Buddha once said,

"Only when one's inner lamp is lit can the lamp of Dharma be lit."

How can one light one's inner lamp? If we wish to light the lamp, we must first locate where is the wick? It is the heart of the lamp that can manifest light. After locating the wick, the lamp can only be lit by directing the spark or flame towards it. Similarly, we can be enlightened by external sources of illumination when we find the heart of our soul that can be lit. Where is this point of our soul that can emanate light once it is illuminated?

In the Gospel of Matthew (6:22), Jesus said,

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light."

In the subsequent English translated versions of the Bible, the singular 'eye' referred to in this verse have been changed to plural 'eyes'. However, the earlier King James Version describes it otherwise. It qualifies the description of this eye with the statement, "…if therefore thine eye be single". From this we can see it is not referring to the physical eyes that we possess. Neither our left eye nor right eye acts as the lamp of the body. It is our spiritual eye, which is the wick that must be located and ignited, if we want to light the lamp of our bodies.

Our spirituality originates from divinity and it must be restored to its original nature before our soul can achieve transcendence and enlightenment. Man has always been searching for this wick since time immemorial. After having found it he still has to seek the right way to illuminate it so that it can be connected with the absolute realm of divinity. In the teachings of Tao of Heaven, it is known as the opening of the Divine Eye or Third Eye. To light up this eye, it is done by the fire and Holy Spirit through the divine ceremony formalized by Heaven.

According to research in the West, when people undergo transcendental experiences, there are immense fields of energy which seem to be originating from a spot in front of the brain. The scientists said the results appeared to show that the phenomenon of religious belief could be in-built in humans and they described it as the "God Spot" in the brain. It can readily be tuned to and receive the signals from God. This "God Spot" is the wick and the Divine Eye where the soul resides. It has to be awakened in order for the inner lamp to be lit. It is the door that can unlock the mysteries of the universe. It is the eye that can see through the illusive and temporal nature of the material world.

The essence of truth can be fully realized once the inner lamp is lit. Receiving the divine heart teaching from the Master is like gaining the key to unlock the door that can lead us towards eternal life. We cannot see the sun if it is covered by the clouds in the day likewise the moon in the night. Our inability to perceive and realize truth is due to our judgement being clouded by the veil of ignorance.

We can achieve faster spiritual growth when we have been illuminated by truth. That is why Buddha said that only when one's inner lamp is lit can the lamp of Dharma be lit. When the inner lamp is lit, it is like the wind has blown away the clouds where we can then see the sun and or the moon. The day will be bright with blue sky and the night serene with bright light of the moon. Whatever we see will be cleared and not clouded with doubts. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light.

This is the saying of my Heavenly Teacher JiGong:

"Through the Pointing-Out (lighting the inner lamp) from the Ming-Shi (Bright Master), one has already 'surpassed the bondage of birth'. Yet what immediately follows is to subdue the old-habits that one has accumulated through one's numerous past lives, and to root out the barriers of vexations. Otherwise, one still cannot put an end to the bondage of death and will still be flowing and turning in the midst of the Samsara (worlds of birth and death)."

To seek for Tao is to have our inner lamps lit. 'Ming Shi' means the Bright Master who has the Heavenly Decree from God to carry out the transmission of Tao and this is another saying of JiGong:

"Immediately at the moment one seeks Tao (receives the seal of the Living God by lighting the inner lamp), everyone has been revealed and understood the nature of one's Essential Body (Inner Being). It is only due to the veil of the knowledge-barrier that one cannot realize clearly the empty-nature of the Inner Being. Hence, one must constantly observe and turn the light inwardly to oneself (self-check) to remove this barrier. Proceed first with the mind and the subconscious (detect and check every thought rising from the bottom of the heart). Then turn and step into the State of Emptiness. But take heed that you don't dwell on the empty-state, and that you don't float one-sidedly within Good & Evil and Luck & Guilt."

State of Emptiness: Emptiness here does not mean nothingness. Although one's Essential Body or Mind (Inner Being) looks empty, it is not really empty. The Zen Bible says: The capacity of mind is as extensive and large as that of space. The Self-Nature (Inner Being) is great because it embraces all things, since all things are within our nature.

Good & Evil and Luck & Guilt: The nature of the Inner Being is all good. If everyone obeys the conscience and realize that doing "Good" is just one's bounded duty, "Evil and Guilt" will not exist. Then, nobody is doing "Good" because "Good" is only an opposite term to "Evil." If one dwells on one's "good deeds" and seeks "Luck" from doing good, then one does not understand the real nature of the Inner Being.

The teaching is deep and profound although it looks simple. Emptiness itself is not easy to understand but by lighting of the Inner Lamp, one will get to understand more easily the mysteries of the universe and the way to eternity.

Author: T.A Chew