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!.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Mission and the Three-fold Way

No 300 of Living Life Series 1

When there is a difficulty in life, this needs to be mitigated if it cannot be resolved. This effects resolution via what we can refer to as the process.

To be able to do so there must be the cultivation of discipline or resilience so that we could be focused and goal directed. This is the potential.

Thirdly but perhaps most critical is to have the wisdom to know how to approach the difficulty. This is the planning.

There are three plans which can be resorted to either singly or in combination. One is to try to go alone in overcoming difficulties based on lessons from past experiences. Two is to solicit the help and cooperation of others. Three is to seek blessings of Heaven so that small issues can be no issue and big issues can be small issues even if they cannot be no issue.

Resolution of issues be it mundane or spiritual involves three aspects - (i) discipline, training and organisation, (ii) addressing the issue and (iii) wisdom reflecting respectively the three 'P's - potential, the process and the planning.

The shrine hall at Bo Tien Temple portrays this three aspects.

The image of Lord Bo Tien on the left of the three images at the altar reminds us to be disciplined, to train and to be organised not only in temple, spiritual or mission matters but in our personal life as well.

The image of Goddess Kuanyin reflects the process of overcoming difficulties and ultimately to save souls out of compassion and love for oneself and for others.

The image of Amitabha Buddha in the centre reflects cultivation of holistic wisdom so as to know how to effect the process of compassion.

The Mission of Heaven is to overcome difficulties and ultimately to save souls. The shrine hall with the altar of the three pure ones personifies the three aspects of the way to overcome difficulties and save souls.

This three aspects are to be found in any religion and sect but presented in their unique respective ways

The Mission of Life is one with the Mission of Heaven. Men and beings lead mundane life that are plentiful with issues. "The problems and issues of men are many and plentiful." This did Lord Bo Tien say.

Man must take care of the candle flame of his life. By seeking the shelter of the lord saints and heaven, the candle flame will grow and glow and not flicker. A collection of candle flames will light up the lives of the individuals in the group better than the solitary candle flame. This the lord said in 1975.

Lord Bo Tien through his emissary said in 1977, "Everyone is like a tree. Compare thus two trees. A tree with abundant leaves but has shallow roots looks good but can easily be uprooted when beset by storms. A tree with poor crown of leaves and foliage but are deeply and well rooted could withstand storms and drought. Which would you prefer? The grasp and practice of the doctrine will enable you to be rooted to face big problems and issues."

Obviously, we must be like the tree which is well rooted. We must be rooted in the three fold way to fare well in the Mission of Life.

The methodology of this way brings forth fruits not only in spiritual life but in worldly life as well. This too the kind lord Lord Bo Tien did stress. By cultivating the spiritual values, we reap spiritual success and the same principles if applied to mundane worldly life ensure ample but not excessive worldly comforts to promote more spiritual life.

We cannot go without meals and amenities for basic health. That will be stifling life, denial and destruction of life, which is the direct opposite of overindulgence which too is killing life both physically and spiritually. We need to be balanced by having just ample comforts and with that we are better poised to overcome difficulties of sentient life via cultivation of peace of spirit amidst the yin and yang of life.

In short, to put it succinctly, we cannot do without meeting some basic biological and material needs but our lives must not be driven by flesh and passion (overindulgence) but by quest for peace in both mundane and spiritual aspects of life

To surmise, the Mission of Life is for the individual to overcome difficulties and to be saved. This if at helicopter level of Divinity is referred to as the Mission of Heaven which is to save beings in difficulties and ultimately to save souls from incessant wandering from birth to birth.

At the more basic mundane level, it is to have three square meals a day and to have an abode. Some have difficulties to meet this let alone go for the lofty supra-mundane of heavenly bliss.

To others, this may be how to have health and reconcile with handicaps be it mental, physical or social. There again issue is how to overcome difficulties. If cannot overcome, at least we must be able to get over and move on.

We can by own effort, with help of fellow men and with blessings of saints, be able to do so, so that big issues be small issues even if they cannot be no issue.

At the holistic or spiritual level, we must overcome or minimise the difficulties of wandering from life to life and from birth to more rebirths. Ultimately there is need to save souls.

Beyond the human realm, saving souls takes on added dimensions for the Chinese who transfer merits and offerings for wandering spirits once a year during the lunar 7th month.

It is said in Buddhist texts that posats or saints do try to save those in hells so that they will ascend to levels above hell. King Yama the lord of Hell even encouraged newly dead in his court of Hell to recall any good they have done to help them energise their fate for the better in order to leave Hell and have better rebirths.

The mission of helping those in difficulties and ultimately saving souls is the Mission of Heaven. The lord saint Lord Bo Tien is the representative of Heaven to re-energise this through whatever religions or sects we may or may not be in.

Let us join hands with the heavenly saints to be messiahs for ourselves and for others in this Mission of Heaven via the three-fold way of discipline, compassion, and wisdom as represented respectively by the three images of Lord Bo Tien, Goddess Kuanyin and Amitabha Buddha at the shrine of Bo Tien Temple.

Bo Tien Temple Singapore is the one and only temple of Lord Bo Tien that exists and flourishes to this day to serve as the catalyst for the Mission of Heaven.

Bo Tien Temple yesterday

Bo Tien Temple today
29th Sept 2011
at No. 6 Fourth Chin Bee Road,
Singapore 619708
Tel: 65 62626021

Pakua Shrine floor

One of Four Pillars at Shrine Hall

Sky dome of Shrine Hall

Garden of The Great Sage Tai Seng

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.