A Tribute to Our Teacher’s Mother, Lady Liu

　　Master Lee Yü-chieh, known to some as the venerable Han-ching [Vessel of Stillness], was godsent to live among men as the First-Appointed Master Emissary of our religion. Having lost his father at an early age, he received a strict upbringing from his mother, Lady Liu, whose innate wisdom inclined her devotedly toward the Way. Being pure in heart and having modest desires, she worshipped the Buddha for more than thirty years. She held hopes that Master Lee would broaden his range of thought and pursue the mysteries of Nature, not narrow his horizons for the sake of worldly success and gain. Moreover, she encouraged him to reside in the ancient capital, the cradle of Chinese people’s culture. In 1934 Master Lee, at the order of his teacher, departed Shanghai with his family to cultivate the Tao in Shenhsi Province. While saying farewell, Lady Liu overcame her parental feelings and even urged her son to cultivate the Tao diligently. She also advised him to live quietly in the mountains, if opportunity allowed, where he could focus his efforts on the study of Heaven and man. In autumn of 1935, Lady Liu fell seriously ill. Han-ching was delayed for one day, so he could be present at the founding of a sacred altar he had promised to preside over, in T’ungkuan County (潼關), Shenhsi. By the time he hurried back to Shanghai, Lady Liu had already left this world. For the rest of his life Han-ching regretted that obligations had kept him from being a dutiful son.

　　奉　上帝派駐人間為本教首任首席使者涵靜老人李公極初，自幼早孤，其母劉太夫人生有慧根，虔誠向道，清心寡欲，禮佛三十餘年，對於涵靜老人督教極嚴，一直希望涵靜老人能擴大思想領域，追求大自然之奧妙，勿為功利而小天地；並鼓勵涵靜老人到民族發祥地故都居住。民國廿三年春涵靜老人奉師命挈眷自滬赴秦行道，臨行叩辭，李母劉太夫人不但不為親情所繫，反而鼓勵其子用心修道，又開示：最好遇機入山靜居，致力研究天人之學。民國廿四年秋，李母病危，適因涵靜老人已應約前往主持陝西省潼關縣教壇成立大典，耽誤一日，待趕赴上海時，劉太夫人竟已先一日與世長辭，涵靜老人為了此事，不能忠孝兩全，而抱憾終身。

　　Before long, in accordance with her hopes, Heaven above arranged for venerable Han-ching to conceal his traces in the mountains and ordered him to watch over China’s northwest gateway. Thus on July 2, 1937 (five days before the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and the War of Resistance against Japan), he took his family into seclusion on China’s sacred Western Peak, Hua Mountain. Day after day he was close to Nature. He expanded his awareness of the cosmic realm and bridged the culture of Heaven and man. He could not have achieved this new realm of human life in the cosmos had he not been edified by Lady Liu’s extraordinary influence.

　　不久，果然上天安排涵靜老人遯跡山林，命守西北門戶，故于民國廿六年七月二日（蘆溝橋事變對日本抗戰前五天），辭官攜眷潛居西嶽華山，日與大自然接觸，參悟宇宙境界，溝通天人文化，其能完成此一超越時代的宇宙人生新境界，實受李母劉太夫人卓越思想薰陶之所賜。

　　Now, as the venerable Han-ching offers up The Ultimate Realm as a teaching text for the Lord of Universe Church, members of the church are affected by Han-ching’s warm regard for his mother and compose this lasting memorial, so those of later generations may know in what lies true motherly love.

　　今當涵靜老人奉獻新境界為天帝教教義，本教循涵靜老人思母之忱，特為文以為永久紀念，使後人能知真正母愛偉大所在之處！

　　　　Respectfully written by the assembly of disciples
　　　　at the Shih-yuan (始院, Founding Hall) of
　　　　the Lord of Universe Church
　　　　February 1982

天帝教始院全體弟子敬誌
時在中華民國七十一年二月