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!.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Blessings in every ill wind

No 264 of Living Life Series 1

(Do follow up the reading of this post by accessing the next post Ill wind presents opportunities for spiritual cultivation...)

Those who are sharp in tongue may be hurtful and be pain in the neck but the issue is not to try to correct them but how not to give back to them what they give to us. Give not to others what we do not like them to give to us. This is reiterated by God and saints like Lord Jesus.

How do we help ourselves in such situations so that we are also helping them as well? One way is to not to engage in unpleasantries but be pleasant to them even if they are not to us.

They may talk down to us but should we talk down to them or talk up to them? Either way would be futile for the consequences will still be unpleasant even if we have our way.

Return unpleasantries with pleasantries. Appreciate their frustrations but this is different from agreeing or disagreeing with them.

Neither go for tic for tac nor offer the right cheek to be slapped when the left cheek was slapped. The latter would be unwise unless in exceptional circumstances.

Try to feel sorry for them for being disturbed in mind and consider if it is worthwhile to explain to them that they should not have done or spoken the way they do, especially when they are hurtful just to tell others they are right and others wrong.

Telling others that they have erred may not reflect well on us but instead say that they need help and assistance and we certainly will help them when the opportunities arise.

Thank those who bring their caustic remarks to your attention and that is all that we need to do at that point in time. Don't retaliate by trying to be defensive or offensive for in both ways we will not look good. Both ways do not promote goodwill, peace and also not wholesome.

Be wholesome in responding to ill will. Be right and wise and this can be achieved by being peaceful and helpful in whatever way we can both to the offensive ones and to those third parties who ferry the ill wind to us. All these are common sense if we have the little goodwill and wisdom in us. The reality is that truth is as simple as that but appears complex and difficult to perceive when we are in throes and woes of life - when we are carried away by our emotions. (Do refer to the quote by P.Philip*)

The way others conduct themselves and affect us are good for us to understand and learn from. We learn from the good and not so good of our fellow men and both their good and misdemeanors in life are valuable lessons of truth in the gospel of life. This did Lord Bo Tien remind us in one of his anniversary messages.

This is how we can turn setbacks and adverse encounters into advantage and blessings. The wise ones see blessings even in every ill fate and ill wind.

Whilst we should try to avoid unpleasantness, sometimes they are unavoidable. Then, do value them as opportunities for us to improve and make good both in secular and spiritual life.

Cheers dear friends. Our so-called foes or to put in nicer way our unfriendly brothers can turn out to be a blessing to us if they give us opportunities to learn and be wiser. If we do it right, they will be unfriendly no more but our friends.

That is the way we should love life and have peace of spirit. That way we will be loved not only by men but by God and saints. The candle light of our life will glow with love and glow even more with shelter by God and saints. This too did Lord Bo Tien say. Cheers once again.

Who is Lord Bo Tien? A picture is better than a thousand words. The doctrine is in the image and the image is the doctrine. How to balance our life and be peaceful is in the image. We would then be graceful to others even if they are spiteful at times.

The lord saints of God Almighty are like the big oceans of blessings for us and no amount of spite will stir up the mud in our life. Lord Bo Tien is one such saint. Big issues will be small issues even if they cannot be no issue. Thus did Lord Bo Tien remind us.

The doctrine is in the image and the image is the doctrine.

Go to next post for Ill wind presents opportunities for spiritual cultivation...

*Only the wise seek the fulfilment of ancient wisdom. Yet the profound truth is so simple but difficult to perceive. P. Philip

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.