Deities and Faith
Does reading a prayer petition for someone reduce my blessings? How does reporting differ from leading a ritual?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Simply reading someone’s petition and conveying the prayer to a deity does not mean paying for their request with your own blessings. Distinguish reporting on their behalf from actually carrying out the ritual.
I explained this through Sheng Zhen Men’s practice. Disciples helping read petitions convey information to deities. If I am the principal person carrying out the ritual, I remain responsible for that work. A disciple reading a name and wish does not mean all their merit has been deducted and given to that person.
Performing a ceremony does require mental effort, physical strength and what I describe as energy expenditure. This differs from simply reading text on another’s behalf, and expenditure cannot directly be called a necessary loss of blessings. Understand each temple’s arrangements and who leads the rite, rather than explain everything with ‘Reading for others reduces blessings.’
Helping others can itself be a good deed and part of accumulating merit. First understand what you are doing. There is no need to view every act of assistance as a personal loss before understanding it.