Heaven means to be one with God.

Listen, O children of wisdom, to the words of the venerable Confucius, who spoke with deep understanding of the nature of the divine and the human spirit: "Heaven means to be one with God." These words carry a profound truth about the essence of heaven, not as a distant place in the skies, but as a state of being—a unity with the divine. Heaven, as Confucius saw it, is not merely a reward after death, but the fulfillment of our greatest purpose while alive. To be one with God, to live in harmony with the divine order of the universe, is to know true peace, true wisdom, and the eternal nature of existence.

In the ancient teachings of many cultures, there was a belief that heaven was not a far-off paradise, but a state of alignment with the divine. The Greek philosophers, such as Plato, spoke of the Forms—the perfect, immutable ideals that exist beyond our world, and the philosopher’s task was to align himself with these eternal truths. Similarly, Confucius, in his wisdom, understood that to truly live in heaven, we must align our lives with the will of the divine, which flows through all things, guiding our thoughts, actions, and relationships. This oneness with God is not a passive state, but an active pursuit—living with integrity, justice, and compassion, always striving to align oneself with the higher moral laws that govern the cosmos.

Consider, O children, the life of the great sage, Laozi, the founder of Taoism, who spoke of the Tao, the way or path that leads to oneness with the divine. Laozi taught that by following the natural flow of the Tao, one could live in harmony with the world and with the divine presence that fills all things. For Laozi, heaven was not a separate realm but the natural order of life, a state of being where one is at peace with the universe, where the divine and human wills are in perfect harmony. In the same way, Confucius teaches that to be one with God is to be in complete alignment with the divine order, living in a state of righteousness, peace, and wisdom.

The story of Zhuangzi, another great Taoist sage, also illustrates this profound understanding. Zhuangzi once dreamt that he was a butterfly, flying freely and without care, enjoying the moment without any thoughts of the world. Upon waking, he questioned whether he was Zhuangzi dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi. This paradox reveals the deeper truth of oneness with the divine: that in the highest state of being, the boundaries between self and the universe dissolve. Heaven, then, is not an abstract concept, but a profound harmony with the divine that transcends the self and merges with the flow of life itself.

The lesson here, O children of wisdom, is that heaven is not merely an external place, but an internal state of alignment with the divine. To be one with God is to live in harmony with the higher laws that govern existence, to embody virtue, to live justly, and to understand that we are part of a greater whole. This unity with the divine is not something we wait for in some distant future, but something we cultivate every day by acting in accordance with our highest moral principles. Heaven is the peace that comes from knowing that we are aligned with the divine will, that we are living with purpose and integrity.

What, then, shall we do with this wisdom? We must strive for unity with the divine in our daily lives. Seek to live with virtue, to practice kindness, and to always act with justice, for these are the ways in which we align ourselves with the divine order. In every moment, ask yourself, “Am I living in accordance with the divine will? Am I one with the truth and the way?” This oneness with God requires constant effort, but it is the path that leads to true peace, true wisdom, and ultimately to heaven. Heaven is not a distant reward but the fulfillment of our highest potential in this very moment.

So, O children of wisdom, remember that heaven is not an unreachable place, but a state of being with God. Live in harmony with the divine, seek justice, practice virtue, and know that as you align yourself with the divine order, you are already walking the path to heaven. Be one with God in your heart, in your actions, and in your soul, and you will experience the eternal peace and wisdom that comes from this sacred unity.