How can one accumulate merits after receiving Tien-Tao? (13)

The constant maintenance of the True Nature in one’s heart is the

virtuous nature.  When the virtuous nature is manifested in one’s

daily practice, it is the true ethics and morality.  If one has Tao but

lacks virtues, he is a devil.  Confucius said “Only with perfect virtues

can a person attain Tao.”  Virtue means to attain Tao.  To accumulate

merits is the same as to establish one’s virtues.

To establish one’s virtues, one should help the needy, vow to relief

disasters and bring salvation, follow the teachings of the five religions

and carry the teachings into practice to the fullest extent.  Merits are

accumulated through donating to print Sutras and Scriptures,

establishing God’s Altars, exhorting and touching the sinful,

spreading God’s truth in the land of non-believers, advocating

Tao and virtues, stimulating the wisdom of others, and introducing

and supporting others so they can attain Tao.  When the external

merits are fulfilled, the internal merits will be facilitated.

In terms of social work, one can donate his own wealth to help the

needy and to provide relief to disasters, or to raise funds if the need

is too great for a single person to fulfill.  In all cases, we must adapt

and adjust our approaches according to the time, the place, the people

and the task.  We should persuade parents to care for children;

children to fulfill filial devotion; siblings to have friendship and

respect for each other; spouses to live in harmony; friends to trust

each other and be trustworthy; government officials to be loyal and

fair; the sinful to repent; and the ordinary to become Sages.  True

merits are accumulated as long as one does not intend to build

reputation and expect praises, nor deploy harsh words and attitudes. 

If one intends to build reputation or receive praises, he accumulates

no merit despite doing the good deeds.  He will only be rewarded in

his next life.  If one exhorts others in a harsh or infuriated tone, then

he is not a practitioner of Tao.