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!.

Monday, November 15, 2010

The anchor doctrine of Lord Bo Tien

No 187 of Living Life Series 1

Brethren, do understand that the Lord Saint is not here to start a new religion. There is no need to. He reminds us to be good in whatever religion we may be in. He would rather that we remain good religionists in religions we are already in. Religions are but means to an end; the end being the compassion and salvation for all sentient beings. What is needed is to kindle the light of compassion in us for others, and to guide us to higher spiritual purity of the mind ----to cease the wanting and the becoming and to attain the peace of non-wanting and not-becoming and yet carrying-on meaningfully without denial of life itself.

This, brethren, is what His Mission is all about. All beings must seek salvation, enlightenment or purity of the mind because of their wrong or not-so-right doings, because of their imperfections. All are wanting in this or that, and all fall short of the glory of Heaven. All are far from pure. Religions are pillars to give us the strength and anchorage to reach the purity that is enlightenment or salvation.

Brethren, judge not a book by the cover. Likewise, judge not religions and sects by the culture or traditions. Culture and traditions are man-made. They are dictated by men and not by Heaven. They change with the times to suit the mentality and way of life of the populace.

The anchor doctrine of Lord Bo Tien is that all religions are good. All work towards the common good. All have their own traditions and culture. Whilst, like the book covers, culture and traditions serve to attract people, there is the potential danger that those, who only judge religions by culture and traditions, may fail to appreciate the oneness of religions – the Oneness of Truth. To them, religions and denominations appear different.

Our Lord Saint upholds the oneness of religions.

Incidentally, do remember that, if culture and traditions fail to serve our needs, if they somehow do not project a good image of an organisation, if somehow they no longer foster the four-pillar doctrine of oneness of religions, if they make us look foreign to or out of step with other religious practices, let us face reality and be prepared to adopt or change to culture and practices that are acceptable, meaningful and in keeping with the times, so as to better appeal to all to bring them closer to oneness in divinity.

What serves us well years ago may not serve any useful purpose now or in the future. Let us be far-sighted and be in harmony with the times. Change can be good. Traditions are not preordained by Heaven. They like sects and denominations are man-made. Pragmatism requires that traditions evolve with the times.

Truth is and shall always be. Truth is like the substance of a book. Traditions and culture (and for that matter even denominations and sects) are like the covers of a book. Covers can change and need to change but not the substance of a book.

For followers and adherents of Lord Bo Tien, these should not change – namely our patron Lord Saint and His anchor Doctrine. Temple or religious traditions and culture can however change and need to do so to keep up to the times.

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.