171. Cultivating the Dao Requires Tempering the Mind First and Foremost

¹ The Lord of Universe Church stresses the importance of pragmatism. Strivers need to not only understand the “Mindfulness of the Highest Heaven Method” but also to put their understanding into practice. To make “tempering the mind” a reality, “knowing” must be accompanied by “practice.”

¹ 天帝教是一個重實踐的宗教。同奮對昊天心法，除了要用心體會外，還要努力實行。知了還要行，才是真實的「煉心」。

² The choice of being good or evil depends on a change of mind. Everything begins with a thought. All evil things are created by the human mind. To revolutionize a society one must look to the human mind first.

² 人之為善為惡，全在人心一念之轉。一切惟心造，一切罪惡都是人心所造。要想改革社會，就要從改造人心開始。

³ The “Mindfulness of the Highest Heaven Method” of the Lord of Universe Church is all about keeping one’s mind non-chaotic and keeping the worldly mind still.

³ 一心不亂，不動凡心，就是天帝教講的昊天心法。

⁴ To cultivate the Dao one must temper the mind first. The daily five cardinal disciplines are the foundation and also the shortcut for becoming a divine being on Earth. Tempering the mind begins with self- examination so that the innate mind can be restored.

⁴ 修道必先煉心。日常五門功課都是煉心的基本功夫，也是立地成就仙佛的捷徑。煉心一定要從自我檢討開始，使得本心恢復本來面目。

⁵ The innate mind was originally pure and full of light, and became contaminated by a variety of materialistic desires which were emerging in the world, and which led to the abandonment of the innate mind.

⁵ 先天的本心本來清淨光明，受到後天事事物物的接觸感染，起心動念，產生物慾，脫離本來。

⁶ The Lord of Universe Church asks strivers to temper their minds, using the Twenty Watchwords as the Code of Life, in order to keep their innate minds uncontaminated. We ask strivers to practice the five cardinal disciplines every day. To reflect and repent before going to bed and to acknowledge and correct the mistakes made.

⁶ 天帝教要求同奮做煉心的功夫，以廿字真言－人生守則來規範本心，使本心不受污染。要求同奮每天修證五門基本功課，於臨睡前反省懺悔，認錯改過。

⁷ We ask strivers to hold a glass of water while reciting a few rounds of the Twenty Watchwords and then drink the manna water. This is called cleansing the heart [mind]. They are also asked to choose two of the Twenty Watchwords and follow them in all their daily activities, be it eating, sleeping, working, conducting themselves or interacting with others. Strivers should continue “tempering” themselves during all their daily activities.

⁷ 拿一杯開水，唸幾遍廿字真言，把它喝下去，就叫洗心，為要把這顆心洗乾淨。而且要將認定的兩個字，融化於日常生活中，無論吃飯、睡覺、做人、做事，行住坐臥都要身體力行，不離這個「煉」字。

⁸ By doing so, strivers’ mind will be swept clean and their original innocence and righteous character will be restored.

⁸ 把這一顆什麼都有的凡心清除打掃，恢復天真爛漫、光明正大的本來面目。

⁹ Eventually the mind becomes tempered to the point where it can stand up to any temptation, and remains unmoved no matter what desires it is exposed to. At that point, although it could become unruffled when in danger, it could not be subdued by force, robbed by poverty or debased by wealth. Clearly, it is not easy to temper the mind.

⁹ 最後把此心煉到看到可欲能夠不動心，然後可以臨危不亂，做到威武不屈、貧賤不移、富貴不淫。所以說煉心的功夫談何容易！

¹⁰ When one reaches maturity in tempering the mind, he can see through worldly things and become indifferent to material things. This attainment can change one’s temperament, dispose of bad habits, make the mind unmoved and keep it quiet. At this time, crooked thoughts could be turned into upright thoughts and then into no thoughts.

¹⁰ 煉心的功夫做到成熟，可以看透世情，淡泊物欲。根本上可以使氣質發生變化，戒除不良習氣，心不妄動，內心清靜。這時就可把不正的邪念化成為正念，而至無念。

The Anthro-Celestial Research College, the Anthro-Celestial Cultivation College, June 9, 1993

天人研究學院、天人修道學院－民國八十二年六月九日