No 225 of Living Life Series 1
The stories of Harry Potter are not just fiction. They bring to mind that in any society and even amongst the wizards and witches, there are both the good and the bad.
The understanding derived from the more oriental religion is that witches and wizards do exist but more in the spiritual underworld which coexist with the human world and the netherworld. They are like in any society or community comprised of both the good and the bad. This is unlike fundamentalist concept that all witches and wizards must be burnt or exorcised for they are all bad and all of the Devil.
Buddhist, Hindu and Asian culture depict some beings of Hell as
of good heart and capable of cultivating some good and have spiritual development. For example, the ogres are part animal, part spirit and part human form and many are reported to be man and animal eaters. But some ogres are even exemplary like the great Jambhalas who prevented rock from being hurled at Gautama Buddha. Lord Buddha in Tibetan and Mahayana texts did even speak well of a few of them. Nearly all the Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhists have even regarded them as saints or bodhisattvas who can enable and facilitate beings to gather merits and wealth to improve their lot so that they can improve and be on road to enlightenment.
Even denizens of Hell belong to a spectrum ranging from the bad, self suffering or self tormenting, wicked and evil to the very ignorant who had committed some grave errors in their previous lives. Buddhas have been noted to visit them to impart them the doctrine and some have even attained early stages of sainthood even while sojourning in Hell. Oriental belief is that those born to Hell do not stay in Hell forever but can be reborn to human world and higher planes if they have done some good in the past lives or able to cultivate the way of God while in Hell despite the dire unfavorable circumstances.
Thus the Harry Potter stories are reflective in some way of the true nature of beings. All beings are capable of good and bad. The fact that one is born with the community of the baddies does not mean one is a baddie. It is also not true that one who is a baddie cannot be good. In the Harry Potter stories, recognition is given to the fact that even amongst the witches and wizards, there are the good and the bad, the devils and the saints.
It is too presumptive to even think for instance, that all prisoners must be bad just because they are prisoners. Then why the need for rehabilitation and corrective actions for prisoners in many of the countries across the world? Who would say that prisoners cannot be good or not capable of being good? It is ill will and myopic narrow mindedness that lead many to think that the baddies will always be baddies and should therefore be regarded eternally as such.
This myopic and intolerant moral highhanded approach be it in respect of prisoners or otherwise (e.g. witches and those in hells and lower realms) is not only not divine but also inhumane. Some may want to say that such view, stance or conviction surely smacks of sheer shallowness, childishness and immaturity as well as plain lack of wholesome and holistic overview. Yet, such people portray themselves as the elite and the favored few by men and by God. They speak from purported and supposedly divine moral high ground and point fingers and speak down to others creating fear for not only God but also for men who claim to stand for saints and God as well.
Nevertheless, they do have role in the divine scheme or plan of God. 'Why?' you may ask. The reason is that it is Divinity (and saints) who decides who can come to the flower of God. The flower cannot stop ants and insects from coming to the flower. Thus we should not blame the flower. This has been said repeatedly by Lord Bo Tien. Lord Bo Tien's 1984 Anniversary Message
"Ants and insects are attracted to the flower and all should not blame the flower for attracting ants and insects. A heavenly saint is like the flower and the least expected amongst men will be attracted to the saint like ants and insects to the flower. This is not the wrong doing of the flower but nature's way of survival and existence. That the least expected should be at the helm or in the following of a temple is not the folly of a heavenly saint and Heaven but Heaven's way to reach out to all more so the more lost in society. But the folly of men should not be regarded as Heaven's folly."
To prejudge that a group can only be all bad or even all good is probably too naive and simplistic--- though good enough for the consumption of the fearful and the faithful of simplified or perhaps fairy tale like or fundamentalist sections of society. But please do not judge those who judge others adversely or inappropriately. Do not discount their roles and usefulness to God and society. Here is insight into this aspect.
In 1983 message, Lord Bo Tien did mention that if heaven wants to, even a thief can be chosen as leader if any heavenly saint wants to train and teach him. Lord Bo Tien's 1983 Anniversary Message
"Even Lord Buddha's teachings are not exclusive to the more good but are for all whether good or not and regardless of their personalities, status, job, or background. This is the heavenly perspective that doctrine is for all and not reserved for or the enclave of any group."
Religion is not for the favorite few or for the goody two shoes but for the majority many others who are not amongst the few elite or best. Otherwise it would be exclusive and not inclusive. There is less need to do more for the few but to do more for the many who may appear less deserving of heaven in the eyes of man. It would be akin to preaching to the converted if focus is on the few goody two shoes. Evangelism targets the many and not the few. The more inclusive religions or sects tend to be more focused and simplified in doctrine and be more dogmatic. The more exclusive are very exclusive that is cater only to the elite or advanced because they are too philosophical, abstract and much less dogmatic, hovering in the outer space of spirituality. They are very foreign, very Greek, incomprehensible and unpalatable to the majority. God and Heaven do cater to the broad based needs and reach out to masses via diverse ways and the variety of sects and religions. Thank God and Heaven for the divine inclusiveness otherwise many will go to hell both literally and figuratively.
Lord Bo Tien did add in 1983 "...people should not judge and frown at the profile and personalities of members of a temple or spiritual organisation. The purity and excellence of the members and leaders may not be at par with and measure up to the purity and excellence of the doctrine of Heaven. The choice or judgement call on who can be leaders and members lies with the heavenly saint of the temple or spiritual organisation. Even a thief can be chosen as a facilitator of the organisation if the founding saint wants to train and teach him."
In the film show of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the story refers to the symbol of the magic wand, the round resurrection stone and the triangle symbol of the invisible cloak and the roles of all three in relation to lesson of the three brothers and the way they handle Mr Death.
The three brothers were each given a choice of three gifts by Mr Death -- the wand, the round resurrection stone and the invisible cloak. The first brother 's choice was the wand which would give worldly power but this is of little help with regards to cheating death. The second brother's choice of the resurrection stone enabled him to resurrect others to life after death but alas they could not live long after resurrection and he could not resurrect himself. The third brother with choice of invisible cloak could live the full and peaceful life unnoticed even by Mr Death. He could decide when to die and then he would take off his cloak and go away as friends with Mr Death. He had not only cheated death but has become true master of his own life. He had become friend of Mr Death and can choose when to die and not let Mr Death decide and dictate.
Worldly upmanship as depicted by the first brother with the magic wand and spiritual upmanship as depicted by the second brother with the round resurrection stone have their limitations. But it is best to adopt a low profile and wise moderation with respect to both extremes of insatiable worldly trappings and spiritual prowess over others. This will enable life so as to allow a peaceful and quietly fulfilling life. This is in a way best depicted by the third brother with the invisible cloak.
The three symbols and the story of the three brothers have some semblance to the doctrine of inner truth behind all religions. Lord Bo Tien has always advised the balanced approach as the one common denominator behind and underlying the diverse faiths and sects sanctioned by God Almighty. He advised that we should balance between the materialistic life and spiritual life as depicted by his feet straddling the two elements or approaches. We should live life incognito neither be too worldly or materialistic nor portraying spiritual excesses. Both extremes lead to unwholesome consequences. Lord Bo Tien's 1975 Anniversary Message
In conclusion. it is timely to remind that Lord Bo Tien had said in 1974**that we learn from the gospel of life, our own life and that of others as life unfurls. We too can learn from the minds and thinking of others and the Harry Potter series is a great resource for us to have an insight to the mind, thoughts and fantasy of the author J.K. Rowling. Fundamentalists may beg to differ somewhat and reserve their views.
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A society or "a temple too will attract people of various characteristics, some good and some not so good. These will be contrasted for all in the group and be noticeable. Learn and absorb as much of the good points of others. Do also learn from the weaknesses and mistakes (of others), so that these will not be repeated in their (your) own life."
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