Mystery Portal Aperture of 3 treasures

    前面有說，我們求道也就是在得三寶，得了三寶之後照愿而行，可以超生了死，免受四生六道輪迴之苦，古時修行人的千里訪明師，萬里求口訣，為的也是這三寶，三寶這麼寶貴，究竟什麼是三寶呢？

    天有三寶「日、月、星」；地有三寶「水、火、風」；人有三寶「精、氣、神」；而道的三寶即是：「關、訣、印」。

6, What is the Three Treasures?

As mentioned earlier, we obtained the Three Treasures when we acquired the message of Tao. If we devoted ourselves according to our vow, we can transcend ourselves through life and death, free from the suffering of the six domains reincarnations (Heavenly spirits, Human Beings, Ashura (Giant Demons), Hell, Horrid Ghosts, and Animals). Ancient practitioners had to travel great distances to seek the Enlightened Master and Divine Mantra, which is the precious Three Treasures. Three Treasures are so precious. What are the Three Treasures then?

The Three Treasures in Heaven are “Sun, Moon and Stars”; Earth has Three Treasures, “Water, Fire and Wind”; Human has Three Treasures, “Essence, Energy and Spirit”; The Three Treasures of Tao are “Heavenly Portal, Divine Mantra and Contract Seal”.

第一寶：玄關竅

    什麼叫做玄關竅？「玄」就是非常玄妙，妙不可言；「關」出入來去之關卡；「竅」即是一個小孔隙，玄關竅簡單的說就是我們靈性出入的門戶，是正門，是通天的竅口，能不能成佛作祖全憑這一點，如何證明呢？五教聖人用來暗喻此竅的讖語有很多，以下我們列舉幾個來印證：

子曰：「誰能出不由戶，何莫由斯道也。」這句話的意思就是說：「什麼人可以出入不由正門戶！既然出入要從正門戶，為什麼不由此正門之道出去呢？」這就是孔子暗指人有一個靈性的正門戶。

子曰：「人若一竅通，則不死者，壽在神也。」這句話的意思即是說：「能得明師一指打開這個生死門戶，即能超越生死輪迴，得無量壽。」就是在暗指打開玄關竅門的尊貴。

耶穌：「背自己的十字架見上帝。」這個十字架就是明師所指的地方。

釋迦牟尼佛：「吾有正法眼藏，涅槃妙心，實相無相，微妙法門，不立文字，教外別傳，付囑摩訶迦葉。」正法眼藏，也是在暗指玄關竅。 

古人說，人有「七孔八竅」，我們算一算我們的五官，兩個眼睛、兩個耳朵、兩個鼻孔，加上一個嘴巴，總共只有七個孔竅，那麼第八竅在哪裡呢？就是這個靈性出入的生死竅，也就是玄關竅。

The First Treasure: The Mystery Portal Aperture

What is the Mystery Portal Aperture? "Mystery" is extremely mysterious, beyond any words to describe; "Portal" is the check point of entry and exit; "Aperture" refers to an orifice. “The Mystery Portal Aperture” signifies the door that allows entry and exist, it is the righteous door, the aperture direct us to heaven, this point determines if the person can become a Buddha. What are the evidences to this? There are many remarks from the Saints of the five religious groups which metaphor this aperture. Following are a few examples to prove it. 

Confucius said: “Who can leave without this door, why not leave from this way.” it means: "Who can enter and leave not through the main gate? Since we enter and leave through the main gate, why don’t we pass through the main gate of Tao?” Confucius implied that every person has a spiritual main gate.

Confucius said: "If the Aperture of Man has been set through, his lifespan will be the same as God." This means: "If the Portal of life and death has been opened by the Enlightened Master, he shall transcend reincarnation to attain eternity.” This implied the respect and precious opening of our Mystery Portal Aperture.

Jesus said: "Carry your own cross to see God." This Cross was pointed out by the Enlightened Master.

Shakyamuni Buddha said: “I have the Hidden Dharma Eye, the subtle Nirvana, the Reality free of forms, in its mysterious way, beyond description of words, transcend any religious forms, I now entrust to Mahakashyapa.” The Hidden Dharma Eye implied the Mystery Portal Aperture.

There is an ancient saying: Man has ‘seven orifices and the eighth aperture’, by counting our five senses, we have two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and a mouth, there are a total of seven orifices, where is the eighth aperture then? It is the aperture of spiritual life and death, which is the “Mystery Portal Aperture”.

說了這麼多，玄關竅到底在哪裡呢？也就是在剛才道師所指點的地方。父精母血交媾受胎的那一剎那，上天賦於人的「本性」就是居住在這裡，所以這一竅又稱之為「祖竅」。

今天我們已經得授天命明師一指點，打開這個生死的門戶，今後只要我們正守本位，認理實修，死後我們的靈魂就會由此竅出去，直達聖域「觀音淨土」，超生了死；若是無經天命明師指點，自修自煉者，則從泥丸宮出去，靈魂只到氣天；另外從四旁門出去者，就通通到地府，什麼叫做四旁門？就是眼、耳、口、鼻，從這四門出去者，則落入六道，輪迴生死。

After all these explanations, where is the “Mystery Portal Aperture”? It is at the place that the Tao Priest pointed at earlier. During copulation, a father's sperm (Yang) meets mother's blood (Yin), gives a new born fetus. The Heavenly ‘Nature’ is in there. Therefore, we call this Aperture as ‘Ancestor Aperture’. 

Today we have acquired the message of Tao, the door of life and death is opened by an Orthodox Living Teacher, it has opened the gate of life and death. From now on, as long as we righteously uphold our principle, recognize the truth and cultivate sincerely, our soul will exit through this aperture after we die and go straight to the ‘Pure Land of Guan Yin’, transcend through life and death. For those who cultivate themselves without the guidance of a Heavenly ordained living teacher, the soul will exit through the fontanelle of our head and go to the Energy World; As for the rest without any spiritual cultivation, the soul will exit through the 4 side gates to hell. What are the 4 side gates? They are the eyes, the ears, the mouth and the nose. Those who exit through these 4 side gates will fall into the 6 realms of reincarnation.

天命明師一指點，就能超生了死，免受四生六道輪迴之苦，原因除了是靈性可以由正門而出，直登聖域觀音淨土之外，還有一個心法存在，就是以下十點：

The point pointed by the Heavenly ordained Master will transcend through life and death to avoid the suffering of the six realms reincarnation, another reason besides our soul can go through the righteous door and direct to the Pure Land of Guan Yin, there is an enlightening way which includes the following 10 points:

指其本然面目點      指其虛空同體點

指其虛空同用點      指其至尊至聖點

指其本然良心點      指其妙相莊嚴點

指其萬彙造化點      指其萬善自然點

指其三天依止點      指其迴向有情點

Pointed to the point of origin in nature

Pointed to the point of common body in void space

Pointed to the point of common application in void space

Pointed to the point of ultimate respect and holiness

Pointed to the point of conscience of original nature

Pointed to the point of wonderful and solemn phase

Pointed to the point of universal evolution

Pointed to the natural point of all kindness.

Pointed to the point of initiation of the Three Worlds

Pointed to the point of returning to affection   

所謂「點」就是宗旨，這十點的意思乃是：

指其本然面目點：道師一指就是告訴我們，這一指是在指我們的本然面目。我們的本然面目到底是怎麼樣的呢？那就是以下各點所形容的：虛空同體、虛空同用、至尊至聖、本然良心、妙相莊嚴、萬彙造化、萬善自然、三天依止、迴向有情。

The ‘Point’ refers to the aim or purpose, the meaning of these 10 points are:

Pointed to the point of original nature: This is our point of original nature, where the Tao Priest pointed. What does this original nature actually look like? It is detail described in the following nine points as follows: common body in void space, common application in void space, ultimately respectful and sacred, conscience of original nature, wonderful and solemn, universal evolution, virtuous in nature, initiation of the three-worlds (spiritual, energy, and physical worlds), transfer merits to sentiment beings.

指其虛空同體點：「虛空」名為「道」，我們的本然面目與浩瀚宇宙中令人敬畏的「道」是一體的。

Pointed to the point of common body of the void space:

“void” is named “Tao”. Our original face and the respectful ‘Tao’ are essentially in one.

指其虛空同用點：道雖虛空，但並非空無所有，空無所用，它就像老子所說的：「天地之間，其猶橐籥乎？虛而不屈，動而愈出。」

Pointed to the point of common application in the void space:

Although “Tao” is void, it does not imply emptiness and nonfunctional. It is as what Laozi said “Isn’t the space between Heaven and Earth like a bellows? Empty and yet never exhausted. It moves, and produces more.”

指其至尊至聖點：我們的本來面目，也就是我們的本來佛性，乃是非常尊貴神聖的，是與  老

Pointed to the point of ultimate respect and holiness:

Our original face of nature is our original Buddha nature. It is ultimate respectful and holy. It is ultimate respectful and holy as our Mother-in-Heaven.

指其本然良心點：咱們之本來即是良心，此良心乃是先天固有，不學而能、不慮而知，仁義禮智、孝悌忠信，均是良心，先天俱有之德性德能，是故由良心所流露出之仁義行為，即是本然之行為。

Pointed to the point of conscience of original nature:

Our original nature is conscience, it is inborn, we do not need to learn to exercise conscience; we do not need to think over to gain it. Benevolence、righteousness、courtesy, filial piety、fraternal duty、loyalty and faith are all traits of conscience, it is inborn moral integrity and moral energy, from which one will display the behavior of benevolence and righteousness. It is the behavior of original nature.

指其妙相莊嚴點：本然面目無形無相，雖然眼不能見、耳不能聞，但其乃實相莊嚴，詩經曰：「有斐君子，如切如磋，如琢如磨」。

Pointed to the point of wonderful and solemn phase:

Our original nature appears to be invisible and formless. Although it cannot be seen, it cannot

be heard, its real appearance is solemn, as stated in the Classic of Poetry: “A man of elegance

and noble character, well cultivated and learned with solemn dignity,”

指其萬彙造化點：此一指之處，乃是宇宙間天地萬物造化之根源也，生生化化的總元素。

Pointed to the point of universal evolution: 

This point is the roots of universe creation and evolution, it is the total element of all creation.

指其萬善自然點：宇宙間一切至善之行為、事物、原則、原理，都是從那一指之處出來的。

Pointed to the natural point of all kindness.:

The display of all ultimate kindness behavior, affairs, rules, principles in the Universe, are all originated from that point.

指其三天依止點：三天，就是指理、氣、象三天。三天如無這一點就不能存在。這一點在宇宙間稱之  老娘、上帝、天或稱道、無極，在我們身上叫做自性。

Pointed to the point of initiation of the Three Worlds:   

The “Three Worlds” refers to the Spiritual, Energy and Physical worlds. If the “Three Worlds” do not have this point of initiation, they will not exist. This point in the universe is known as The Heavenly Mother, God, Heaven or called Tao, Wuji (The ultimate energy) and it is known as the innate nature in us.

指其迴向有情點：這一點做什麼用呢？一切的至善至美的德行都要迴向眾生，為眾生謀幸福，使眾生能夠超凡入聖、超生了死，非是為自己的超生死。

Pointed to the point of returning to affection:  

What is the purpose of this point? All virtuous of ultimate goodness and ultimate comfort should be returned to all mortals, bless them, guide them to transcend worldliness and attain holiness, and to transcend life and death, not for oneself life and death only.

由上述可知，明師一指的真正意涵乃是要大家明白：我們的身上都有一位無生真人，自性就是佛，離性無別佛，向外求佛，勞心費神，卻是離佛更遠，萬劫不見佛。

From the above mentioned, the true meaning of the point pointed by the Patriarch is to let all of us understand: Within each and every one of us there is an Ever Living True Being. This Innate Nature is Buddha. Away from this innate nature, there is no Buddha. If you seek for Buddha externally, it is painstaking and get yourself further away from Buddha. You will never see Buddha ever.

要明白，自性本自清淨，自性本是絕塵，本來的面目乃是至尊至聖、虛空同體、虛空同用、妙相莊嚴、萬善自然的，不依於一切神通，不依於世法佛法，不依於四大五蘊，也不依於不捨不取不之心，一念無邪自性佛現，一念妄想佛亦眾生，佛與眾生一念之別而已，所以今天我們得受明師一指點，只是在告訴你，我們身上本有一尊如如自在的自性真佛，具足一切智慧，他就住在玄關竅這個地方，歷經萬年，我們都已經把他遺忘，今天，我們來到佛堂，明師再提醒我們，如果大家都能明白，那麼自然能夠超生死。

We must understand, our innate nature is clear and clean without any attachments. Our original spirit is utmost supreme and sacred, common body in void space, common application in void space, ultimately respectful and sacred, all virtuous in nature. It was neither created from the supernatural powers, nor abided by the world laws and Dharma. It neither depends on the laws of four elements of earth, water, fire and wind which represent our body and the five elements of color, feeling, thinking, action and understanding which represent our mind.

It neither relates to non-giving, non-receiving, and non-complying.

One thought of no-evil leads to the innate nature of Buddha, a delusion turns a Buddha back to a sentient being. there is only one thought difference between Buddha and a sentient being.

That is the reason why we need to be enlightened by the Master’s one finger pointing telling us that there was originally a natural living Buddha in us, full of wisdom. The Buddha lives right here in the aperture for millions of years, we have all forgotten. Today, we come to the temple, our enlightening master once again reminded us, if we all understand it, we would be able to transcend life and death naturally.

以上，我們可以了解，明師點開玄關竅可以讓我們見到本來面目，讓我們知道自己原來具備與佛同樣的佛性，如果能夠明心見性，那麼即刻超出生死而無生死。但是如果還不能了解，那麼也毋須緊張，現有住世一代祖師可以給我們心法印證，解除我們的疑惑讓我們開悟，況且我們已經求了道，也在天堂掛了號，只要我們這一世守著我們的良心，盡力去做利益社會、利益人群的事情，那麼百歲年老之後，自性就能由此正門而出，往生聖域「觀音淨土」，得證菩薩果位。

As stated above, we understand that the enlightening master pointing and opening the aperture is to allow us to come face to face with our origin nature. It allows us to realize that we actually possess the same innate nature as Buddha. If we are enlightened, we can transcend life and death immediately.

But if we are unable to understand it now, there is no need to panic, as now we have a current Living Master who can grant us authentication, clear our doubt so that we can attain enlightenment.

Moreover, we have already acquired the message of Tao and have our name registered in Heaven, as long as we guard our righteous heart in this life, try our best to contribute to the society and benefits of others, then when we grow old, our innate nature will be able to make its way out from this righteous door to attain the sacred place called Guanyi Jindu – ‘Pure Land of Guan Yin’ where we will be recognized with a Bodhisattva status.

所以常說來得早，不如來得巧，九蓮聖道的殊勝若非機緣成熟，任你花再多的錢財，鑽研千經萬典，只要少了天命明師這一點，就差之亳厘，失之千里了。所以今天大家得到這一點，真是得來全不費功夫，希望大家能好好體悟，珍惜這世上獨一無二的自家珍寶。

Therefore, there is a saying that it is better to come by coincidence than came in earlier. The excellency of Nine Lotus Sacred Tao lies in its opportunity and affinity; If you don’t have the right timing, even if you spend an enormous amount of money, or research on uncountable scriptures, without the point of the Heavenly ordained patriarch, it would make a tremendous difference. Therefore, everyone who receives this Heavenly point today with little or no effort at all. May all of you intuitively experience and cherish this one and only treasure in each and every one of us.