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!.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

The Temple of Life

No 183 of Living Life Series 1

Brethren, we have often been told that it is easy to see the speck of dust in someone’s eye, but difficult to see the dust in one’s own eye.

Simply, this means that it is easy to see the mistakes of others but not easy to see one’s own mistakes. It is easy to judge others but to judge oneself is more difficult.

This is the teaching of all religions. Our Lord Saint has often reminded us that the path to enlightenment lies in life itself. We must learn hands on, from the very lessons in life as the pages of life unfurl from day to day. For instance, we can learn from the mistakes of others or from our own past mistakes. We should however not pour scorn at others for their mistakes, and must not take pride that we are better off than they.

In one of the anniversary messages, the Lord Saint pointed out that there would always be people of various shades and characters in the temple as in society. This is the reality of life. Looking at others is like looking at oneself in the mirror. Often, our own weaknesses are mirrored in our fellow men. By taking cognisance of others’ weaknesses, we should be in a better position to take cognisance of our own. However, we should stay clear of passing judgement and pouring scorn at others mistakes. Out of sheer ego, they readily point out others follies but fail to see their own.

As humans, we are, by habits, flawed by shortcomings of one kind or another. This, brethren, is a universal observation. Not withstanding the shortcomings we have, the Lord Bo Tien, in all his purity and infinite compassion, never ever gives up hope in us. He has even decided that we are worthy of being inducted into the Mission of Heaven. He has committed us to translating this mission on earth through compassion for our fellow men in particular and for all beings in general, despite our being wanting in positive attributes. To put it more explicitly, the compassionate and forgiving Saint is able to tolerate our shortcomings. It therefore follows that we too should tolerate the shortcomings of our fellow men. Like our Lord Saint who has not given up hope in us despite our having failed him time and again, we should never give up hope in our fellow men. Just as He is hopeful that we can overcome our weaknesses, we too must be hopeful that our fellow men can overcome theirs. The Lord Bo Tien is like a beacon for us to follow. We must learn like the Lord Saint to be forgiving, to be tolerant and to be able to accommodate the shortcomings of our fellow men.

Brethren, going to temples must serve an educational purpose. A temple must be a temple of learning and a temple of Truth. The ultimate temple, in the abstract sense, is one’s life as an individual, as a member of one’s family, and of one’s society. In other words, we must learn from our own individual life, from our own family life, and from the life in society. Only then can we progress socially and spiritually. (The Lord Saint has always believed that whoever is successful spiritually will be successful socially)

Let us therefore learn from the temple of life.

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.