Special Contribution
功德費
Every one of us needs to receive the Heavenly Tao only once in our lifetime.
每個人求道一生只須要一次.
Before we receive the Heavenly Tao, we need to make a special contribution.
在我們求道之前,我們須要繳功德費.
This special contribution is made only once in your lifetime when you received the Heavenly Tao at the temple.
當我們在佛堂求道,我們一生只須要繳一次功德費.
Subsequently when you come to the temple , you do not need to make any further contributions.
以後你再來佛堂，你不用再進一步做任何的佈施。
This special contribution was fixed by Kuan Sheng Ti Chun(關聖帝君） to test whether people in this world are willing to part with monetary contribution.
功德費是由關聖帝君制定，考驗人們是否願意用世間的錢財佈施。
The purpose of this special contribution is to print moral books to gain good merits on your behalf.
功德費的目的是用你的名義印善書做功德.
A common saying: “To teach others in a lifetime, one can use spoken words. But to teach others in one hundred lifetimes, one needs to use books.”
俗話說：勸人一世以言，勸人百世以書。
What is the Heavenly Tao?
什麼是天道?
The word “Heavenly” indicates Heaven. “Tao” means the way or the path.
天是指天堂,道是指路徑.
The phrase “Heavenly Tao” means the way or the path by which our true self (soul) will have to take, when we live to a ripe old age, in order to return back to Heaven.
天道是我們靈性要回天的道路,當我們百年歲後要回到上天.
Just like the vehicle on the road, ship in the ocean, and airplane in the sky - they all have their own paths to travel.
就像車輛行駛在路上,船行駛在海洋,飛機行駛在天空,它們都有自己該走的路徑.
Similarly, our true self (soul) also has a path to take to return back to Heaven - this is the Heavenly Tao.
同樣,我們的靈性要回天,也有要回天的路---這就是天道.
What are the advantages of receiving the Heavenly Tao?
求道有什麼好處呢?
There are many advantages in receiving the Heavenly Tao. There are two great advantages of importance :
求道有很多好處,有兩點特別重要:
1.Able to surpass the cycle of birth and death 可以超生了死
2.Phenomenal Power to escape from calamities 可以躲劫避難
So what can we based on to enable us to surpass the cycle of birth and death and to escape from calamities?
為何我們可以超生了死跟躲劫避難呢?
It is based on the Three Treasures that our Holy Master – the one wearing the white robe called “Dian Chuan Shi” – has transmitted to us during the simple but solemn prayer ceremony, called the Tao receiving ceremony (initiation ceremony).
憑藉著三寶,身穿白袍的我們稱為點傳師
透過簡單隆重的儀式,傳給我們三寶,我們稱為求道儀式
(準備儀式的開始)