No 301 of Living Life Series 1
We must read with interests how there arose the Heaven of the 33.
The Jataka story is about how a wise noble man Magha the Good who cooperated with 30 headmen and three wives to do good by giving up five unwholesome actions and were able to overcome problems by living pure and peaceful lives. They even won others over by their infectious exemplary ways to do what they did. They came to be born as Lord Sakra in the Heaven of the 33.
Bo Tien Temple is doing good works like that of Magha the noble man who had become King Sakra. Is he the Jade Emperor the Chinese refer to? It is anyone's guess but stories of origins of deities and gods differ from culture to culture. But the importance are the learning points or doctrine and not how correct the stories are. We are in no position to verify and cannot say that they are God given. That would be not consistent with societal norms.
The story begins thus. There was once a young noble called, 'Magha the Good'. He lived in a remote village of just 30 families.
The villagers respected Magha the Good because he always tried to help improve the village, for the good of all. Because they respected him, he was able to teach the five steps of training - avoiding the five unwholesome actions, which are: destroying life, taking what is not given, doing wrong in sexual ways, speaking falsely, and losing one's mind from alcohol. This enabled them to purify themselves in thoughts, words and deeds. (This is like in the followers of any group or sect. Precepts help members to stir clear of unwholesome actions specific to the context of the relevant society. Lord Bo Tien reminded that every religion has their own way of holding on to following and one way is through guidelines like precepts)
Magha's way of teaching was to lead by example. He did not sermonise. He taught through actions and deeds, living his life well. (What is the significance? Life is the gospel of life like what Lord Bo Tien reminded us. The written and even spoken texts are not as effective as the lessons of life as life unfurls. We learn and can teach the good works through living life in wholesome way.)
For example, one day when the villagers gathered to do handicraft work, Magha the Good cleaned a place for himself to sit. Before he could sit down though, someone else sat there. So he patiently cleaned another place. Again a neighbor sat in his place. This was repeated many times, until he had patiently cleaned sitting places for all those present. Only then could he himself sit in the last place. (Incidentally, saints like Lord Bo Tien did remind that we should not talk down to others on how to be good and wholesome. We practise pure values and make it part of our life. We should not be pharisees but gentiles, so said Lord Jesus during his time on earth.)
Magha was a servant leader and gave service through love for fellow beings and in process promoted patience and cooperation. (Lord Jesus serves his apostles by washing their feet.)
By using such examples of patience, Magha the Good taught his fellow villagers, through life and deeds and not through sermons, how to cooperate with each other, without quarrelling and ill will. Working together in this way, they constructed more buildings and made other improvements that benefited the village. (This is the way to help all in difficulties and eventually to save souls. Lord Bo Tien like all saints remind us of this basic purpose of all religions and sects. He referred to this as the Mission of Heaven.)
Seeing the wholesome fruits of patience and cooperation, based on following the Five Training Steps, all in the village Magha lived became calmer and more peaceful. A natural consequence was that former crimes and wrongdoing seemed to be non existent! (Lord Bo Tien reiterated that we need to find peace in life amidst the ups and downs. The best way is through cultivation in life of discipline, compassionate actions and wisdom. This is as reflected in the shrine hall of Bo Tien Temple with the images of Lord Bo Tien, Buddha and Kuanyin, Goddess of Compassion.)
We would think in Magha's village the good works promoted by Magha would make everybody happier.
There was however one man who was not happy. He was the head of the village --- the politician who cared only about his own position.
Formerly, when there were murders and thefts, the head man politician meted out punishments. This increased his position of authority, and caused the villagers to fear him. When husbands or wives had affairs with others, the head man collected fines. It is easy to see why the head man was upset to lose so much respect and power and money, due to the people living peacefully together. So he went to the king and told lies, "My lord, some of the remote villages are being robbed and looted by bandits. We need your help."
The king said, "Bring all these criminals to me." The dishonest politician rounded up the heads of all 30 families and brought them as prisoners to the king. The king ordered that they be trampled to death by elephants.
All 30 had to lie down before the elephants. When they realized they were to be trampled to death. Magha said to them, "Remember to be at peace and pure by following the Five Training Steps, so that you may feel loving-kindness towards all. Do not get angry at the unjust king, the lying head man, or the unfortunate elephants." (All saints teach loving kindness for life in one form or another and it is the pivot of all spiritual thrusts in society.)
We must read with interests how there arose the Heaven of the 33.
The Jataka story is about how a wise noble man Magha the Good who cooperated with 30 headmen and three wives to do good by giving up five unwholesome actions and were able to overcome problems by living pure and peaceful lives. They even won others over by their infectious exemplary ways to do what they did. They came to be born as Lord Sakra in the Heaven of the 33.
Bo Tien Temple is doing good works like that of Magha the noble man who had become King Sakra. Is he the Jade Emperor the Chinese refer to? It is anyone's guess but stories of origins of deities and gods differ from culture to culture. But the importance are the learning points or doctrine and not how correct the stories are. We are in no position to verify and cannot say that they are God given. That would be not consistent with societal norms.
The story begins thus. There was once a young noble called, 'Magha the Good'. He lived in a remote village of just 30 families.
The villagers respected Magha the Good because he always tried to help improve the village, for the good of all. Because they respected him, he was able to teach the five steps of training - avoiding the five unwholesome actions, which are: destroying life, taking what is not given, doing wrong in sexual ways, speaking falsely, and losing one's mind from alcohol. This enabled them to purify themselves in thoughts, words and deeds. (This is like in the followers of any group or sect. Precepts help members to stir clear of unwholesome actions specific to the context of the relevant society. Lord Bo Tien reminded that every religion has their own way of holding on to following and one way is through guidelines like precepts)
Magha's way of teaching was to lead by example. He did not sermonise. He taught through actions and deeds, living his life well. (What is the significance? Life is the gospel of life like what Lord Bo Tien reminded us. The written and even spoken texts are not as effective as the lessons of life as life unfurls. We learn and can teach the good works through living life in wholesome way.)
For example, one day when the villagers gathered to do handicraft work, Magha the Good cleaned a place for himself to sit. Before he could sit down though, someone else sat there. So he patiently cleaned another place. Again a neighbor sat in his place. This was repeated many times, until he had patiently cleaned sitting places for all those present. Only then could he himself sit in the last place. (Incidentally, saints like Lord Bo Tien did remind that we should not talk down to others on how to be good and wholesome. We practise pure values and make it part of our life. We should not be pharisees but gentiles, so said Lord Jesus during his time on earth.)
Magha was a servant leader and gave service through love for fellow beings and in process promoted patience and cooperation. (Lord Jesus serves his apostles by washing their feet.)
By using such examples of patience, Magha the Good taught his fellow villagers, through life and deeds and not through sermons, how to cooperate with each other, without quarrelling and ill will. Working together in this way, they constructed more buildings and made other improvements that benefited the village. (This is the way to help all in difficulties and eventually to save souls. Lord Bo Tien like all saints remind us of this basic purpose of all religions and sects. He referred to this as the Mission of Heaven.)
Seeing the wholesome fruits of patience and cooperation, based on following the Five Training Steps, all in the village Magha lived became calmer and more peaceful. A natural consequence was that former crimes and wrongdoing seemed to be non existent! (Lord Bo Tien reiterated that we need to find peace in life amidst the ups and downs. The best way is through cultivation in life of discipline, compassionate actions and wisdom. This is as reflected in the shrine hall of Bo Tien Temple with the images of Lord Bo Tien, Buddha and Kuanyin, Goddess of Compassion.)
We would think in Magha's village the good works promoted by Magha would make everybody happier.
There was however one man who was not happy. He was the head of the village --- the politician who cared only about his own position.
Formerly, when there were murders and thefts, the head man politician meted out punishments. This increased his position of authority, and caused the villagers to fear him. When husbands or wives had affairs with others, the head man collected fines. It is easy to see why the head man was upset to lose so much respect and power and money, due to the people living peacefully together. So he went to the king and told lies, "My lord, some of the remote villages are being robbed and looted by bandits. We need your help."
The king said, "Bring all these criminals to me." The dishonest politician rounded up the heads of all 30 families and brought them as prisoners to the king. The king ordered that they be trampled to death by elephants.
All 30 had to lie down before the elephants. When they realized they were to be trampled to death. Magha said to them, "Remember to be at peace and pure by following the Five Training Steps, so that you may feel loving-kindness towards all. Do not get angry at the unjust king, the lying head man, or the unfortunate elephants." (All saints teach loving kindness for life in one form or another and it is the pivot of all spiritual thrusts in society.)
The first elephant was brought. But when Its mahout tried to force him to trample the villagers, the elephant refused. It trumpeted as he went away. This was the case with each of the king's elephants. None would step on them.
The mahouts pleaded with the king that this was not their fault. "It must be," they said, "that these men have some drug that is confusing the elephants."
But when the villagers were searched, there were none. Then the royal advisers of the king said, "These men must be sorcerers who have cast a spell on your elephants!"
The villagers were asked, "Do you have such a spell?" Magha the Good said, "Yes we do." This made The king was very curious and asked Magha, "What is this spell and how does it work?"
Magha then said, "My lord, we do not cast bad evil spells that others cast. We cast the spell of loving-kindness with minds made pure by following the Five Training Steps."
"What are these Five Training Steps?" asked the king. Magha the Good said, "All of us have given up the five unwholesome actions, which are: destroying life, taking what is not given, doing wrong in sexual ways, speaking falsely, and losing one's mind from intoxicants."
"In this way we have become harmless and peace loving, so that we can give the gift of fearlessness to all. Therefore, the elephants lost their fear of the mahouts, and did not wish to harm us. They departed, trumpeting triumphantly. This was our protection, which you have called a 'spell'."
Finally seeing the wisdom of these people, the king learned the truth. He confiscated the property of the dishonest village head man and divided it amongst them.
This was the biggest project they had yet undertaken. The men were confident because they had learned so well how to cooperate with each other for a common goal. But they did not learn to cooperate in this work with the women of the village. They seemed to think it was only men who could do good works. (Lord Bo Tien reminds us to perform good works and to invite others to join us and to follow our examples. There are no chosen few. The Mission of Heaven to save beings in difficulties and to save souls is not limited to the select few)
By this time Magha the Good had four wives. Their names were Good-doer, Beauty, Happy and Well-born. Of these, the first wife, Good-doer, was the wisest. She wanted to pave the way for the women to benefit from cooperating in doing good work. She gradually became friendly with the boss in charge of the roadside inn project.
Because she wanted to contribute by helping in a big way, she gave a present to the boss. She asked him, "Can you think of a way that I may become the most important contributor to this good work?"
The boss replied, "I know just such a way!" Then he secretly constructed the most important part of the building, the roof beam that would hold the roof together. He wrapped it up and hid it with Good-doer, so it could dry for the time necessary to become rigid and strong.
When the men in the project got to the point of installing the roof beam, they began to make one, but the boss interrupted them. He said, "My friends, we cannot use fresh green wood to make the roof beam. It will bend and sag. We must have an aged dry roof beam. Go find one!"
When they found that Good-doer just happened to have a perfect roof beam and it was even the right size! They wanted to buy it from her but she said, "It is not for sale. Let me contribute the roof beam for free, but only if you let me participate in building the inn."
The men were taken aback and said, "Women have never been part of this project."
When they told the construction boss what had happened, he said, "Why do you keep the women away? Women are part of everything in this world. Let us be generous and share this work with the women. Then the project and our village will be ever more successful."
So they accepted the roof beam from Good-doer, and she helped to finish the building of the inn. Then Beauty who had a wonderful garden built next to the inn donated it. It had all kinds of flowers and fruit trees. Happy who had a lovely pond dug beside the inn. She donated the pond. It had beautiful lotuses in it . But Well-born, being the youngest and a little spoilt, did nothing for the inn.
In the evenings, Magha held meetings in the roadside inn. He taught the people to assist their parents and elders, and to give up harsh words, accusing others behind their backs, and being stingy.
It is said that the lowest heaven is resided by the gods of the four directions, North, East, South and West. When Magha the Good died with happiness in his heart. He was reborn as Sakra, king of the next heaven above that of the lowest heaven. In time, the heads of all the other families of the village, as well as Good-doer, Beauty and Happy, also died. They were reborn as gods under King Sakra. This was known as the "Heaven of 33".
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