causes inevitably yield evil retribution." Yet in the present world, one cannot judge matters solely by this principle. It is rather connected to the thoughts and intentions arising in each person's mind, as well as the actions they undertake, that determine the distinction between future outcomes of good and evil, fortune and misfortune, serving as the basis for blessings and calamities.
Retribution of Karma: One must inevitably receive good retribution for good causes and bad retribution for evil causes. It is precisely that one must not distinguish between righteousness and evil, right and wrong, approval and disapproval, or correctness and error. These are understood and judged within human ideologies and actions. Regarding the resources of currency, it is necessary to have the creation of cause, condition, and effect to be fully realized, which arises from the fundamental requirement of transforming and containing causes.
The "Great Dao Series Celestial Texts" authored by Chongxin can remedy past deficiencies and inadequacies, enabling all beings to personally realize the fruits of their efforts in "creating what fate does not provide." Through the development of material resources and the shaping of human thought and perspectives, it embodies the principle of "taking from the world and using it for the world." Only by aligning with the current mindset of all beings can it be deemed correct.
The Chongxin's work, "The Celestial Texts of the Great Dao Series," serves to illuminate the core tenets of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. It emphasizes that true authenticity lies in the practical application of these principles in accordance with reason. Furthermore, in promoting the "Sacred Teachings of the Confucian School" and the "True Buddha Heart School," human agency is essential for their propagation and expansion, which holds boundless potential.
Promoting the Confucian School to Spread the Sacred Teachings,  
Inspiring the True Buddha to Establish the Heart School.
Currency and resources are yours to seek,  
Yet karmic retribution is what humans cultivate.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Virtue, Merit, and Wisdom
## Immortal Elder Zhang Guo

English Translation:
March 17, 2000  
The Twelfth Day of the Second Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Transforming the latent causes to initiate enlightenment and education,
The truth is spread far and wide, reaching heaven and earth.
This verse! Let all virtuous scholars who revere the heart encourage one another with it. Strive diligently! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Though it speaks of parting in its midst, it also allows the human world to benefit from goodness and blessings.
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Enigma of Fate
## He Xiangu

English Translation:
March 21, 2000. The sixteenth day of the second lunar month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday).
Blessings from the Upper Prime by virtue of grace descend,  
The Great Emperor of Celestial Officials now doth attend.
Chapter 26: The True Aspect of Feng Shui
## Immortal Elder Li Tieguai
March 24, 2000  
The 19th Day of the Second Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Observing human blessings and misfortunes through innate destiny reveals that all are created by oneself. The overall formation process, based on previous lives and accumulated lifetimes, serves as the primary foundation. Whether bestowing blessings or calamities, it is intrinsically linked to the necessary actions in human existence, shaped by the accumulation of various causes from past lives.
In the concepts and actions of one's own subjectivity, they serve as the criteria for judgment. What the Supreme Deity can bestow is determined through the cultivation of virtue. Furthermore, by observing the experiences endured throughout human existence—whether distinguished as good or bad, righteous or evil, correct or mistaken, or marked as right or wrong, true or false—these form the basis of discernment.
It is essential to regard all processes as the foundation for one's future actions.  
The Supreme Being judges based on this principle, evaluating according to the mindset, views, and conduct of one's present life.  
In the spirit of fairness and equality for all human beings, it ensures that all sentient beings are equally cherished and protected.
Fortune: It is a pursuit and aspiration held by sentient beings, which must be sought in the present life. Without the fulfillment of "fortune," one cannot secure a smooth path in the mundane world. Instead, one will inevitably encounter numerous karmic causes, karmic effects, adversities, setbacks, and even various calamities that torment the body and mind.
Such conduct arises precisely from a deficiency in one's own merit and virtue, which prevents a transformation of mindset from taking root. Therefore, for sentient beings, it means being unable to realize how much "blessing, merit, field of merit, and karmic reward" truly exist within their own actions. All of this remains difficult to comprehend!
Fortune: It arises from a transformation of mindset and is determined by one's own actions. Only by attaining the "virtue of fortune" can one truly enjoy "fortune blessings." It is essential to rely upon fortune, to reach its culmination, and to obtain its fruits—only then can humanity partake in its enjoyment. Thus, without fortune, it is difficult to receive and savor the rewards of fortune in the human world.
Lu: It refers to what is indispensable for one's own survival, whether it be sustenance, clothing, wealth, enjoyment, or other related blessings. All these are to be possessed, experienced, and enjoyed in human existence. It is through the actions associated with lu that the conditions for mutual dependence on blessings are fulfilled. But why is this so?
Yin Lu: It is precisely within the mutual reliance of shared blessings that one inevitably obtains tangible objects and realities to enjoy. If viewed through the lens of sustenance, all sentient beings must partake in nourishment. As for the fortune of sustenance: this relates to all past acts of giving, as well as present actions and environmental circumstances in the current life. All are connected to the food chain.
It is precisely because "food" serves as the primary resource for all beings to satisfy their hunger, and all sentient beings capable of movement are fundamentally interconnected in this way. Moreover, sustenance is an indispensable aspect of the existence of sentient beings. Among the blessings of wealth and official position, humans cannot do without financial resources, official salaries, or occupational roles. These are exclusively available for human use, while other beings can hardly make use of them.
Longevity: It is the basis for the duration of all sentient beings' existence. Having it may allow one to live over a hundred years, yet without any real utility—such length of life is not what humanity seeks. In terms of lifespan, it is bestowed by the great virtue of Heaven, which is the "virtue of cherishing life." Moreover, the great virtue of Earth lies in nurturing and fostering life, while the great virtue of humanity resides precisely in protecting and liberating life.
To cherish the lives of other species, to protect and refrain from killing, and furthermore to liberate and safeguard life—all these can serve as evidence for the extension of one’s lifespan. Such conditions form the basis for the length of one’s allotted years. In the moment when Heaven endows each being with its unique purpose, every species is cherished by the Divine, not humanity alone.
If there were only the human world, it would merely be a form of cherishing humanity, not true compassion or genuine mercy. At the core of the "subject of longevity," one must understand: how can the extension of life be attained? True liberation and protection of life, embodying the extension of all beings in heaven and earth, are the foundation upon which longevity relies.
Virtue: The subject of virtue pertains precisely to the orientation of human existence. If one remains solely within this orientation, one cannot attain the fullness of virtue; it is merely a cyclical adherence to the patterns of survival. Why is it that some can utilize their brief lives to create boundless virtuous influence within the sentient world, while others fail to fully embody virtue and permeate the sentient world with it?
On the contrary, by engaging in karma creation, sin accumulation, and the cycle of rebirth, one subjects oneself to irreversible calamities and karmic retribution. Thus, by not entering the human world, one may actually reduce opportunities to commit sins, create negative karma, and produce harmful consequences. Is this not the case? In this way, one can realize through direct experience that one’s living environment inevitably influences a human being throughout their entire life.
How should one cultivate virtue for oneself within the sentient world? It is essential to win the world over through virtue, allowing both oneself and all beings to be nourished by the expansion of virtue. This aligns with the great virtue of heaven and earth, forming the basis for the future bestowal of blessings, prosperity, longevity, wealth, and honor. All these are fully assessed and determined by virtue, which is equivalent to hidden merit.
Blessings, prosperity, longevity, and virtue are interconnected through the relevant subject. It is essential to understand that it is precisely "virtue" that enables the fulfillment of these aspects: the guidance of blessings, the enjoyment of prosperity, and the extension of longevity are all related to the expression of virtue. If one cannot fully embody virtue, how then can one rely on blessings, prosperity, and longevity in the human world?
It is necessary to bestow blessings, prosperity, longevity, and wealth in accordance with the norms of the Supreme Heaven. Occasionally granting a little benefit to others is also a manifestation of virtue. However, beings often lack a mindset of non-attachment and non-calculating, and in their calculations, they often lose the very sources of blessings, prosperity, longevity, and virtue. How regrettable this is!
Only when one possesses abundant virtue can blessings, longevity, and prosperity find their foundation. Offering convenience to others while accepting personal loss often leads to greater gains in the end. However, if one were to think from the perspective of the other party: it may seem like an unrewarding effort, believing that one is gaining an advantage in the present moment. Yet, in the future, one may lose all the foundations of blessings, longevity, prosperity, virtue, and wealth—truly a case of gaining little at great cost.
Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity—all these blessings arise,  
Supported by virtue, they align in harmonious array.
If you can endure loss, you shall gain advantage;  
Future blessings, prosperity, and longevity will surely follow.
The Millennial Confucian School Expands and Flourishes  
The Sacred Teachings of Gengchen Are Expounded and Illuminated
The True Buddha of Duan Month initiates the unfolding,  
The Heart Sect of Lantern Festival further expands and extends.
This verse! May all virtuous companions of Chongxin strive together: "May resources be abundant, propagation expand, teachings manifest with greater authenticity, and principles harmonize smoothly." Tonight, observing this auspicious atmosphere truly brings your mentor comfort and joy. In the future, may the Heavenly Realm use this to propagate the "Sacred Teachings of the Confucian School" and the "True Buddha Heart School," fulfilling the anticipation and earning the praise of the Heavenly Realm and all mentors.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The True Purpose of Reading
## Han Xiangzi, the Immortal Elder
March 31, 2000  
The twenty-sixth day of the second lunar month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Mid-Yuan Grace Nurtures All Beings' Cultivation  
Earth Official's Compassion Seeks the Root of Virtue
The Great Emperor's virtue pervades all sentient worlds,  
His boundless merit and wisdom are fully accomplished.
Blessings, Prosperity, Longevity, and Virtue: Entering the mundane world of human existence, it is precisely through virtue that one manifests the capacity to fully possess blessings. This requires that blessings and virtue be boundless and immeasurable, and further necessitates the mutual support and fulfillment of wisdom. Thus, it can be said that it is essential to fully manifest virtue within the mundane world, for it is through the blessings of karma that the essence of "manifesting perfected virtue" is realized.
Moreover, it is essential to transcend all mundane actions through virtue, not only to bring blessings within the human world but also to extend the foundation of human existence through humanity itself. By elevating life within the human realm and through nurturing and sustaining actions, it is necessary to manifest the essence of virtue as the fundamental support.
The basis for human existence, and even the measure of blessings determined by life's orientation, lies within the human world: whether one has already attained, has not yet attained, or will attain in the future the status of a sage, immortal, Buddha, or Bodhisattva, it is essential to possess immeasurable virtue and immeasurable wisdom. This constitutes the very essence of sages, immortals, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas.
Thus, only through "non-action with no specific aim" can one achieve "non-action," and moreover, attain "true non-action." This must be grounded in the welfare of all beings. Furthermore, it is essential to fully embody "blessings, virtue, wisdom, and insight" to genuinely be endowed with the hidden virtue of moral character, nurturing all that can lead to the realization of sages, immortals, buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the like.
Non-discrimination: Whether beings have already attained accomplishment, have not yet attained accomplishment, or may attain accomplishment in the future, all are inherently one and the same. It is essential to possess the genuine enhancement of wisdom. If one is unable to fully embody wisdom and merely accumulates merit, they will become immersed in the enjoyment of blessings and lose themselves within them. This, in turn, becomes the source of creating karma, committing evil, and incurring transgressions.
In times of ease and comfort, it is difficult to comprehend that human existence is meant to achieve self-improvement and benefit all beings through adversity. Thus, for humanity and all living beings, there exists a fundamental impetus for upward elevation. From this perspective, one must neither seek smooth circumstances nor measure blessings by their abundance. Instead, wisdom should be cultivated to complement the fulfillment of "virtuous blessings."
"Virtue and Merit" is precisely what sentient beings often pursue and aim for, and it is also what they lack. If one can seek virtue and merit from a different perspective, it becomes quite easy for sentient beings to achieve them. Moreover, attaining the fruition of "Virtue and Merit True Divinity" is also remarkably simple—it merely depends on whether one can bear to suffer losses!
One must also be capable of offering abundant nourishment, bestowing it upon all living beings or enriching others with virtue. This lies in the principle that "to suffer a loss oneself is to gain an advantage." While this is widely known among human beings, it remains uncertain whether sentient beings can achieve and perfect it. Moreover, one must "hold no calculations and harbor no resentment" in order to accomplish self-fulfillment and the fulfillment of all sentient beings.
Human beings often lack this genuine practice, and within the truth of reality, they frequently betray their spiritual pursuit of ascension for their own interests. They often quarrel over trivial gains, and even stir up constant disputes for the sake of minor benefits—why must it be so!
The source of "fortune" is determined by one's willingness to forgo calculation and accept loss. Within the cycle of cause and effect, humanity may not fully comprehend how "karmic retribution" operates. The ability to receive others' generosity in this present life—whether in the form of material resources, benefits, or currency—is invariably governed by prior causes. Such acts of giving or lending never occur arbitrarily; they are always interconnected.
The Wise One: Those who can comprehend the guiding factors of cause and effect understand that they are here to dissolve karmic debts and fulfill their fundamental causes. However, among human beings, it often happens that for the sake of trivial gains, they betray their own spirituality. Yet, they remain unable to fully resolve the retribution of karma. Thus, this leads to "adding causes upon causes and fruits upon fruits"—truly a helpless predicament!
Therefore, it becomes impossible to comprehend that in the human world, if one fails to fully manifest the virtue of hidden merits, one will inevitably focus solely on others' flaws while obscuring their virtues. Moreover, it becomes impossible to completely dissolve the repayment of karmic causes and effects, resulting in "blessings" that are fundamentally unwilling to follow by your side.
The manifestation of "De" (Virtue) towards sentient beings functions precisely as a kind of reverse stimulation, and also serves to accomplish beings in a contrary manner. Moreover, it is something one cannot fully comprehend—how the cycles of cause, condition, and effect in the human world operate to exhaust and dissolve the accumulated karma formed over countless lifetimes. In the unfolding of De, one must also understand whether one is able to endure a little loss in the human realm!
It is in the state of non-action, devoid of any arising thoughts or intentions, that one practices. How does one complete the process of accumulating virtuous merit and hidden virtue to guide the complete dissolution of karmic obstacles, or to manifest the original essence of virtue? One often wonders whether one is too foolish or too ignorant—precisely what humans call "too simple-minded!" Is this indeed the case?
Whether such actions can be comprehended lies precisely in the fact that by losing a part, one gains the greater whole. Not knowing this is to be too simple, too ignorant, or too foolish. It confirms the common saying: "Heaven favors the simple-hearted." This is the mark of a truly great wisdom. Thus, those who seek neither merit nor blessings, in their devotion to Heaven, are repaid with boundless fortune.
It is precisely because one is too foolish, too ignorant, and too simple-minded—so what if that is the case? Life in this world is defined by one's own actions and conduct, which are ultimately judged and rewarded by the Heavenly Will. In the human world today, it is precisely the lack of such simple-minded individuals that leads people to consider themselves clever, always unwilling to suffer even the slightest loss.
Moreover, they always take advantage of others and perpetually believe themselves to be the most intelligent. Such conduct is precisely what human beings often take pride in. Furthermore, in their speech, they frequently boast and flaunt themselves, proclaiming how clever and wise they are! Are such individuals truly wise?
This is precisely how the clever among humans behave. How, then, do those who are too simple-minded manage to survive? Their survival is guided by Heaven. Thus, "the simple-minded have simple blessings." What is fundamentally lacking in the human world is precisely the virtue and hidden merit that the simple-minded inherently possess. It is through simplicity that accomplishments are achieved, and it is through simplicity that blessings are made manifest.
To comprehend "merit and virtue" is to grasp the very core of human desires and pursuits. Yet, it seldom grants one any advantage in resolving their own karmic causes, effects, and obstacles. Moreover, can it truly create boundless merit and virtue for the future, capable of protecting and blessing oneself and one's descendants for generations to come? It is exceedingly difficult!
Through the practice of "not calculating, being willing to suffer losses, and genuinely accepting losses," one can fully dissolve the karma accumulated by oneself. For these simple-hearted individuals, allowing oneself to suffer losses while others gain advantages is a way of bestowing blessings upon oneself, others, and all sentient beings in the world of affection. Therefore, I ask all virtuous companions of Chongxin: Can you, in your simplicity, allow others to gain some advantage at your expense?
It is through "willing sacrifice" and "effortless giving" that one achieves the state of "selfless devotion." Whether this is true foolishness or great wisdom remains unknown. "Great wisdom appears as folly"—this is a common saying in the human world. Yet sentient beings, often driven by greed for trivial gains, fail to accumulate boundless merit and virtue at their root. In their cleverness, they become self-righteous.
This self-assumed, self-proclaimed supreme intelligence and great wisdom is fundamentally incompatible with the principles of true cultivation. One must instead learn the great simplicity of heaven and earth, entering the state of "non-action" within "action," and further progressing from "non-action" into "true non-action." Only then can one be compared to heaven and earth. Who, then, is truly the great simpleton or the great sage?
Blessings flourish through virtue's rise,  
Accumulated fortune on moral wings flies.
Virtue accumulated through effortless action  
Abundance flows unimpeded without measure
In true non-action, thoughts do not arise;  
In utter desirelessness, great fortune abides.
As humanity acts as all living beings,  
Heaven naturally bestows blessings and fortune.
It is essential to approach all living beings with an orientation toward human survival, nurturing them with compassion, for this is the mark of a truly great sage. Thus, the genuine sage is also the great wise one, not as humans say: "cleverness masquerading as sagehood." Only then can one avoid falling into the delusion of believing oneself to possess profound merit—this is but self-deception, and even more foolish!
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Performing Good Deeds Brings Blessings
## Immortal Elder Cao Guojiu
April 4, 2000  
The Thirtieth Day of the Second Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
Descending from the Celestial Palace to the mortal realm,  
Primordial Beginnings, selfless, advance the Great Unity.
The Water Official's Virtue Nourishes All Living Beings with Blessings  
The Great Emperor's Wisdom Is Boundless and Without End
From the perspective of the human essence, it is essential to be fully endowed with precisely: virtue, fortune, and blessings, in order to enjoy lasting fulfillment in the human world or within the three realms of principle, energy, and manifestation. To possess fortune, blessings, and virtue in the present moment, one must also be fully endowed with wisdom, for only through wisdom can one create and benefit.
Wisdom: This is precisely what the human world ought to pursue and fundamentally possess. Without attaining a considerable degree of wisdom, it would be difficult to develop and extend merit and virtue. Therefore, the possession of wisdom is far more practical than the accumulation of merit and virtue. Hence, human beings worship and pray to the "God of Merit and Virtue."
"The wise," in ancient terms, must understand the need to bestow virtue and grace upon sentient beings and the world of living creatures. In modern terms, this means orienting oneself toward the collective well-being and survival of the community—that is, not acting out of personal desire but creating blessings for humanity through selfless dedication. Whether in ancient times or today, such a mindset and conduct are essential.
Modern Technology: The illusory computer world created by humanity now surpasses even the ancient "Thirty-Six Heavenly Powers and Seventy-Two Earthly Arts" in its capabilities. In ancient times, such intellectual prowess was accessible only to a select few sages. In our present era, however, every being can partake of these blessings for their own benefit.
"Wisdom" is achieved through the accumulation of past experiences. Wisdom is the "knowing that speaks." A wise person, therefore, should understand that the great virtue of heaven and earth bestows grace upon the sentient world. Thus, one who can truly "know" and "speak" of its greatness is called a "wise one," for "wisdom" carries within it the capacity to comprehend the true meaning of heaven, earth, and the cosmos from past understandings, enabling realization within the scope of knowledge.
"Knowing" (zhi) is for discernment and clarity, hence adding "to speak" (yue) forms the character—this very function is what constitutes "wisdom" (zhi)! How then should one understand that human existence unfolds through the process of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing? Moreover, all species and worlds must necessarily engage in understanding, clarifying, and discriminating. Only this promotes the elevation of knowledge, which can be called: truly discerning the meaning of reality!
If in the process of knowing, one cannot clearly realize and verify all aspects of human existence, it indicates a lack of accumulated experience. Nor can it be said that "the day of knowing" is the essence of wisdom. This would result in the absence of "the day of knowing": wisdom fails to manifest! Moreover, such a "day of knowing" must be accompanied by the elevation of wisdom to yield benefit.
"Wisdom" is precisely that which, through the process of experiential realization, can attain the true meaning of existence. Furthermore, by understanding that "wisdom" is the clear discernment and comprehensive awareness of the entire process of realization—through the nurturing, survival, and experiential processes within the vast cosmos—one enters into the process of practical application. This enables meaningful contributions to the world of human existence, which is precisely what "awakened wisdom" manifests.
Furthermore, regarding "wisdom" (hui), it can provide the primary sustenance for survival. It is essential to understand that it is precisely through the manifestation of "wisdom" in the sentient beings of the world that "wisdom" unfolds, where blessings and wisdom complement and support each other. Under the guidance of "wisdom," which inherently functions as a benevolent force, the process of human existence is oriented, inevitably leading to beneficial outcomes.
What "wisdom" can provide is precisely this, yet "wisdom" itself carries distinctions—the differentiation between good and evil. In its function across all generations, there exists a distinction between good wisdom and evil wisdom. However, human beings are often unable to discern this difference, frequently only knowing that a person is very clever, without fundamentally understanding the distinction between "good wisdom and evil wisdom."
When "wholesome wisdom" is appropriately applied, it becomes a blessing for all living beings; whereas when "unwholesome wisdom" is widely employed, it brings calamity upon humanity. It is through human discernment that wholesome wisdom is attained, thereby spreading virtuous grace to all sentient beings in every direction. Conversely, the application of "unwholesome wisdom" serves as the very source of karmic creation, which may ultimately bring misfortune upon humankind and all beings.
In ancient times: Emperor Yu's flood control was precisely the application of great wisdom—"virtuous wisdom"—thus, his virtuous grace benefited the world of sentient beings and later generations. Conversely, Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty employed "malicious wisdom" to build the Great Wall, and in the burning of books and burying of scholars, multitudes suffered calamity. This indeed illustrates the distinction between the virtuous and malicious wisdom of those who hold high positions in the vast cosmos.
Wisdom, in its essence, involves discerning the welfare of sentient beings—whether it genuinely benefits the human world or brings harm to the realm of living beings. This distinction hinges on the divide between "virtuous wisdom" and "malignant wisdom." In the present era, both virtuous and malignant forces converge among sentient beings. Therefore, our time should give rise to even more talents than the era of the Three Kingdoms.
When benevolent wisdom and virtuous grace are applied to the sentient world, they can unlock millennial blessings for future generations and mitigate the recurrence of disasters! However, when malevolent wisdom prevails, beings suffer calamities, and harm may persist for centuries, with disasters recurring incessantly. This occurs because those in positions of influence in the human world are distinguished by either benevolent or malevolent wisdom.
Millennial blessings and calamities are man-made,  
For good or ill, humanity follows in their wake.
Wisdom and judgment reside in the highest position,  
While virtue's grace and calamity's shadow return to the world.
For future sentient beings, this offers a way to understand how heaven and earth guide humanity’s evolutionary process, and how to discern and differentiate future developments. Since human sentient beings often consider themselves supremely intelligent and employ "wholesome wisdom and unwholesome wisdom" to make distinctions, this concerns the future well-being and calamities of all beings.
Wisdom is boundless and inexhaustible; how should one discern appropriate action in the present moment? In this world, sentient beings often seek their own spiritual transcendence and elevation. Therefore, distinctions arise within religious, educational, and cultural frameworks regarding the boundaries between self and others. In this way, fences are built high, yet they remain incapable of opening up broader realms: the cosmic celestial realm, the ethereal celestial realm, and the boundless celestial realm.
It is merely due to the limitations set by the self. In revering the heart, one becomes the "pioneer who initiates the creation of cosmic life" and "expands the mind to integrate with the world of sentient beings." Regardless of any religious sect or lineage, all are one and the same. This lies precisely in the boundless wisdom and inexhaustible merit, offering a future that can transcend the fundamental realm of pure tranquility.
The wise become rich in experience,  
With roots of wisdom they stride directly into the Great Unity.
Wisdom runs parallel, two sides equal in measure,
The wise and the foolish thus divide their labor.
Wisdom creates blessings for all living beings  
Both virtuous and wicked wisdom submit to the heart as one.
Creating Blessings and Misfortunes in the Present  
Leads to Great Happiness in the Future World
It is precisely the original intent of the Supreme Heaven to honor the heart in practicing the "Confucian Sacred Teaching" and the "True Buddha Heart School." It is hoped that those who can discern this are the truly wise, and that benevolent benefits will be granted to all sentient beings of affection, enabling them to progress and ascend. By extending these blessings to the entire world without distinction between self, others, or objects among sentient beings of affection, genuine returns and benefits can be attained. This is something to be anticipated!
Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Great Way Illuminates the Heart
## Nangong Fuyou Dijun - Immortal Elder Lü Dongbin
April 7, 2000    The Third Day of the Third Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
The Eight Immortals Descend to Compose Celestial Scriptures　　Han Zhongli, the Ancient Immortal, Descends to Compose
Virtue and wisdom form the foundation of humanity,  
While the Great Way enlightens the heart with unique truth.
The inexhaustible treasury of wisdom, when entering the human world, must be guided by benevolent, astute, and wise discernment. It is also applied through boundless virtue and merit. To truly comprehend this is to grasp the essence of the inexhaustible treasury of wisdom itself. The distinction between "benevolent wisdom and malevolent wisdom" arises precisely because the human world is characterized by polarized divisions, which in turn leads to diverse perspectives and actions among humanity.
When the ability to invoke virtuous, astute, and wise intelligence is lacking, one inevitably falls into the dichotomy of two types of wisdom—namely, resorting to "benign wisdom and malign wisdom" in human affairs. If one fails to draw upon virtuous, astute, and wise intelligence to manifest one’s actions, one will descend into the cultivation of malign wisdom. Moreover, this will further jeopardize the well-being and existence of humanity.
Cleverness does not equate to wisdom, yet wisdom must manifest through cleverness. In the human world, many are quite clever, yet often fail to apply this cleverness to benefit themselves and all sentient beings in the world. Instead, they frequently only nourish their own survival, unable to extend it to all living beings.
It also manifests in personal selfish desires, which benefit oneself but cannot benefit others. This is a common practice frequently cited in the human world, where the majority are clever individuals. Indeed, everyone tends to employ petty cleverness in dealing with their own means of survival, yet there remains a measure of long-term action to benefit sentient beings.
Moreover, this kind of petty cleverness is of considerable help to oneself in nurturing life, allowing one to be nourished by the sufficiency of currency and to enjoy blessings in survival. Conversely, without such petty cleverness, one often lacks actions in survival that benefit oneself. In such a state, there is also no common currency to achieve sufficiency.
Wisdom: It is invoked within cleverness, yet most clever individuals are largely incapable of possessing wisdom. On the contrary, they often act in ways where "cleverness is ruined by its own cleverness," thereby creating karma and incurring transgressions. This is precisely the functional behavior frequently employed in the human world, which consequently prevents one from comprehending the deductive process of the true meaning of heaven and earth.
It is also understood that focusing solely on one's own survival orientation renders one incapable of benefiting the sentient world. Thus, in the predicament where "cleverness is outwitted by cleverness," one inevitably creates evil calamities, evil karma, and evil consequences. Such conduct, which is precisely the most undesirable, often leads to a dilemma where pleasure comes first, only to be followed by suffering.
If one cannot comprehend "the true meaning of the operation of heaven and earth," one may even fail to bestow virtue and grace upon sentient beings. In this process, one is often guided by the pursuit of survival and profit, merely treading the path of cleverness. Unaware that it is the possession of virtuous, clever, and wise intelligence that truly enables the long-term accumulation of wealth and resources.
Cleverness and Wisdom – It is precisely the manifestation of "cleverness and wisdom." Cleverness does not necessarily imply wisdom, yet a wise person is invariably clever. It is said that "Heaven favors the honest and sincere." That is to say, it is attained by the clever, attained by the wise, and attained by the honest and sincere—it is certainly not attained by the utterly foolish. This is what is meant by "great wisdom appears as foolishness"—not being calculative!
One must be able to comprehend the true meaning of the operation of heaven and earth. Only by acting with "no attachment to selfishness" can one, after benefiting oneself, further extend such benefit to all sentient beings. This is the mark of a truly wise and intelligent person in the human world. Moreover, in the very act of living, one must understand the true reality of existence—not only seeking benefit for oneself but also for all living beings.
Only those who possess true wisdom are also simple and honest individuals. Those endowed with intelligence and wisdom seldom create karma, commit evil deeds, or generate negative consequences. They are certain to comprehend the true meaning of the universe's operation. Moreover, human existence spans merely a few decades of cold winters and warm summers. One must utilize this limited time and space to exchange for boundless blessings for oneself and others.
It is precisely for the benefit of all sentient beings that one must learn the great virtues of heaven and earth, extending their nourishing influence to all living creatures. Not only does this cultivate abundant goodness, wisdom, and intelligence, but it also enables one to become a guiding force in the human world, endowed with inexhaustible blessings and boundless wisdom. It is through the appropriate application of such intelligence and wisdom that one can benefit oneself while also contributing to the well-being and happiness of all beings.
Not only is it beneficial to oneself and all living beings, but it is also a process of learning: embodying the spirit of saints, immortals, Buddhas, and bodhisattvas to fulfill one's purpose in the human world. Thus, wisdom is the accumulation of experience that can be truly realized: it is precisely about seeing one and knowing ten, seeing ten and knowing a hundred. This is the great principle of heaven and earth—the essence of "one truth penetrating all things," which is also the fundamental nature of the true meaning of heaven and earth.
How does one comprehend "understanding one principle to penetrate all matters"? It is essential to pass through experiential verification and the crystallization of wisdom. Precisely within virtuous wisdom, all processes can be revealed. It also lies in wisdom that does not fall into harmful knowledge—only then can one be considered a person of true intelligence and wisdom. Moreover, by possessing virtuous wisdom, one benefits both oneself and all sentient beings.
Only then can it be applied within the human world, and even align with the regulations defining human existence. It is indelible within the sentient realm, precisely because it embodies wisdom without descending into harmful cunning. Moreover, it guides the exercise of virtuous wisdom, benefiting both self and others, thereby harmonizing with the effortless operation of heaven and earth. This is the true path!
Cleverly understanding the principles of heaven and earth,  
Wisdom excels in the philosophy of human life.
The existence of goodness embodies the heart of heaven,  
Its virtuous grace transcends the expectations of sentient beings.
Wisdom's boundless application now unfolds,
The virtuous reap what their own virtue holds.
The wise walk the Great Way,  
With fortune and wisdom sailing in the same vessel.
This verse! I share it with all sentient beings as mutual encouragement, and likewise share it with all virtuous companions of Chongxintang as mutual encouragement; it can be employed with virtuous wisdom to guide oneself within boundless blessings and inexhaustible wisdom; to achieve self-realization and benefit all sentient beings—this is precisely what will provide a share of nurturing education and resources for the enlightenment of the myriad sentient beings in the future world of consciousness.
Chapter 30 The World of Sincere Heart
## The Mysterious Heavenly Emperor of the North Pole
April 14, 2000  
The tenth day of the third lunar month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
All achievements in Lalan Gong are self-attained  
A colorful life holds boundless splendor
Harmony among humanity, shared principles, and sincerity,  
Deeper cultivation of virtue reaches even greater heights.
Goodness, Virtue, Wisdom, and Intelligence: One must grasp the essence to understand that in the cultivation of virtue, the most crucial goal is to discern whether one has deeply rooted oneself in virtuous conduct or merely skimmed the surface. All of this is profoundly connected to whether one’s "hidden virtue and accumulated merit" will manifest in the future. This, in turn, is intimately linked to one’s own blessings and fortune.
In the cultivation of virtue, the depth of its planting is crucial. If one is swayed by external temptations or other factors that lead astray, it becomes impossible to root virtue deeply within one's inner self, and thus, deep cultivation cannot be achieved. In truth, this stems from one's own ignorance and inability to understand how to act accordingly. When virtue is only shallowly planted, one is inevitably dominated and misled by external influences.
Deep Cultivation: This is precisely what sentient beings lack today. They are predominantly driven by their own survival interests, making it difficult to achieve genuine inner cultivation and upward elevation. Often, because they cannot clearly understand what virtue is, and because the manifestation of virtue is not merely a goal pursued by every sentient being as an ideal, it is also an essential condition for nurturing life.
Virtue: It is the manifestation of goodness, cherished and desired by the human world. As humanity pursues higher aspirations, it inherits the teachings of predecessors through religious cultivation, yet often fails to fully comprehend virtue. Not only is it applicable within the human realm, but it also extends universally to all sentient beings and myriad forms of life.
Virtue: It manifests the depth of relationships, which is intrinsically linked to one's own capacity for understanding and experiential realization. The moral principles of the human world must be established within one's own mindset and perspective to be correct. Therefore, what the human world pursues is precisely this: cultivating virtue is of considerable necessity, serving as a foundation for nurturing life.
Virtue and Vice – It is about striking a balance between the two, and the equilibrium between virtue and vice is itself a facet of human nature, precisely the point of balance unknown to the human world. Because the human world is one balanced between virtue and vice, in every era there are people of good morality as well as wicked evildoers.
This relates to: the concept of human cultivation and the cycle of karma from past lives. Thus, both virtue and vice are distinctions within human nature. Yet neither virtue nor vice can fully comprehend what they are doing—they are merely manifested through actions governed by prior causes. The polarization between virtue and vice in the human world is but an expression of an inherent aspect of human nature.
Enlightening sentient beings to manifest virtuous nature has been the educational legacy passed down through the ages. Why, then, does it remain so difficult to achieve the manifestation of virtue even today? Instead, humanity increasingly adopts malevolence as its orientation for survival. Moreover, are the various evils emerging in the contemporary era due to deficiencies in educational culture, or is it that virtue cannot be fully manifested and is thus challenging to apply in the human world?
Malevolence—this is an expression of human nature, and in the act of committing evil, one is originally aware of one's own actions, yet unable to grasp how to control them. Furthermore, under the cyclical interplay of past-life karma and reincarnation, everything is connected to the alternation of one's own causes and consequences. Since malevolence is also a part of human nature, how can it be eradicated?
To discern whether the methods applied in the human world are correct or authentic, how can we eliminate the manifestation of malignant tendencies? We must strengthen the cultivation of virtue! When an individual is deeply entrenched in malignant tendencies, leading to adverse phenomena in society and the nation, it is essential to eradicate these tendencies and guide them toward virtue.
In the realm of educational and cultural curricula, it is essential to establish fundamental concepts. However, contemporary education and cultivation in society and schools tend to focus solely on the material aspects of human livelihood. They primarily orient individuals toward the pursuit of sustenance, neglecting the cultivation of spiritual dimensions. Without guiding people to nurture moral virtues in the spiritual realm, the full expression of these virtues becomes exceedingly difficult to achieve.
In this era of rapid technological advancement and civilizational progress, human existence has become more abundant and prosperous than ever before. Yet, in the very process of manifesting human virtues, there is a lack of practical moral instruction and educational frameworks—truly a sorrow for humanity! What can be done? It is imperative to actively practice and implement ethics and morality!
Hence, the initiation of the "Confucian Sacred Teaching" and the "True Buddha Heart School" for education and spiritual transmission by the Supreme Heaven was precisely facilitated by the establishment of the "Wuji Great Dao Academy" in the human world, which constitutes the sacred mission of Chongxin in the future. It also strictly requires all virtuous disciples of Chongxin to actively align with the educational and spiritual courses of the Supreme Heaven, deeply embedding virtue within the human world.
The sacred mission of venerating the heart is extraordinary, aiming to be more profound, extensive, and even more practical than the education and teachings of the past. Moreover, the continuous issuance of the "Da Dao Series Celestial Books" is precisely intended by the Divine to enable all sentient beings in the world of affection to attain the fundamental conditions for return.
In the process of acquiring sufficient resources, how should one obtain them? This relates to the fundamental actions of Chongxin and the responsibilities undertaken by the *Chongxin Magazine*. These matters are of great significance, and it is essential to strictly require all virtuous associates to utilize the technological advancements of the current era to manifest in the sentient world, as this is the true reality!
The core curriculum and sacred duties of the Confucian Sacred Teaching and the True Buddha Heart School, if not deeply rooted in virtue, signify that the endeavors of Chongxin lack authenticity and breadth. The responsible leaders must bear the divine retribution from Heaven. As Chongxin formally enters its second phase of transition, there are stringent requirements for all virtuous affiliates of Chongxin in advancing the overall mission of the Dao.
The seeds of virtue are accumulated through lifetimes,
All goodness and blessedness rely upon them.
Merit is not sought for personal gain,  
Yet the accumulation of hidden virtue grows abundant.
Cultivate the vast field of merit with deep devotion,  
Nurturing beautiful connections and harmonious relations.
Virtue nurtures all sentient beings with grace,  
Endless blessings follow, wealth and virtue embrace.
How should this be applied to the technology of the present era? It is to genuinely manifest the virtuous will of the Supreme Heaven within the sentient world, enabling all living beings to fully comprehend the truth and practically return to it. This is precisely the central sacred mission of the second phase of Chongxin, which consequently inaugurates the third phase of the sacred mission—embedding benevolent wisdom deeply within virtue.
Furthermore, it is possible to manifest the True Suchness and reveal the Buddha-nature through the human world, thereby entering the Pure Land of the Lotus Buddha Kingdom. There is no need to participate in the "Three Assemblies of the Dragon Flower and the Maitreya Pure Land" to further refine one's practice. It is essential to understand that the operation of "The True Meaning of Heaven and Earth's Evolution" is precisely what enables all sentient beings to achieve their return.
Chapter Thirty-One: The Essence of the Soul
## Ancient Buddha Nanping Daoji

English Translation:
April 18, 2000  
The fourteenth day of the third lunar month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
Unfurl the Great Way and journey ten thousand miles;  
The fruition of accomplishment relies on oneself.
The teacher imparts wisdom across generations,  
With spiritual nature as the foundation of all existence.
Virtue, Wisdom, and Intelligence:  
To enter into the very essence of virtue requires deep cultivation within one’s moral character. It involves discerning between “goodness and baseness” in human nature, while also, in the original substance of spirituality, applying the distinction between the true principles governing human existence and worldly principles. The aim is to take responsibility for oneself and to provide, through one’s own life, the conditions that nourish and sustain existence.
It is precisely by providing the capital for survival, which is indispensable in the human world, that one possesses the capacity for self-sufficiency. If this is lacking, one cannot smoothly navigate the human world. To achieve a balanced and harmonious process of existence, one must inevitably confront numerous obstacles and adversities. The outcome is precisely a result of one's own insufficient experience.
Spirituality: This is a fundamental condition inherent in every sentient being, whether they have already attained realization, have yet to attain it, or may in the future achieve the states of sages, immortals, buddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth—all are equally endowed with this nature. In the human world, if one fails to fully cultivate the innate goodness and virtue rooted in "spirituality," it becomes exceedingly difficult to pursue the upward refinement of human nature.
The accumulation of experiences throughout all processes of existence aims to enable one to take responsibility for oneself and to fulfill one's role appropriately within the human world. If one fails to properly embody oneself, it may instead inflict a rather cruel harm upon oneself in the human world. What, then, is the cause of this?
If the human world cannot accumulate sufficient resources for ascension, it merely becomes the seed cause for repeated rebirth in the next cycle. After too many cycles of reincarnation, boundless sinful karma will be created. Moreover, the role one plays in the human world—whether one can achieve complete elevation in each lifetime—is precisely this! All of these are profoundly interconnected.
The Original Essence of Spirituality: All beings inherently possess this oneness, and no individual can augment or diminish it. It ultimately depends on whether one can fully cultivate profound virtue within human existence. Its function lies in this: when one is richly endowed with the conditions for human survival, what could possibly be lacking in the human world? This process reveals a significant divergence.
The original essence of human spirituality is precisely constituted by: equality of faith, equality of religion, equality of all sentient beings, equality of Buddha-nature, equality of Bodhisattvas, equality of holy spirits, and equality of immortals and Buddhas. There is absolutely no deficiency in those who have fallen into the underworld or other sentient beings in degradation. Moreover, all are uniformly equal, and this principle of fairness is even more so inherent in the oneness of all existence.
Does the orientation of human existence lead to the accumulation of rich experience or not? And the point of judging whether one is creating karma or cultivating blessings lies within the spiritual realm, manifesting in the present moment of human life. It serves as the fundamental provision for one’s future achievements, marking precisely the distinction between ascent and descent. This is where one ought to pursue growth, elevation, and a return to transcendence.
Descent: It is only when negativity becomes deeply ingrained in the spirit that spiritual pollution occurs and becomes unbreakable. At this stage, one can hardly comprehend the true meaning of the operation of heaven and earth, nor can one gain clarity on how to fully manifest the accumulated experiences of one’s own existence through one’s actions. Often, it is precisely the inability to understand the true meaning of the workings of heaven and earth that leads to this state.
To know only that there is myself alone, without even realizing that beyond myself there exists a vast multitude of sentient beings, and to perceive all spiritual beings as one and the same, yet within spirituality failing to realize the point of union between myself and all beings—this calls for an endless curriculum of education and culture imparted by the vast multitude of beings.
One must be able to comprehend the true meaning of the operation of heaven and earth, and not be merely influenced by one's own superficial knowledge, while fulfilling the definition of human existence within the vast space of heaven and earth. One must manifest one's own spirituality for elevation, thereby creating boundless blessings and virtues. This is precisely the mindset and perspective that all beings in the world today should possess.
Furthermore, from the perspective of Chongxin, it is precisely about creating blessings for the sentient world. It also strictly demands that Chongxin establish "systems, regulations, codes, and norms" in the present moment, to facilitate the inheritance of future educational culture. This constitutes the core curriculum of the "Confucian Sacred Teaching and True Buddha Heart School," aimed at deepening virtue within the spiritual essence, grounding it in the original nature of spirituality.
Otherwise, if sentient beings are unable to accumulate the provisions necessary for return, how can they achieve liberation in the present moment? Thus, the Divine has initiated the early commencement of the Dragon Flower Assembly in three gatherings, to be accomplished here and now. This enables sentient beings to accelerate their return beyond fundamental limitations, precisely by transcending all religious distinctions!
then in the future, there will be no need to enter the Three Dragon-Flower Assemblies and await the Maitreya Pure Land for further cultivation. Instead, it is about elevating all sentient beings in the present moment, laying the fundamental groundwork for their return and transcendence. It is in this very time and space, through the sacred duties of the Great Dao that Chongxin must shoulder, that greater learning and growth can be achieved, thereby reducing future hardships.
Spirituality is innate to humanity,  
It can be cultivated across all species without distinction.
Sentient beings exist in tiers,  
Elevation and transcendence lead to attainment.
The innate spirituality of all beings  
Has long been rooted in the primordial foundation.
Differentiated by cause, effect, and retribution,  
Species vary, transforming their forms and appearances.
To comprehend in the present moment how to promote the true meaning of the Heavenly Realm! To guide all human beings back to their origins, offering the sublime and genuine principles of truth, granting this generation a complete transcendence, and fulfilling the sacred duty and heavenly mandate of the immortal and buddha teachers—this is the great task, great mission, and great responsibility of Chongxin! Ha! Ha! Amid laughter, we bid farewell.
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Three Hun Souls of Spirit
## The Ruler of the Southern Heaven, Emperor Wengheng the Sage
April 21, 2000 The Seventeenth Day of the Third Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
What blossoms fill the world of mortals?  
The Way of Immortals, selfless, knows no beginning.
A maiden cultivates the path of immortality,
Through virtuous deeds, she embodies the essence of humanity.
The fundamental spirit of humanity enters the mundane world, transforming all human actions into focal points of life-nourishing orientation. This means taking life nourishment as the direction and survival as the foundation, which must be fully realized in the human realm. It is precisely the "universal currency" that can be possessed, and it is also judged in relation to one's past lives, accumulated lifetimes, as well as the deeds and actions of this present life.
Whether the "universal currency" is abundant or lacking in due conditions determines the orientation of one's existence toward sufficiency or scarcity. In the past, it was customary to rely on religion as the "path of simplicity" for sustenance, without seeking the luxurious fulfillment of the "path of affluence." This allowed one to let go, to be free from attachments, and to embrace faith with lightness and ease.
Thus it is said: One must possess lightness and freedom without attachments—this can only be attained by cultivating virtuous qualities. Poverty, in turn, arises from a lack of resources for sowing seeds in the field of merit, which results in the absence of wealth and blessings in this life. Furthermore, the legacy of past education and teachings, when focused solely on self-growth and transcendence, becomes a path of self-benefit rather than benefiting others.
As times change, with the shifting of eras comes the evolution of Dharma. If one merely indulges in self-attainment without benefiting sentient beings, it becomes difficult to meet the demands of the present age. To believe that one is already complete in oneself inevitably hinders the liberation of countless beings. This is the nature of the "self-liberated one," who acts only as a "solitary realizer," seeking personal enlightenment alone.
As the evolution of technological civilization progresses through the ages, if one remains merely a "self-liberated practitioner" and ceases to extend compassion downward to the multitudes of sentient beings, it becomes exceedingly difficult to embody the "awakened beings with compassion" characteristic of the "Mahayana Bodhisattva." Instead, one may focus solely on personal growth and accumulating sufficient provisions for return, which is precisely what is profoundly difficult to comprehend!
The grace of Heaven thus unfolds: the propagation of the Confucian Sacred Teachings and the True Buddha Heart School is established upon the foundation of present abundance, wherein one embodies all benefits of human existence. Only after achieving such fulfillment can one extend this grace to all sentient beings. This is the unchanging principle, as echoed in the ancient saying: first destiny, second fortune, third feng shui, fourth learning, and fifth the practice of virtue.
I. Ming (Life Destiny)
It is an innate destiny, immutable and unalterable. At the moment of birth, all life orientations are predetermined—whether favorable or adverse, fortunate or calamitous, all are preordained. Thus, destiny is innate, and its unchangeable nature lies precisely in this. This constitutes the core of human existence that is exceedingly difficult to transform.
II. Yun (Movement)
After birth, one undergoes a conditioning process influenced by environment, time, space, location, and survival orientation, thereby shaping one’s future direction and conduct. All of this is governed by one’s acquired fortune, which distinguishes future good and evil, fortune and misfortune, and ultimately determines the prosperity or decline of this lifetime.
In the first twenty years of life, one undergoes a learning process, regardless of prior experience. Through a learning-oriented approach, one enriches the accumulation of personal experience. Guided by ancestors, parents, teachers, and formal education, these teachings become the foundational causes for the maturation of one's own experience, thereby enabling survival and growth.
Later Fortune: This twenty-year period of cultivation and influence represents a process of social experience and insight, which can establish a model and foundation for future conduct and actions. It is therefore built upon the overall experience and learning of the previous twenty years, as well as the refinement of the subsequent twenty years. Combined, these phases encompass a total of forty years.
In the process of learning, when time, space, environment, geography, and educational resources are equally deficient, it becomes difficult to apply such learning in the present era. Alternatively, if one relies solely on past learning experiences to adapt to survival orientations—constructed through the interplay of innate destiny and acquired fortune—then one's path is predominantly governed by the influence of "fortune."
III. Feng Shui
It is the totality of geographical environment. In Feng Shui itself, all existence can align with the mutual generation and restraint of the Five Elements, as well as their cyclical interactions. Moreover, it does not bring harm to oneself, which is precisely the function of mutual generation among the Five Elements. Within the harmonious interplay of the Five Elements, it avoids conflicting with one's own orientation toward survival.
In the study of Feng Shui geography, one seeks to create a more ideal living environment. However, due to disparities in time, space, and environmental factors, the five elements often fail to generate and support one another, instead turning to conflict and mutual restraint. This results in the accumulation of external disturbances, which is precisely what arises from unfavorable Feng Shui geography.
This pertains to the curriculum established through twenty years of education and cultivation—how should one conduct oneself in determining the direction of one’s existence? If one is dominated by external and internal disruptive factors, it is inevitably due to a lack of understanding. By fully comprehending the principles of feng shui and geography, one can create a more ideal living space for oneself—a truth that humanity has yet to fully grasp.
IV. On Reading
In the present era, if one approaches reading merely as a means to fulfill the principles of survival-oriented education, it becomes impossible to elevate one's own spirit. This is precisely the sorrow of educators in our time. Moreover, reading is often reduced to a process of acquiring rules for survival, accumulating them only as a basis for future life experience.
If it is said that Confucianism has long declined in the present era, and that contemporary students can hardly comprehend how Confucianism served as the pioneer of educational culture, then it must also be understood that reading should not be a rigid, lifeless exercise. If one cannot effectively apply what is learned to daily life, it becomes difficult to grasp, through reading, the process of understanding the direction of human existence.
How to Apply Comprehensive Integration? Since pursuing education is a key component of contemporary national education policies, one can enhance knowledge through learning and effectively utilize technological civilization. In response to today's boundless reach of telecommunications and audiovisual media—which condenses the vastness of heaven and earth onto a single screen—this involves using the human mind to advance the development of technological computing.
V. Practicing Goodness
Whether in religious education or the transmission of ethical principles, it is essential to recognize that humanity is precisely a species of sentient beings polarized between "doing good and committing evil." If one focuses solely on academic learning and education, it becomes impossible to elevate the soul. This inevitably leads to sinking into the "world of material objects" without the complementary balance of the "spiritual world."
they will be influenced by the world of material objects, leading them to recognize only the "world of material objects" while remaining unaware of the "spiritual world." As for how sentient beings can return to the Wuji Heavenly Realm of Principle, the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Void Celestial Realm, or the Cosmic Celestial Realm, they merely understand the existence of heaven, earth, and material objects. They are fundamentally incapable of comprehending that this distinction arises precisely from the differentiation of the mind and spirit!
In the realm of material existence, if one cannot speak of practicing goodness and only understands the roots of creating evil, it becomes a profoundly cruel reality for oneself. Practicing goodness, however, accumulates the foundations for various spiritual realms in the future. Through continuous transcendence and transformation, one may enter a state unaffected by the material world, thereby avoiding the suppression of one’s own spiritual ascension.
The correctness of whether one can possess inexhaustible resources in the future depends entirely on whether one can return to and transcend the accumulation of merit. This has given rise to the concept in human society: "First, destiny; second, fortune; third, feng shui; fourth, study; fifth, virtuous conduct." This is precisely the fundamental concept that must be understood in the present era.
It is essential to first cultivate oneself through virtuous deeds and diligent study, thereby refining one's character, in order to comprehend how to enhance noble qualities through the principles of feng shui and geographical environment. This enables one to transform the acquired constitution that influences one's fortune, creating an upward-driving force to refine one's innate destiny. Such an approach will inevitably bring forth benevolent blessings that benefit all sentient beings.
Innate destiny is hard to alter,  
One's fortune in life depends on oneself.
The Feng Shui and geography are infinitely favorable,  
Mutually generating and supporting without conflict.
The essence of reading transforms inherent causes;  
The process of education should clarify understanding.
Doing good is the original nature of man;  
Through causes and conditions, one achieves autonomous action.
This verse! May it inspire all sentient beings together;  
Whether one can embody the essence of such causes and conditions depends on oneself.  
Understanding this clarifies the process of sustaining existence,  
And further enriches the accumulation of merit and wisdom.  
It enables accomplishment, return, transcendence, and perfection,  
While also constructing and clarifying the path of the Bodhisattva in the Mahayana tradition—  
Awakening sentient beings through compassionate action.  
All this is achieved through one’s own diligent effort!
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Seven Emotions of Hun and Po

English Translation:
## Jiutian Siming Zhenjun
April 28, 2000  
The 24th Day of the Third Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
Plum blossoms in March bear fruit in May — 
The self is firmly established, come what may.
The Great Dao turns without partiality or bias,  
The Immortal Elder's virtuous deeds bring vast blessings.
The affinity of virtuous karma enters the process of human survival orientation. Whether the development and cultivation of virtuous karma can be achieved in the human world, and the concept of feng shui geography, is precisely based on the support of sentient beings in the human realm. It is among the Yellow race in the land of Huaxia that such a concept can emerge, guiding and integrating all descendants of Yan and Huang.
It is said in ancient times: first destiny, second fortune, third feng shui, fourth learning, and fifth virtuous deeds. These five concepts remain applicable to the yellow race of Huaxia and are commonly embraced by the descendants of Yan and Huang. Among other foreign peoples, however, these five concepts are rarely found. Yet, through human actions within destiny, feng shui, learning, and virtuous deeds, blessings are certain to be attained.
Cause and Effect: Transformation Through Good Deeds  
In the process of existence and within one's environment, it is essential to understand what was anciently termed "ming" (destiny)—determined over countless lifetimes and fixed at the moment of birth as a human. One's fortunes and misfortunes, prosperity and decline in this life are shaped by causes created in past lives, which manifest as present effects. Thus, one either enjoys blessed rewards or encounters the disturbances of karmic consequences.
Predestined Causes—These are established at the moment of birth, making them difficult to alter within one’s innate destiny. Consequently, the karmic causes and effects from past lives have already shaped all actions in this present life, which are further influenced by the accumulation of various predestined causes from previous existences. This process determines the orientation of one’s current life—what is commonly referred to as "innate fate."
How can one discern the value orientation of innate destiny to judge a person’s actions in this life? It is extremely difficult to know! As for whether one makes efforts according to the momentum of acquired "fortune" to transform the environment for survival, how can we understand the orientation of human existence? It is distinguished by actions in life—whether they lead to enjoyment or suffering.
In the process of existence, every individual encounters numerous interferences from karmic causes and effects. Such interferences, in fact, serve as a counteracting force. It is precisely through the various factors of this lifetime, combined with human actions, that in the course of human survival orientation, one ultimately arrives at a state where goodness and evil are intertwined.
It is a process guided by one's acquired fortune, serving as a basis for assessing whether one's actions have proceeded smoothly or encountered repeated adversities. One should understand that acquired fortune is precisely related to the process of one's own efforts and practice, which is the correct perspective. Thus, it is through acquired efforts that one can transform the accumulated negative karmic causes from the past.
In the present era, sentient beings must understand the process precisely because "Feng Shui geography" was applicable in ancient times, but in today's age of technological civilization, it has become relatively less significant! Therefore, all determinations made in the past may not be entirely applicable or suitable for the current era.
It is precisely one's own attitude toward survival that constitutes the most crucial factor. When encountering even the slightest adversity in life, doubts often arise, leading to a loss of confidence. One may wonder whether it is due to unfavorable feng shui and geomancy or some other malign influence. Taking feng shui and geomancy into consideration, are there any deficiencies or conflicts that may be at play?
One often becomes psychologically dominated by various adversities and dissatisfactions, turning into a person who lacks confidence and is filled with doubts and suspicions. They may contemplate altering the feng shui and geographical environment, yet fail to realize that in foreign lands, it is inherently difficult to cultivate such a mindset or develop a sense of trust and reliance on feng shui and geographical principles.
One must take action regarding one's living environment, reorganizing it with a human-centered mindset and setting out anew through inner transformation. While the principles of feng shui and geography in the Central Plains indeed exist, they are by no means the primary determinants of survival. It is the renewal of human attitudes, thoughts, and perspectives toward existence that constitutes the correct path forward.
Feng Shui Geography: Does it concern the comfort of living orientation? Precisely, it relates to the fullness or deficiency of "virtuous merit" among human beings, which is determined by the condition of "fundamental prosperity." In ancient times, the human world had a higher illiteracy rate, and people were unable to understand the concepts of Feng Shui geography in life, which lies in the interplay of mutual generation and restraint among the Five Elements.
Few can enjoy the long-term protection of feng shui and geographical blessings, which raises the question of whether one possesses sufficient virtuous merit, blessed virtue, and hidden virtue to sustain it. This leads to the inquiry of whether one can truly receive shelter or benefit from feng shui and geographical influences. Ultimately, it relates to whether humanity can cultivate blessed virtue, public virtue, inner virtue, and the capacity to receive such protection.
Throughout the dynasties of ancient times, emperors would invariably seek renowned masters of feng shui and geomancy to locate dragon veins and auspicious sites. Yet they fundamentally failed to comprehend that true benefit for oneself and all sentient beings lies in the cultivation of virtue. Without establishing such enduring merits—benevolent deeds, hidden virtues, public merits, and inner moral integrity—it becomes difficult to enjoy lasting blessings, prosperity, and nobility.
Thus, the art of Feng Shui and geomancy indeed exists, but it must be attained by those of virtue. Such Feng Shui and geomancy are shaped by one's own accumulated merit and virtue, thereby enabling self-fulfillment! Moreover, with the advancement of technological civilization in this era, illiteracy has become increasingly rare in contemporary times. In such an age, the dissemination of technology can reach every corner without boundaries.
If one is willing, one can acquire knowledge from books, which in this era is more readily available than in any other time. Through the process of learning, one can expand into broader fields of study, or achieve self-improvement via television media and telecommunications, thereby further dispelling ignorance.
The value of enriching one's existence through "reading" lies in learning throughout life and continuing to learn even as one returns. Humans often find it easy to come into this world, but not necessarily easy to return. Thus, the question arises: if one can come well, can one also return well? This is precisely the process that all beings today should strive to learn.
It is precisely through reading that we accumulate experiential knowledge and grow, which is the deep-rooted wisdom. From this deep-rooted wisdom, we learn to apply it to survive in the human world, with the essential principle being "to come well and depart well." Through reading, we come to understand and establish blessings and virtues for ourselves, as well as for all sentient beings! This is the fundamental purpose of reading and education, enabling us to benefit ourselves.
Through the widespread availability of books and the promotion of virtuous texts, those who sincerely seek learning can receive edification anytime, anywhere, and in any environment through books or virtuous texts. Moreover, one can gain numerous benefits from books and virtuous texts, thereby dissolving the obstructions of past ignorance.
Through the inclusion of numerous ethical and moral concepts in virtuous texts, individuals are guided to persistently follow the path of performing good deeds and practicing charity. By cultivating goodness, one can transform the accumulated negative factors from the past and reduce the buildup of unwholesome karma. This approach aligns with the promotion of technological and civilizational progress in the current era, enabling the accumulation of knowledge.
May all sentient beings come to understand what is good and what is evil! This will surely reduce humanity’s susceptibility to harmful temptations, thereby establishing a fundamental source of nourishment for future elevation and progress. Moreover, one must not harbor thoughts of reward when performing good deeds, nor should one speak of them frequently—this in itself is a noble manifestation of virtuous conduct.
All beings naturally favor goodness, truth, beauty, and virtue, while rejecting evil, misfortune, and adversity. This inclination reflects an inherent orientation in the consciousness of sentient beings. The key lies in accumulating merit through virtuous deeds, thereby shaping one’s destiny. It is through the process of learning and seeking knowledge that one ceases to create causes for suffering and calamity. Thus, by understanding and practicing virtuous conduct acquired through study, one accomplishes not only one’s own fulfillment but also the well-being of all beings.
Performing good deeds and giving alms cultivate fields of merit,  
Supporting printing and promotion extends the reach of virtuous fortune.
Transforming and purifying the hearts of all beings
Naturally enhances the merit and fruits of practice.
When thoughts arise, hold no attachment;  
In receiving feedback, seek conceptual clarity.
The mind of contrivance diminishes,  
While merit cultivation finds ease in its genesis.
Tonight, observing the momentum of the Chongxin Dao Lineage fills this teacher and others with profound joy and celebration! It is essential to always maintain the initial aspiration, for this enables one to persevere in practice without retreating from the resolve. To aspire to become an immortal, a sage, a Buddha, an enlightened one, or a Bodhisattva will then become much easier. Ha, ha, ha, ha! Amidst the laughter, words of farewell are spoken.
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Differentiation of Po

English Translation:
## Yue, the Martial King of Utmost Loyalty, Marshal Yue

Yue Fei, the Martial King of Utmost Loyalty, Marshal Yue
May 2, 2000 — The 28th day of the third lunar month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
How sublime is the love of Han Xian for all beings!  
The truth of Xiang Tiao is freely arranged by each individual.
The Master says virtue and wisdom bring blessings,  
The Great Dao enlightens hearts to transform the world.
Geomancy (Feng Shui): It is thus integrated into studying, practicing good deeds, and upholding principles, with humanity serving as the essential counterpart to oneself in nurturing life. It not only aids in determining one’s orientation toward survival but also manifests the human existence process. Moreover, it relates to the accumulation of causes from past lives, which shapes the fortune or misfortune, goodness or adversity of the present life.
One's fate, two's fortune, three's feng shui, four's study, five's virtuous conduct—these are processes through which one's orientation toward existence manifests whether one is good or bad, right or wrong, wise or foolish. They further determine how one may become the master of one's own future—or be swayed by circumstances and become a slave to oneself!
One can choose the orientation of one's survival desires, yet within the innate endowments of "Ming and Yun" and their subsequent unfolding, it is precisely the connection to one's own causes and effects, as well as the present actions taken in the here and now, that matter most. It is Ming that takes the lead, determining how one bears oneself within the currents of Yun—how one orients oneself and how one acts.
Destiny is governed by innate fate, which cannot be broken. Since it is predetermined from the primordial origin, it remains immutable within the framework of fate. However, shaped by the circumstances of existence, one may cultivate a process of life transformation across successive lifetimes. This arises from the conditions of survival, further influenced by time, space, location, and action.
All of these are related to the extent of one's future misfortunes, blessings, prosperity, and decline. It is through these elements of fortune and adversity that one establishes an orientation for survival. Whether it manifests as comfort or unfavorable circumstances, it is all shaped by the karmic causes and effects from past lives, forming the acquired fortune of the present moment. This is primarily driven by human factors, which constitute the most significant relationship.
Surveying the founding of the Ming Dynasty, in the struggles between Emperor Taizu and his rivals, how could he have ascended to the throne and become the founding emperor without the wisdom and strategic guidance of the third-party National Preceptor, Liu Bowen, who understood the workings of celestial destiny and the process of divine will? It was precisely due to the shortcomings of his opponents that the founding of the dynasty was ultimately shaped by acquired fortune and circumstance.
The recent selection of leaders in the Taiwan region follows a similar pattern. What should not have been theirs was ultimately shaped by acquired fortune, leading to the displacement or transformation of their own or others' original positions. This results in the utter defeat of the opposing side, making it impossible to leverage the human factors within acquired fortune in accordance with innate destiny to create the conditions for success.
It is precisely by altering the innate destiny and then leveraging acquired fortune to facilitate it—this is "the times produce their heroes." It demonstrates that through human effort in the acquired realm, one can modify the influence of innate destiny on acquired fortune. The most crucial factor in human agency lies in whether those in positions of authority can prioritize the greater good or align themselves with the compassionate welfare of all beings between heaven and earth!
When one enjoys fortune and power alone yet faces elimination, it is determined by human factors and choices—specifically, whether one can contribute to the welfare of all beings. This is precisely what determines the depth of collective fortune. Only by sustaining a benevolent and enduring care for all sentient beings under heaven and earth can one act rightly.
Virtue, Merit, and Wisdom: These are fundamental concepts that sentient beings must uphold in the human world. One must never rely on strength to oppress the weak. In the principles of heaven and earth, this reflects the law of reversion when things reach their extreme. It is essential to understand: when one accumulates profound virtue and merit for oneself, one should further extend profound virtue and merit to benefit the welfare of all sentient beings!
In the practice of virtuous deeds, the concept of "doing good to obtain blessings" should be understood as taking the welfare of all sentient beings as its foundation and upholding the protection of all beings in heaven and earth. This is fundamentally related to the basic principles of the sentient world and, more importantly, to the essential principles and truths of the vast cosmos. It can thus be implemented within the human realm.
Regarding the attainment of blessings and wisdom through virtuous deeds, one must not harbor the notion that performing good acts solely yields personal merit from one's own practice. It is essential to emulate heaven and earth, to learn from the sun and moon in their selfless and egoless actions. This means transcending one's own capacity for action to reach a state of non-action. Within the fundamental truth, one can, through one's deeds, far surpass the karmic causes and effects formed in past lives, thereby resolving the formation of karmic causes and karmic results.
One must not consider oneself as performing good deeds or accumulating merit. It is essential to learn from the sun, moon, heaven, and earth in their revolutions—shining upon and nurturing all things selflessly and effortlessly. All embody a spirit of universal love and equality, which is the true principle! By neither seeking thoughts of doing good nor pursuing merit, one acts spontaneously and operates naturally.
In maintaining a genuine and enduring attitude toward oneself—through the fulfillment of merit, virtue, inner integrity, and hidden virtue—and through the accumulation of wisdom, one transcends the very notions of merit and virtuous action. By abandoning such thoughts, there is fundamentally no need to seek merit or strive for virtuous deeds. This arises from a fundamental mindset of nurturing one’s own educational and cultural foundation.
It is imperative to understand that in the human realm, one has already entered the practice of the Mahayana Bodhisattva path, engaging in conscious and compassionate actions. This is not merely confined to performing virtuous deeds and accumulating merits, allowing oneself to merely safeguard minor blessings. One must realize that it is through active engagement that non-action is achieved; only by transforming the mindset of seeking accomplishments can one fully accumulate wisdom and blessings eternally.
It must be self-guarded, self-cultivated, self-practiced, and self-attained. This will lead to virtue, blessings, and wisdom, surpassing even the benefits of favorable geography and feng shui. In the long run, it will endow one with advantages in destiny, fortune, feng shui, and learning. To understand and practice goodness is to safeguard the ultimate source of wisdom and virtue, thereby preventing one from sinking into the abyss of wrongdoing.
Innate destiny is set by past lives;  
Present fortune is shaped by this life's deeds.
The principles of feng shui and geography truly exist,
Transforming them surpasses innate causes.
Reading dispels confusion and ignorance,  
Doing good reaps blessings and cultivates wisdom.
Experience accumulates and can be followed  
Wisdom and virtue deepen and are better upheld.
May all students of the Chongxin Dao lineage accumulate the fundamental sources of profound wisdom and profound virtue, without harboring thoughts of performing good deeds or accumulating merit. In deeply embedding educational and cultural values, one must not entertain such notions, for only then can one attain inexhaustible virtue and boundless wisdom in the future, perpetuating an eternal legacy without end.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Functions of the Corporeal Soul

The corporeal soul is the foundation of life, the vessel that carries the spirit. Its functions are manifold, serving as the bridge between the spiritual and the physical. Through the corporeal soul, the will of the spirit manifests in action, and the experiences of the body are conveyed to the consciousness. It governs instinct, sensation, and the immediate responses to the external world. Without the corporeal soul, the spirit would be adrift, unable to engage with the material realm. Thus, nurturing and harmonizing the corporeal soul is essential for aligning one's being with the Dao.
## Supreme Sovereign of the Middle Realm: Dongyue the Great Emperor
May 5, 2000, the second day of the fourth lunar month in the Gengchen year (Friday)
The principles of life are ever-changing and profound,  
National prosperity and people's peace are the true theme.
On the Misconceptions of Fate by Jiu: The True Meaning of Illuminating the Heart in the Great Dao
One's destiny, two's fortune, three's feng shui, four's education, and five's virtuous deeds. To truly understand destiny, one must rely on the power of acquired actions. The inherent factors contained within one's innate destiny serve as the foundation for the unfolding of sentient beings' past-life imprints, thereby shaping the process of blessings and misfortunes in this life.
Furthermore, "cause" encompasses the original convergence of conditions and affinities, which is oriented toward survival in the acquired realm. Sentient beings must not cling solely to "innate destiny" while neglecting the transformations brought about by "acquired fortune." To do so would be an act of profound cruelty toward oneself. In the human world, this is precisely the "realm of life transformation."
If one cannot comprehend the meaning of life, it becomes difficult to educate oneself or draw from the experiences of the survival process. Without understanding the conditions that support one’s actions in life—and without assessing whether one possesses the acquired momentum to navigate future circumstances—there emerges a mythologizing of fate. This, in turn, leads to confusion within such a predicament.
"Fate" is innate and immutable, while fortune is acquired and can be altered through human conduct to change unfavorable circumstances. Whether one enjoys blessings or encounters calamities is governed by the innate predispositions that dictate all unfolding events. The key lies in whether one can transcend reliance on "innate fate" within the interplay of "fate and fortune," and instead strive to reshape it through "acquired fortune."
In the myth of "innate destiny and acquired fortune," humans often seek out fortune-tellers to understand their fate and uncertain future, hoping to discern their future life direction, fortune, misfortune, glory, or decline. However, such practices can only serve as references, as one's future path is rarely determined solely by divination or fate-reading, which cannot guarantee complete accuracy.
Thus one can break free from the dominance of innate destiny, while also containing it within the innate realm. Only by establishing predetermined actions in the innate state can one reflect upon the various deeds of this life, thereby discerning whether one has achieved progress amidst the illusions of fate. Through such efforts for the future, one may come to understand all processes and actions—how they unfold—and truly distinguish the noble from the base in humanity!
Yet often reality diverges from our wishes, and it remains difficult to comprehend the myriad karmic seeds stored from past lives and the fortunes or misfortunes, flourishing or decline experienced in this present existence. It is precisely by piercing through the secrets of heaven that one also breaks the hold of celestial design over the future. Thus, for every measure of self-reliant effort and diligent striving, there emerges a corresponding measure of nurturing inner drive. This further distinguishes the future as either an "orientation toward" or a "grasping after."
"The Myth of Fate" often manifests when a third party informs one of the measure of their blessings. If one relies solely on this and fails to exert effort, it becomes difficult to bring into effect the destiny predetermined by Heaven. Moreover, one may fail to align with their original life's course in receiving fortune, misfortune, honor, or decline, thereby ultimately harming their future blessings.
Thus, in relation to oneself, this is a rather cruel act—"Heaven's afflictions may still be avoided, but self-inflicted calamities leave no escape." Precisely within the interplay of destiny and fortune, if one fails to comprehend that "innate fate and acquired fortune" must be improved through one's own efforts—to rectify the manifestations of past negative karmic causes—it further highlights the need to elevate oneself through virtuous causes and conditions.
Thus it is said: Since all living beings are endowed with a predetermined destiny, if they cannot be shaped through human effort, it becomes difficult to achieve the convergence of causes and conditions. Nor can they come to understand that their fate lies in their own hands, not in the hands of Heaven or others. How, then, can it be said that "the human world is a realm for the transformation of life"? Precisely so!
The misconception of fate inevitably hinders upward elevation, serving instead as a turning point toward descent. Since the Heaven endows all beings equally—granting no individual an extra eye or limb—would it not be strange for anyone to claim superiority over others? Such a person would indeed be peculiar! How then can we comprehend the impartiality and equality of the Heaven?
"Yun" is a post-natal misconception—precisely because self-created causes must be repaid by oneself, and when the collective karma of a family arrives, each member of that family will be affected and may even suffer misfortune. This aligns with the impartiality of the law of cause and effect. Conversely, when the collective merit and blessings of a family arrive, all family members will share in the enjoyment of good fortune.
This constitutes the fundamental factor of familial inheritance, which absolutely cannot be passed on to others, nor can others bear the misfortunes or enjoy the blessings on one’s behalf. Regarding the mystery of fate, all beings are unable to fully comprehend the future fortunes, misfortunes, prosperity, or decline. They can only grasp a general direction, and thus cannot know the detailed processes, specifics, or all the actions and interactions within the human world.
If one cannot deeply comprehend! How then does the process unfold? It is within destiny that human factors—more direct than innate fate—serve as the dividing line between encountering misfortune and enjoying blessings. To transform the entire misconception of fate, one must understand the obscuring obstacles within this very process, for that is the correct path.
Destiny – it is a force that can dictate the fundamental course of one’s life. For those who cultivate themselves or enter into religious practice and receive its influence, is it also necessary to transform the delusion of destiny, or to allow destiny to govern one’s entire life? That is to say, reincarnation after reincarnation—for sentient beings, this is a rather cruel and inhumane practice. How, then, should one see through and dissolve it?
If sentient beings are incapable of transformation, it becomes exceedingly difficult for genuine practitioners to ignite the lamp of wisdom within their hearts. Moreover, to speak of manifesting one's Buddha-nature under such circumstances is like climbing a tree in search of fish—utterly unattainable, truly unattainable! Yet, what of those who remain unaware of the true nature of destiny? How, then, should they elevate themselves in this present life to reveal the True Suchness and manifest their inherent Buddha-nature?
The Heart Lamp is Ignited: Only then can one avoid creating actions that lead to downfall, which are merely seeds of repeated cycles. It is essential to understand this condition—to transform many matters amid the confusion of fate. Although karma is predetermined, it can be altered by human conduct, changing unfavorable outcomes. Are you willing to give it a try?
The Myth of Fate Lies in Self-Determination  
We Accumulate Blessings and Karma Through Our Own Actions
With virtue, wisdom, and merit complete,  
Causes and conditions align and follow in retreat.
The world of sentient beings and material forms,  
To illuminate the mind and see true nature is the first step.
The Buddha-nature manifests, the heart-lamp shines bright  
Endless radiance bestows blessings and auspiciousness
Destiny and fortune, geomancy and scholarship—all can be influenced and transformed by the practice of good deeds. Whether one will be reborn as a human in the next life or fall into the realms of hell or the animal path remains an unknowable mystery to oneself. It is in the very moment of a shift in mindset that one verifies and reveals whether one truly comprehends the original mind and perceives the intrinsic nature. This is precisely the fundamental intent behind the entire work of *The Great Path: Illuminating the Mind*.
Chapter 36: The Primordial Spirit and the Ethereal Soul
## Creation of Writing – Sage Cangjie

English Translation:
May 12, 2000  
The Ninth Day of the Fourth Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
The Eight Immortals Descend to Reveal the Book of Illuminated Hearts  
Lü Dongbin Expounds the Principles of the Great Dao
Fuyou Dijun Descends to Chongxin Academy  
The True Aspect of Fengshui Illuminates Heaven and Earth
The true meaning behind the mystery of destiny and feng shui lies precisely in breaking free from a psychological dependence on human fate and geographical feng shui. It involves transcending the limitations imposed by destiny and feng shui, reconstructing them through human psychology, and integrating them with psychological factors. This is essentially an upward reliance and support function among sentient beings.
From the perspective of Feng Shui: it is precisely the combination of the "energy field and magnetic field" in the geographical environment. Transformation must be achieved through the function of the energy field. In the process of present survival, it involves an act of elevating one's living environment, while also being influenced by that environment. This constitutes the choice that determines whether one's existence is comfortable or not.
Field Fusion! One must circulate one's own survival orientation. When the magnetic field is unfavorable, it is essential to use the energy field to remedy the deficiencies and shortcomings of the magnetic field. The magnetic field is innate, while the energy field can be consciously directed through acquired human effort. This condition allows for the transformation of the living environment, with the most crucial key point being the necessity to secure a comfortable and suitable space.
The pivotal point of the magnetic field is precisely influenced by the feng shui and geography within heaven and earth. Regarding the primary factors of the magnetic field, it must be obtained only by those endowed with sufficient blessings. It is granted to those with both fortune and virtue, distinguished by the guiding function of the innate magnetic field. This is because geographical feng shui possesses its own timeliness, its own critical nature, and its own quality of bestowing blessings upon the virtuous!
If one possesses abundant virtue and merit over the long term, they will inevitably feel blessed in the human world, regardless of whether the surrounding energy field is favorable or unfavorable. Conversely, among those who appear to enjoy smooth circumstances, if they lack virtue and merit, even if they temporarily benefit from an effective energy field—such as favorable geomancy or feng shui—without moral integrity, such blessings will only be short-lived and difficult to sustain in the long run.
Feng Shui Geography: Only those with virtue and merit can attain it. Precisely because of the favorable magnetic field of innate geographical feng shui, one can, through human agency, create a more comfortable and favorable living environment for oneself—this is the essence of a positive energy space. Moreover, the primary factor of innate geographical feng shui is precisely what is referred to today as the magnetic field alone!
In ancient times, the principles of geographical feng shui, if applied to the present era, would certainly be difficult to use as a basis for judgment. Moreover, as times change, methods also evolve accordingly. In past dynasties and imperial reigns, those lacking in virtue inevitably found it difficult to sustain the prosperity of their rule over the long term. Indeed, geographical feng shui plays a crucial role in determining whether future generations will thrive or not.
Favorable or unfavorable geomancy indeed creates a demarcation point for whether a living environment can foster goodness or not! Among the distinctions made in geomancy, further categorized by virtue and vice, blessings and virtue, and karmic retribution, the heavens will bestow accordingly: auspicious geography, prosperous geography, malevolent and wretched geography, unfavorable geography, or noble and wealthy geography.
All are judged based on actions from past lives or the present life to determine suitability for survival, as well as the environment within which one resides, such as the principles of feng shui and geography. Such feng shui and geography not only influence the fortune or misfortune in the lives of oneself and future generations but also serve as sources of either blessings or calamities. Furthermore, the distinction between karmic retribution and virtuous merit is likewise judged according to past lives.
Feng Shui Geography: The differentiation of environmental magnetic fields can be understood through what is referred to in the present era as the function of "energy fields." The ancient saying, "To have good descendants, one must first accumulate virtue," remains an unchanging truth. Moreover, whether it was the ancestors who painstakingly established great achievements and legacies or merely ordinary commoners, the spaces they inhabited possessed distinct magnetic fields and energy fields.
It is essential to understand that within time, space, and the circumstances of existence, all are fundamentally the same. If one relies on human-oriented perspectives as a basis, distinctions can be made between cultivating goodness and perpetuating baseness. That is to say, the blessings bestowed by Heaven upon the virtuous, the benevolent, and those who accumulate hidden merits are all forms of reward and recompense, serving as encouragement for all sentient beings.
The distinction between the innate magnetic field and the acquired energy field is profoundly connected to the retribution of virtuous merits or negative karmic obstacles. It is closely related to whether sentient beings, as perceived by the Heavenly Realm, can comprehend the differences between possessing virtuous merits, blessings, hidden virtues, meritorious deeds, and moral integrity. These distinctions are discerned through the environment of the "energy field and magnetic field" in which one exists.
It is precisely a positive cycle of feng shui geography. In the current era, whether evaluating through the feng shui of heaven and earth or urban feng shui geography, one must possess genuine foundational merit to attain favorable feng shui geography. This ensures optimal ventilation of the magnetic field—the energy field—which truly contributes to peaceful existence and creates a comfortable living space.
The True Theory can only be possessed by those with virtue and fulfilled by those with hidden merits. It arises from a benevolent recompense to oneself and all sentient beings. In terms of energy fields, it is judged by the "orientation of present existence." When compared to the functions of ancient times and the current spacetime, they are already fundamentally different.
If one still clings to the traditional concepts of feng shui and geomancy in environmental thought, can such perspectives achieve balance and gain acceptance for sentient beings in the contemporary era? This is exceedingly difficult! Therefore, sentient beings should understand: whether the feng shui and geographical environment they inhabit possess a favorable innate magnetic field—this cannot be known with certainty!
Thus, within one's own living qi field, the realization of life orientation can be achieved. The most essential factors in this process are to provide: an unobstructed, smooth, luminous, and directly interconnected external qi that complements and supports the field. This constitutes the most fundamental concept and practice, and further represents a primary requirement for creating a relatively improved and favorable living space and qi field.
Regarding the innate feng shui geography of magnetic fields, when viewed through the lens of modern high-rise buildings, can it be said that all who live in such environments are blessed with favorable feng shui? Not necessarily! Moreover, in the present era, whether apartments and villas are constructed with good or poor feng shui geography is directly related to the prosperity of the magnetic field of the entire community.
Such conditions! Precisely determined by one's own choices, they can also be shaped by human factors within the space one inhabits, transforming unfavorable magnetic fields into beneficial energy flows. This serves as the optimal environment for one's comfort and well-being, representing a tangible transformation of feng shui geography.
Feng Shui geography shapes millennia
A favorable magnetic field is earnestly sought
Transforming the Aura to Create a Comfortable Realm  
Understanding Reality to Attain True Freedom
Good fortune arises with the wind and water,  
Yet one must also create and open it oneself.
Virtue and hidden virtue bless oneself,
Passing on to descendants is only right and proper.
It is hoped that one may truly comprehend the essence within feng shui and geography, creating through oneself to transform unfavorable magnetic fields into living spaces with positive energy. Observing the Chongxin Dao lineage, which possesses such celestial opportunities and momentum, serves as the finest testament to the "Confucian Divine Teaching" guiding the "Confucian Sacred Teaching." Blessings! Blessings!
Postscript and Editorial Notes
讚、祝頌、序
## The Old Man of the South Pole
May 16, 2000  
The 13th Day of the Fourth Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
The Central Star of the Northern Celestial Realm  
The Mysterious Heaven Enlightens All Living Beings
The grace of God nourishes all sentient beings,
The true purpose of study is to comprehend the principles clearly.
Sentient beings can comprehend the fundamental purpose of reading as a means to understand and clarify the essence of principles and meanings. By transforming all "models" into guiding orientations for existence, one can discern the definition of survival through reading, and further establish a basis for livelihood orientation within the phenomenal world. This constitutes the fundamental capacity of humanity to grasp conceptual understanding.
The Original Purpose of Reading: It is to cultivate a life-nourishing orientation for oneself and to establish a foundation for one's living environment. Thus, reading begins with recognizing characters, gradually enabling one to acquire and accumulate knowledge. Moreover, it allows one to understand the functions of reading and how they can be applied! Compared to the ancient simplicity and the original intent of reading, it has long since undergone significant deterioration.
In ancient times, the pursuit of study was primarily oriented toward seeking fame, fortune, and official rank. It was often said: "Ten years of arduous study in obscurity, and in one moment of triumph, the whole world knows your name." Moreover, reading was regarded merely as a means to secure honor and wealth. In the present era, however, education has long been divided into various specialized fields, serving as a foundation for one's own survival and aspirations.
The integration of currency circulation and livelihood sustenance must serve as a convergence point for the livelihood orientation of sentient beings or individuals. This is because reading not only provides support for one’s own survival orientation but also aligns with the various technological evolutions of the contemporary era, facilitating the process of learning and growth. Moreover, reading is a means to discern knowledge and acquire experience, thereby benefiting future survival and dependence.
Its purpose: to eliminate the cultural ignorance of the past, to provide sentient beings with accumulated learning experiences, thereby enhancing their long-term well-being; and to offer a virtuous exemplar for the sentient world, enabling beings to learn, accumulate wisdom through experience, and establish the fundamental basis for their own existence.
The original meaning of "reading" lies in the necessity imparted by all books, classics, and the experiences of predecessors. Through books, one comes to understand the processes of their experiences and the subtle traces of their inner journeys. This serves to enhance social well-being for all sentient beings in the world of affection, and also helps eliminate the boundaries of illiteracy among sentient beings.
In the long run: One can comprehend communication in various languages and realize unimpeded success through it. By understanding the core issues and addressing them through communication, not only can conflicts and confrontations between nations be resolved, but mutual enrichment can also be achieved through the study of texts. This is indeed the most effective mode of communication!
"Fate and Feng Shui" without "the pursuit of knowledge" make it difficult to uphold the practice of "doing good deeds." Conversely, without such pursuit, it becomes hard to understand the elevation of experiential knowledge, to comprehend the various mental journeys of predecessors, and to realize the transformation of one's state of mind. How then can one truly grasp the myriad actions of ancestors or those who came before?
The creation of the "Great Dao Series Celestial Books" emerges from the inability to fully comprehend and embody the spiritual journeys of saints, immortals, Buddhas, and bodhisattvas. Through studying these works, one accumulates experiential knowledge and gains insight into the inner paths of these enlightened beings, thereby more profoundly realizing the subtleties of their states of mind. This serves to elevate the spiritual nature of future generations.
If not for written records, how could one comprehend that in the land of Yan Huang in the Central Plains, from ancient times to the present, tens of millions of years have already passed? The history documented within the Central Kingdom spans merely a brief five thousand years, and what can be known of the historical journey of Yan Huang in the Central Plains is nothing more than a drop in the ocean!
In ancient times, there were no records of civilization at all. Addressing the misconceptions and blind spots in contemporary social education, books—precisely as vessels of past experiences and all educational capital from the journey of the heart—are essential. Without books to document these, how could we comprehend the myriad processes of antiquity? Moreover, how could we understand the very space of Earth on which we survive today?
In truth, chaos has already occurred numerous times. The beings of the present era find it difficult to investigate the ancient past, and even if they attempt to deduce the processes of antiquity, it remains a challenge to dissolve all ignorance or to derive a learning experience and a journey of growth from ancient times. Precisely because the current age emphasizes scientific evidence and requires all data to be verified through technology.
Example: In the current discourse on soul theory, technology is gradually able to provide verification. However, even the most superficial processes remain difficult to personally realize and comprehend, still confined to a stage of groping exploration. For sentient beings, even with today's technological advancements, there persists a reliance on procedural methods. But if one does not rely on them, what alternative exists? Alas! Such is the predicament!
Reading – it is an elevation of one's own knowledge and wisdom. Without reading, it becomes difficult to personally realize the empirical truth of "the evolution of heaven and earth." Through the records preserved in books, reading enables one to embody and verify every detail of all living actions. Precisely for sentient beings in the present moment, it provides an original, upward-driving force.
The Essence of Reading:  
It is to discern how to act, how to orient oneself, and how to elevate one's own mind and nature. If, within any religious sect or lineage, there are no classical texts or documented sources for later generations to study and interpret, it becomes exceedingly difficult to transmit and impart the spiritual teachings and doctrines of that religious tradition through the process of inheritance.
Moreover, as for transmission, it is unattainable! In the process of teaching and transmitting to sentient beings, one must thoroughly comprehend the essence. If one cannot understand the meaning of the classics and lacks the practice of studying, it will be impossible to truly experience how the entire process unfolds. How, then, can one establish faith and persevere in fulfilling vows? Unattainable! Unattainable!
The Essence of Reading: It offers an opportunity for upward learning and growth to all sentient beings in the world of affection. If one cannot discern the clarity and wisdom of the mind, it becomes difficult to gain insight from one’s own experiential process, nor can the experiences of others provide such insight. This can only be realized through the true essence of reading. It is hoped that by understanding this, reading may serve as a means to provide an experiential process.
Reading Fundamentally Creates One's Own Blessings
Blessings Nurture One's Family to Flourish and Thrive
Understanding the meaning in the sutras,
All beings in heaven and earth are autonomous thereafter.
Achievement or failure lies in human endeavor,  
Ascent and descent are determined by two distinct paths.
Experience grows, wisdom abounds,  
Benefiting humanity, virtue follows.
It is through reading that one accomplishes the fundamental requirement of "illuminating the mind and realizing one's true nature," which is profoundly connected to understanding the essence of one's own mind. Observing the grand momentum of Chongxin's birthday celebration today truly brings this mentor great comfort! To elevate the "Confucian Sacred Teaching" is precisely Chongxin's divine duty—it must not be neglected! It must not be neglected!
◆ Decree ◆
Completion of the Work and Presentation to the Divine

English Translation:
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
## Marshal Wang, the Divine Officer of Huoluo

English Translation:
May 19, 2000 (Friday)  
The 16th day of the fourth lunar month in the Gengchen year
The Great Dao Series Authored by Nanping: Daoji and Guanli Tianche
The Ancient Buddha in compassion descends as the principal deity,  
Performing good deeds brings blessings and creates heavenly virtue.
"One's destiny, two's fortune, three's feng shui, four's study, five's virtuous deeds"—this is a concept unique to the human world. It enables the descendants of Yan and Huang in the Central Plains to act by integrating "destiny and fortune." Moreover, by harmonizing the living environment through the complementary interplay of geographical feng shui, magnetic fields, and energy fields, one is certain to benefit.
It is to realize the reliance on feng shui geography! Precisely by taking the original intent of studying as the fundamental source of both performing good deeds and committing evil, and because performing good deeds is a function of divine reward, while committing evil serves as a cautionary and educational function, within the context of performing good deeds and committing evil, one should clearly analyze "performing good deeds and committing evil."
Sentient beings dwelling in the human world should hold the belief and act accordingly that practicing virtue brings abundant blessings. When one engages in profound wrongdoing, they inevitably face rejection and abandonment by both Heaven and humanity. Through the teachings of the Five Human Relationships, it becomes clear that one must never deviate from the principles of ethical norms and moral order.
Formative education is the dissemination and instruction of knowledge that is vitally connected to all human beings; moreover, it involves upholding the principles of human ethics and morality toward all sentient beings. This practice enables self-elevation while ensuring alignment with the collective and the masses in human society, and further, harmonizing with the evolutionary processes of heaven and earth.
One must not stubbornly regard humanity as the pinnacle of all beings, assuming it has a protective role over all things. Moreover, in the present era, one must not detach from the nurturing process of the collective, whether for oneself or for all sentient beings. It is therefore essential to analyze the boundary between "performing good deeds and committing evil"! This will enable modern humanity to understand the consequences of performing good deeds and committing evil.
The True Purpose of Reading: It is precisely to gain clear understanding of distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong, ○ and ╳, correct and mistaken—all discerned with clarity. Through reading, one can comprehend the function of principles and truths, thereby discerning from reading what may be practiced and what must not be practiced! How then, through the process of cultivation by reading, may all sentient beings come to understand themselves?
To understand what benefits it brings to oneself, to all sentient beings, and to heaven and earth, one must comprehend principles through study. Moreover, it is essential to clearly recognize that for all living beings, one must create the causes and conditions for one's own achievement and transformation! This is precisely an interconnected totality, further realized through the process by which sentient beings embody and verify it.
In understanding the process of causes and conditions behind good and evil within oneself, one can use this as a turning point to ascend and transcend or to fall and sink into degradation! The original intent of studying is to discern the workings of good and evil, as well as the distinctions between future blessings and misfortunes. This necessarily requires growth through reading and learning to truly differentiate the boundaries between good and evil.
Performing Good Deeds to Attain Blessings: This is distinguished by depth and shallowness. When performing good deeds, one must not cling to the thought of seeking reward, especially for cultivators with genuine practice—they absolutely must not cling to the merit of these deeds as something to be reclaimed for themselves. Moreover, from the beginning to the completion of every matter, one should not harbor, even in the stirring of thoughts, any notion of vainly seeking to reclaim merit for oneself.
it becomes imprinted within the eighth consciousness from the very inception of a thought arising in the heart and stirring in the mind. One must not cling to the notion of when one might have generated such a virtuous thought, for doing so would render the merit exceedingly slight. Moreover, within the eighth consciousness, it is already predetermined that in the future there will arise attachments, stirrings of the heart, conceptual views, and memories of recompense.
One will inevitably diminish one's own sincere practice if one relies on the belief that performing good deeds brings blessings. It is essential to abandon both the actions and thoughts of seeking merit through virtuous conduct. Especially for Chongxin, one must not cling to such notions! If one does so, in the future, one will already be influenced by the "deep-seated seeds" of the "ālaya-vijñāna," which will forever be imprinted within.
Undoubtedly, immersing oneself in distinctions of right and wrong, correct and incorrect, good and evil, is precisely planting the seeds of one's own downfall. For this reason, the Chongxin community strictly requires all students to refrain from performing good deeds for the sake of merit, and moreover, to avoid clinging to the notion of gaining rewards through accumulated merit. Such a mindset is not in alignment with the concept of "non-action" (wuwei).
When performing good deeds, one can receive blessings from Heaven such as "happiness, prosperity, longevity, virtue, wealth, and auspiciousness." The principle that these elevate one's upward momentum is indeed correct. However, on the contrary, when committing evil, if one does not reflect on one's thoughts and intentions, how can one understand one's actions and perceptions? This remains unknown. Is it not so?
In the rewards of performing good deeds and receiving blessings, provisions are offered for the fundamental resources of upward transcendence. For Chongxin students and disciples, it is essential not to harbor the notion that good deeds bring returns, as this will inevitably create obstacles in the future and make it difficult to transcend and return to the root causes of sin. One must also not hold the belief that performing good deeds will lead to blessings and prosperity bestowed by Heaven, for such a mindset is inadvisable!
Essential Learning: The Supreme Heaven naturally nurtures all sentient beings throughout the vast cosmos. It is also necessary for all students of Chongxin, including divine beings and Buddhas, to deepen their understanding and realization of the entirety: the virtuous grace of Heaven and Earth’s evolution, the virtuous grace of the Wuji’s evolution, the virtuous grace of the Void’s evolution, and the virtuous grace of the Great Cosmos’ evolution!
If one clings to the belief that performing good deeds can invite blessings from Heaven, such an attitude becomes an obstacle in the process of cultivating both virtue and vice. I wonder if any of you noble beings can truly engage in self-reflection three times a day? It is difficult! It is also exceedingly hard to judge whether one has accumulated merit or created karmic obstacles in the eyes of Heaven. All of this lies within one’s own thoughts and intentions!
Permissible to say: The "IC microchip" of the Alaya consciousness is precisely what reports one's various actions to Heaven. May I ask whether all virtuous students reflect daily in their everyday lives, examining where their own faults lie? That is to say, accumulating blessings through good deeds and suffering calamities through evil actions—this is precisely the unchanging and true principle of Heaven and Earth.
To comprehend that heaven and earth nurture all things in their natural course, and that among sentient beings in this vast universe, none can accumulate merit through deliberate acts of charity. One must instead learn from the spontaneous way of heaven and earth, becoming what may be called a "Great Simpleton." This allows oneself to grow and assist in harmony with heaven and earth, with all living beings, and with one’s own nature. Only then can one become a person of great virtue in this sentient universe!
Doing good brings blessings bestowed by heaven,  
Committing evil invites calamity—this is the just principle.
Understand the principles of heaven and earth,
Growth and transcendence depend on oneself.
Fate, Geomancy, Study, and Will—  
These must transform and move karmic obstacles away.
Doing good and doing evil are both dual agreements—  
Why obstruct the bitter foundation?
To understand that in the human world, if one can dissolve all dualistic oppositions, transcendence and return are assured. Therefore, it is essential to learn from the enduring vastness of heaven and earth, rather than clinging merely to the limited "merits and blessings of one's own mind." Otherwise, this becomes a "grave" difficult to transcend. If one fails to comprehend what follows after one's own demise, what then?
It is also quite pleasant to listen to the chirping of crickets and insects in the wilderness! One may also gaze upon the distant horizon, contemplating the vast cosmos, the great void, and the boundless Wuji. Yet, within this lies a rather cruel reality for sentient beings. I wonder if the virtuous companions of Chongxin are willing to recognize that this will become a boundary between future growth, ascension, and descent. Can this be understood?
Destiny, fortune, feng shui, learning, and virtuous deeds—all serve to dismantle the dependencies of human existence. One must not cling solely to the narrow confines of one’s own small perspective. It is essential to broaden one’s vision and cultivate the foundational resources of a Mahayana Bodhisattva. Only then can one grow and transcend, achieving in this very lifetime the return to one’s true nature.
## Ancient Buddha Nanping Daoji
The Great Chairman, Sovereign of the Southern Heaven,
The Sage Emperor Wenheng Expounds the Doctrines.
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart and Writes the Celestial Book,  
Revering the Heart’s Virtue and Nourishing the Sentient World.
When the world of true reality descends into the mundane realm, it is precisely the "world of sentient beings" that serves as the fundamental cause for its own fulfillment. It offers "sentient beings" an opportunity for "upward learning" as well as a chance for "achievement through adversity." This process involves transformation within the context of human existence, while also remaining inseparable from the human world. It centers on the most essential aspect of survival: "nourishing life and living."
To bestow upon oneself the capacity to possess abundant resources, and to cultivate within oneself the fundamental education for growth, is inseparable from the causal conditions of currency resources in human sustenance. Thus, one must understand and clarify what kind of mind is required. It is essential to comprehend the fundamental nature of currency resources, as well as the process of cultivation and transformation—this is precisely the "solid mind (phenomenal) world" of the mundane realm!
It is transformed by the "world of true mind (reality)," and through this mind, all achievements are realized in the causal processes of the sentient world. Whether in family, society, business, cultivation, or any other convergence of causes and conditions, this mind serves as the foundation for existence in the present moment. It is essential to possess abundant resources, which serve as the impetus for elevating the direction of survival.
Taking this solid (manifested) world as the fundamental requirement for human development is precisely to cultivate an intrinsic motivation for growth and learning within oneself. By engaging in learning, one accumulates diverse experiences that foster growth in the human world—this constitutes the essential condition of this solid (manifested) world, with survival as its ultimate foundation.
The World of Mind-Only: This refers to the sentient beings in the world of true mind (form), all of whom exist within time and space. They accumulate experiences for their own growth, define the boundary between their ascent and descent, and strive to clearly understand the mentality of human beings in the world of true form. In the World of Mind-Only, it is essential to realize and awaken one’s own mind to initiate this process.
The Great Dao—it naturally gives birth to the world, yet when viewed from the perspective of the true heart (reality) world, one must be able to comprehend the various causal roots of the true heart (reality) world. This is because the Great Dao naturally nurtures the world of sentient beings, which lies within the factors of one's own upward growth. In relation to one's own development, this provides the driving force that allows one to ascend and seek the ultimate origin.
When sentient beings are born into this world, they instinctively engage in actions that benefit themselves, a tendency that is particularly pronounced in the present era. Thus, all sentient beings, within the scope of their conduct, strive to possess all conditions and driving forces necessary to pursue their causes and motivations.
Thus, the world of true mind (reality) offers sentient beings opportunities for growth, enabling them to comprehend the fundamental concepts of illuminating the mind. Yet, within this world of true mind (reality), if one fails to awaken to its function, it becomes difficult to understand one’s own actions—a rather cruel reality for oneself.
One who enlightens the mind—is one who, within the sentient world, embodies and verifies through lived experience and process, capable of clarifying the sentient world, yet cannot detach from the survival realm of "communal dwelling." To comprehend the essence of enlightening the mind, one must enter into religion to receive its nurturing and refinement, thereby enabling oneself to be endowed with virtuous causes and conditions for attainment.
To comprehend the origins of all causes and conditions within the realm of true reality, and to offer clarity to the myriad sentient beings of this vast world, is to engage in a deeper realization of the interplay between the "idealist world" and the "materialist world." This understanding and realization arise precisely from one's own immediate experiences throughout the entire process of existence, grounded in virtuous learning and growth.
The Present and the Future: Both are processes of accumulating experience bit by bit. Absolutely no sentient being can survive apart from the world of reality. One must also understand that the actions of this mind are meant to spread more "well-being" and "merit" for "oneself" and "all sentient beings," thereby benefiting oneself and benefiting all beings.
"The Great Way Illuminates the Heart" is founded upon the accumulated experiences of existence within the phenomenal world. Regardless of any sage, immortal, Buddha, or bodhisattva, and all beings of the sentient world—mountain spirits, water demons, specters, goblins, asuras, and more—in relation to all sentient beings under heaven and earth, all exist equally and impartially within this cosmos.
Thus, in the phenomenal world, all humanity must recognize the practical reality of existence under such conditions. By engaging with the phenomenal world precisely through the process of living, one can establish a foundation for life. This allows individuals to personally realize, within their own existence, that they cannot abandon this phenomenal world, for it is here that learning, growth, and the accumulation of experience take place.
This is especially true in the human world, where it is essential to understand the convergence of causes and conditions in the realm of true reality, which is necessary for all growth! It also involves reflecting on one’s own spiritual journey throughout the process of development. Thus, the original intent of the work *The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart* lies precisely in this—to offer sentient beings in the human realm the opportunity for blessed growth and transcendence.
If one cannot truly experience the process of existence, it is difficult to attain genuine realization and understanding. In the illumination of the heart within the Great Dao—which is the original substance of the true reality world—and in realizing the true nature through the illuminated heart, it is precisely within the sentient world, through the collective process of human existence and cultivation, that one reaches the experiential realization of the fundamental causes and conditions underlying the operation of heaven and earth. Only this is correct!
The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart in the Realm of True Reality  
The Great Dao Reveals the Nature, Drawing Seekers Near
Illuminating the Heart and Realizing the True Nature to Enter Buddhahood  
Growth Opportunities Arise in Accordance with Causes and Conditions
The Great Dao series is written for the long term,  
That life's journey may be carried forward by vow.
The Mahayana bodhisattva awakens sentient beings,  
The Pure Land of the Buddha realm is self-chosen.
This verse! May it inspire all sentient beings; it also encourages all deities, Buddhas, and students of Chongxin, as well as the cultivators of the Wuji Da Dao Yuan and all sentient beings within. May it foster growth to "proclaim the teachings of Heaven and embody the ways of Heaven." This is an exceedingly rare and sublime opportunity, enabling the fulfillment of oneself and the fulfillment of all sentient beings, culminating in a perfect return and an even greater transcendence. May it be so! May it be so!
跋、凡例
May 26, 2000 The 23rd Day of the Fourth Lunar Month, Gengchen Year (Friday)
讚、祝頌、序
The Nine Heavens revolve as the cosmos unfolds,  
The Director of Fate brings virtue's grace to all beings.
True Lord shelters heaven, earth, and humanity  
The world of sincere heart rests in its proper place.
The human world of existence is oriented towards nurturing life, where one can exercise discernment between the favorable and unfavorable conditions within their own karma. Regardless of whether it is the sentient world or the non-sentient world, all are one and the same in this regard. In the process of survival, one will inevitably enter the journey of nurturing life, and it is essential to clearly understand all functions of the world of true reality.
If one lacks the true original spirit, how can one exercise the convergence of causes and conditions in the material world? It is the true original mind that enables an individual, in the very act of "arising thoughts and stirring intentions," to determine whether they will ascend or descend. If one cannot clearly perceive the world of true heart, how can they achieve the illumination of the original mind and the realization of the original nature? This would be nothing but fallacy!
The essence of the true-hearted world fundamentally requires an "original heart" to facilitate the integration and sustenance of one's actual original spirit through practical means. For the actual original spirit itself, if it descends into the mundane realm of sentient beings, it must first possess its own physical form. If it cannot attain even the most basic physical vessel, how can it provide a means for the spirit to descend and be born?
How can one provide oneself with sustenance for life in the world of "true mind and true reality"? By making one's own practice the embodiment of life's nourishment, one engages with the psychological factors of the true reality world. This is precisely because one cannot detach from the practice of the true mind world. It is essential to possess a genuine and actual "true mind original spirit," which is the actual original heart.
It is precisely within this realm of the True Heart that one must abide. Indeed, in the world of True Reality, every arising of thought and intention cannot be separated from the functioning of this True Heart world. Only by establishing how one should conduct oneself within this world of True Reality can one find the correct path. Even when thoughts and intentions arise within the True Heart world, they remain inseparable from the existence of this "world of True Reality."
For sentient beings in the world of living beings: Without the true original heart, how can one manifest oneself in the world of reality? It is precisely by aligning one's actions with beneficial intentions that thoughts and intentions arise within. One must accomplish them with a sincere heart, which is fostered by the accumulation of resources for returning to the world of sincerity, thereby achieving ascension and transcendence.
It is essential to take this substantial and genuine essence as the foundation. In the realm of true reality, there exists the "substantial heart." If one cannot truly rely on and nurture this essence throughout the process of life, it becomes difficult to fulfill one’s responsibilities and obligations to oneself. Consequently, it becomes challenging to accomplish in this lifetime: how to act, how to conduct oneself, and how to benefit oneself.
If one does not know how to act toward oneself, how can one come to understand the true heart-world? This is not only a matter of whether one can take beneficial actions, but also a process of learning and growth for oneself. Especially in the course of religious cultivation, if it is difficult to understand one’s own true heart-world, there can be no progress or transcendence whatsoever.
It is also difficult to clarify one's original mind and inherent nature to oneself, and even more challenging to achieve practical efficacy in one's existence or cultivation. This stems precisely from the inability to recognize one's true original mind—how then can one illuminate the mind and perceive the nature? Such a state amounts to a form of self-deception, preventing one from deeply comprehending the true reality of all existence.
The source of all movement in the phenomenal world is also what deludes oneself. To truly comprehend the myriad processes of the sentient world, one must never depart from this actual, fundamental world of the mind! The world of true mind is everything in the phenomenal world. With true mind, there is true phenomenon; with true phenomenon, there is true mind. This is the actual reality of human existence.
Illuminating the Mind – The primary practice lies in discerning the true essence of the mind. If one cannot genuinely apply this to oneself, nor manifest the inherent Buddha-nature through both livelihood and cultivation, how then can one truly understand one’s own fundamental mind? It becomes equally difficult to awaken the innate capacity for illuminating the mind, and even to comprehend the very nature of this illumination within oneself.
If the world of sentient beings fails to enable one to illuminate one's original mind and exercise its function of understanding this mind, it becomes fundamentally difficult to reach the true essence of the mind in the world of actuality! One merely engages in the repetitive process of shaping one's future and creating cycles within the world of sentient beings, yet finds it hard to attain the genuine practice of "illuminating the mind and perceiving its nature."
Seeing One's True Nature – To perceive one's own inherent nature, that is, the manifestation of one's original self, is what is generally referred to by sentient beings as Buddha-nature! What then is it in Daoism and Confucianism? Immortal nature, sage nature, and the like—these represent another innate upward-driving force for elevating one's own existential well-being. It is precisely through this that one can perceive one's own inherent nature, that is, one's original self!
How is it to be manifested? Precisely by igniting the lamp of one’s own heart, illuminating the inner nature that has been shrouded in darkness for millennia, enabling the growth and fulfillment of one’s inherent nature—this is the genuine and certain path of elevation. Without clarity regarding this process, the aspiration to manifest Buddhahood will be difficult to attain! Moreover, revealing the True Suchness and manifesting Buddhahood—this is the most earnest cultivation longed for by sentient beings.
It is also the cultivation state most beloved and pursued by genuine practitioners. If one cannot "illuminate the mind and perceive the nature," it becomes exceedingly difficult to attain the state of "manifesting true suchness and revealing Buddha-nature." Moreover, one would be unable to understand how to ignite the lamp of one's own heart, which is tantamount to finding it nearly impossible to personally realize the true process of this world. Consequently, one would be incapable of benefiting oneself.
Ignite the Heart's Lamp to Illuminate Buddha-nature  
The Mind's Shadows Vanish, Transforming into Original Spirit
Why undertake life's cultivation?  
All to awaken and comprehend one's own heart.
All sentient beings in the realm of existence  
May manifest the cause of Buddha-nature.
The embodiment of clarity saves sentient beings,
Enlightening the mind and seeing true nature purifies the spirit further.
All sentient beings in the world of true reality find it difficult to ignite the lamp of their own hearts and are unable to provide themselves with the nourishment of compassion. If they persistently indulge their own shortcomings, it will inevitably lead, in time to come, to a distinction between those who may ascend, those who remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth, and those who have already fallen—all determined by their own choices and discernment.
One must not be incapable of igniting the spiritual lamp deeply rooted within one's own heart! It is essential to understand the steps to kindle this inner lamp and, through gradual cultivation, fulfill oneself. This enables greater contribution in the sentient world, facilitates self-transformation, and ultimately achieves both one's own awakening and the liberation of all sentient beings. This is the true principle.
Tonight! It is commendable that all virtuous beings, amidst the world of sentient existence, have diligently upheld the lineage of the Chongxin Sect to propagate the sacred mission of the Heavenly Divinity, elevating humanity and all beings toward transcendence and return. Persevere! Persevere! It is hoped that through spreading the teachings to sentient beings, all compassionate humans may be guided upward to attain the fundamental nourishment of "illuminating the mind and realizing true nature."
跋、凡例
## Namo Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
May 30, 2000  
The twenty-seventh day of the fourth lunar month, Gengchen Year (Tuesday)
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
Loyalty to the nation, a fragrance through the ages;  
The virtue of Wumu blesses all corners of the earth.
Wang Shuai's Treatise Elucidating Sacred Principles  
Chapter on the True Meaning of the Soul's Essence
The world of true mind enters what Buddhism calls precisely the eighth consciousness: the "Mind King" is also the "original spirit subject." In Daoist terms, it is the "noumenon of the soul." Though each religion may use different names for it, its function remains the same. It is essential to understand that within the soul, there is no distinction between "subject and object," nor is there separation between self and other.
Regarding the "soul as fundamental cause," the understanding of "perfect clarity without flaw" constitutes the essence of "crystalline purity." In humans, it is difficult to perceive this "crystalline purity"; moreover, it can only be facilitated when innate qualities enter the human body. As the comprehensive foundation for all sentient beings' spirituality, the soul enters into the "ālaya-vijñāna."
To achieve self-initiation through attachment, can one exercise this upon oneself? This may serve as a criterion for distinction. However, when the soul acts as that which is bestowed upon sentient beings, it can comprehend all points of convergence in the orientations of existence. This can become the initiation of all causes and conditions for human survival, leading to different combinations of karma and thus resulting in the separation of future blessings and misfortunes.
The soul is divided into three distinct aspects: "first, the life soul; second, the sentient soul; third, the master soul." In contemporary understanding, most human beings perceive the master soul simply as the "soul" alone, yet they seldom grasp it accurately and comprehensively. Moreover, there remain the functions of the life soul and the sentient soul, which together constitute a physical vessel into which the soul enters.
The Soul of Life – What is bestowed is precisely the capacity for sentience, which all beings, whether moving or non-moving, can fully possess. It is the essential sustenance necessary for existence, the primordial driving force of unceasing life. In the orientation toward survival, there must be this unceasing vitality, which becomes the process of growth and renewal. The nourishing elements that foster this process must be drawn from the nutrients, absorbing the essential components required.
Take an example: Humans must rely on food to sustain life. Food first enters the mouth, passes through the esophagus, reaches the stomach, and then nourishes the entire body, distributing nutrients evenly to sustain the human form. Similarly, if we observe plants: they must rely on air and photosynthesis to grow and thrive.
It is essential to carry out photosynthesis to generate nutrients that nourish growth and enable flourishing—this is the function of the vegetative soul! This is a fundamental step necessary for plants, and it is the same for all other living beings. Through the vegetative soul, the growth system is guided to develop robustly, while also achieving mutual reinforcement and harmonious coexistence.
Consciousness Soul: For all sentient beings capable of movement, this function is essential. Moreover, by sensing all external active causes and conditions, it forms the synthesis of sensory nerves. In terms of the human world, this is facilitated by the external realm of form. All experiences can first be observed through the eyes, and after being received, they enter the soul for contemplation.
It is the function of transmission and conveyance, providing sensory input to the nervous system and perceiving all external phenomena, thereby stimulating the internal sense of touch. This precisely involves detecting all external initiating factors, prompting oneself to activate the internal nervous system through sensory perception and awareness. It is precisely achieved through the process of "transmission and conveyance."
Entry into the differentiation of the (primary) soul lies in the fact that the perceptual soul precisely absorbs the external sensory system, enabling the understanding of how all functions operate. If viewed from the perspective of humans: it is necessary to pass through the sensory nervous system for the internal nervous system to function, thereby activating all perceptions of heat and cold. This is the primary function of the perceptual soul.
Main Soul: The soul, which is what ordinary beings refer to as the soul, is also what Buddhism calls the eighth consciousness. However, it is by no means the "true suchness of self-nature." Moreover, the main soul is activated through the "life soul and awareness soul," and it is through this activation that it receives and functions as the principal entity of the soul. It is essential for all sentient beings to understand this concept.
It is precisely through all "external and internal" sensory nerves, as well as the foundation of internal nerves, that this is facilitated. That is, after receiving all external stimuli, they are transmitted into the soul for storage. Discernment then arises from the main soul, which categorizes and accepts these inputs, thereby directing all orientations of existence through the function of storage.
The functional role governed by the causal conditions of the soul’s principal entity is identical to what Buddhism calls the *ālayavijñāna*. This *ālayavijñāna* is akin to the soul’s every action being interconnected, manifesting through the functions of the physical body, and linking the three souls and seven spirits. Likewise, every single act of intention operates in the same manner.
The Differentiation of Hun - Regarding the functions of the soul, it can be divided into three categories: first, the life-soul (shenghun); second, the sentient-soul (juehun); third, the spiritual-soul (linghun). The spiritual-soul must be spoken of in relation to sentient beings capable of movement in order to be considered complete. As for all non-sentient plants and animals that possess a soul, it is exceedingly rare, and indeed difficult for them to attain the "essence of the spiritual." They possess only a residual or fragmented soul.
Therefore, in humans, the primary "receptive function" of the soul is fully endowed, and it also lies in the "dissemination function" and "propagation function," allowing oneself to remain free from attachments. Precisely at all times, one can receive "messages from Heaven" and disseminate "proclamations of the messages," offering mutual connections with Heaven, sages, immortals, and Buddhas.
When sentient beings face calamities, why can Heaven or the sages, immortals, and Buddhas swiftly turn misfortune into blessing? It is because the main entity responsible for disseminating and transmitting functions, at the moment of receiving messages from Heaven, finds it difficult for contemporary beings to achieve such efficacy. They are all deluded and obstructed by the five dust realms (objects of the senses), and moreover, they are unable to align their frequency with that of Heaven and the sages, immortals, and Buddhas.
The Spirit-Soul—is the fundamental cause inherent in humanity. For the "spiritual body and physical flesh," both must be mutually applied. When either abandons the soul or the flesh, it becomes a mere corpse; even if there is difficulty in movement or life has reached its natural end, it is still a case of the flesh and the soul parting ways, with the seven pò dispersing and becoming difficult to fully restore.
The Hun and Po: These are fundamental necessities for human existence. Should any of the Po entities depart from the body, the individual will struggle to adapt to survival in the "world of actuality." One is inevitably left in a state of confusion and turbidity, with little clarity of mind. It can be observed that individuals in a vegetative state are all affected by the Po. Although the physical body may be present, whether recovery is possible depends entirely on the interplay of causes and conditions.
The primary function of the Po must be fully realized through the accumulation within the human body and must also be integrated into the physical form to be considered truly human. Yet, it is often accompanied by numerous desires, which are key to creating karma. How can one avoid harboring actions driven by greed, anger, and ignorance? It is essential to undergo religious refinement to achieve transformation and elevation!
The primary entity of the three hun and seven po must be realized through the physical body in the sentient world to be fully functional. Therefore, if any single hun or po is missing, one cannot be considered a complete human being. Such individuals are often referred to as vegetative humans—outwardly resembling humans but having long lost the most fundamental qualities of humanity. The significance of hun and po is precisely what Daoism places great emphasis upon.
The distinction between Hun and Po lies in that Hun is "pure and flawless," meaning "crystal clear," while Po is "inclined to contention." Therefore, under the dominance of Po, it is most crucial to undergo a process of cultivation and transformation through religious education and gradual influence. This serves as a fundamental source of upward learning and reformation for all sentient beings.
Why does Heaven desire all sentient beings to cultivate and grow? The fundamental path lies in transforming the physical form to eliminate inherent dispositions and achieve purification. It is through the purification, growth, and elevation of humanity’s three souls and seven spirits that this process takes effect. Its purpose is to grant humanity the opportunity for transformation, refinement, and growth, thereby manifesting in every action and expression.
The three souls are: the life soul (sheng hun), the conscious soul (jue hun), and the master soul (zhu hun), which together constitute the spirit (ling hun).  
The seven corporeal souls are: Shi Gou (craving for food), Fu Shi (craving for fine clothing), Que Yin (craving for lust), Tun Zei (craving for gambling), Fei Du (craving for causing harm), Chu Hui (craving for greed), and Chou Shi (craving for trivial matters). Each of these souls serves a distinct function and corresponds precisely to the eight consciousnesses in Buddhism, forming an interconnected system.
The Secret Structure Untold for Ages
The Creation of Wishes in the Human Realm
The soul's essence is crystalline and pure,  
While the seven po contend with fierce allure.
The world of sentient beings gives birth to souls,  
The essence of the soul is pure and fresh in origin.
The functions of Hun and Po are inherent in humanity,
Through cultivation and refinement, they ascend in elevation.
This verse! May it inspire all sentient beings together; to understand the functions and roles of the soul and spirit lies in discerning the names and forms of the human world, thereby dissolving ignorance. And how should the soul and spirit act? One must be able to master this oneself—that is the correct way. This is also the dividing point between ascent and descent. It is essential to comprehend the essential functions of the soul—that is the true path!
跋、凡例
## Homage to the Ancient Buddha Dipamkara
讚、祝頌、序
The Celestial Realm of Universal Salvation for Primordial Souls in the Middle Realm Ascends  
The Supreme Virtue and Grace Enables All Sentient Beings to Attain Liberation
Dongyue Governs the Departed Souls in the Underworld  
The Great Emperor Guides the Three Hun of Spirits to Transcendence
The essence of spirit is distinguished as follows: the division into the life soul, the sensory soul, and the spiritual soul serves to differentiate the three souls of the spirit. This distinction is constructed through the eighth consciousness and, via these three souls of the spirit, elucidates the terminology employed by Daoism. It clarifies the differentiation within the spiritual soul for "sentient beings."
In the functional role of Ling, it can be understood that it clarifies the fundamental causes for all sentient beings. Thus, it can be said: the distinction between the role of Hun and the nature of Po is what is correct. Furthermore, Ling is divided into three aspects, while Po is divided into seven types. In terms of the essence of Ling, it functions according to the Daoist perspective, whereas Buddhism does not employ it, and even distinguishes its roles differently.
It is precisely through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and consciousness that one enters into manas, and further into the construction of the "ālaya-vijñāna." Thus, the essence of the spirit is distinguished through the orientation toward survival. Through form, sound, scent, taste, and touch, one enters into the activation of thought, and through the function of mental states, the distinctions and differences arise.
Furthermore, when the "Three Hun Souls" undergo further sublimation through the mind and consciousness, entering the stage of "transmission and conveyance" for discernment, this constitutes the main body of the seventh "Manas Consciousness." However, after Manas performs its discernment, "simultaneous correlation" comes into play to enter the eighth consciousness, which is the "Mind King." The transmission function of the Mind King provides an immediate response in the present moment—this is the innate instinct of human beings.
This is precisely the function of the spirit, which must be activated through external thoughts and intentions to enter into reception, and can simultaneously be discerned through reception—namely, the differentiating nature of either integration or rejection. "Integration" allows for harmonious and smooth assimilation, while "rejection" immediately pushes it outward. The function of the spirit necessarily relies on the external "sensory nervous system."
Only then can the inner original spirit be activated, which entails a certain understanding of the spirit and involves the functioning of the "ālaya-vijñāna." Therefore, in distinguishing the spirit—through the discernment of mental consciousness—it is understood in the very moment of arising thoughts and stirring the mind. With the first stirring of the mind, the "life soul" is activated; with the second stirring, the "conscious soul" is activated; and with the third stirring, the "spiritual soul" is activated.
Within these three hearts lies the essence of the soul. When the three hearts are activated, the three souls are set in motion. Moreover, the three souls must be transmitted from the external into the three hearts. They are then guided by the vital soul, the perceptual soul, and the spiritual soul, enabling one to comprehend the external sensory nervous system. Through receiving external information, internal integration is achieved, thereby constructing understanding.
The soul is divided into the master soul, the conscious soul, and the life soul, collectively referred to as the soul. Yet this soul is neither born nor destroyed, unaffected by time and space, untouched by cycles of rebirth, and not obscured by the creation of good or evil karma. It cannot be discarded in any pure land, and thus follows the course of human existence: in the human world or the underworld, and in ascension to the ultimate blissful realm.
The function governed by the soul is what can give rise to oneself: the essence of the soul, which neither arises nor ceases, gives rise to the first mind, which is the function of activating the soul. This first mind is the action initiated by the life-soul. Moreover, this first mind has a special function in determining one’s orientation toward existence and immediately discerns in the present moment. If the first mind arises, the life-soul is thereby awakened.
Applying oneself as the orientation for existence, thus all sentient and non-sentient beings arise as one unified whole in such manner. In discerning the function of the living soul within the single mind, one must examine whether one has truly realized the orientation for existence. Regardless of any form of phenomena within heaven and earth, all are within the orientation of the living soul, through which the construction of one’s own consciousness of existence is fully realized.
From the fundamental cause of existence arises the upward-leading factor of enhancement, giving rise to the dual mind, which is the moving conscious soul. Through the convergence of all external causes and conditions, guided by the subject of these causes and conditions, the moment of touch and sensation is realized. This functions upon the vital soul, enabling the actions of growth and response to all external contacts.
It is the essence of the second mind that distinguishes external conditions. After receiving through the eyes observing forms, the ears hearing sounds, the nose smelling scents, the tongue tasting flavors, and the body sensing touch, these perceptions are transmitted into consciousness for judgment—determining whether they are beneficial or detrimental to the self. All such discernment is conveyed through the second mind via the sentient soul.
The Soul of Consciousness: It is the integration of the will for self-existence, discerning the functions of the "sensory nervous system." It determines how to accept or reject all external processes of existence, all unified under the action of the soul of consciousness. Understand this: without the soul of consciousness, no thoughts or intentions would arise, nor would any causes and conditions come together.
It is within the causal connections of one’s own future that the fruition of one’s karmic causes and blessings is brought to completion. Thus, the awakening soul stirs the second mind, which is also facilitated by the awakening soul. After the emergence of the second mind, whether the guiding causes and conditions come to fruition depends on the sensations triggered by the awakened dual-minded soul, which in turn activates the interconnectedness of the internal nervous system.
The activation of the three minds moves the soul, which is also the master soul. However, the master soul, through actions in previous lives and accumulated lifetimes, combined with the application in this present life, discerns in the immediate moment. This discernment begins with the first mind of the life soul, is then transmitted through the second mind of the conscious soul, and connects to the third mind. It then receives and distinguishes the comprehensive information from the external world.
One can comprehend the karma of past lives, previous existences, and the causes and conditions of past outcomes through the master soul, which is activated by the third mind of the soul. It functions to store and categorize, embodying a state of "indeterminate nature," free from any distinctions of good or bad, right or wrong, virtue or vice, correct or incorrect, righteous or evil. This is precisely achieved by passing through the second mind, which serves the function of discernment within the conscious soul.
The distinction between acceptance and rejection is perceived by the conscious soul, which is what Buddhism refers to as the "manas-vijñāna"! In understanding the functions of the soul, it must be recognized that "soul" is a collective term encompassing the three hun and seven po. Within the human body, these operate with such subtlety that the differentiation of the soul can be discerned through all external phenomena and worldly appearances.
The differentiation of spirit is initiated by the stirring of thoughts and intentions, guided by external causes and conditions. It is akin to a magnet within the human body, capable of receiving, emitting, and transmitting all external information into one’s own being. This "magnet" possesses magnetic attraction, which precisely draws in all karmic accumulations from past lives!
When there is attraction between oneself and others, it is called mutual attraction; if two magnets repel each other, it produces a repulsive effect. The external conditions and connections among humans are akin to magnets. If one can understand the principles of magnetic attraction and repulsion, it becomes possible to develop an orientation for human existence, which is determined by the degree of such interactions.
The function of the soul operates in a similar manner. When the soul encounters all causes and effects, it acts like a magnet attracting its counterpart; when there is no connection whatsoever, it produces a repelling effect akin to that of magnets. This is how the human "karmic cause and effect" is shaped, capable of dissolving all external factors that contribute to the obstacles of ignorance.
To understand that humans function similarly to magnets, possessing the effects and functions of "attraction and repulsion"—whether to accept or reject—must be guided by the soul. Only then can the various karmic causes and effects of sentient beings in the human world be fully resolved. Yet, this is profoundly difficult for the human world to comprehend. Can it be understood? It is exceedingly challenging!
The soul differentiates into consciousness and spirit,  
Within the soul lies original purity.
What causes one to receive it?
It is akin to the attraction between magnets.
The fruition of karma is fully exhausted through mutual repulsion,  
Originally it is the transformation of sentient beings into spiritual life.
The lucid construction of the spiritual subject  
Is true awakening and genuine compassion.
This verse! I share it with all sentient beings as mutual encouragement; amidst the celebratory voices, it descends to Chongxin, observing this atmosphere—truly worthy of being a pillar of talent for Heaven! I hope everyone will strive together, for then there shall be benevolent blessings, benefiting both ourselves and all sentient beings. Correspondingly, abundant resources will arise, enabling upward growth, elevation, and transcendence.
跋、凡例
## Namo the Tathagata of Right Dharma Illumination
讚、祝頌、序
All beings possess the vital force of heaven and earth,  
Seeking survival is their inherent principle.
The Sacred Way is selfless, embodying the heart of Heaven;  
Human souls harbor the seven emotions and intentions.
The distinction between soul and body lies in the three functions: life, perception, and sovereignty. It is through the operation of the soul that one discerns all phenomena in the human world. Moreover, within the guiding function of the soul, one attains self-awareness and growth. If these original functions are not fully realized, it becomes difficult to understand one’s own actions and to distinguish things with clarity.
Regarding the spiritual subject, namely the functions of "Hun and Po," it is essential to carefully comprehend all their actions and efficacies. If one cannot fully attain their fundamental efficacy and functions, one will often be assailed by one's own ignorance. This precisely stems from a lack of understanding of the obstacles of ignorance in the human world, and it is also difficult for one to fully comprehend all one's own perplexities.
The soul is divided into three aspects—life, consciousness, and sovereignty. In terms of the spiritual world, it constitutes the totality of the soul. Through the guiding function of the spirit, sentient beings are enabled to comprehend its functions and purposes. This division is based on such functions. However, Buddhism does not expound on this theory, whereas in Daoism, these aspects are seen as mutually analogous and complementary.
The division of the soul into the life soul, the conscious soul, and the sovereign soul—these three are what the spiritual soul combines and constructs. They inevitably differentiate through the arising of thoughts and intentions. If one cannot clearly discern the connections within the "inner heart," it becomes difficult to comprehend the totality of the soul. One may only recognize it as a mere term, fundamentally unable to analyze its functions or distinguish its roles.
All sentient beings are bewildered by external doctrines of the soul, thus unable to clearly understand the function and discernment of their own spirituality. Consequently, in relation to the physical body, the corporeal soul tends to seek external conflict. Moreover, as the corporeal soul resides within the body yet does not integrate into the body’s central hub of thought, it precisely bears the activation of all external causes and conditions.
Thus, distinctions are made based on the corporeal soul:  
1. Shigou: Fond of eating.  
2. Fushi: Fond of dressing.  
3. Queyin: Fond of lust.  
4. Tunzei: Fond of gambling.  
5. Feidu: Fond of causing harm.  
6. Chuhui: Fond of greed.  
7. Choushi: Fond of all trivial matters.  
These are functions of the corporeal soul, and they arise from the interaction between the corporeal soul and one's own spiritual essence.
It is through the function of the corporeal soul, constructed within the framework of the seven emotions and six desires, that if one fails to discern the distinctions of the corporeal soul, it becomes difficult to recognize that the "corporeal soul" is the action of reaching outward through the arising of human thoughts and intentions. It is the integration of the totality of the corporeal soul into the consciousness of the mind, instigated by external influences that activate one's own "corporeal soul."
Giving of oneself cannot foster mutual growth with the external world, and is governed by the soul! Due to the differentiation of the corporeal soul, within the corporeal body, one becomes unable to discern and struggles to comprehend the processes dominated by thoughts and consciousness. Only when driven by one's own judgments of good and evil, right and wrong, does one enter into the "ālaya-vijñāna," that is, into the realm of the "mind-king."
It is precisely in this process of arising thoughts and stirring intentions that the distinction emerges between outward grasping and inward orientation. Through the internal system of one's own body, which connects all opportunities and processes of growth given by joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, the entire physical being is activated in its seven emotions and six desires. This is all governed by the three hun and seven po, which dominate every form of craving.
The function of the corporeal soul (Po) drives the actions of the seven emotions and six desires, all governed by the conscious mind. This differentiation within the Po arises only after stimulation from the "eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body," which then enters the conscious mind and facilitates its workings. However, it is the influence of the ethereal soul (Hun) that guides and directs the differentiated functions of the Po.
The differentiation of the Po is what allows one to bear the functions of "joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure," as well as "partings and reunions, grief and joy." Through all the manifestations of human experience, it activates the functional role of the Po-body, giving rise to desires and inclinations. It is precisely because the Po is influenced by one's "external" conditions that it can exert an "internal" effect and discernment upon oneself.
However, in the functioning of the human body, if the primary soul does not enter the physical form—or, as commonly understood among sentient beings, if the spiritual essence does not descend to be reborn—the body would merely be a lifeless corpse, making it difficult to achieve the state of an active karmic entity. Therefore, the dominance of the corporeal soul (po) manifests as an outward attachment to external conditions, guided by the seven corporeal souls (qi po), each of which possesses its own distinct and clinging functions.
Through contact with the seven po, one constructs spirituality, yet driven by the po, one tends to indulge in personal preferences and desires. Under the influence of comparative judgment, this often leads to self-inflicted karma, resulting in various external adversities, setbacks, and obstructive dissatisfactions.
It is precisely by endowing oneself with the capacity to bear the karma-creating functions of the soul and spirit, thereby entering a situation difficult to reverse, that the impulses driven by the spirit manifest in this way. If one cannot use the spirit to guide all affairs, it becomes exceedingly difficult to achieve transformation and creative advancement. What is the cause of this? It is precisely the functions governed by the soul and spirit that manifest all operations of the human body.
Know this: the soul is divided into three aspects—awareness, vitality, and sovereignty—while the corporeal spirit inclines toward sensory attachments. This inclination serves as the fundamental cause for one's elevation, yet also marks the boundary for one's downfall. It is an active principle inherent in human existence, the very source of all distinctions between good and bad, virtue and vice, fortune and misfortune. Herein lies the divergence between transcendence and descent.
The Distinction Between Hun and Po—The Po is primarily guided by the seven aspects: Shigou, Fushi, Queyin, Tunzei, Feidu, Chuhui, and Choushi. Among these seven, it is essential to understand that without "Feidu," the other six would lack their driving force. Why is this so? From the perspective of the Po, Feidu is the source of calamity, yet from a human standpoint, the interpretation differs entirely!
Therefore, what Buddhism calls "consciousness-only construction" is indeed difficult to analyze. However, in Daoist teachings, it can be distinguished in greater detail. Thus, the differentiation in the *po* (corporeal soul) is what gives rise to the reception of any external causes based on fundamental conditions. Yet it is only by taking the "consciousness-only concept" as the guiding principle that mutual integration and mutual correspondence can be achieved. This is also something exceedingly difficult for humans to comprehend.
Through the process of reception and response, the journey of life experience is clarified. This precisely demands the enrichment of survival wisdom. Moreover, during human sleep, it is often the *po* that actively ventures outward to explore various karmic connections from past lives or the present. These are then revealed in advance through dreams, offering humans omens before the outcomes of fortune or misfortune become certain.
Through the po's activation of the inner reserves stored in the "ālaya-vijñāna," all processes and conditioned phenomena are integrated. Moreover, differentiated by the po, its force is even more intense than that of the hun's dynamism. Hence, by using the po to stir the hun, one can manifest the true suchness and reveal the Buddha-nature. Within this sentient world, this constitutes a more harmonious and complete path of cultivation.
If one indiscriminately rejects the "po" as the spiritual energy of an inferior body, it becomes difficult to achieve the purpose and function of growth regarding the dominant role of the po. Therefore, it is essential to understand the primary functions of both the hun and the po correctly. Moreover, the entirety of all causes and conditions must be discerned through the actions and effects constructed within the "po" body to attain authenticity.
The soul harbors affection, breeding venomous miasma,
As the six po souls grow, they bring about self-deception.
The soul's subject is hard to stir,
The body's constructs, strife to purge.
Human beings possess affection, refrain from speaking ill—  
This is the fundamental principle that must be upheld.
The Lord of Po Governs the Divide of High and Low,  
Growth and Fall Both Reside Within.
The sublimation of the negative spiritual energy known as "po" in human discourse is precisely achieved through the process of learning and entering the practice of the Mahayana Bodhisattva path. Only then can one enter the Pure Land of the Lotus Buddha. If this transformation cannot be accomplished, one will forever remain an ordinary being, let alone attain ascension and transcendence. May this be realized! Wishing the eternal expansion of the Dao's mission and ever more abundant deliverance of beings!
跋、凡例
## The Divine Farmer, Celestial Emperor of Medicine Who Separated Heaven and Earth

English Translation:
讚、祝頌、序
Few in this world know the Southern Pole's immortal realm,  
Yet the Immortal Elder descends to reveal the truth's foundation.
The physical form distinguishes the po,  
This chapter reveals the Dao's wondrous flow.
When the soul enters into the corporeal soul, the corporeal soul distinguishes all functions and actions simultaneously. Only through the necessary interplay of soul and corporeal soul within one’s own body can all external causal conditions be activated and brought to fruition. Furthermore, through the union of human bodily functions and external clinging conditions, one comes to know oneself. The corporeal soul serves as the central pivot of all operations within the human body.
One can survive through the orientation necessary for existence. However, without the *po*, there would be no fundamental driving force for anything. It is through the functions exercised by the *po*, and its presence within the body, that all orientation toward survival gains its original momentum. If there were no *po* in the human world, there would be no desire or drive to create and advance. Why is this so?
The Seven Classifications of the Po Body:  
First, Shigou: fond of eating; second, Fushi: fond of dressing; third, Queyin: fond of lust; fourth, Tunzei: fond of gambling; fifth, Feidu: fond of causing harm; sixth, Chuhui: fond of greed; seventh, Choushi: fond of all trivial matters.  
It is the Po that guides the active energy of the main body. Thus, if there is no Fushi: fond of dressing, it becomes difficult to provide any function for Shigou: fond of eating.
The cause lies in the Hidden Corpse: it grows in tandem with the Corpse Hound and also governs the functional orientation of one's own body. Between the Corpse Hound and the Hidden Corpse, it is essential to possess a survival orientation to generate the motive force. This motive force is governed by the corporeal soul, while the Sparrow Yin is associated with lustful desires, leading to the creation of evil karma in affairs.
All outward pursuits must pass through the central nervous system of the brain, which issues commands outward, thereby providing the impetus for external movement through the Fushi. Thus, all activities dominated by the Fushi involve creating and providing growth and attachment through the body's outward kinetic energy. However, in the case of the Fushi, the dynamic energy must further be governed by the lust-driven Queyin.
The ability to perceive forms through the eyes is facilitated by the function governed by the Queyin, which is driven by lustful desires. In the realm of the world of forms, in the immediacy of existence, without the "Queyin," it would be difficult to incite "lustful desires." It is precisely within the nervous system that the function of perceiving forms through the eyes is guided, marking the initiation of all primary processes.
It is through the Fushi and Queyin, issuing commands via the central nervous system of the brain, that Queyin’s tendency toward lust manifests—namely, by observing the phenomenal world with the eyes to "orient and cling." Through the workings of desire, Queyin achieves its outward grasping and creation. However, where there is Queyin, there must inevitably be Tunzei, and within Tunzei’s propensity for gambling lies its functional role.
It is precisely the propensity for gambling bestowed by Tun Wo, Tun Ru, and Tun Qi that, through Tun Qi, grants all gambling desires to this body. This propensity grows within the living soul, and thus what the living soul encounters is guided by Tun Qi’s inclination toward gambling. This forms within the po the necessity to confront Tun Qi’s gambling tendencies, giving rise to the speculative and win-lose mentality inherent in humanity.
Moreover, what the corporeal soul requires is precisely the functioning of the three poisons and the pursuit of calamity, making it difficult to achieve ascension and growth. However, the desires within the seven souls cannot be labeled as turbid energy; it is precisely the aspiration to elevate oneself that becomes the key to purifying the seven souls. Thus, the three poisons and the pursuit of calamity constitute the primary functional faculties of all dynamic origins, governing the fundamental causes and conditions.
The Venom of Calamity and Misfortune—precisely what is bestowed upon the process of survival orientation. Yet within survival itself, if the soul lacks the essence of this venom of calamity and misfortune, it becomes difficult to follow the guidance of the soul-body into the fundamental karmic origin of the physical existence. It is essential to understand that what the soul governs is indeed this venom, which then guides inward, drawing the totality of the soul into the process of purification.
Eliminating Filth and Curbing Greed: Not only can it completely dissolve all internal and external negative energies within the body, but in the process of eliminating filth and curbing greed, "one can restrain the rise of desires" and "achieve purification." Amidst all the turbid energies fostered by the corporeal soul, one must realize that this practice enables one, in the orientation of survival, to channel greedy desires into the act of eliminating filth.
It is precisely the desires of greed that abandon all the cravings of the mind for material objects, forming a kind of foul energy. In the process of purification, it is the soul that shapes and leads this function. One must understand the spiritual world; if one cannot personally realize the negative energies within the body, it is precisely due to attachment to all manner of trivial matters that the body becomes immersed in turbid energy.
Therefore, the removal of impurities: it is the proper way to eliminate negative influences by rectifying one's orientation toward existence; the complete realization through impurity removal is precisely the work of the Foul Master. Thus, what is guided by the seven corporeal souls is exactly what the Foul Master can fully manifest. Moreover, in the growth of the hun and po souls, it is essential that they are formed under the influence of the Foul Master, which corresponds to the lung's functions of absorption and elimination.
The original factors dominated by the foul master not only cause the body in which one resides to allow the dominant functions of the "heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys" to exist within the functions of the po, but also frequently cause one, during sleep, to be stirred by the outward grasping and attachment of the po's subjective functions. This is precisely the existential tendency and activation of the po.
Thus, through the existence of the Po, the body's functions of stillness arise. Since the Po is inherently active and difficult to calm, and it is also challenging to bring its survival-oriented tendencies to a halt, these functions manifest even in human sleep and dreams. This inspires the Po to reach outward and cling to external phenomena. Moreover, it is shaped and developed through the orientation of karmic cycles. This is precisely what activates the Po entity.
Human beings often speak of "creating karma" or "committing sins," finding it difficult to reverse such actions. Moreover, the po body, in its role of activating and shaping causality in the present moment, often overwhelms the soul. Thus, humans, viewing the po as turbid energy, fail to comprehend that in the guidance of the po, if one wishes to ascend and purify, it is essential to allow the po to achieve this through purification.
In the process of "cultivation," it is common for one to temporarily set aside the po-body during practice. This involves purifying the "hun" while neglecting the purification of the "po," making it difficult to ascend and transcend. This limitation arises precisely due to such an approach. If the po-body can be purified, on the contrary, it would yield even greater results than purifying the hun alone. Why is this so?
What is dominated by the Po is desire and greed; hence, this is also the reason why human beings create karma. However, the dynamic energy of the Hun governs growth, the sensory nervous system, and the complete manifestation of all cause and effect. Therefore, it is essential for both the Hun and Po to be purified, transcended, and elevated. Such conditions of karma are profoundly difficult to comprehend!
However, humanity often fails to achieve this, thus sinking through cycles of reincarnation, purifying only the "hun" (ethereal soul) while neglecting the "po" (corporeal soul). Hence, in all worldly manifestations, why is it that after a person's passing, the "three hun" struggle to reunite for a period? Moreover, the "seven po" have long since dispersed and fundamentally cease to exist.
In the human world, acting by temperament rather than by innate nature leads to the dissipation of the seven po after death, while the three hun wander through the three paths and six realms. The soul enters the underworld; the life-force resides in the ancestral tablet; the conscious spirit remains in the tomb, awaiting an opportunity to reunite. Without such an opportunity, it can only sink into oblivion.
It becomes difficult to achieve "transcendent integration." Po is both the fundamental source of one's upward ascension and downward fall. If spirituality can ascend upward, it becomes the totality of Hun. However, if Po is not purified, it is difficult to surpass the basic requirements. The Po body cannot be called turbid qi; it is essential to allow turbid qi to be purified—this is the true reality!
Shigou builds the foundation of soul-force
Fushi can then be more at ease
Life's knowing must transcend
The fundamental mechanism of purifying the corporeal soul.
The soul leads, the spirit follows,  
Yet strength of will often fails to achieve its purpose.
Ascending and Descending, Two Divergent Paths
The Fundamental Achievement Lies in the Meaning of Hun and Po
Sentient beings should understand that in the exercise of willpower, one must not perceive the corporeal aspect as turbid energy. It is essential first to purify the corporeal aspect, thereby ceaselessly obstructing all human desires and hindrances. Only when the limitations imposed by survival are transcended can the spirit be elevated. This is the ascent, the fundamental opportunity for transcendence and truth.
The Seven Distinctions of the Po Body:
I. Shigou: Fond of eating  
II. Fushi: Fond of dressing  
III. Queyin: Fond of lust
IV. Tun Zei: Fond of Gambling  
V. Fei Du: Fond of Misfortune  
VI. Chu Hui: Fond of Greed
VII. The Foul Master: Fondness for all trivial matters. This is the kinetic energy of the subject guided by the Po.
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
## Chongxin Grand Chairman · Ruler of the Southern Heaven · Emperor Wén Héng the Sage
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
Open-mindedness reveals the true meaning,  
Penning wondrous principles with divine insight.
Spiritual Official Wang Tianjun Descends to Compose
The True Meaning of the Functions of the Po Body
The distinct functions of the corporeal soul serve precisely to complement the aspects that Buddhism has yet to fully elucidate. If we regard the corporeal soul as the integrated entity of one’s own existence in the "world of true reality," it acts as the primary driving force for one’s external attachments and pursuits. When it directs the self through the central nervous system of the brain, it initiates action only after the eyes have taken the lead in perceiving form.
It also lies in the function of the Po. Without the dominance of "Shigou: fondness for food," there would be no fundamental basis for "Fushi: fondness for attire." It is precisely through "Queyin: fondness for lust" that outward attachment arises. Therefore, from the perspective of the original intent of "Shigou" toward self-preservation through fondness for food, it further depends on "Fushi: fondness for attire" as the inherent function of the self's Po body.
It is through the awareness of "Shigou: Fond of Eating" that one can understand how the outward orientation within survival is governed by "Shigou." This also enters into human dreams, all of which are determined by the karmic roots divided among the "Seven Po." If one fails to purify the "Seven Po," then within all causes and effects, one will repeatedly and incessantly grasp outward attachments.
Whether in the causal body of the past or distant past, or within the causal nature of the present moment, all are the primary causes guiding the occurrence of karmic retribution. These must undergo purification through the causal function of the "Seven Po" upon the po themselves. Precisely because it is difficult for humans to comprehend the po bodies, one must understand the functions of the human body—how each po body operates and what its purpose is.
The corporeal soul is further subdivided into seven aspects:  
1. *Shigou*: Fondness for food;  
2. *Fushi*: Fondness for clothing;  
3. *Queyin*: Fondness for lust;  
4. *Tunzei*: Fondness for gambling;  
5. *Feidu*: Fondness for causing harm;  
6. *Chuhui*: Fondness for greed;  
7. *Choushi*: Fondness for all trivial matters.  

These represent the diverse desires inherent in the human body. How should they be expressed, and how should they be restrained?
The seven po are the totality of karmic causes and effects. In the present moment, if one lacks the "devourer of thieves" (tūn zéi) that is fond of gambling, it becomes difficult to cultivate a mindset driven by greed and speculation. Therefore, the devourer of thieves serves to discern which karmic causes and effects are acceptable and which are not for oneself. Without the devourer of thieves—the desire for gambling—one would find it hard to activate and bring about karmic causes and effects.
The environment for human survival is shaped by the educational and instructional courses that inherit the past and herald the future. It is also influenced by the karma of Tunzei: the propensity for gambling. If the karma of Queyin: the propensity for lust, is not brought into play, it becomes difficult for the formation of karmic cause and effect. Yet, within the turbid energy that constitutes the po, how can purification be achieved? This is precisely the function dominated by Feidu: the propensity for calamity.
Feidu: Haohuo is to allow oneself, through the relationships of existence, to construct and facilitate—precisely what Feidu: Haohuo accomplishes as the totality of causal conditions. Feidu not only filters and digests its own causal conditions but also enables the differentiated aspects of the po-body to comprehend the sensory consciousness of human survival and discern how to proceed accordingly.
Feidu: This refers to all dominant constructs of differential entities, which are the original instigators of all calamities. In the present human world, all are afflicted by Feidu: the obscuring aura of calamity-seeking. Although the human body’s functions are capable of purification, the physical form nevertheless endures the invasion of Feidu: the assault of calamity-seeking, thereby shaping the tendency of sentient beings to manifest a preference for such phenomena.
The leading role and function of the Vital Soul lie in the process through which the Seven Po, via the central nervous system of the human brain, enter into the essence of the Seven Po themselves. It is precisely through the function of the soul that the three aspects—dominance, awareness, and vitality—are distinguished. This distinction integrates the differentiation of the soul, and through this differentiation of the soul, one comes to understand the functions and roles of "vitality, awareness, and dominance" within the soul's distinctions.
The Toxin of Slander – For those who find it difficult to enter the soul where "Lord, Life, and Awareness" reside, it is essential to understand that one must pass through the central nervous system of the brain to issue commands outward and manifest actions. Moreover, the essence of all conditioned entities, being rooted in the corporeal soul (po), struggles to enter the spiritual soul (linghun). It merely governs within the layers from the external to the internal.
Po is the counterpart of Feidu: the love of misfortune, which holds significant efficacy. Thus, Feidu, as the love of misfortune, also manifests in the human body's energetic actions through the purification of filth: the love of greed. For oneself, it serves as the fundamental cause for upward sublimation. Moreover, in Po, not only is the purification of filth: the love of greed accomplished, but it also transcends any distinctions of good and bad, right and wrong, or truth and falsehood.
It is merely akin to a magnet. All things operate through the processes of attraction and repulsion within yin and yang, performing acts of drawing in and pushing out. All are discerned through the magnetic forces of attraction and repulsion, and are governed by the aggregate of the po. This is the function of the lungs, which is the foul master: adept at handling all miscellaneous affairs, and also comparatively enthusiastic about everything.
All that can mobilize the "yin spirit"—that is, what is governed by the po—lies in the fact that the foul master is commanded by the primary function of the lungs. Through the restless activity of the seven po, it further induces clinging actions. The effect of the foul master constructed by the seven po is one of attraction and repulsion, which precisely manifests the foul master: the functional entity that delights in all calamities.
One cannot say that the "Seven Po" in human existence are merely impure and turbid energies. Moreover, all attainments of "Sages, Immortals, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas" are achieved by "purifying the Seven Po," "transcending the Seven Po," and "sublimating the Seven Po." Otherwise, no matter how remarkable one's external merits or internal accomplishments may be, it remains difficult to attain ascension and transcendence.
It is essential to understand that all constructs of the soul are precisely the workings of the "Hun and Po." Only through this understanding can one attain ascension, purification, and transcendence, which constitute true reality and serve as the fundamental cause for achievements in the human world. Furthermore, the differentiation of the seven Po—Shigou, Fushi, Queyin, Tunzei, Feidu, Chuhui, and Choushi—connects and distinguishes all the favorable and unfavorable functions of the human body.
The Corpse Dog is governed by the Po,  
Its dormant functions can be perceived.
When the Sparrow Yin and the Xiangjia combine, it will surely be better;
Who can truly understand the Tunzei?
Only when all actions are clearly understood,
Can one transcend and ascend in a leap.
The function of pestilence is purification,  
The instinct to eliminate filth naturally dissipates.
When the foul master manifests magnetic repulsion,  
The noumenal essence of causality draws each other in.
Offering a More Sublime Path in Life  
Purified Understanding Elevates Spiritual Awareness
This verse! Let us share it with all sentient beings;  
It shall indeed bring forth true meaning and discernment in times to come,  
Regarding the functions and roles of all souls and spirits!  
Thus, it clarifies how each function within the human body  
Should be nurtured and elevated,  
While also distinguishing the roles of all human souls and corporeal spirits—  
This is the true path!
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
## Before the Wuji Throne  Immortal Dong Shuangcheng
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
讚、祝頌、序
Nanping Daoji Illuminates the Heart  
Gradually Reaching Completion, Joy Arises from Within
This soul and spirit enlighten the sacred heart;  
The Great Dao reveals nature and elevates the noble heart.
"The spirit" is realized through the entry into the soul, which involves constructing the "vital soul, conscious soul, and sovereign soul" within the physical body. It is achieved by means of the "soul," serving as the foundation for vitality and upward progression. This enables humanity to exist and accomplish within the phenomenal world, acting as a determinant for whether one can engage in "orientation" and "orientation toward acquisition."
To grant oneself the ability to create an inexhaustible source of strength is to enable one’s fulfillment in the human world. One should understand that this involves constructing oneself within the human realm and growing through the “mundane world.” It requires granting oneself continuous “diligent progress” and “creation” in order to attain a state of perfection.
The Original Spirit: It is precisely the condition possessed by every sentient being, regardless of species in any realm of existence. If one cannot possess the Original Spirit, it becomes difficult to achieve the purpose of survival orientation; it is necessary through "orientation" and "creation" to enable oneself in the human world to engage in upward "learning" and "growth."
Human beings are often deluded by the five dust realms, preventing them from transforming the human world according to their own will. They are also constantly assailed by the principle of "past-life causes, present-life effects" and "present-life causes, future-life consequences." Consequently, they are unable to engage in the realms of "creation" and "improvement," which would otherwise provide sentient beings with the opportunity for upward growth.
Generation after generation, humanity has been trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, repeatedly forming obstacles and ultimately becoming the very source of its own downfall. If creation and improvement remain unattainable, then one must ask: Did sentient beings come into this world merely to "eat, drink, excrete, and sleep," or to let themselves sink forever into the Five Turbidities of the Saha World, caught in endless cycles of rebirth?
Regarding the guidance of the primordial spirit, it is precisely within the "Hun and Po" that construction takes place. Regardless of whether it concerns "sentient or non-sentient beings," the aim is to achieve "transformation and creative advancement." If this cannot be accomplished, it is truly a sorrowful matter. When "creative advancement and transformation" are unattainable, one can only remain trapped in the cyclical reincarnation within the "human world."
Fundamentally lacking the essential driving force for upward advancement, one is often constrained by the inability to transcend and the incapacity to return. This is constructed by the hun and po souls. Only by transforming such obstacles and achieving ascendant transcendence can one truly attain "growth" and "transcendence" in the present life.
The Original Spirit: Governed again by the Hun and Po souls, it is to enable oneself to transcend and return. Thus, the functions employed by Buddhism and Taoism are not the same; they must be able to "complement each other" in order to achieve return. One must possess a fundamental attitude and conduct to elevate oneself. If one cannot reach such a state, one will frequently encounter obstacles and errors caused by the hindrances and gaps of the Hun and Po souls!
The terminology employed in both Buddhism and Taoism must be thoroughly integrated and comprehended, for only then can one attain true understanding of one's own soul. Furthermore, it is through this integration that one constructs and guides the framework of consciousness and perception, thereby becoming the true master of one's own existence in the human world. One must avoid the tragic fate of being enslaved by one's own soul—a sorrow that sentient beings find most difficult to transcend.
The construction of the soul is composed of three elements: "life, awareness, and sovereignty." Furthermore, the construction of the seven corporeal souls lies within "Shigou, Fushi, Queyin, Tunzei, Feidu, Chuhui, and Choushi." Each step is actualized with genuine function and effect, and it also realizes the true capacity to guide the fundamental essence toward growth.
To comprehend the seven po, one must recognize that they are constructed not only within oneself through joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, love, aversion, and desire, but also through the growth of one’s own concepts and theories of "consciousness-only" thought. It is certain that one can achieve perfection and transcendence in the present life, and also grow and gain understanding in the human world. All of this is discerned clearly through the classics.
However, within the classics, it remains difficult to truly distinguish and clarify the seven souls. Thus, in their ambiguity, they often leave sentient beings "utterly perplexed," while frequently being obstructed by the barriers of language. Consequently, it becomes exceedingly challenging to comprehend that in the human world, one must fully manifest the original spirit along with the souls, further complicated by the dominance of the "concept of consciousness-only."
One should strive to be the master of oneself in the human world, rather than allowing oneself to sink into enslavement by the hun and po. As for the po's tendencies toward aggression and restlessness, it is essential to understand that all constructed causes and conditions are primarily driven by the po, which in turn stirs the desires and cravings of the human body's functions. How, then, can one restrain and purify these tendencies? This is precisely the work of cultivation!
Constructed by the soul, it is also the discernment of one's own karma-body, facilitated by the karma-body itself—it is the "consciousness-only world" transformed by all causes and effects. Furthermore, through the principles of "all phenomena arise from the mind" and "all diversity arises from matter," one must understand that the human world cannot be separated from any detail of human existence.
It must be achieved through the accumulation of all life experiences, at every juncture and in every process. Only then can one possess abundant resources in the human world, enabling the construction of a survival orientation to face all processes. One must understand that transforming knowledge into wisdom is the true path to growth and elevation within the human world.
One can thereby accumulate a wealth of experience and come to understand the fundamental concepts that this mind should possess. If one fails to comprehend the true nature of one’s own mind and merely assumes that a few moments of clarity about one’s original heart constitute genuine “illuminating the mind,” then one has only just begun the journey of “illuminating the mind,” and there remains a long path ahead before one can truly “see the nature.”
Moreover, if one remains complacent and self-satisfied, believing oneself to have already attained enlightenment, it becomes impossible to truly understand oneself. In the foundational work of illuminating the mind, how should one proceed? And within the realization of one's true nature, how can a genuine foundation be established? Only by achieving the experiential realization of "illuminating the mind and seeing one's true nature" can one embody the fundamental attitude and conduct that are truly necessary.
Clarifying the Mind: It is the process of "discerning" one's own journey of existence, enabling self-realization, self-refinement, and self-growth. Through learning, one gradually awakens to the essence, accumulating numerous moments of clarity. By means of thorough discernment, all phenomena of existence in the human world can lead to the realization that the "process of cosmic evolution" is profoundly vast.
From "gradual enlightenment" one attains "sudden enlightenment," yet within sudden enlightenment, it is not merely a few instances of awakening that lead one to believe they have already attained enlightenment. That is self-deception and deceiving others, misleading oneself and misleading others. It is essential to undergo learning and growth experiences, fully manifesting in gradual enlightenment and reaching numerous instances of sudden enlightenment, for only then can the fundamental accumulation of enlightenment be achieved.
Seeing the True Nature: It is essential to understand that within the original spirit, one must purify and contemplate the hun and po souls, while also eliminating all obstacles within the nature-body. Only by achieving the elevation of the original spirit can one, in the process of seeing the true nature, reach the point of igniting the heart-lamp, illuminating one’s original mind, and manifesting one’s Buddha-nature. This further enables one to transcend the fundamental causes and ascend upward.
All sentient beings lack the innate capacity of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, and can only rely on the gradual enlightenment and embodied realization of Master Shenxiu to fulfill the driving force of daily life. How, then, can they engage in the purification and construction of their own distinction between the "original spirit" and the "soul"? Even all sages, immortals, and buddhas have manifested their buddha-nature in the human world through this very process.
The Original Spirit manifests in clear action,  
The soul's guidance leaves no trace of cause.
The construction of the Po is purified,
Human emotions and desires are cleansed.
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart has been completed,  
The Great Way Reveals the True Nature is being expanded.
Life is rooted in causes and conditions  
Ascending through the return to transcendent truth
This verse! Let us encourage all sentient beings together;  
Thus is completed the writing of *The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart*.  
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all virtuous disciples and divine beings.  
Do not! Merely place hopes on achieving enlightenment in the next life—  
That would leave you with no certainty at all,  
Not to mention whether there will even be a next life, which remains unknown.  
Reflect upon this, and clarity will naturally arise!
It is hoped that in the future, the long-term creation of the more subtle and profound Tian Shu of the Great Dao series will enable self-realization and the elevation and salvation of all beings. To achieve this, it is essential to comprehend the overall evolution of heaven, earth, and humanity, thereby returning to the source. Each volume truly delves into the core, descending to enlighten sentient beings in this world. Regardless of religious sects or lineages, all may attain realization.
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
## Vice Chair of Chongxin: Ma Xiangu
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
跋、凡例
The Great Dao's Illumination of the Heart is now complete,  
Our Original Teacher descends to inscribe a validating postscript.
The True Essence of Life's Cultivation  
We encourage each other and ascend together.
Postscript I
The Wuji Great Dao Academy guides and leads, precisely as the Yi Chi Chongxin Hall has authored the entire series: The Celestial Texts of the Great Dao reveal the essential causes and conditions needed within the sentient world of humanity. This serves as a foundation for one’s own ascension and transcendence, allowing one’s original spirit to be elevated. It is precisely through oneself that one can achieve and learn.
Moreover, one should establish fundamental concepts for all future processes through learning, while also engaging in transformation within the human world. Regardless of any religious sect or lineage, by "understanding one's original mind and perceiving one's inherent nature," one can discern and benefit, thereby achieving growth and elevation.
In the process of "illuminating the mind and realizing one's true nature," one elevates one's wisdom, granting oneself not only the ability to achieve self-realization but also the capacity to benefit sentient beings. This is a genuine upward path, expanding all one's knowledge and experience. Through "hearing, contemplating, and practicing," one attains "contemplative cultivation," and further advances into "subtle contemplative cultivation."
To cultivate within oneself the resources and fundamental causes for accomplishment, thereby manifesting one's Buddha-nature, ensures that one can achieve fulfillment within the human world without having to rely on future lifetimes for realization. This is to "establish oneself and then establish others," and further, to "enlighten oneself and then enlighten others." It is precisely in the process of growth that one can attain genuine and substantial causal foundations.
_The Illumination of the Heart in the Great Dao_ has been completed. Within this "illumination of the heart," how can one perceive one's own "original heart"? It is to guide one's actions through one's "thoughts and consciousness," and through understanding the process within oneself, to arrive at clarity regarding the root of one's own causes and conditions. This is what constitutes the necessary condition for "Prajñāpāramitā wisdom," and only then is it correct!
If one cannot attain clarity on the origin of their own karma, it will be difficult to transcend the stage of accumulating provisions within the human world. Only through understanding can one reach the fundamental provisions necessary for return. Elevating the awareness of one’s original mind and true nature is precisely what transcends the foundation.
Enlighten the heart, enlighten the heart, enlighten the original heart  
The Great Dao, the Great Dao, reveals the great sentiment
Those who illuminate the mind and perceive the true nature can attain perfection;  
Returning to transcendence ensures abundant fulfillment.
Namo to Our Original Teacher, Śākyamuni Buddha, who descended to this world.
Confucian Sacred Teaching  
True Buddha Heart School  
Wuji Great Dao Academy  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
The twenty-third day of the Plum Blossom Month, during the Xu hour, in the Gengchen year of the Heavenly Cycle.
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
## Imperial Envoy of Haotian, Venerable Luo

The celestial mandate descends upon the chosen one,  
Through boundless realms, his sacred journey's run.  
With virtue bright as sun and moon above,  
He spreads the light of wisdom, truth, and love.  

A messenger between the earth and sky,  
He lifts the veil where mortal doubts still lie.  
Through trials deep and paths both steep and long,  
His faith remains unshaken, firm, and strong.  

Oh, Venerable Luo, with grace endowed,  
Before your presence, all illusions bow.  
You guide the lost toward the eternal way,  
And turn the darkest night to brightest day.  

In every heart where seeds of goodness grow,  
Your teachings like a gentle river flow.  
May all beings awaken to the call,  
And find within the peace that gathers all.
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
跋、凡例
The Heart's Lamp Burns Endlessly　　  
Boundless Potential Springs from Sentience
Life's Creation Reveals the Original Mind
Attaining Insight into One's True Nature Brings Intimate Clarity
Postscript II

English Translation:
The "Great Tao Series Celestial Books," authored by the Confucian Sacred Teachings, the True Buddha Heart School, the Wuji Great Tao Academy, and the Yi Chi Chong Xin Hall, disseminate the benevolent virtues of heaven and earth across all directions. They embody profound compassion and boundless love for humanity and the world. Moreover, heaven and earth extend this profound compassion and boundless love to all sentient beings, fostering mutual support and encouragement among them.
Humankind stands as the most exalted among all beings, for only by understanding one's inherent nature and original mind can one avoid being drawn into the whirlpool of degradation. It is through this understanding that humanity may ascend and transcend boundaries. Moreover, each human being carries a unique mission, enabling them to surpass all ignorance and achieve growth. This is precisely why humanity holds the status of the most exalted among all creatures.
The Great Tao Series Celestial Texts: Manifesting the great love of heaven and earth, protecting all sentient beings. Within heaven and earth, regardless of all things, all take humanity as their foundation. Moreover, human beings take the "Saints, Immortals, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas" as their foundation. It is precisely through learning, growth, elevation, and transcendence that one can truly be called a human being among all beings.
In discussing humanity as the demarcation point between ascension and downfall, it must be noted that humans not only possess the capacity to alter the workings of heaven and earth, but also to transform their past "karmic causes and effects" into perfection. Moreover, by removing obstacles within themselves—that is, by eliminating all ignorance and hindrances—they truly become masters of their own lives in this present existence.
Sentient beings, entangled in the cycles of cause and effect across countless lifetimes, will remain forever in the depths of suffering if they cannot dissolve these karmic bonds. Yet, in response to the boundless compassion, mercy, affection, love, benevolence, and virtue of Heaven, the human world is granted the opportunity to transform the root causes of karma, allowing each individual to fully resolve and redeem all their accumulated causes and effects.
To complete all mission tasks in this lifetime is essential, as it greatly facilitates the understanding of one’s original mind and the realization of one’s true nature. Clarifying one’s original mind and perceiving one’s inherent nature are processes through which every “sage, immortal, Buddha, or bodhisattva” resolves their own karmic causes and effects, thereby comprehending their original mind and witnessing their true nature.
In the practice of boundless compassion and shared empathy, one allows the inherent nature of one's conduct to ascend and transcend. By realizing that one's own achievements need not rely on the attainments of "immortals and Buddhas," one embodies the principle that "the self-nature must be liberated by itself; even the Buddha cannot liberate it." To actualize this in the world of sentient beings is both practical and correct.
If one merely places hope in accomplishing it in future lifetimes, it is nothing but an extravagant wishful longing. Forever placing hope in the next life or the future—can it truly be achieved? Can one truly transcend? Thus, it becomes impossible to accomplish anything in the present moment. How, then, can one expect to achieve it in the next life or the future? Reflect upon this, and you will understand your own "original mind, original nature, and original essence"!
Namo Ancient Buddha Dipankara, descending to the mortal realm.
The Confucian School of Sacred Teachings  
The True Buddha Heart School  
The Wuji Great Dao Academy  
The Yichi Chongxin Hall
Twenty-third day of the Plum Blossom Month, Xu Hour, in the Gengchen Year of Heavenly Fortune
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
##Chongxin Chairperson, Xukong Tianzun, Wenheng Shengdi
◆ Postfaces & Praises ◆
跋、凡例
Namo to all beings who contemplate the Tathagata,
Awakening to the true Dharma, the original mind unfolds.
Thus come, thus go, the true reality abides;  
The Great Dao enlightens the heart, transcending the three realms.
Postscript III
The Celestial Texts of the Great Dao series, authored by the Wuji Great Dao Academy and the Yichong Xintang, each volume is initiated by the inherent causes contained within the "Principal of Reason-Pen." They are also commissioned by the Ancient Buddha of the South Sea and the Ancient Buddha of Nanping Daoji, who respectfully received the divine decree from the Heavenly Realm to compose this comprehensive series of texts. Such an opportunity is truly extraordinary.
One must focus on the sentient beings of the present moment, without needing to enter the "Three Assemblies of the Dragon Flower" or even transcend the "Maitreya Pure Land" for realization. By cultivating the "concepts and theories of consciousness-only" and understanding through practice, humanity must rely on the orientation of survival to accumulate experience, thereby achieving a truly profound and unforgettable growth.
The work "Da Dao Ming Xin" has been completed, offering sentient beings clarity on their original heart, inherent nature, and true spirit, providing boundless nourishment for their upward growth. By understanding the essence of "Da Dao Ming Xin," one will surely realize that in the human world, one cannot bypass the fundamental challenge of survival. Only then can one become the master of oneself.
Otherwise, to drift through life in confusion and obscurity is a rather cruel fate for sentient beings. The original intent of the Heavenly Texts in the "Great Dao Series" is to enable all sentient beings, both in the present and the future, to act in accordance with truth and reality, to apply the true meaning of heaven and earth as it is, and to create the causes and conditions for their own fulfillment.
"Coming as such and going as such, going as such and coming as such" enables one to be "free from attachments, free from obstructions, free from delays." It further allows sentient beings to grow and achieve realization within the human world, so that in the future they may enter the "Lotus World," the Pure Land of the Buddha. It is hoped that all sentient beings will return and genuinely attain realization.
To truly know one's own mind
Is to achieve enlightenment for all sentient beings.
Life's experiences are infinitely wonderful  
Manifesting Buddha-nature through accordance with truth and reality
Namo the Tathagata of Right Dharma Illumination, descending to cross over the three realms.
Confucian Sacred Teachings  
True Buddha Heart School  
Wuji Great Dao Academy  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
The twenty-third day of the Mei month in the Gengchen year of the Heavenly Cycle, at the hour of Xu.
The Creation of Heaven and Earth is the Great Cosmos,  
The Medicine King Tastes Herbs to Bestow Remedies Upon All.
Shennong's virtue nourishes all living beings  
The Great Emperor guards myriad beings with compassion
Guide to the Reader

English Translation:
I. The work of *Da Dao Ming Xin* offers sentient beings an opportunity to draw nourishment from the heavens, while also serving as a benchmark and catalyst for one's own potential for accomplishment in the human world.
II. The overall corpus of the Dao Series is developed from the "Buddhist concept of Consciousness-Only" and harmonized with the "essence of Daoism." In the human world, it manifests through the "Confucian Sacred Teachings."
III. "The Great Path Illuminates the Heart" is about enabling sentient beings, through understanding their original heart, original nature, and original spirit, to achieve the basis for ascension and transcendence, thereby attaining growth through ascension and transcendence in the human world.
IV. *The Great Dao Illuminates the Heart* also manifests in the "world of true reality" within the human realm. In the process of nurturing sentient beings, it transforms experience into wisdom for elevation, thereby providing clarity in the orientation of existence. Such action is indeed essential.
V. Illuminating the Mind and Perceiving the True Nature is a state aspired to by all sentient beings, regardless of religious sect or lineage. How can it be achieved? How can it be constructed? It must lie in how one "gathers" within oneself—this is the correct path. Observe and make the choice for yourself!
VI. The composition of the Celestial Books of the Great Dao series fully demonstrates the high regard in which the Celestial Court holds the Chongxin Dao lineage. Compared to any Dao lineage of the past, it carries more practical truth for realization and aspiration, thereby offering the means to dissolve the obstacles to human existence.
VII. "The Great Path Illuminates the Heart" will be selected on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth lunar month in the Gengchen Millennium Dragon Year to reverently celebrate the holy birthday of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Sovereign of Mysterious Numen and Exalted God-on-High. This work will be presented to the Heavenly Court as a tribute of longevity, serving as both a token of gratitude for the Jade Emperor's virtuous grace and a congratulatory gift.
VIII. The Great Dao Series: This series elucidates the principal framework of the "Heart Sutra of Prajñāpāramitā," exploring how one may "attain the realization of one's true nature through illuminating the mind." It demonstrates that all sentient beings are capable of reaching and manifesting this state of enlightenment, with the key lying in how to "ignite the lamp of the heart and manifest the Buddha-nature" to achieve both return and transcendence.
In the Beginning of Heaven and Earth, the Great Emperor of Medicine and Agriculture, Shennong, Descended to Establish the Precedents for Humanity.
The Confucian Sacred Teaching
The True Buddha Heart School
The Wuji Great Dao Academy
The Yi Decree Chongxin Hall
The twenty-third day of the Plum Blossom Month, Xu hour, in the Gengchen year of the Heavenly Cycle.
◆ Decree ◆
完書繳旨
Chongxin Daochang Authors Celestial Texts  
The Great Dao Illuminating the Heart Is Now Complete
Promoting Teachings to Enlighten All  
Persevering with Uncommon Achievements
Tonight, in reverent receipt of the sacred decree from the Eternal Imperial Mother, this hall has completed the writing and returned the decree. It is commanded that this hall’s  Void-Colored Spirit Immortal Maiden and  Void-Colored Cloud Immortal Maiden be dispatched to receive the carriage thirty li away; further commanded that this hall’s  Void-Colored Rosy Cloud Immortal Maiden and  Void Golden Pen Wisdom-Opening Celestial Worthy be dispatched to receive the carriage twenty li away. All other divinities, Buddhas, students, and cultivators of the Wuji Great Dao Academy shall line up in order to await the carriage, without any breach of decorum!
The Wuji Decree Bestows Reverence upon the Heart,  
Virtue Pervades Heaven and Earth, Deepening Mutual Affection.
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart, now complete.  
If further propagation follows, there must be a cause.
By Imperial Decree of the Wuji, the sacred edict is hereby proclaimed in the hall. All divine beings and mortals bow in reverence!
Imperial Edict Proclaimed
Respectfully Presented
The Great Celestial Mother of Wuji Proclaims Her Sacred Decree:
The Mother resides in the sacred realm of the Celestial Principle, observing the sentient beings of Jambudvipa who have sunk into delusion, finding it truly difficult to return to the sacred land of the Ultimate. Therefore, She has repeatedly dispatched celestial immortals and Buddhas to "expound teachings in all directions and establish halls in every place," all with the sole intention of widely guiding the descended Buddha-children to return. This is the Mother’s most heartfelt aspiration and wish, hoping it may be accomplished at the earliest.
Nowadays, with the rise of technological civilization, humanity prides itself on scientific advancement, yet often dismisses the law of cause and effect. This has led to an ever-increasing burden of karmic debts, making it difficult to ignite the inner lamp of the heart, illuminate one's inherent nature and Buddha-nature, and break free from the sinking depths of the Five Turbidities in this Saha World. Consequently, it becomes challenging to manifest the Buddha-nature and attain true accomplishment. This is why the Mother's heart is filled with profound sorrow and lamentation!
By the sacred decree of the Heavenly Mother, Chongxintang was established. Since its inauguration, it has been dedicated to composing the Heavenly Texts of the Great Tao series. The eighth volume, *The Great Tao Illuminates the Heart*, has now been completed. This work embodies the Heavenly Mother’s teachings and legacy for all spiritual beings, serving as the foundation for their return and transcendence. It stands as a testament to the affirmation of the Great Tao lineage by the Divine, functioning as an educational curriculum to foster continuous growth and elevation.
The propagation and teaching of the "Confucian Sacred Teaching and True Buddha Heart School" are revered by the Mother's Heart and Virtuous Will. It serves as a vanguard of the Great Path, providing a pivotal opportunity for the multitude of future spiritual children to return. It also functions as the Mother's Heart's "Wuji Great Dao Academy" in the mortal realm, educating and elevating the departed souls among her children to transcend and return.
The Mother Heart is greatly pleased, and hereby awards all participants in the compilation of *The Great Tao Illuminates the Heart*—each deity, Buddha, and student—three thousand major merits for perfect attendance. Those who have participated in less than two-thirds of the work shall receive half the award. This is in accordance with the selfless sacrifice and dedication for the Great Tao, for all living beings, and for oneself.
The propagation of the True Buddha Heart Sect is a divine blessing bestowed by Heaven upon the Chongxin Dao lineage, embodying the heartfelt aspiration of the Mother, so that all may align with the Mother's heart and spirit. The mission of the True Buddha Heart Sect is to foster growth and spiritual cultivation for oneself and all sentient beings within the Dao lineage, enabling both self-realization and the liberation of all beings, guiding them back to transcendence.
The decree from the Heavenly Sovereign is manifested through the elevation of the heart-nature, spiritual nature, inherent nature, and self-nature. It is to be realized and accomplished in the present moment, enabling one to transcend: directly entering the Maitreya Pure Land beyond the "Three Dragon-Flower Assemblies." Moreover, it is to be achieved in this very lifetime and fulfilled in the here and now. Only this is the true reality, which is what the Mother's heart earnestly longs for!
The Wuji Huangmu Issues a Sacred Decree to
Confucian Sacred Teachings  
True Buddha Heart School  
Wuji Great Dao Academy  
Yichi Chongxin Hall
The twenty-seventh day of the fourth month in the Gengchen year of the Heavenly Cycle, during the Xu hour.
The decree has been proclaimed! We congratulate the deities, buddhas, and all virtuous devotees of the Chongxin Dao Lineage for truly receiving the commendation and rewards from the Wuji Huangmu for your merits. This fully demonstrates that you are the great pillars of the Heavenly Court, precisely promoting the ancestral lineage of the Great Dao to guide and deliver primordial spirits back to their origin! Congratulations! Congratulations! Very well, I now return to the Wuji to report the completion of this decree. We extend our gratitude to all deities, buddhas, and virtuous devotees for your diligent efforts! Farewell!
Wuji Bestows Honors for Meritorious Deeds  
We Kowtow in Gratitude for the Imperial Mother’s Boundless Grace
Once more the Jade Decree of Haotian descends,
In solemn reverence we await, in ranks aligned.
Continuing further, the Jade Decree of the Heavenly Sovereign descends to the hall, commanding the dispatch of this hall’s Bodhisattva Guanyin and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra to receive the imperial carriage twenty li away, and commanding the dispatch of this hall’s Living Buddha Jigong and the Great Dao Celestial Worthy of the Void Silver Brush to receive the imperial carriage ten li away. All other deities, Buddhas, students, and spiritual cultivators of the Wuji Great Dao Institute shall line up to receive the imperial carriage, ensuring no breach of decorum!
Imperial Envoy Descends to the Sacred Hall with a Decree  
The Chongxin Daoist Sanctuary Stands Apart
The Great Dao series, volumes upon volumes,  
Unfolds and propagates without bound or shore.
Imperial Decree: The Jade Decree of the Vast Heaven descends upon the hall to be proclaimed. All spirits and mortals bow in reverence!
Jade Decree Unveiled
Respectfully Received
The Great Celestial Jade Emperor,  
The Mystically Numinous and Most High God,  
Proclaims the Jade Decree:
As the supreme ruler of the Nine-Five position, I hold the authority to govern the rise and fall of heaven, earth, and humanity. I have consistently advocated for the practice of human ethics and morality, the Three Bonds and Five Constants, the Four Pillars and Eight Virtues, in order to establish a world of humane governance. I have long hoped that these principles would yield genuine functional benefits, serving as education and moral cultivation to uplift and transform many. Yet, it remains difficult for their true efficacy to be fully manifested. Such a predicament indeed gives cause for deep concern.
Nowadays, since its establishment in the Bingzi year, the Wuji Da Dao Yuan in Taoyuan, Taiwan, and the Yichi Chongxin Tang have been composing the "Great Dao Series Celestial Books." These works serve to broadly disseminate the teachings of Heaven, nurture sentient beings, and illuminate the true Buddha-nature. Through this sacred duty, each volume of the Great Dao Series Celestial Books is completed and propagated.
The eighth volume, *The Great Tao Illuminates the Heart*, has now been completed. It aims to elevate spiritual practitioners in understanding the natural operation of the Great Tao, realizing their own original heart and true nature, guiding themselves in the mundane world toward the path of accomplishment, and further enabling self-transcendence and elevation, offering a means for upward growth and surpassing.
We are pleased! We hereby specially reward all deities and individuals of the Chongxin Dao Lineage with two thousand major merits each, to be fully granted to those who have shown complete diligence, while those who have achieved less than two-thirds shall receive half. This reward honors the sincerity in authoring and promoting these works, which is precisely what We specially commend! Furthermore, it is Our hope that the Chongxin Dao Lineage will elevate from the "Ru Zong Shen Jiao" to the "Ru Zong Sheng Jiao."
In this declining age! To elevate the spiritual nature of all beings, transcending through fulfilling one's innate nature, brings tangible benefits to oneself. Only by invoking the true principles to achieve this can one accumulate the provisions for one's own return. Therefore, the hope placed in Chongxin lies in taking the Great Dao as the natural law and accomplishing through the series of books—this is the true reality!
The Confucian Sacred Teaching and the True Buddha Heart School—through the transcendent nature of its Zen lineage in terms of inner cultivation, behavioral accomplishments, ideological transformation, and the resolution of karma—align precisely with the necessities of the present era. Moreover, for the True Buddha Heart School, it represents the benevolent grace of Heaven in promoting and delivering sentient beings, which is the fundamental sacred mission of Chongxin.
It is hoped to widely guide all sentient beings, to manifest the true suchness and reveal the Buddha-nature, "to light countless lamps of the heart, transcend and return to awaken sentient beings." In serving the great sacred mission and undertaking great actions for Chongxin, this is to become the great lineage of the Way, the pillars of Heaven in the future. Only by doing so can actual merits be accomplished and realized.
The Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Lord, Bestows a Jade Edict Upon
The Sacred Teachings of Confucianism  
The True Buddha Heart School  
The Wuji Great Dao Academy  
The Yichi Chongxin Hall
The twenty-seventh day of the fourth month in the Gengchen year of the Heavenly Cycle, during the Xu hour.
The Jade Decree has been fully proclaimed. We congratulate the Chongxin Dao Lineage for truly receiving the merits bestowed by Heaven. This lineage shall serve as a pillar in the education of future sentient beings and guide all conscious beings toward attainment. Such accomplishment is truly commendable and worthy of celebration!
The Great Way Illuminates the Heart and Honors Merits  
Heaven and Earth Bestow Virtue with Even Greater Compassion
With each volume, perseverance grows stronger;  
Every book brings joyful proof to the heart.
This evening, the Infinite Heavenly Mother and the Jade Emperor have bestowed upon Chongxin's deities, Buddhas, and students the merits of their sacred decrees and jade edicts, rewarding their efforts in advancing educational and cultural endeavors at this very moment. Their achievements in propagation and promotion serve as a clear testament to the recognition bestowed by Heaven upon the Chongxin Dao lineage. Moreover, the dissemination of Chongxin's genuine truths and principles stands as an honor made manifest.
In the next session, we shall reverently receive the divine will of Heaven and continue with the ninth volume of the Great Dao series of celestial texts. Following the same procedure, we shall arrange the incense altar, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of our hall’s relocation after two years! In the subsequent session, we shall celebrate the second anniversary of the consecration, which also falls on the joyous Dragon Boat Festival! All preparations shall be made well in advance. We appreciate the diligent efforts of all virtuous disciples. Until we meet again!