The relationship between Tao and mankind

The shapeless and formless Tao brings about various elements and spiritual energy. These elements and spiritual energy combine to form living cells. Cells then proliferate into living entities. Because of the differences in the combination of elements and the intensity of spiritual energy, each living entity is unique. The intensity of the spiritual energy given to a species determines its class. Among all the living things on Earth, humankind is the only life form that possesses all attributes of Tao. Thus, mankind is the dominion on Earth.

Tien-Tao is the mystic key to the cosmos, and is the only way to return to God’s kingdom. The Confucian book The Doctrine of the Mean states, “Tao cannot be deviated from momentarily. If it can be deviated from, it is not the true Tao.” Thus mankind must live according to Tao, just like a train must run on rails, a ship must sail on her course, and an airplane must fly along its designated route. Catastrophes occur if a train is derailed, a ship deviates from her course, and a plane does not follow its designated route. Similarly, if one deviates from Tao, he or she is likely to commit sinful conducts, and will be punished by law and disparaged by society. Upon death, he or she will be judged, based on his or her karma, and will then be reborn as either a human, a mammal, a bird, aquatic live, or insects. The inability to transcend from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth creates endless suffering. That is why Confucius said: “He who knows Tao will forever follow the all benevolent Tao till he dies.” “He who knows Tao will constantly worry if he can attainTao, and never worries about living in poverty.” “He who knows Tao is filled with joy.”

Confucius enlightened Yan-hui, who follow Tao his whole life. (Yan-hui was one of the Saints in Confucianism.) Confucius also enlightened Zeng-zi, who followed Tao with such extreme care as if he were standing at the edge of a canyon or walking on thin ice. Everyday, Zeng-zi reflected upon himself three times to see if he had done his best to preach God’s Truth, if he had been truthful, and if he had practiced what he had learned about Tao. Zeng-zi eventually became the Second Patriarch/Master in Confucianism.

In summary, from the standards set by these Saints, we can see how closely humans are tied to Tao. Unfortunately, most people put aside Tien-Tao and do not try to understand It. That is why Confucius expressed his pity once by saying “A man must gain entrance to a house through the door, yet why wouldn’t he follow Tao to live?”

How to distinguish the Li-xing (True Character), Qi-xing (Spiritual Character), and Zhi-xing (Material Character) of a human being?

A human is born by comprising the essence of the three Heavens (Li-tien, Qi-tien, and Xiang-tien) and the complete Qi of the five fundamental elements. The eternal and perfect True Self is nurtured by the Qi of the five fundamental elements in Xian-tien.

When combined with a fertilized egg, the True Self becomes the soul and develops inside the mother’s womb to give life. Therefore, the soul possesses the complete benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom, and faith of Tao. The soul is not born nor does it vanish.

The True Self in the human body disperses into the functions of the soul, Hun and Po. The soul is the essence of Hun and Po. The Hun and Po are the manifestations of the soul. Thus, the soul, Hun, and Po are in reality one.

The True Self is the quiescent state of Tao. It is void, all benevolent and good, and possesses the Li-xing of Li-tien. The change of Tao is the spiritual energy or the soul. When a human is born, his life is dependent upon the breathing of air. The inhaling and exhaling symbolize the yang and yin. When a human is constrained by yin and yang, the soul disperses into the Hun and Po. The Hun and Po flow throughout the body and become the center of life in a human.

The Hun belongs to yang and contains more goodness than evil. It has the Qi-xing of Qi-tien. As the Hun is influenced by the sensory organs of the human body and external stimuli, it is tempted by materials. It then turns into the instinct of the human sensory organs, the Po. The Po belongs to yin and contains mostly evil. It has the Zhi-xing of Xiang-tien. The manifestations of changes in Qi-tien and Xiang-tien are Qi-xing and Zhi-xing. The manifestation of Li-tien is the Li-xing. Man and Heaven are united, thus everyone has the Li-xing, Qi-xing, and Zhi-xing.

From the scientific point of view, the universe basically is the work of light, electricity, and magnetism. To a human being, the soul is light; the Hun, electricity; and the Po, magnetism. The three are one and each is mutually influenced by the other two. Hence, the life of a human being is the work of the soul, Hun, and Po, which are the manifestation of one’s Li-xing, Qi-xing, and Zhi-xing.

The Last Catastrophe of the Third Period

The Last Catastrophe of the Third Period is determined by the changes in time and order of the cosmos. It is a natural predestination which is beyond the ken of human intellect. When Heaven and Earth were created, God called on ten Buddhas to the world, seven to rule and three to amass the souls. Both Tien-Tao and catastrophes were descended at the same time during each period of amassing souls. The Three Periods can also be proved through the history: the development of civilization from Divine right to monarchic authority, and then to democracy corresponds to each of the three periods. This is similar to what has been called birth, growth, destruction, and emptiness in Buddhism, and the Final Judgment in Christianity and Islam; which all mean the same thing except each has a different appellation. 

When will the Last Catastrophe occur?

According to prophecies in Tien-Tao and other religions, this will happen in the near future with no specific date. However, the most important thing is to arouse oneself and others to Tao, do good deeds, and accumulate merits from now on. This is the only way to escape from the Last Catastrophe and the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

What is the meaning of the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period?

The period from the beginning to the end of Heaven and Earth is called a Cycle of Heaven and Earth. There are twelve Phases in a Cycle. Each Phase takes ten-thousand and eight-hundred years. The forces in the spiritual world and the material world change in each Phase. These changes are reflected as major catastrophes. In a Cycle, the first six Phases belong to yang and represent creation and cultivation; the last six Phases belong to yin and represent harvesting and suspension. All matters and beings also follow the order of these Phases but on smaller scales. (For example, on the small scale, four seasons repeat in a year; growth is in spring, flourishing in summer, harvesting in autumn, and suspension in winter. This cycle repeats every year. A human being goes through four stages: infancy, adolescence, adulthood, and old age). Ever since mankind and all other beings were descended in Yin Phase, they are confined to this progression and regression cycle. 

In the growth Phases, God called on seven Buddhas to govern the world so the growth would be orderly.

In the regression Phases, God called on three Buddhas to amass the souls so that the returning of souls and the essence of everything are orderly.

In growth Phases, mankind did not have any civilization and did not know how to govern the world. Therefore, the Saints descended to teach and to rule the world. 

The first Saint to descend is Chi-ai Buddha. The second is Shen-yu Buddha. They appeared in Mau and Cheng Phases. The third is Jia-san-chun Buddha. The fourth is You-zhang-gen Buddha. They appeared in Cheng and Si Phases. The fifth is Kong-gu-shen Buddha. The sixth is Lung-ye Buddha. They appeared in Si and Wu Phase. The seventh is Ji-tien Buddha. He appeared in the early part of Wu Phase. Once the time reached Wu Phase, regression begins and it is time for the souls to return to God’s kingdom. 

There are three Buddhas to amass souls and handle the degeneration of the worlds. Each of the three Buddhas rules one time period. The first period is called the Green Yang Period and was ruled by Ran-deng Buddha. The second period is called the Red Yang Period and was ruled by Sakyamuni Buddha. The third period is called the White Yang Period and is ruled by Mi-Le Buddha.

For eight-hundred (800) years in Wu Phase, mankind was benevolent and peaceful. People lived in harmony and the world was filled with love and joy. Harmony existed not only among humans but also between humans and other living things. However, in these eight-hundred years of Wu Phase, yang reached its peak and started to decline, and yin started to appear. Affected by the yin Qi, human heart began to change and, slowly, turned into evil. Mankind started to kill animals for food and eventually killed other human beings for territories and desires. Ever since then, mankind has committed innumerous sins of killings and gathered countless debts. Since God is just and fair, all debts must be repaid. If you owe others money, you must pay back. If you kill others, you must repay by being killed. Thus, God descended worldwide catastrophes in three different periods to clear these debts. 

The catastrophes in the three periods are called:

• the Green Yang Catastrophe in the Green Yang Period,

• the Red Yang Catastrophe in the Red Yang Period, and

• the White Yang Catastrophe in the White Yang Period.

The first two Catastrophes have already past. The third and the last world-wide catastrophe, the White Yang Catastrophe, will occur in the near future at the end of the transition from Wu Phase to Wei Phase. It is the “Final Judgment” preached by Christianity.

Why is the first period called the Green Yang Period?

This time period was the beginning of the descending of Tien-Tao and the start of human civilizations. Since this period corresponded to Beginning in Heaven, spring in seasons, and east in directions, Tien-Tao was destined to descend in the East. Since east corresponds to the fundamental element wood and the color green, this period is named the Green Yang Period. The color green was popular in the Green Yang Period.

Why the second period was called the Red Yang Period?

This time period corresponded to Cultivation in Heaven, summer in seasons, and south in directions. Hence, Tien-Tao was destined to appear in the South. Since south corresponds to the fundamental element fire and the color red, this time period is named the Red Yang Period. In this time period, the color red indicated good fortune. Also, because the end of the Red Yang Period was the preparation for the arrival of the White Yang Period, both green and red colors were popular at the end of the Red Yang Period. Just like autumn comes right after summer, the White Yang Period occurs immediately after the Red Yang Period.

Why is the last period called the White Yang Period?

This Period corresponds to Reward in Heaven, autumn in seasons, and west in directions. Hence, Tien-Tao is destined to appear in the West. Since west corresponds to the fundamental element metal and the color white, this period is called the White Yang Period. This period is from now till ten-thousand and eight-hundred years later. In this period, the color white represents good fortune and honor.

The Green Yang Catastrophe occurred in Fu-xi Era, which began around 3043 B.C. It extended eighteen-hundred and sixteen (1816) years. This period is also called the Period of the Green Yang Catastrophes. Since, at that time, mankind just started to turn evil and the collective sins and debts were not great, God descended nine world-wide catastrophes. These catastrophes were all floods and therefore were also called the Catastrophes of the Long-han Flood. Being just, fair, and benevolent, God did not and could not let the good being punished together with the evil, and hence God ordered Saints to descend to the world as kings to spread Tien-Tao. The good received Tien-Tao and escaped from the catastrophes and the evil did not receive Tien-Tao and was punished by the catastrophes.

The Red Yang Catastrophe began in King Wen of Zhou Dynasty (1227 B.C.) and ended within a couple decades after the Republic of China was established. It spanned thirty-one-hundred and forty (3140) years. According to the collective sins and debts of mankind, God descended eighteen fire catastrophes in the form of wars and battles, and these were called the Catastrophes of the Zhi-ming Fire. In these catastrophes, blood was spilled everywhere in this world. To match the number of catastrophes, there were eighteen dynasties in China during this time period. To save the good, God ordered Sakyamuni Buddha down to the world to spread Tien-Tao. In this period, the mission of spreading the True Great Tao was given to the scholars instead of the kings. Those who received Tien-Tao could at least escape the catastrophes, and transcend the cycle of birth and death if they became ascetics.

The third and the last White Yang Catastrophe occur at the transition from the Red Yang Period to the White Yang Period, i.e., the transition from Wu Phase to Wei Phase. According to the collective sins and debts human beings carry, God descends eighty-one catastrophes. The eighty-first catastrophe is the Catastrophe of Gang-feng (a wind-like catastrophe). This Wind Catastrophe is just like explosions of nuclear bombs; after a big bang, everything within its range will be annihilated. It is the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period.

Why is the Last Catastrophe so destructive?

The technology and civilization of mankind have reached its peak. Unfortunately, people have disregarded the Truth and moralities. The human mind is so deteriorated that most people are driven by desires. Debts and sins mankind collected have never been so much before. Therefore, the magnitudes of catastrophes and destructions will be much greater than before. The Last Catastrophe will lead to the total destruction of the human civilization and technology. As in the previous two periods, Tien-Tao and catastrophes will appear at the same time to save the good and punish the evil.

In the Green Yang Period, funeral attires were colored red, and it meant to continue the bloodline of the parents, embedding the meaning of red. It was so because the Green Yang Period was the time for growth.

In the Red Yang Period, funeral attires were colored white. White represents pureness and clearness, the very nature of the soul. Thus, using white funeral attires meant to hold on to one’s origin. It was so because the Red Yang Period was the time for flourishing, and the time humans were easily lost in their pursuit for materialism.

In the White Yang period, funeral attires are colored black. Since black is the only color that cannot be altered, it represents the Truth. Thus the color of the funeral attires means to restore the True Self. It is so because the White Yang Period is time for harvesting and the time for all souls to go back to God’s kingdom.

One may wonder is there a Black Yang Period after the White Yang Period?

Yang represents daytime and yin represents nighttime. As we know, the sun rises in the east, peaks in the south (as seen from the north,) and sets in the west. There are only three time periods in the daytime. Matching the directions of the sun, there will only be three Yang Periods, the Green Yang Period, the Red Yang Period, and the White Yang Period. There will not be a Black Yang Period. Therefore, the White Yang Catastrophe will be the Final Catastrophe of the world and is called the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period. It will be the total destruction of the human civilization and technology. This period is the last time one has the chance of receiving Tien-Tao. It is also the “Final Judgment” as described by western religions.

Since Yin Phase mankind has descended to the world till now, each person has suffered innumerous cycles of birth, death, and rebirth, longed for the mirages of the material world, and lost his True Self. Mankind does not know where he comes from and does not know where he should go to. Mankind becomes astray and lost, ignores moralities, and has committed innumerous sins. Now is the time the collective sins and debts reach the peak and the destructions from the catastrophes will be the greatest. God, being benevolent, just, and fair, cannot bear that all will be destroyed and therefore gives all souls, including humans, deities, or those in Hell, a chance of receiving Tien-Tao.

Mi-Le Buddha is given the mission of ruling Heaven and Earth. Ji-Kong Buddha and Yue-Hui Buddha are given the mission of transmitting Tien-Tao to all souls. They are the Enlightened Teachers with Tien-Ming  from whom Tien-Tao is received.

Guan-yin Buddha (Avalokitesvara Buddha) is ordered to help in attaining these missions. All of them together will carry out the Holy Mission of amassing the lost souls.

In addition, all deities are also ordered to descend to the world to help this Holy Mission. They will teach people to repent and reform themselves so that people will do good deeds and the magnitudes of the catastrophes will be reduced. The basic intention of spreading Tien-Tao is to reduce the magnitudes of the catastrophes. The intermediate goal of spreading Tien-Tao is to unify all religions and letting all of the world know the Truth. The ultimate goal of spreading Tien-Tao is to create a Pure Land on Earth so that the world is filled with harmony, equality, and justice. That is why Tien-Tao is descended along the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period.

Why should one with a kind heart still receive Tien-Tao?

For those who are good Yuan-zi, they should be eager to receive Tien-Tao and to practice Tao once they know about It. The good will always care about the salvation of other people and the social morality. Nowadays, morality has been severely eroded and human carries more evil and selfish thoughts. These wicked thoughts and deeds will bring upon punishments in the forms of destructions. Those who worry about this trend endeavor to find ways to bring salvation to others. Thus once Tien-Tao is available to all, they should be joyous about this opportunity and would put every effort into spreading Tao.

Most significantly, those who received Tien-Tao can transcend the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and return to God’s kingdom. Thus, one is forever exempt from sufferings brought about by the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and judgment rendered by the Judge of the Underworld. If one has a kind heart but has not received Tien-Tao, one remains merely as a good person in a sinful world. The only reward for such a person is to have a good life after he is reborn. However, the reward in the form of a good life will run out someday. Upon the termination of the reward, the good persons still face uncertain endings. For those who received Tien-Tao from the Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming, they transcend the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth and enjoy the eternal reward. The latter is far superior to the former.

Confucius once said, “A fence-sitter is a thief of virtues.” Confucius also said, “One who awaked to Tao in the morning will not have any regret even if he dies in the same night.” If one ponders over these two sayings, the distinction between just being a good person and receiving Tien-Tao becomes obvious。

What are the four difficult and precious factors of receiving Tien-Tao?

The four difficult and precious factors of receiving Tien-Tao are

1. being a human.

2. being born at the beginning of the Third Period.

3. being a Chinese, and

4. receiving the True Tao.

The reasons will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

1. Being a human:

Parents give us bodies and God gives us souls. Without the soul, the body is a corpse. Only by having souls live inside our bodies can we be alive. When a soul enters a human body, there is a living person. If a soul attaches to the body of a dog, a horse, a cow, etc., there would be a living dog, a living horse, or a living cow. There are billions of forms to the body, but the source of life is the same; just like there are billions of forms to electric light bulbs, the source of the light of these bulbs all comes from electricity.

Considering the karma and the billions of life forms, being humans as we now are is really difficult and precious. If a person seeks to satisfy seven emotions and six desires, does not act ethically, or does not do good deeds, he accumulates a lot of sins and loses the chance of becoming a human in his next life. Once one loses the human form, it will be difficult for him to become a human again.

Lao-tzu said "I worry about my body. I treasure my body." Worrying because one may lose control of himself and sins, and eventually falls down in the bottomless Hell. Treasuring is because the soul from God resides in the human body, for only with the human body can a soul polish and refines itself, and ultimately return to God’s kingdom. Since mankind is the center of the cosmos, without the human body, it is very difficult for one to receive Tien-Tao, to practice Tao, and to return to God’s kingdom. Thus, it is difficult and precious to be human.

2. Being born at the beginning of the Third Period:

The progression of the world and human development is based on natural phenomena established by God. Whenever the Qi of Heaven and Earth changes, which causes catastrophes in the Xiang-tien, God descends Saints to the world to bring salvation to the good.

The Green Yang Catastrophe and the Red Yang Catastrophe have already passed. The saying “the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period” points to the Last Catastrophe of the White Yang Period. The Pure Land comes after the Last Catastrophe. Thus the sayings: "The Third Yang is the beginning of world-wide peace and harmony." and "The catastrophes will descend together with the salvation." come about. The Last Catastrophe of the Third Period simply is the natural phenomenon of the changing of the Periods.

The upcoming Last Catastrophe of the Third Period we face includes three types of calamities (the water, the fire, and the wind) and eight types of disasters (famines, plagues, insects, beasts, droughts, floods, monsters, and demons). It is the greatest danger mankind ever faces. Nothing but the True Tao can save the world.

However, Tien-Tao does not descend unless it is the right timing, and Tien-Tao will only be transmitted to the right persons. Tien-Tao is descended to save souls in the Last Catastrophe just like medicine is used to cure the sick. He who does not receive Tien-Tao is difficult to be saved. Therefore, to be born at the beginning of the Third Period (the White Yang Period) to have a chance of receiving the True Tao is very difficult and precious.

3. Being a Chinese:

Human cultures originated from Tao. In the history of human development, there were four ancient empires: the Chinese, the Indian, the Egyptian, and the Mesopotamian.

The ancient Indian and Egyptian empires have long disappeared. The Mesopotamian empire based on the Sumerian culture ended with the Semitic invasion, and the result was the establishment of the Old Babylon. Only China has retained her ancient culture. The Chinese culture is broad and profound, encompasses all aspects of the human society, and is the morality.

In term of geography, the highest summit on Earth, Mount Everest, is a part of the Himalayan Mountain Ranges. The Himalayan Mountain Ranges is sometimes referred as "the ridges of Earth," and all mountain ranges can trace their origins to it. Thus, it is the pivot on Earth. It is situated in Asia. The center of Asia is China. Therefore, China is the center of the world. Thus, China was chosen by God as the first place to descend the essence of Tao and Tien-Tao. Therefore, there were many generations of Saints appearing in China to spread the gospels of God.

The Chinese character for "Asia" (亞) looks like a "white cross." (Each Chinese character was created to reflect Truth in hieroglyph.) The "cross" is the symbol for mankind returning to God’s kingdom. Thus, the "white cross" means that when Tien-Tao is made available to everyone, miracles will first appear in the West. China, being the first descending place of Tien-Tao, is blessed with honors. Thus, it is said that being a Chinese is very precious.

4. Receiving the True Tao:

Since there were civilizations, although God has descended the True Tao in the world to guide people onto the right track of returning to God’s kingdom, the True Tao was only vested in Patriarchs. That was the time for the Patriarchs to teach mankind. Only now, the beginning of the Third Period before the Final Catastrophe, has Tien-Tao been made available to everyone. It is time for the unification of all religions into worshiping the one and the only Lord of the cosmos – God; it is time for the uniting of all countries so that peace and harmony will prevail.

Before the Final Catastrophe or the Final Judgment, God let all souls and spirits in the cosmos, such as deities in Heaven, ghosts in Hell, demons, goblins, etc., be reborn as humans so all souls have a chance of receiving Tien-Tao and be saved.

However, there are numerous religions flourishing in today’s society. The True Tao is intermixed with the untrue. Everyone has the freedom of choice. Only those who seek for God’s Truth will be able to distinguish the True Tao from the untrue. If one misses the chance of receiving the True Tao this time around, he may not have another chance until the crisis of civilizations appears in the next Cycle of Heaven and Earth.

A Buddha said: "One who finds his Origin becomes a Buddha. One who cannot find his Origin practices blindly." Thus it is difficult and precious to receive the True Tao.

What is the meaning of bringing salvation to the Three Worlds?

Tien-Tao can bring salvation to a great many worlds. Going up above, Tien-Tao can bring salvation to deities in the spiritual world. In this world, Tien-Tao can bring salvation to mankind. Going beneath, Tien-Tao can bring salvation to the deceased in the Underworld or Hell. This is the meaning of bringing salvation to the Three Worlds.

How is salvation be brought to the deities in the spiritual world?

Now is the time for the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period to occur and the last of the three Buddhas to amass all souls; so salvation is made available to all Three Worlds.

For those practitioners of Tao in the past who did not encounter the right time to be brought back to Li-tien and those who were loyal to their countries, were filially devoted to their parents, women who adhered to widowhood, and women who died to defend their chastities, how could they perish without recognition? So they became deities in the spiritual world. Since they were unable to receive Tien-Tao, they were not exempted from the cycle of birth and death and cannot restore their True Selves.

The Last Catastrophe of the Third Period is drawing near, and Tien-Tao is now made available to all souls. Many deities are looking for Introducers and Guarantors of Tien-Tao by following Buddhas and Saints to God’s Altars, or by revealing themselves in miracles to those whom they have encountered in prior lives and now have received Tien-Tao. Once these deities have found the Introducers and Guarantors, they can receive Tien-Tao and return to Li-tien. So they can forever transcend the cycle of birth and death. Thus, bringing salvation to the deities is more difficult than bringing salvation to humans.

How can one bring salvation to souls in the Underworld?

When a man lives in the world, filial devotion is his root of moral principle. The Book of Filial Devotion states “The ultimate filial devotion is to bring recognition to one parent by leaving an honorable name forever through establishing good virtues and practicing Tao.” If we would like to achieve perfect filial devotion, we should approach it in two ways. When our parents are alive, we must do our best to not to confront them and respect them with sincerity. Once they pass away, we must bring salvation to them so that their souls can transcend the cycle of birth and death and go to the Monastery of Heaven.

As a child or grandchild, how can we bring salvation to the souls of nine generations of ancestors and seven generations of descents in the Underworld? The answer is one must be tenacious in practicing Tao, establish good virtues, accumulate merits by doing good deeds, and keep the vows of adhering to Tao. That is why there is the saying “If one child receives Tien-Tao, nine generations of ancestors will be honored. If one child attains Tao, nine generations of ancestors transcend the cycle of birth and death from the Underworld.”

How is Tien-Tao transmitted to the souls of the deceased ancestors?

In ancient times, the rule set by God is if one child attains Tao, nine generations of ancestors can transcend from the Underworld and the cycle of birth and death. Initially, when Tien-Tao was made available to everyone, God would only permit Tien-Tao to be transmitted to the living, not the deceased. Subsequently, San-guan Da-di (Deity Emperor of Heaven, Deity Emperor of Earth, and Deity Emperor of Water) and Di-zang Buddha (Ksitigarbha Buddha) begged for mercy, and God granted their request. After then both the living and the deceased can receive Tien-Tao. From then on, the Lecture Hall of the Underworld was established for the souls of the deceased to listen to the lectures of Buddhas and to wait for the livings to bring Tien-Tao to them. Once the descendants of the deceased bring Tien-Tao to the deceased, the souls can ascend to the Monastery of Heaven and wait for a position. If the descendants accumulate enough merits and achieve good virtues, the souls of the deceased are ranked in the upper echelon. If the descendants do not accumulate enough merits or do not have good virtues, the souls will be sent back to the mortal world and either be born again so they get a new chance to practice Tao or be born again to enjoy a good life.

Filial devotion can be divided into two categories. The first one is the filial devotion of the ordinary, and the second is the filial devotion of the Saint. To serve one’s parents with propriety for as long as they live, to bury one’s parents with propriety upon their death, and to pay respects with propriety in remembrance ceremonies fulfills the filial responsibility of a descendant. However, this type of filial devotion cannot redeem the sins committed by the parents and relieve them from the cycle of birth and death, so the parents will still be born again. Thus, this kind of filial devotion is minor. For those who are sincere about filial devotion, who would like to repay the parents for their loves and nurtures, and who would like to redeem their parents from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, they must practice Tao. It is also possible to bring peerage to ancestors. For every sixty-four persons one initiates to receive Tien-Tao, one rank is added to ancestors and one generation of ancestors can be redeemed, starting from one’s deceased parents. A total of nine generations of ancestors can be redeemed. If one wants to bring blessing to descendants, it is considered as a special grace, and one must have accumulated a lot of merits and must have achieved very good virtues.

In the year of Ja-Zi (1924), the rule was changed to a more lenient one. Whenever an entire family has received Tien-Tao and practices Tao, the deceased parents can be redeemed. If one wants to bring Tien-Tao to the grandparents, the original rule still applies and one must have initiated one-hundred-and-twenty-eight persons to receive Tien-Tao. In general, redeeming every generation of ancestor would take another sixty-four merit.

What are the evidences that salvation is brought to the soul of the deceased when they receive Tien-Tao?

Using Fu-luan, the soul of the deceased can be brought down to God’s Altars and give written lectures one hundred days after receiving Tien-Tao. In the lectures, the deceased can depict clearly how he suffered in Hell and the cycle of birth and death, how he transcended the cycle of birth and death when Tien-Tao is transmitted to him, how he reached the Monastery of Heaven, and how he enjoys the pleasure and peacefulness afterward. Other items such as the unfinished businesses of the deceased while he was alive, or any will that was not expressed before death could also be described clearly in the lectures. Besides written lectures, the soul could use the body of a living person who enters a trance to lecture in speeches. All these could be the evidences that the soul of the deceased who received Tien-Tao has truly gone to the Monastery of Heaven.

Once the souls of the deceased received Tien-Tao, where would they go?

Once the souls of the deceased receive Tien-Tao, their names are deleted from Hell and are registered in Heaven. They will go to the Hall of Self Improvement in the Monastery of Heaven. After practicing in there for a hundred days, the souls will be restored to full yang or full radiance. At this time, God sends the San-guan Da-di to rank them according to the virtues of the souls while they were humans and the virtues and merits of their descendants. This is why even though every soul can become an Immortal, a Buddha, a Saint, or a Sage, the peerage ordained is in accordance with his practices of Tao, his virtues, as well as his merits.

The Three Vehicles of Dharma

The Three Vehicles of Dharma are:

1. the Greater Vehicle,

2. the Middle Vehicle, and

3. the Lesser Vehicle.

Since the Vehicles differ, there are distinctions between the sudden and the gradual realizations, and the temporary and the true realizations.

The Greater Vehicle of Dharma is the true Dharma and has a line of heritage. The true Dharma stays inert when it should and manifests Itself when the time comes. Transmitting the true Dharma can bring sudden realization to a person. Sudden realization means that one can be enlightened when Tien-Tao is transmitted to him by the Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming through the secret verbal message and the meeting of the hearts. Transmitting Tien-Tao is transmitting the true Dharma. Upon the transmission of Tien-Tao, one may even instantly become a Buddha, taking the giant step of transcending the Qi -tien and returning to Li-tien. Tien-Tao is so precious that whoever receives It becomes a Buddha or a Saint, and It has never been transmitted lightly before. This is why Confucius said “One who awakes to Tao in the morning will not have any regret even if he dies in the same night.”

Buddhism emphasizes Zen, seeking enlightenment through introspection and meditation. Through this practice, miseries can be demolished and salvation is brought to all. Taoism emphasizes the refinement of vitality into spirit, and then from spirit into soul. This practice circulates the spiritual energy inside the body through the meridians, and finally interacting the spirit of fire from the heart and the spirit of water from the kidneys to coagulate into the immortal embryo. This methodology applies abdominal breathing techniques to start the process and utilizes soft breathing techniques to incubate, coagulating the spirit and the soul. Finally, a flash of the true yang (fire) or the true yin (water) will appear, allowing either the Yin-shen (the yin spiritual image) or the Yang-shen (the yang spiritual image) of himself to enter or leave his body at will. Even for those few fortunate ones who achieved such accomplishment, they are still bounded by the Hou-tien. Thus, if one extends his faith into his understanding of the Truth, then extends his understanding into his daily practice, and finally extends his practice into his confirmation of Tao, he can then become a Sage or a deity in Qi-tien. This is the gradual realization and the Middle Vehicle of Dharma.

Those who attend sermons, pray, participate in charity works, or donate money to help the poor and the needy are following the law of karma. A Buddhist Sutra states "If asking about the cause from prior lives, it is what you receive this life. If asked about the reward in the next life, it is what you do this life.”

Those who perform good deeds in their current lives pave rewards for next lives. When they use up their rewards, they go back into the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, just like an arrow that was shot into the sky will come back to Earth when it exhausted itself. Since the practice of performing good deeds will only keep the practitioner as a good person, it is the Lesser Vehicle of Dharma. This practice cannot help one to return to Li-tien.

Why there are slanders even though Tien-Tao is true?

Confucian Analects states, “A tune with high pitch has few who can harmonize. Tao when spreading arouses disparages. One who cultivates virtues draws slanders.”

Tien-Tao is vast and profound, so ordinary scholars could not fully comprehend It. The lack of comprehension leads to bemusement and doubts. It is not unusual for the bemused to slander or to come to subjective conclusions.

Confucius said, “A practitioner of Tao, who does not become irate when the ignorant is against him, is a true practitioner.”

Tien-Tao will not flourish without slanders. The Buddhist Sutra states, “For every slander brought about, an equivalent weight of debt is being paid off.”

When Confucius traveled through various states to spread Tao, he was constantly slandered. After he attained Tao and returned to Heaven, his name remained in the world forever. His worshipers are all over the world and so are temples to serve him.

Why would practitioners of the true Tao still face tests?

The way of the True Tao goes against human emotions and desires. Those who follow the way of the True Tao become Immortals while those who follow human emotions and desires become ghosts. There is a saying, “To practice Tao is like climbing a tall post. It is easy to come down but very difficult to get to the top.”

Ji-Gong Buddha said, “The usually invisible Tien-Tao will be revealed through many significant miracles. The true wills of practitioners of Tao will be exposed through grueling tests.”

An adage states, “A piece of jade must be ground in order to realize its use, and a nugget of gold must be smelt in order to realize its value.”

Taoist practice of Tao is critical of maturity; a Taoist uses slow and smooth breaths in tranquility to nurture his True Self, and he exaggerates inhaling and exhaling actions to refine his True Self.

Confucian practice of Tao stresses tenacity, and it is said that practicing Tao is just like carving a bull horn or grinding a piece of jade. (To carve a bull horn, one must cut the horn into shape, and then polish it to make it smooth. To grind a piece of jade, one must sculpt the jade into form and then grind it to make it shine. Both of these works require a great deal of concentration, care, time, and patience). Both Taoist and Confucian practices are to test the tenacity of one’s will to attain Tao. When Confucius was trapped and starved between the states Chen and Cai, he said, “Without reaching the top of a high mountain, one cannot realize how severe the fall could be. Without standing next to deep water, one cannot realize the danger of being drowned. Without being in an open sea, one cannot understand the damages the wind and the wave can bring. An orchid that grows deep in a forest will not stop sending out fragrance just because no one can appreciate it. Similarly, a practitioner of Tao who cultivates his virtues will not act against his wills just because he is distressed and lives in poverty.”

After Confucius survived the siege, he said to the few who were still with him, “The siege we survived between the states Chen and Cai are fortunate for me as well as for you all.”

We have to understand that, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Difficult situations are the stimuli for one to get stronger and better. Those who can last and survive all difficulties are the ones who can attain Tao. Mencius said, “When God is about to give a mission to a person, God will always put this person to test by exercising his mind, laboring his body, starving him, and empty his possessions.” If one is being put through tests, he should be grateful because he is selected by God to take on a mission. For example, if there is an examination held for a post, not everyone can take it. Only those who meet the qualifications can become a candidate.

Confucius said “A piece of twisted and decayed wood cannot be used for carving. A wall made of loose mud cannot be painted.” So only those who, through many previous lives had practiced Tao and are predestined to encounter Tien-Tao, will face real tests. If one does not qualify, why should God test him?

How can one accumulate merits after receiving Tien-Tao?

The constant maintenance of the True Nature in one’s heart is the virtuous nature. When the virtuous nature is manifested in one’s daily practice, it is the true ethics and morality. If one has Tao but lacks virtues, he is a devil. Confucius said, "Only with perfect virtues can a person attain Tao." Virtue means to attain Tao. To accumulate merits is the same as to establish one’s virtues.

To establish one’s virtues, one should help the needy, vow to relief disasters and bring salvation, follow the teachings of the five religions, and carry the teachings into practices to the fullest extent. Merits are accumulated through donating to print Sutras and Scriptures, establishing God’s Altars, exhorting and touching the sinful, spreading God’s truth in the land of non-believers, advocating Tao and virtues, stimulating the wisdom of others, and introducing and supporting others so they can attain Tao. When the external merits are fulfilled, the internal merits will be facilitated.

In terms of social work, one can donate his own wealth to help the needy and to provide relief to disasters, or to raise fund if the need is too great for a single person to fulfill. In all cases, we must adapt and adjust our approaches according to the time, the place, the people, and the task. We should persuade parents to care for children; children to fulfill filial devotion; siblings to have friendship and respect for each other; spouses to live in harmony; friends to trust each other’s and be trustworthy; government officials to be loyal and fair; the sinful to repent; and the ordinary to become Sages.

True merits are accumulated as long as one does not intend to build reputations and expect praises, nor deploy harsh words and attitudes. If one intends to build reputations or receive praises, he accumulated no merit despite of the good deeds. He will only be rewarded in his next life. If one exhorts others in a harsh or infuriated tone, then he is not a practitioner of Tao.

If a person sins when he is young but repents and practices Tao in his old age, can he attain Tao?

The sea of suffering has no shore except for those who repent. If a person sins when he is young but repents in his old age, he can attain Tao as long as he vows to practice Tao, discards all wrongs and do rights, changes all sinful thoughts to kind thoughts, becomes a vegetarian, and receive Tien-Tao from the Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming.

Actually, this applies to all regardless of age. This is why there is the saying, “The moment one discovers his True Self and he puts down the butcher knife and sins no more, he immediately echoes the heart of a Buddha.”

This is verified by the case of Han Wen-gong who persecuted Buddhism most of his life but repented and believed in Tao in his old age.

Can a lifelong vegetarian who has done many good deeds but violates his vows and turns back from vegetarianism in his old age still attain Tao?

These types of persons have a good foundation, but lack firm commitment to their vows. Since they lack wisdom and vision for the Truth, they stray away from the Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming. That is why their hearts become reversed and they abandon accumulated merits.

As their emotions and desires take over their minds, their merits start to erode until totally depleted, and eventually, they will stay in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. They cannot attain Tao.

Can a person who lacks knowledge and wisdom improve knowledge and wisdom by practicing Tao?

If one practices Gong-fu diligently, one may seek knowledge and wisdom in tranquility. An ancient sage said, “Staying plain and simple, one affirms his will; staying tranquil, one advances far.”

There is another saying, “Tao is learned in tranquility. Knowledge is acquired through learning. So if one has no desire to learn, he has no knowledge. If one cannot remain tranquil, he cannot learn Tao successfully.”

This is why those who are arrogant cannot acquire the essence, and those who are impatient cannot reason. If a person stays tranquil in practicing Gong-fu, the wisdom he acquired will allow him to excel in both wisdom and virtues.

This kind of wisdom is different from those gained from books and Scriptures. Why? It is because once a person discovers his True Self; he acts according to the Buddha nature and the Truth.

What is the explanation for the statement “The five great religions are One?”

The purpose of religion is to teach people the Truth of God, to redeem their souls, to move the evil so they repent, and to correct wicked into good. All five great religions (Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam) are derived from the Truth.

Although each great religion segregates itself from others and each advocates its own doctrine, the essence of these great religions is identical. Each of the five great religions was established for a particular time, place and cultural background. This is why each flourished at a certain time within a certain culture.

The doctrine of Taoism is based on tranquility and Wu-wei. It focuses on maintaining and nurturing of the soul as a way to return to the Void. The doctrine of Buddhism is based on quiescence. It emphasizes on internal reflection of the True Self in quiescence, and the elimination of thoughts, emotions, and desires. The doctrine of Confucianism is based on shining one’s originally bright virtues. It emphasizes the complete elimination of selfishness to restore one’s True Self. The doctrine of Christianity is based on the rebirth of the soul. It stresses the importance of praying and to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to return to God’s kingdom. The doctrine of Islam is to perform good deeds and avoid committing sins. It emphasizes on the repentance of the soul in order to attain purity and return to God’s garden. Appellations such as God’s kingdom, God’s garden, and the Truth all mean the utmost benevolence. The utmost benevolence, quiescence, and the Void are different terms used to refer to the Truth. Therefore, all five great religions come from the same Truth in Heaven. Taoism states “Embrace the Origin and maintain One. Cultivate the heart to refine the True Self.”

Buddhism states, “All Dharma returns to One. Brighten the heart to see the True Self.”

Confucianism states, “Hold fast to the center and pervade One. Hold the heart to cultivate the True Self.”

Christianity states, “Pray quietly and be close to One. Purify the heart to align to the True Self.”

Islam states, “Be purified and sincere to return to One. Strengthen the heart to stabilize the True Self.”

So the goals of all five great religions are the same, i.e., to return to One, God, or the Truth. They all recognize the heart and the True Self as the starting point, even the emphasis of their doctrines are not identical. Thus, the Truth of One develops into five great religions.

Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are analogous to the vitality, spirit, and soul of a person, while Christianity and Muslim are analogous to the True Self and life. Now all five great religions are coming together under One; it symbolizes the coming of the Pure Land on Earth. This signifies the returning of the world to the Origin and the restoring of the True Selves to full radiance. Finally, all will merge with God as One.

What is the “ferry to God’s kingdom”? Can it be seen?

The phrase “ferry to God’s kingdom” is a parable. Actually, it refers to Tien-Tao, which cannot be seen. Why would it take on the name “ferry to God’s kingdom”? It is because humans are in the sea of sufferings. When humans are alive, they are lost. After they die, they are tried in the Underworld. Then they take one of the six paths in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. As this perpetuates, they sow a variety of causes and receive a variety of effects, like riding endless tides and waves in the ocean. They cannot find a way to escape and suffer through the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in great pain. Isn’t this the sea of sufferings? However, if a person becomes a practitioner of Tao, he treats the physical world as an imaginary flower, fame and wealth as dreams, and his wife and children as emotional burdens. He understands that all matters and phenomena cannot endure, and upon their destruction, their existence becomes nil; the true existence is in the Void, for the Void is eternal. Thus, he has no struggle nor obstacle in his way. Isn’t this the same as if he has boarded the ferry to God’s kingdom?

What are the Animal Nature, Human Nature, and True Nature?

If the heart of a person reflects his Li-xing, it displays his True Nature. If his heart reflects his Qi-xing, it displays his Human Nature. If his heart reflects his Zhi-xing, it displays his Animal Nature. The True Nature is in the domain of Li-tien and it is all good. The Human Nature is in the domain of Qi-tien, and it can be either good or evil. The Animal Nature is in the domain of Xiang-tien, and it is all evil. As a man lives in the Hou-tien, his heart disperses into the True Nature, the Human Nature and the Animal Nature.

Everyone has the three Natures. The True Nature is obscure. The Human Nature is precarious because it constantly alternates among the past, present, and future. Thus, there are the thoughts of the past, the thoughts of the present, and the thoughts of the future. The Animal Nature is simply the desires to satisfy the sense. If one cannot reign over his Human Nature, his True Nature would be obstructed and his Animal Nature would expand to the extent that it dominates the person. Such persons would not be different from animals. If one can reign over his Human Nature, his True Nature would slowly surface, and it will not be difficult for such person to become an Immortal, a Buddha, a Saint, or a Sage.

The True Nature is Li; the Human Nature, Qi; and the Animal Nature, Xiang.

A newborn child has a bright True Self. As he starts to acquire knowledge, he acquires habits and his Li-xing becomes covered. The more habits he acquires, the more covered his Li-xing is. Eventually, he is totally dominated by his Animal Nature and becomes driven by emotions and desires. Hence, the method and guide to practice Tao is simply to rid of selfishness internally to establish five virtues of Tao externally, and to practice Gong-fu tenaciously.

Once one has earned enough merits and established good virtues, his True Self will be restored to full radiance and he will display his True Nature solely, like a dirty mirror that’s just been dusted and restored to its original brightness, displaying his True Nature solely.

What are the five virtues, the five disciplines, and the five elements? Are they all of the same Truth?

Confucianism names benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom, and faith as the five virtues.

Buddhism names not to kill, not to steal, not to be lustful, not to tell lies, and not to drink as the five disciplines.

Taoism names wood, metal, water, fire, and earth as the five fundamental elements.

The terminologies are different, but the Truth is the same. Why?

If one kills, he lacks benevolence, or wood.

If one steals, he lacks Justice, or metal.

If one is lustful, he lacks propriety, or fire.

If one drinks, he lacks wisdom, or water.

If one tells lies, he lacks faith, or earth.

That is why, Confucianism teaches people to practice the five virtues to achieve loyalty and magnanimity;

Buddhism, follow the five disciplines to achieve mercifulness; and

Taoism, practice the five elements to attain supernatural inspiration.

Therefore they all are of the same Truth.

What is the true meaning of Tao?

In the beginning, the cosmos is a void without any form or substance. However, in this obscure state, there exists an indescribable abstruse energy. Without beginning or end, It is ever changing and continuously self-rejuvenating. This energy created billions of galaxies, stars, and solar systems. It also created billions of life forms on Earth; including humans, animals and plants. Observable forms and substances make up the material world; others that cannot be observed make up the spiritual world. This mystical energy which exists in all shapes and forms fills the universe with vibrant vitality. Hence, It is the origin of all lives and the Lord of all beings. We call this energy “Tao”.

Lao-tzu said “The Void is the beginning of Heaven and Earth. For lack of a proper name, the word Tao is forced to represent It.” Tao has neither form nor substance. The symbol “Ο“ is reluctantly used to represent Tao. Confucianism used “—“ (the Chinese character for one) to describe Its function and purpose.

“Ο“ is the motionless state of “—“.

“—“ is the active state of “Ο“.

Tao created the universe and gave life infinite spiritual energy (the aureole).

The oldest oracle I Ching (“Classic of Changes”) calls the endless regeneration Tai-ji. The changes of Tai-ji, which are described as yin and yang by Taoism, are symbolized as "卍" by  Buddhism and the cross “✝” by Christianity. Although the Symbols are different, the meanings are the same. The following figure depicts Its transformation.

“Ο” represents the motionless Tao. Tao, when contracted, is a point which can be symbolized by a dot “⋅”. Tao, when expanded, becomes infinite which can be symbolized by expanding the dot into a line “—“.

The actions, inactions, expansions, and contractions of Tao produce endless results. The actions (the expansions and contractions) and inactions cause It to have the two opposite attributes yin and yang.

Tao created the cosmos out of the Void. It pervades the cosmos. There is no limit to Its abilities. It is the Void, and yet, the abstruse and mysterious energy that is indistinct from the Void. It is the Lord of all souls.

Tao endows Heaven and Earth the Truth and Order. It confers Sheng-qi to plants; It gives Hun-qi and Sheng-qi to animals. Furthermore, It gives human beings Ling-qi, the images of Its intelligence and wisdom, in addition to Hun-qi and Sheng-qi. All beings come from a single source, Tao; yet, every being has a different nature.

Tao not only manifests the state of life, It also unveils the principle, order, and characteristics of life. Inside a human, Tao disperses from a single point and circulates throughout the body; Tao becomes the center of all thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and controls all bodily functions. Everyone has Tao within themselves, yet does not know Its existence. Tao is the Origin of mankind. One who searches and discovers Tao becomes a Saint. One who does not know Tao becomes lost and risks the annihilation of his soul. The way to the discovery of Tao is Tien-Tao. Tien-Tao, which cannot be found in any book, is the only way back to Heaven. All Scriptures and teachings of various religions only elaborate Tao. Tien-Tao must be conveyed by the Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming, irrespective of how much reading one does or how intelligent one is.

Tao is the “aureole,”the True Water and True Fire of life. Tao has infinite wisdom and power. It is the Truth, Benevolence, and Perfection. All lives come from It and are parts of Tao. Tao is in us and we are in Tao.

A person’s behavior is the manifestation of his soul. Mankind is lost in the material world, thence mankind loses Tao. Therefore, we are unable to act completely in consonance to Tao’s characteristics: the Truth, Benevolence, and Perfection. Confucianism uses benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom, and faith five words to represent Tao’s virtues. Benevolence is creating and cultivating the universe so that the perpetual extension of life is possible. Justice is providing an environment of which all beings are given an opportunity to live in abundance. Propriety is governing the universe so that yin and yang are differentiated and everything is properly ordered. Wisdom is having the cosmos in a state of perfect balance and harmony. Faith simply denotes Tao’s incredibly still energy, the Truth, and Perfection. These five virtues can be collectively stated as loyalty and magnanimity, similar to mercifulness taught by Buddhism and love taught by Christianity.

Confucian Saint* Mencius said: “The feeling of pity and grief is the beginning of displaying benevolence. The feeling of shame and disgust is the beginning of showing justice. The feeling of concession and politeness is the beginning of reaching propriety. The judgment of right and wrong is the beginning of exposing wisdom.” These four virtues (benevolence, justice, propriety, and wisdom) of Tao resemble the four limbs of one’s body; the fifth virtue (faith) resembles the head and is the core of these five virtues. The relationships among them are shown in the following diagram:

“+”, a symbol of Tao, depicts the relationships among them.

Faith lies in the center of the five virtues. Therefore, faith, which guides the expression of the other four virtues, is the center and the core of Tao. Thus, one who acts benevolently based on faith will perfect benevolence in his conscience; one who acts justly based on faith will perfect justice in his conscience; one who acts decorously based on faith will perfect propriety in his conscience; and one who makes judgement based on faith will perfect his wisdom. When one has all five virtues, he is not far from Tao. Confucius said, “If a person does not have faith, I wonder how he can live properly in the society.”

Lao-tzu defined Tao as follows: “Great Tao has no form nor substance, yet It creates and cultivates Heaven and Earth. Great Tao has no favors, thus It governs the law and order of the cosmos. Great Tao has no name, but It gives life to and nourishes all beings. Because It is so mystical and powerful, there really is no proper word to represent It. However, without a name, I am afraid that others cannot relate to It. Thus, the word “Tao” is reluctantly used to represent It.”

What’s the Objective of Tien-Tao?

The objectives of Tien-Tao are as follows: to spread the Absolute Truth of the cosmos; worship the Lord of all souls; respect Zhu-Tien-Shen-Sheng; follow the laws of the land; be patriotic; be responsible; restore the Five Bonds and Eight Cardinal Virtues 7 of morality; respect and be obedient to parents; honor teachers and esteem Tao; be trustworthy; live harmoniously with neighbors; and rid of bad habits and become good in all respects. Especially, Tien-Tao affirms that Tao is the only Truth in the cosmos and the Origin of all religions. It promotes the unification of the five great religions – Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. It further advocates the returning of all religions to One.

The teachings of the five great religions, such as explaining the cosmos, the heart and True Self, the unification of man and cosmos, ethics, karma, Heaven and Hell, and divinities, etc., all are various aspects of the Truth. Therefore, Tien-Tao dilates the essence of the teachings of the five great religions. Tien-Tao urges people to follow the canons of Tao, i.e., to uphold the Four Principles and Three Orders 8 of morality and five virtues of Tao; purify the souls; be remote from lust and evil thoughts; use the limited physical life to create an eternal life; restore the True Self; return to God’s kingdom; and convey the Truth to others so that others will follow suit. When everyone seeks out the Truth, the whole world will be in peace; people will have goodness in their hearts, and the utopia will become a reality. These are the only objectives of Tien-Tao.

Tien-Tao is descended to bring salvation to the world. In order to reach this goal, it is necessary to transmit the essence of Tao to people so that those who receive Tien-Tao can discover the Truth and restore their True Selves. Once they restore their True Selves, they will always display and extend the five virtues of Tao to others, and eventually, complete the Holy Mission of bringing salvation to the world.

Tien-Tao promotes morality and ethics so that evil can be replaced by goodness. Tien-Tao is not affiliated with any organization, does not have any background, or does not have any purpose other than conveying the essence of Tao. It is not motivated by malice or evil thoughts. It does not conflict with any society or religion. It is not a blind belief or a superstition. Its intention is stated plainly and clearly without any hidden ambition.

Tien-Tao conveys the Gospel of God to everyone, as Confucius said, “To teach without classification.” Confucius said, “If one studies anything other than the Truth, he would endanger himself.”

To receive Tien-Tao is good, but won’t worshiping God be superstitious?

To worship God is to show one’s sincerity. We always pay respect to all who have helped us. God descended Tien-Tao to depict the Truth in Oneness. With this revelation, mankind knows that Oneness is the beginning of everything, and God is the only Lord who created the cosmos.

We named God as Wu-Ji Lao-Mu because God is the Mother of our souls as well as the Origin of our body. Once a man is born, he loses his True Self and forgets where he comes from. As one is lost, he suffers the tragedy of going through the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in eternity. Since Lao-Mu constantly thinks of us, She descended Tien-Tao to bring salvation to mankind.

Tien-Tao is the lighted road for us to follow and restore our True Selves. How could one be arrogant when he tries to receive Tien-Tao which brings salvation to his life and True Self? To worship God is to express gratefulness and sincerity in receiving Tien-Tao, how could it be regarded as superstition?

Can one worship God and pray for blessing?

If one worships God with the intent to pray for blessing, one must prevent oneself from making mistakes and repent one’s sins. Otherwise, he will be punished, despite all his prayers.

However, a practitioner of Tao places emphasis on practicing Tao and places little importance on praying for blessings. In history, many kings and emperors were greatly blessed and where are they now? This is why the Fifth Patriarch of Tien-Tao said: “The mortal knows only to pray for blessing, but never ponders that if the True Self is lost, what blessing is there to pray for?”

What are the effects after one received Tien-Tao?

As one receives Tien-Tao, his Right Portal is pointed out and consequently, his wisdom is opened up. If one can sincerely act according to Tao, God forgives all sins and trespasses he committed before.

Thence, one lives in harmony on Earth and can escape catastrophes and disasters. Upon death, he leaves in peace and his soul transcends the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, as well as avoids the judgments in Hell.

The greatest effect of attaining Tao is the latter, transcending the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. We wish all practitioners of Tao to awake to Tao and accelerate their development, so they can attain enlightenment and peerage.

Can the effects of receiving Tien-Tao be proven?

If one can practice Tao and his virtues touch God, he is blessed when alive so that dangers and catastrophes will not endanger them. Examples of such can be compiled into an endless list.

Upon death, he can transcend the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Proofs of the effects can be provided in two ways. A soul who transcends the cycle of birth, death and rebirth can be sent to God’s Altar to relate its experience to the mortals. The other way is to examine the corpses of such persons.

If a Buddhist monk or a Taoist priest leaves his corpse with loose joints and elastic body, he displays the sign of perfecting his Gong-fu and practice. However, among thousands of monks and priests, only few can attain enlightenment as such.

For all those who received Tien-Tao through the Enlightened Teacher with Tien-Ming, regardless of their virtues and merits, they all go with a smile on their face, and the corpses do not stiffen in winter or decay with foul smell in summer, for the souls left the body through the Right Portal. In some cases, the corpses stay elastic for several days in winter and even send out fragrance.

Cases as such are numerous and have been proven from children to the elderly. In light of these proofs provided by the corruptible body, there is no doubt that the soul of those who received Tien-Tao must have gone to Heaven. Of course, if one acts against ethics after he has received Tien-Tao, this kind of proof may not materialize.

What is the difference between the Tao of Heaven and the Tao of Mankind? Which one should be practiced first?

One who emphasizes his practice of Tao on his True Self and his life, and takes on the mission of bringing salvation to the world is the one who follows the Tao of Heaven.

One who emphasizes on ethics, morality, and five virtues of Tao is one who follows the Tao of Mankind. The Tao of Mankind is the basis of the Tao of Heaven. Thus, whoever practices Tao should start with the Tao of Mankind.

Filial devotion, brotherly love, loyalty, trustworthiness, propriety, righteousness, integrity, and feeling shame are the eight most important attributes of one’s character.

God constantly evaluates people’s hearts and observes people’s actions. For those who do not respect their parents, do not love their brothers and sisters, work and act perfunctorily, do not keep their promises, have no propriety, have no justice, have no integrity, or have no shame, their practices will not benefit them.

If one does not behave according to the Tao of Mankind, how can he follow the Tao of Heaven? Thus, to practice Tao, one must fulfill the Tao of Mankind first. Confucius said, “By learning the Tao of Mankind, a practitioner of Tao can extend it to the Tao of Heaven.”

Thus, when one perfects the Tao of Mankind, he is not far from the Tao of Heaven.

八德