LIVING LIFE SERIES 1

A BO TIEN (武天) MISSION INITIATIVE LAUNCHED ON 28TH SEPT 2010 BY INNER TRUTH NETIZEN 2. THE MISSION IS TO SHOW THE WAY TO HOPE, INNER PEACE AND ULTIMATELY SALVATION FOR ALL BEINGS. THE PURPOSE IS TO SAVE SOULS. IT IS WAY BEYOND NORMAL GOOD WORK LIKE CHARITY AND WELFARE ACTIVITIES. NO ONE SHALL BE SAVED BY GOOD WORKS ALONE BUT BY MORE THAN GOOD WORK. THERE IS NEED TO BE IMBUED WITH THE BASIC DOCTRINE COMMON TO AND BEHIND ALL RELIGIONS AND SECTS. LIVE IN DOCTRINE. DOCTRINE IN LIFE IS PARAMOUNT.

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The Living Life Series is dedicated to Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). The doctrine is in His image. The image is the doctrine. He who sees, understands and effects the doctrine sees and knows Him. He who does not see, know and effect the doctrine sees not and knows not the saint even if the saint or His image is beside him. The far may be near and the near may be far. Let the doctrine and the saint be part of our life. The lord saint in your life can be any heavenly saint of any religion, sect or school. The doctrine of truth is behind all and this is the Inner Truth that leads all (regardless of their religious affiliation or even if none) to inner peace and heaven on earth here and now and not just in the after life. The ideal worship and devotion is to know and effect the doctrine of God and the saints. The best gospel is the gospel of life. We learn from our life and the lives of others. The true temple is the world we live in. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions and sects are the pillars of the temple. All under Heaven are in the temple. Needless to say that all the saints we know are in this temple. Ji Gong Posat too is no exception. The whole wide world and web is the temple and must be regarded as a sacred place --- a temple for living and learning. It is more important that everyone that counts plays a role in this universal temple if due focus is to be given to the Mission of Heaven. Men must not be distracted by the agenda of men and end up serving the mission of man. That would be a far cry from the Mission of Heaven. We worship God and saints, not man however good that man may be. There should be no hero worshiping or idolizing of man whether he is a charismatic pastor, priest, monk, medium or lay leader. We don't even idol worship the image of any saint but reflect on what the image stands for. - the doctrine in the image. Omitofo 阿弥陀佛!.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Live life the lotus way

No 20 of Living Life Series 1

Sages and poets of old had sung praises for the lotus. The lotus flower, reminiscent of purity, blooms way above the muddy water, which is impure. But without being with the dirty muddy habitat, there can be no lotus flower.

Do reflect then on life. Worldly life is made impure by selfishness or ego giving rise to greed, ill will and false views. Worldly life is a rich source of material for spiritual learning and reflection. Learn from the lessons in life. Deny not the worldly life, but live the family and social life (while leading the spiritual life) to rise above the world of selfishness to be selfless and pure like the lotus flower.

The lotus blooms above the water level. It can do so while living in the muddy habitat. Despite this habitat, it can yield the pure and clean lotus flower.

Likewise, the Lord Saint encourages us to continue the family and worldly life, to learn from the lessons in life and yield forth the bloom of pure thoughts while leading the family life without renouncing the family life. Deny not the family and social life but yet renounce impure thoughts. Renunciation is mental and not physical.

The dirty mud is fertile ground for bringing forth the pure lotus flower. Worldly life, tainted, as it is, by beings with impure thoughts of selfishness, ill will and wrong views is fertile ground for the wise to produce the lotus of pure thoughts that is Truth itself. The wise need not leave society for the wilderness of the jungle to lead a hermit life. There is no need to. We can achieve pureness while living amongst the impure. We learn what attributes not to have and what to have. This is the recommendation of all saints and prophets like Lord Bo Tien, though not all use the analogy of the lotus as it may not be appropriate to the culture and circumstances of type of society they were with. This is the way for us. Call it the lotus way or otherwise. Does it matter? Certainly not.

In summary, it is possible to succeed spiritually while leading the family and social life. This was, is and shall be what the Lord Saint would like to tell us.

Be selfless but do not deny the self. Be spiritual without denying the family or worldly social life. There must be balance as portrayed by the seated image of Lord Bo Tien with both feet astride the yin and yang elements. There must be balance e.g. between spiritual life and worldly life, and between selfishness and self denial

Reflect on the lotus in the pond. There is truth and doctrine of life in what we see around us.

Lest you forget

Do not make the mistake of idolizing any man who tells you about the Word. He is in the same boat as you even if religion refers to him as a religious leader. Mere mention of a religious leader is as good as encouraging idolising of that man. Why must there be hierarchy in religion? Hierarchy is conventional but may end up as liability rather than a necessity or asset. There should be no caste or hierarchy system in religion. No one is to be considered above another in religion. A religious leader or follower is a servant to serve you and not a leader to be idolised. Do not put him on the pedestal and make a monster out of him.

MAY ALL BE WELL AND HAPPY

May all be well and happy. May they have peace. May our departed friends and kins be well, happy and have divine peace. The main writer wishes the best for all for those near and far. Our kins may be far when they had passed on to better lives but they are near though far. He remembers and wishes his parents Mr Siow Soo Koh and Mdm Tay Hung Siang, his uncles and aunties like Mr Tay Koon Huay, his cousins like Mr Tay Chong Sim and his friends like Mr Philip Png well and have abundance of life. May they be rich in spirit for without such ancestors, there will be no posterity - no us and no you and me. They have blessed us and we must blessed them in return forever and ever.