Is there worship and blessing?
With a heart full of malice, burning incense brings no benefit.
Stand upright and righteous; if you do not bow to me, what does it matter? —Couplet from the Temple of the Ancestor Wang Chan at Yunmeng Mountain
Therefore… with sincere heart establish virtue, taking self-cultivation as the foundation, helping the weak and supporting the fallen; naturally, those above will know.
Blessings and merits are not gained by merely burning incense and bowing for great wealth; good fortune does not simply descend. Committing small evils, creating negative karma through speech, being untrustworthy only harms one’s own hidden virtue.
Nowadays, too many people believe that spending large sums on temples guarantees merit, eagerly contributing money in hopes of great fortune arriving. However, deities become divine not merely because of righteousness or integrity.
Such flattery still engages in small evils and slanderous acts; what benefit does that bring? If this money were truly directed to those in need, wouldn’t it hold much more substantial meaning?
Discussing fate: there is no fate to discuss; it is all about cause and effect.
Discussing appearances: there are no appearances to discuss; appearances arise from the heart.
Discussing fortune: there is no fortune to discuss; it is about performing good deeds and establishing virtue.
by – Yin Shi