Topic: Why do people need to cultivate?= By Master Qilin
(From Words of Wisdom by Master Qilin, book one) (英語發音)
Master Qilin: Why do people need to cultivate? What is its final purpose? Some people said, it is to search the true meaning of life, to create better life for mankind. In fact those are not enough to describe the purpose of cultivation. Some people said, we can not talk about its purpose, or else we will be restrained once we talk about it. Cultivation without purpose by letting nature takes its course, would not make a big dent on the mind of people, and result in limited achievement. Willpower plus perseverance, putting efforts without a trace, is the requirement for self conscientious. One must have great and exceeding wisdom in order to have self conscientious. Why say searching the true meaning of life and creating better life for mankind is not enough to describe the purpose of cultivation? If you are now 90 years old, with very short life left on earth, what better life can you create for mankind? Do you still cultivate at old age with terminal illness? Therefore, creating better life for mankind is not the final purpose. The real purpose is to “cultivate while still alive, to adapt the condition of eternal after life”, that is true great and exceeding wisdom! In the book Zhongtian Journey to Heaven chapter 31, Special Envoy said: “Do not use the wisdom of mortal world to interpret spiritual world, since the wisdom of mortal world only apply to mortal world, which does not apply to spiritual world!”Therefore, enlightenment is not to enlighten mortal wisdom, but for the wisdom of spiritual world, which we call it great or exceeding wisdom! Therefore on the third part of Zhongtian Meditation four procedures, you have to put behind all knowledge you have obtained from scriptures and books, in order to enter Zhongtian conscious meditation, this is the real great and exceeding wisdom. The Words of Wisdom by Master Qilin about what is cultivation? “Cultivation is to learn to live the eternal life of deities”Therefore enlightenment is not enlightening the mortal wisdom, the real enlightenment is to enlighten the wisdom of spiritual world.
Master Qilin: “Every religion since ancient time till now, the way of cultivation has been changed constantly. Why do they change? It is to accord the needs of human nature and adapt the environment. However these may not accord with the need of cultivation, these are the need of human being not spiritual world. Why do we need to cultivate? In simple words: while we are still alive, cultivating to adapt the rule of spiritual world. If one cultivating without this purpose, it is not cultivating Tao, but only practicing Taoism and for better fortune! The religions now have been deviated from this principle, and misleading cultivators. Prejudiced idea of people by first impression have abandon the real purpose, and thought doing good deed is the same as cultivation, without consider living in the spiritual world after life. Doing good deeds is our duty, and it is a must. Not to make equal sign between doing good deeds and cultivation. One false step will make a great difference.
Master Qilin: New cultivators have vague idea on the process, with fact of reality that obstruct the true idea of cultivation, and many easy way of practices which are fatal to the cultivators, who would never put behind their prejudiced idea by first impression in their lifetime. Many people mistakenly thought having kind heart is cultivation, and mistakenly thought converting to a religion and paying respect to their God is cultivation, with various causes that hinder enlightenment. Until one day with right destiny to enlighten, who will begin the journey of cultivation. What to cultivate? How to cultivate? The answers are hard to find. Many people spend decades of time to reach enlightenment, but there was no teacher to guide them for advancement, their cultivation process ended there! In fact enlightenment is only the beginning of cultivation, self attainment without teacher is the final destination of cultivation. It is a long journey between beginning and the final destination. Without beginning, without method of gradual improvement, one can never reach the final destination. Most importantly is how to begin cultivate after one is enlightened, and how to make make real progress. One can never reach final destination without this process. Why do we need to apply Zhongtian meditation four procedures? It is to follow the correct procedures one step at a time, with solid foundation that guarantee to achieve. Many cultivators have not start from the beginning, and asking the question of “Ultimate goal of achievement”. That is in a wrong direction. One with such perception will have obstacle in real progress. It is like seeing a fruit but not knowing where does it come from? So called “being truthful”is to follow the procedures one step at a time, practicing real cultivation with first hand experience. If one cultivate with combination of belief, desire, and action all together, without cutting nor shortage, then there is hope to make achievement!
1. From Words of Wisdom by Master Qilin, book one, chapter 11, page 40, line 8.
2.From Words of Wisdom by Master Qilin, book one, chapter 13, page 48, line 7.
3.From Words of Wisdom by Master Qilin, book one, chapter 24, page 104, line 13.
