If a deity’s spokesperson behaves well during descent, should we also consider their conduct afterwards?

Yes, we should also consider that. A person cannot behave well only when receiving a deity or carrying out religious services while completely disregarding how they treat people at other times. Becoming a deity’s spokesperson in the human world means that improving one’s character and everyday words and actions remains an ongoing task.

What makes deities worth learning from is their compassion, wisdom and virtue. If someone claims to speak for a deity but acts with even less kindness and restraint than an ordinary person, we should stop and think about that. We cannot judge only by the clothes they wear, the movements they make or the divine name they announce.

Dao Xuan once shared an experience of practising at a spiritual centre whose leader had a violent temper and even abused family members. While involved in that setting, it was difficult at first to see the situation clearly. Only later did Dao Xuan feel that it did not make sense. This was Dao Xuan’s experience, and it reminds us to retain our own judgment even when people around us repeatedly offer explanations on the leader’s behalf.

A deity’s characteristics cannot be used as an excuse for losing all sense of propriety. The Third Prince can be lively and joke around, but takes matters seriously when there is work to do and does not play around to the point of making people uncomfortable. Master Ji Gong’s spirit lies in being at ease and helping people. We cannot learn only the outward appearance of eccentric behaviour and drinking.

In my understanding of spiritual practice, when a person’s character moves further and further away from that of their principal deity, their connection will also be affected. As a teacher, knowing that people will observe one’s everyday conduct means accepting this as part of the work of cultivation. We should carefully examine behaviour that gives us cause for concern. At the same time, we cannot use a single article to decide which deity every person is connected with.

The same applies to me. I may say that I am a spokesperson for Guanyin Bodhisattva, but Shengyuan is still Shengyuan, not Guanyin Bodhisattva. Being able to sense and convey divine intentions does not mean that I have become a deity. Precisely because I am still human, I must continue learning and working on my temper, personality and treatment of others. The title of spokesperson cannot exempt me from the work I need to do in daily life.