Why
is
I-Kuan
Tao
divided
into
18 groups
? And
why are the
teachings
completely different
?
Shi Zun
(Patriarch Zhang), in order to transmit the Tao widely to every state covering
the whole of
China, sent out 18 senior grand masters to
different states to propagate the Tao, set up Tao prayer halls, and transmit the
Tao to the masses. From the groups led by these 18 senior grand maters, they
became to be known as the 18 groups, taking the names given to these different
Tao prayer halls. As an example, senior
grand
master Pang went to Shanghai
to set up a Tao prayer hall with the name of Bao
Guang
prayer hall.
Thereafter this group, with Tao cultivators who followed him and later
set up their prayer halls, became the Bao
Guang
Group. This is to enable us to remember our Tao root, respect our predecessors,
and inspire our junior Tao cultivators.
Due to the different geographic locations of the prayer halls, some located to
the North and others to the South, the Tao teaching has to be adapted to suit
the local climate, lifestyle, customs, culture and foundation of the people.
This is similar to how the 5 main religious founders propagated the truth in
different parts of the world. While the teachings may be different, the
underlying truth is one and the same.