Change must be meaningful. We must not change for sake of change

No 271 of Living Life Series 1

Vesak has just passed bye and  a new year unfurls before another Vesak in another year's time. This some how calls to mind the Bodhi tree under which the fully enlightened Buddha sat under for many days till his enlightenment 2555 years ago.

From that one Bodhi tree, many more have arisen. Is it the same tree? Definitely it is not but yet there is continuity with that original tree.

The same applies to a religious institution. Is it the same institution with same spiritual values? Yes it is but no it is not. Why? The understanding and ways of practice, emphasis and all else have changed but yet you cannot say that it is a different organisation. Is this good or not so good? Well, this is a matter of opinion. 

But one thing is for sure. There is need to repackage to an ever changing world and change there must and always will be but must be based on continuity with the original. What is this original? It is the substance based on which evolving society must innovate and re-invent newer ways of application to a newer world and newer needs.

The Inner Truth refers to the substance of truth of God or Divinity and the need for beings to make good and to change incrementally over time so that they be closer to Divinity not just in afterlife but here and now. This means that there is no fixed modus operandi for any religion or sect but only the basic principles of Inner Truth  remains. But presentation and practices such as festivals and ways of worship too must change incrementally but change there must be or that spiritual institution will be left behind in the history of time.

Too hasty and drastic changes can be very jarring and out of step and be disturbing the peace and pace of society the institution is serving and may even ruffle feathers and disrupt. That will be far from unwholesome. We need wholesome incremental changes.

The  history of Bo Tien Temple is interesting to illustrate the point. But before you read further, please do be reminded that the views reflected in this blog post are personal to blogger and not representative of the organisation and the blogger stands to be corrected. 

Almost near half a century ago, the temple started out when a non believer born into a Catholic culture  entered into a trance despite his being foreign and not ascribing to trancing and Chinese popular  religious culture which was and still is part of Taoism. 

From then on, the temple of Lord Bo Tien came to be. Lord Bo Tien spoke to devotees though trancing for the first cycle of 13 years. Though trancing was then already not widely accepted due to abuse by some, the resort to trancing to communicate was to show that even in a trancing and Chinese culture style of temple, there is the Inner Truth of God and Divinity.

The start of the temple was already a change in that the deity Lord Bo Tien came down not only to help the needs of followers but to make two initiatives --- firstly to teach about the doctrine of life and secondly to practice charity which of course is to effect the doctrine of life. This will show case that a Chinese temple often associated with  traditions that are often old fashion and archaic can be meaningful and awe inspiring. This of course was change in effect. Sermons were given through trancing and that was unique.

Right from the start, there was no longer the emphasis on jos paper but there was fire walking, jos sticks galore and all the works. But with time, there was only the burning of jos sticks outside the temple shrine, namely at the urn of God the Jade Emperor and the cave of the Three Pure Ones with Lord Tai Seng the Great Sage deputising for the First Pure One. 

40 odd years have passed and the temple is well known and steeply entrenched in welfare activities, boasting a modest but well run and sustained old folks home, day activity centre and weekly provisions of food and rations to hundreds of needy families. What a change and transformation but it is still the same temple and the same spirituality from day one.

Certainly, the temple has changed but at pace that still ensure that people can still identify with its cultural roots. The deity or saint Lord Bo Tien himself stopped trancing after first 13 years as he said that this should be replaced by knowing truth or "tou-li" and practising it at personal, family and society levels. Many had expressed disbelief but time has proven them wrong.

The temple has succeeded due to it's ability to both change and at same time maintain its identity and connection with the past.  Religiosity remains a strong current and the saint is able to effect presence in ways that are personal and yet effective. Event language is one and ''çhiam see" is yet another but may need not be there in the distant future.

But like any organisation, change there must be to keep up with changes in the world or it will be left behind in its past glory - in the footprints in the sand of time, only to be wiped off by the wind. But change must be meaningful and relevant and the inner truth must remain as the substance on which change be effected. 

Only by doing so and yet emphasizing its roots  and continuity with its roots will an organisation be able to attract and meet the needs of changing society.

Change or be changed  but the substance or doctrine must remain the same. Only the form or presentation changes but at meaningful pace so that people can identify with the past and it is relevant for the future as well.

Change or be changed but the substance of Inner Truth remains one and the same. Change must however be meaningful and purposeful. We must not change for sake of change. This applies to any other organisation and  not just to a spiritual body like Bo Tien Temple.

A temple like Bo Tien Temple serves as a model for change for better and in keeping with the times so that more can know God and be closer to God even if  pioneers and fundamentalists do decry and object. But any change must be mission orientated and doctrine based, otherwise even a temple like Bo Tien temple will not make it and run risk of losing its special identity. It is however by changing and by having new ways, new sects and new religions that God can reach out to all in this ever changing world. 

Thus Lord Bo Tien a messenger of God reminds us that there is one Inner Truth but many religions and sects.  Religions and sects are like the pillars of the house of God in the four cardinal directions of north, south, east and west. Thus the Inner Truth Doctrine is sometimes referred to as the Four Pillar Doctrine.

Bo Tien Temple is meant to be the model for change for all temples and religious institutions. Will it continue to be able to make it? Can it continue to institute changes that are correct and meaningful to promote the mission for it to be role model for the doctrine mission of the lord saint? How can it continue to reflect better the Four Pillar or Inner Truth Doctrine, other than through its unique architecture? Can successive generations be mission focus and not just be society orientated?

If the latter takes precedence, the doctrine mission will be lost and the purpose of the descent to the world by Lord Bo Tien would appear to be futile. The mission is doctrine mission and not just welfare activities which were present everywhere even before the descent and advent of Lord Bo Tien to this world. Future generations must keep this in mind.

PS The title of this post "Change must be meaningful and not change for sake of change"  applies both to religious and secular society if readers can be more fertile in thinking but for secular society, there is no direct connection with Inner Truth.

For a Chinese temple,  Bo Tien  Temple is indeed a model of change

Location at No 6 Fourth Chin Bee Road Singapore 619708
Tel: 65 62626021

The urn of Jade Emperor at entrance is the only one of two areas with jos sticks

Pyramidal shrine centre within temple premises is unique and not part of Chinese heritage

Pakua shrine floor and the main altar.
The pakua is evidence of its Taoistic origin 
but it is no longer Taoistic in many ways
at least as far as traditions are concerned
as the temple has changed over time
though the same Inner Truth and some traditions remain

Close up of  the main altar where there is no jos sticks.
Lord Bo Tien is on the left with Goddess Kuanyin on the right of Buddha Amitabha.
The Five Archangels depict its Chinese heritage background

One of the four cardinal direction pillars.
The pillars represent all the religions and sects
adding to the sacredness of the shrine hall
Jos sticks notably absent at shrine
as they are NOT universal to all religions

Here are the fishes but when will there be the birds and the bees?

The pyramidal glass roof or dome to depict the sky as the roof of the temple
A touch of Egyptian mystique?

Heavenly sky view one of the rewards of being at the shrine

The Three Pure Ones with Lord Tai Seng
the Great Sage deputising the First Pure One

The cave of the Pure Ones at the background of outdoor garden.  

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