The Awakening of Spiritual Awareness (26)
Religion is a form of belief, a cultural heritage of folklore. It has its regional and humanistic distinctions. Cultivation is about self-discipline, inward self-reflection, and the enhancement of moral and ethical spirit. Therefore, religious belief does not equate to cultivation, and cultivation does not necessarily require religious belief.
Those who experience the awakening of spiritual awareness often regard religious belief as cultivation. They focus on learning the external rituals and forms, lacking the self-awareness needed for true practice. They engage in acts of kindness and charity, observe dietary restrictions and precepts, participate in ceremonies for the deceased, and worship deities. All these are forms of external learning. When thoughts arise, they become biased, always hoping to rely on divine power to pray for blessings or to avert disasters. They may wish for greater merits while facing adversity in life—where circumstances do not align with their desires—suffering from illness or hardship in their careers. They may blame past-life grievances or karmic obstacles from relatives or friends. Some believe they can resolve these issues through ceremonies meant to liberate ancestral spirits or eliminate karmic retribution without reflecting on themselves or repenting. The deluded see no sin in their actions but perceive sin when enlightened; at that moment, sin is neither sin nor non-sin—it has no inherent existence. Sin arises from doubt; as the scriptures say:
“The deluded cultivate blessings but do not cultivate the path; they claim that cultivating blessings is indeed the path. Generosity brings boundless merit while harboring three evils within their hearts; they intend to extinguish sins through cultivating blessings but will still carry sins into future lives unless they eliminate the roots of sin within their hearts through genuine repentance.”
by – Teacher Liu Hongming