No 71 of Living Life Series 1
Brethren, in life we try to please where we can.
We try to please others in so much as to win favours and please ourselves.
But to please ourselves we need to please others but this sometimes results in displeasure for ourselves and for others.
The fable of the old man, his young child and the old donkey on way home is worth reminiscence.
Should the young child or the old man be on the donkey? Should both the old man and the child ride the donkey? Should both walk and give respite to the old and frail donkey to just carry the load of goodies home? Should the child be left at home in the first place? Every option begs further comments of passer-byes. Should the man be light eared and keep switching options. There will be no end to comments.
To please others is difficult. To please oneself is good but can prove to be one's own undoing. One will end up rubbing others the wrong way. They will then upset the person, and both others and that person will not be pleased.
What then is right? What should one do?
All boils down to ego. If one tries to satiate or worship the ego either of oneself or that of others, one will never be pleased or be at ease.
We should give up our ego, and be at peace with God. We should not worship oneself or others but worship only God.
It is easier to be at peace with heaven than to be at peace with men, be it others or even oneself.
Worship heaven and not men, so said saints like His Grace Lord Bo Tien. Let God lead our lives. Only when we are at peace and in harmony with heaven can we be at peace with ourselves, and be able to bring others to be at peace with themselves and with us.
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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!.
