No 39 of Living Life Series 1
We go about life in this world from morning to night, from week to week and from month to month, and from year to year ever caught up with the issues of the day. Time and tide wait for no one and every precious moment in time just passes bye with less than a wink of the eye. We appear purposeful and directed in our worldly pursuits. But what bothers us at times is what all these will eventually lead us to? Where do we go from here?
We are simply following set chosen patterns of life without in-depth mindful reflections. We are just going along with the mainstream and trying to be ahead as much as possible than many others. Well that is life and we have to go on in life anyway or be left behind, or risk being tossed about or aside by the mainstream.
Well, let us pause and think why we have to go with the mainstream of worldly life. What do we want? What is the purpose of life? The apparent purposes are many, centred on pivot of our social and biological norms. But what more is there beyond these apparent ends? What is the real end in existence? Social and biological ends are not the ends in themselves but merely means to the real end. The rainbow recedes further every time if life is just about social and biological ends.
While we are in worldly life, we must play our worldly part or else we will be not part of society, not part of family and not part of the world. But do be mindful of life and nature of life. Do remember that we need to be in control. However, we must not just be in control of the apparent or conventional worldly matters or issues but also the matters and issues of our soul and of our Creator from where we originate and to where we must be reunited. Not to do so is avoidance of the reality of our mortality. The converse is as bad when we ignore and avoid worldly roles and life and live just to die and depart from this world. Many of us just cannot do this.
All prophets / saints want us to have good balance, to attend to apparent and ultimate ends in life, as both are important. Lord Bo Tien reiterates this same orientation that we must have. Live the life of the mundane world not as the end in itself but live the spiritual life as well. The teachings in religion reiterated by our Lord Bo Tien are universal and can be applied to both spiritual and mundane life. There is no need to give up or renounce the physical all together.
But what is helpful for most of us is to periodically curtail worldly indulgence or to impose daily some degree of self-control to minimise indulgence. For example, when we have a lot, we can give more to others. When we are wealthy, we can live a life of simplicity and cut off indulgence.
Think carefully why there are precepts to be observed on certain months or days. Also why some fast on certain days or time of day. Why some avoid animal meat but take fish. Some observe vegetarianism. Some go on certain days into the forests for contemplation or meditation. Some just spend retreats in temples and places of worship. What are these spiritual tools for? Find out more but here is some explanation.
Do remember that to realise and go towards spiritual purity requires us to exercise some controls, and very often, we need to be less self centred, less ego orientated, and to achieve selflessness and reduce wanting or attachment. To do this, conscious effort must be made. This should explain the practices mentioned earlier.
They are just tools to help us to be less indulgent and to be in more receptive mode for going towards pureness of God. They help us to be closer with God.
Another way of looking at things is that self-penance or part denial of indulgence in worldly trappings allows for us not to waste away our life and merits in indulgence and in addition allows us to cultivate merits through cultivation of pure mind.
There are other explanations. We need to find out for ourselves
Such spiritual tools also help in our worldly life. When we have a bad patch due to our so-called fate or past actions, we can change or moderate the outcome at times through such tools. This should be in addition to praying to the gods for blessings, but we must be worthy of blessings. Such tools as fasting, vegetarianism, retreats etc if practised correctly and with correct ultimate reasons do help but remember worldly blessings are not the end in themselves but just means to the ultimate end. What is this end?
By now you should have a good idea. Each and everyone has to realise for himself.
There is no way we can really explain the taste of sugar other than telling a person enough to make him want to taste sugar. It is when sugar is tasted that someone knows what sweetness is.
We are grateful to heavenly saints like Lord Bo Tien for their guidance and blessings, and we hope to share with others. There is no need to change one's allegiance to a particular religion when we need to receive the advice and help of prophets and saints like Lord Bo Tien or any other heavenly saints.
Live life with universal spiritual know-how.
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