No 174 of Living Life Series 1
(1) Many would like to believe that to succeed spiritually they must meditate, as this will enable them to gain some spiritual or mystic powers. This is a wrong belief or focus, as to succeed spiritually, one must eradicate all thirst including thirst for power.
(1) Many would like to believe that to succeed spiritually they must meditate, as this will enable them to gain some spiritual or mystic powers. This is a wrong belief or focus, as to succeed spiritually, one must eradicate all thirst including thirst for power.
(2) The concept of meditation to many calls to mind someone getting away from the daily activities of life and sitting comfortably or cross legged in a forest, cave or temple. This is presumably to escape from the usual life he leads, and is only done one or more times a week. But for the major part of the week (more than 99%), he is back to what he wants to escape from.
(3) True meditation is something you must do as part and parcel of every moment of his life. You don’t just do it a fraction of the time but all the time, even when you are going about life in society. You don’t just do it in the few moments when you can get away from society.
(3) True meditation is something you must do as part and parcel of every moment of his life. You don’t just do it a fraction of the time but all the time, even when you are going about life in society. You don’t just do it in the few moments when you can get away from society.
(4) True meditation has to do with wisdom and insight into daily life. It has to do with mental well being specifically to free the mind from bondage to thirsts or clinging but not to run away from life.
(5) True meditation is about ensuring that the mind is correctly poised to live life here and now at this moment correctly. It is about living life in the present here and now. It is about living life within the society, within the world and within the family.
(6) Two aspects need to be considered. Meditation must encompass two dimensions, concentration and mindfulness. The goal is divine wisdom, and not mystic experiences, which may or may not be part of experiences. Such mystic or psychic experiences e.g. astral travel can be counter-productive and derail one from the divine perspective.
(7) Concentration or inner peace /serenity needs to be cultivated in daily life for everything we do needs concentration / inner peace quality. But it can be given the extra impetus or push by devoting 15 minutes a day to sitting or cross-legged lotus position meditative pose. This is to train the mind to free it from distractions and focus say on one object say breathing or the serene image of the Buddha or Saint. The mind then would be better poised to go about daily life in calm manner and be more efficient to deal with the tasks or issue at hand that form part of daily living.
(8) Wisdom, in particular wisdom on life can only come from correct mind attitudes, seeing things as they are and not as what they appear to be. We need to see the true nature of things. For example, why is there anger, or jealousy? Instead of just being affected by these emotions or passions, one detaches to probe in calm manner why there is anger or jealousy. One probes beyond the issues that bring about anger or jealousy. Instead of running away from issues or the anger or jealousy, one must calmly handle head-on the crux of the problem. Whatever the issues, why must anger or jealousy arise? What is in the mind that makes one angry or jealous? One becomes mindful of the cause of such emotions, the arising of such emotions, the consequences of such emotions, the pain it brings to oneself and to others of such emotions.
(5) True meditation is about ensuring that the mind is correctly poised to live life here and now at this moment correctly. It is about living life in the present here and now. It is about living life within the society, within the world and within the family.
(6) Two aspects need to be considered. Meditation must encompass two dimensions, concentration and mindfulness. The goal is divine wisdom, and not mystic experiences, which may or may not be part of experiences. Such mystic or psychic experiences e.g. astral travel can be counter-productive and derail one from the divine perspective.
(7) Concentration or inner peace /serenity needs to be cultivated in daily life for everything we do needs concentration / inner peace quality. But it can be given the extra impetus or push by devoting 15 minutes a day to sitting or cross-legged lotus position meditative pose. This is to train the mind to free it from distractions and focus say on one object say breathing or the serene image of the Buddha or Saint. The mind then would be better poised to go about daily life in calm manner and be more efficient to deal with the tasks or issue at hand that form part of daily living.
(8) Wisdom, in particular wisdom on life can only come from correct mind attitudes, seeing things as they are and not as what they appear to be. We need to see the true nature of things. For example, why is there anger, or jealousy? Instead of just being affected by these emotions or passions, one detaches to probe in calm manner why there is anger or jealousy. One probes beyond the issues that bring about anger or jealousy. Instead of running away from issues or the anger or jealousy, one must calmly handle head-on the crux of the problem. Whatever the issues, why must anger or jealousy arise? What is in the mind that makes one angry or jealous? One becomes mindful of the cause of such emotions, the arising of such emotions, the consequences of such emotions, the pain it brings to oneself and to others of such emotions.
(9) As stated by the Buddha, one can enjoy freedom from physical illness even for a year or two or even longer. But it is indeed rare in this world to enjoy freedom from mental dis-ease or mental discomfort even for one moment except those who are free from mental defilements (i.e. except the arahants or enlightened ones).
(10) Lord Bo Tien does His part as one of the heavenly saints to bring us hope in divine peace and ease. But ultimately we need to cultivate the mind all the time (not just during the infrequent occasions when we sit in lotus posture) to free it from defilements of the ego or clinging and be pure. The acid test of achieving purity of the mind lies in whether we can live in society and not away from society. This is emphasised by Lord Bo Tien. Of course, there are many variations and this is why there are many religions or sects, but all religions or sects are the same. They help all who need help, who have difficulties and need to be inclined towards God or Divinity. This is the Four Pillar Doctrine of Lord Bo Tien. He believes we can find peace through any religion or sect, and He wants to help you to do so. The basic inner truth is the same for all sects and religions though the apparent doctrine, the traditions and the methods may differ. For men and beings are diverse in characteristics and there must be many ways of presenting God to them. This in itself is an example of the wisdom and compassion of God. We are given many ways and countless chances. Let us praise God and His saints and buddhas.
(11) The near are far and the far are near. All whether near and far deserve the help of the heavenly saints, and we need to adore the saints. We need to cultivate the three fold divine path of purity, serenity and wisdom in mindfulness with their protection and guidance.
To all heavenly saints we greatly adore. We believe in your existence and thy glory is in the thought of men. We seek for thy protection and guidance as to live better for the times to come.
.
(10) Lord Bo Tien does His part as one of the heavenly saints to bring us hope in divine peace and ease. But ultimately we need to cultivate the mind all the time (not just during the infrequent occasions when we sit in lotus posture) to free it from defilements of the ego or clinging and be pure. The acid test of achieving purity of the mind lies in whether we can live in society and not away from society. This is emphasised by Lord Bo Tien. Of course, there are many variations and this is why there are many religions or sects, but all religions or sects are the same. They help all who need help, who have difficulties and need to be inclined towards God or Divinity. This is the Four Pillar Doctrine of Lord Bo Tien. He believes we can find peace through any religion or sect, and He wants to help you to do so. The basic inner truth is the same for all sects and religions though the apparent doctrine, the traditions and the methods may differ. For men and beings are diverse in characteristics and there must be many ways of presenting God to them. This in itself is an example of the wisdom and compassion of God. We are given many ways and countless chances. Let us praise God and His saints and buddhas.
(11) The near are far and the far are near. All whether near and far deserve the help of the heavenly saints, and we need to adore the saints. We need to cultivate the three fold divine path of purity, serenity and wisdom in mindfulness with their protection and guidance.
To all heavenly saints we greatly adore. We believe in your existence and thy glory is in the thought of men. We seek for thy protection and guidance as to live better for the times to come.
.
