Deities and Faith
Can paying for a ceremony permanently increase spiritual strength?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
No. Ceremonies can help, but I mean temporary assistance. One paid attendance cannot permanently raise strength and remove future practice. After support, thoughts and actions still need to continue forward.
Participation also relates to intention and action. A wish to improve leads to registration, payment and engagement. Willingness to participate and turn intention into action was the first prerequisite I discussed for effectiveness, strengthening the wish to improve. But the process does not end there.
After divine blessing makes things smoother, willingness to do good, help others and develop spirituality sustains the ceremony’s energy and merit. Belief combined with continued living action carries the initial intention onward.
I compared it with maintaining weight loss and continuing training: external help cannot replace long-term effort. Teachers guide and deities support, but personal work remains. Merely paying and accepting a teacher without any learning or practice cannot produce immortality or Buddhahood.