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, March 20, 2011

Role of precepts and the Four Pillar Doctrine

No 255 of Living Life Series 1

There are precepts in any religion. Do we need to know more than the religion? The answer can be both 'Yes' and 'No' . In Buddhism, there is the Five Precepts.

"Five precepts are good enough for you. You do not need to know more or do more than that." This is often told to the laymen in Buddhist temples by Buddhist clergy.

It may be a small step but it is all that we need to know and do to be big in spiritual in time to come, be it in present life or in afterlife.

Incidentally, any abuse of food, activity or substance can result in intoxication when mind is affected. One can even have water intoxication, game intoxication and gambling intoxication. Many would have come across the work alcoholic who ignores everything else in life except for work. He is far from being peaceful as well. He is intoxicated by need to work and does not lead a balanced life - no work life balance.

The five precepts are: do not kill, do not steal, do not tell lies, do not commit sexual misconduct and do not be intoxicated.

The five precepts and for that matter the precepts of any religion are based on essential spiritual principles but translated as actions to effect easier practice. Precepts are therefore means to an end but certainly not the end in themselves.

Some who are more serious in spiritual may find them short, wanting and even contradictory in some ways. They however effect practice at mundane day to day level. Precepts go some way to ensure peaceful and fruitful life, both spiritual and secular. The individual will also be peaceful and pleasant to others and will bring out the peaceful and pleasant side of others.

In the long run, precepts do not replace wisdom and grasp of spiritual truth. The latter however takes time and to wait till then to practice would be unwise.

In any religion, there will be precepts. The precepts do differ from religion to religion. They serve to be basic moral markers for followers to comply with and one of the ways to hold them to the fold of the religion.

The inner truth of Divinity is common denominator of all religions and but other than that, religions do need to differ somewhat so as to reach out to all people in all parts of the world. This is part of the Four Pillar Doctrine of Lord Bo Tien.

The Four Pillar Doctrine states that there is Divinity or God. It is the will of God that beings must be good and improve in goodness. They must cultivate the way and be enlightened so as to be with God at the apex of Divinity. that is, to be part of Divinity.

They must cultivate the Godliness in them. They can do so through any religion or sect in the four directions. The name Four Pillars refers to the religions of the world in the four cardinal directions - north, south east and west.

They also refer to the archangels of God and any of the heavenly saints may be considered the fifth archangel.

Each religion is free to promulgate its own tenets, precepts and belief systems so as to be able to hold on to their following and enable their followers to achieve the divine goal.

This is the gist of the Four Pillar Doctrine but inner truth netizen prefers to use the other name of this doctrine which is the Inner Truth Message common to and underlying the religions we have in our world.

Lord Bo Tien is not here to start a new religion or sect but to explain the oneness of religions and sects. He even demonstrated that the same truth of God is to be found in a Chinese temple. .

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.