Beyond 45 years of Mission

No 413 of Living Life Series 1

The 45th Mission Day was on 17th Oct 2013 - the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month

    

A 2013 Special (This post examines all angles but may appear partisan. In reality, the writer of post tries as much as can be to be non-partisan. The purpose is to stimulate and provoke better, wider and deeper insight and appraisal. Do read the last two concluding paragraphs in blue.)

The Three Phases of Mission personified
by Lord Bo Tien, Buddha and Kuanyin

Synopsis: Why and wither mission? Many questions for sure but no ready answers. Only God knows. Period of 45 years of mission is a long time. What headway or progress made thus far? Has the mission fulfilled its doctrine perspective? What have been learnt from past? How will the future be? Will the mission prevail? Who can the lord saint Lord Bo Tien depend on? Can the Mission work with current human resources? Why did the lord saint say that the mission is The Mission of Heaven and not mission of men? Who are the saints involved in the mission?  Is the lord saint the only saint for the mission? Are or were the men ready? Will men still be needed? What about beyond 45? How can the lord saint succeed? Why must He prove that Heaven and not men will see to the mission? Well, God knows even if men don't. But Elder Ling Diung Kwong is sure all will be well. Just his usual confidence that had seen mission through trying times. 

   

Bo Tien Mission is as of 2013 in its 45th year of mission. In the first 13 years, the lord saint Lord Bo Tien sent down his representatives to put the doctrine in place. The 45th anniversary will be observed on the 13th day of the ninth lunar month.

Lord Bo Tien

The mission has to go through three phases. Each phase is said to be 13 years. 

The first phase is the introduction and is the Bo Tien phase. This phase dealt with "The God Knowledge". Basically the God Knowledge states that God has his prophets. The prophets started religions. Religions evolved and dogmas and experiences of men over centuries yielded the institutions of religions we come to know. 

Why is there the need for the lord saint to descend since the religions are doing their jobs well in reaching out to men? Well, there is need to let men know that the same God and the same one way to God are the basics of all religions. 

Lord Bo Tien's pose on first descent

We must know God. We must know how to be good enough to be with God. We must know that doing good is not enough. Believing in God and his saints too is not good enough. We must know how to be like God and saints so as to have the peace of God in us, the peace that makes life pleasant even in unpleasant times and the peace within that ensures we are not carried away by indulgences of life. We do not indulge and be enslaved by indulgences of modern materialistic living. At the other extreme, we should not  deny life and thereby self- mortify ourselves. 

These are the parameters of practice or cultivation that allow us to have peace within. They are the perspectives present in all religions and sects. 

But over the years, the basic teachings with all these perspectives were buried and religions might become archaeological institutions for men to dig and discover the original teachings or basics. This we refer to as the inner truth common to all religions. 

Initially, this doctrine of the inner truth was given a descriptive name - The Four Pillar Doctrine  as the four main religions and the religions and sects of the world in the four cardinal directions are of essence from the same God though they are evolved differently by men over the centuries. 

In the first phase of the mission, the emphasis was not so much on doctrine but on discipline and faith or commitment. There was much effort by the heavenly representatives during this phase. Their interaction with the pioneers instilled belief and faith that the lord saint is real and there to guide the mission.

The second phase of next 13 years followed that of the first phase. It had to do with more than (1) belief and (2) to receive goodness from heavenly saints. It had to do with giving goodness to others and not just receiving goodness. 

In fact during the first phase (the devotional and discipline phase), the elements of the second phase of doing good and not just receiving good were initiated. 

The dilapidated shrine hut was converted into the first aged home and the altar of the lord saint with the images of Buddha, Kuanyin and that of the lord saint went out into the open but of course with an awning donated by a Mr Poon. The awning was later upgraded with walls and windows.

Painting of the simple temple 
upgraded from awning shed version

The rest of history many knew. The aged home attracted more devotees to donate food rations. There was so much of food rations that they enabled the launch of food ration distributions all over the island to those deserving. Thus the Mutual Help and Care came into being. Then a day care center at Pending Road was added. 

All these are under the mission of the lord saint and not separate from the mission. They are not separate missions. They have to do with Lord Bo Tien and the Mission of Heaven to save souls. 

But the two phases each around 13 years are not enough. The devotional and discipline phase and the doing good or welfare phase will not go far enough to save souls. They may take care of the bodily and social needs of men in society. But what about making their life more spiritually meaningful or purposeful so that they will be able to save their own souls? 

The way to do so was never to start a new religion but to invigorate the religious thought and fervor of the founding fathers of whatever religions they may be in. This is no easy task and is the mission proper. This calls for doctrine and understanding and grasp of spirituality without uprooting them from the religions of their birth and choice but rather entrenching them in their religions. This constituted the third phase - the doctrine phase and the mission proper. 

The lord saint states that he is not starting a new sect or favoring any sect or religion. He just wants to rekindle the religious thought and fervor of the founding fathers of religions so that religions will bring more to God than to men. This is the doctrine phase. 

The above concrete building of the Bo Tien
Mission-related temple or center in Singapore 
was consecrated during the third phase 

With all three phases rolled out, the mission was launched. More than 39 years comprising three 13-year phases have passed and the mission is now in the 45th year (2013) 

The mission must move on in earnest and spread out to the world, like the ocean to every land and to every corner of the world. But do bear in mind, two aspects. 

One is that there is no new religion. There is no replacement of existing religions but merely renewed understanding and better appreciation of existing religions. 

The other is that the mission must not be bogged down by human weakness and frailties. Heaven cannot wait even if men think they can.  Men may well be diverted to the mundane. 

The mission beyond the 45th year is exciting and everyone must join hands and play their parts in one way or other. This will represent men's gratitude to the lord saint and to Heaven. 

One word of caution at this point may be prudent. Men not imbued with spiritual values and not cultivated by the pioneering fervor of the first phase may just in their folly detach the second welfare phase from the first and ignore the need to promote the third phase the doctrine phase to save souls. Then what will become of the mission?  

But this is not the case and it also augurs well that the Living Life Series has effectively placed the mission on the world map and launched it like the ocean to reach out to many lands and many corners of the world. 

God bless those who might be misguided or who somehow might choose to misconceive and put the mission aside to further welfare to the exclusion of all else. Anyway, even if this does come about, they the misguided too will learn and join up to pursue the mission proper.  

No one is exactly right but together as one, all can be more right. No man or elder can call the shots on his own. Respect begets respect. All need to come together and moderate one another for the better of the mission. All who have strayed for this or other reason will surely return and be counted. 

This must include those who are loud, self-righteous and proud (who obviously think they know more) as well as the queer few who prefer spiritual isolation or seclusion. This is the will of God. Goodness will prevail. Mission will prevail. 

It is perhaps timely to remember that it will be a good habit for man to be introspective - be mindful and reflect. Man must put his house to order before he can go out to put another's house in order. Man must love himself before he can love another. The mission must from time to time put its house to order so that it can be more mission orientated and attuned. 

Men in mission must be able to see the brotherliness in others even if they differ in views. If they cannot do so, it would be odd how such men can further the mission that all religions are one and the same yet different like the sun and the moon, like fire and water*. 

Yin and yang like fire and water can complement and work as one. If we are superficial in thinking, we will think that fire and water will destroy each other. Men in mission imbued in doctrine should think and do better than that. If not, they are not mission ready. 

Of course, unlike men, Heaven is ever mission ready and cannot wait for men if they are not ready or are sidetracked. But the love of Heaven will welcome them back to the fold if they wake up and decide to return to the path of the mission proper. 

One common tendency obvious from the first 45 years of mission is that men may think doing good is good enough. Having an aged home and filling the stomachs of the less endowed in community would alleviate the physical suffering by filling the stomach and facilitating subsistence. Yes, men must have basic physical needs met at a decent level before they can go for more good than good. 

Like it or not, men will still be restless and not at peace even with basic subsistence assured. If men have none or are not even able to meet subsistence, no point to tell them to cultivate spiritual and be with God and saints. If men on the other hand have more and indulge to point of wanting more and suffering as a result of overindulgence, their dream of being in Shangrila of life will be shattered and debunked. 

Thus the first step in the mission is to provide subsistence to those in need. This is good but we must go beyond good. The mission must facilitate good beyond good. Mission is to save souls. The next step beyond subsistence is to enable men to find peace in daily life and understand why they find it onerous to be at peace and how to have that peace. This understanding has to do with knowing the nature of life and knowing that will pave the way for more peace in daily life and eventually to divine peace beyond this life and the afterlife. 

Truth is profound but yet simple. There is always the duality in life and this can be upsetting. If there is up, there must be down. So the ups in life will soon be let-downs. If we deny life by not wanting to have ups, we will then be always having downs. That will be not good. So the answer lies in living life, treasuring the ups but not clinging to them or be let down many times more. The answer is to live life and have the peace come what may. This is simple in principle but difficult and profound to realise. 

So having aged home and welfare services are good. They provide subsistence but the mission is more than that. The mission is to save souls by guiding men to find moment to moment peace as much as they can. This will lead to peace from incessant rebirths and enable and empower men to have the peace of God and saints. 

This way or Tao can be achieved in any religion or sect and is not the purview of any. All the ways or 'Tao's of religions and sects incorporate this basic Tao or Inner Truth  Way referred to by Lord Bo Tien. 

Lord Bo Tien

So in a nutshell the mission beyond 45 years is that obvious. There is need to reawaken and reinvigorate the basic Tao or Inner Truth common to all religions. The pioneering spirit and fervor of the founders of religions must be reinstated and reborn. This way rather than just having aged home and food distributions is the way to save souls. 

The mission is to save souls. The mission would be aborted if it has to do only with providing subsistence welfare services and worse still, the mission will be undermined if the few monopolizing less-than-wise men in charge chose to fan and fuel their ego complex of being great people in society by helping the destitute and winning accolades and titles for themselves. 

Not only do such men not save souls of others, they are doing disservice to their own souls. God and saints please help them. They too need help and the mission must also be directed to save their souls. 

Kuan Kong is no stranger to The Mission
He is the embodiment of brotherhood

The mission beyond 45 years is challenging and will remain ever the Mission of Heaven. Lord Bo Tien is not the only saint behind the mission.  Other saints too will chip in. That is so and so be it. 

Men must respect all heavenly saints in all religions. Thus there is the universal prayer at Bo Tien Mission. The prayer mirrors the essence of the mission. 

"To all Heavenly saints, I greatly adore. I believe in your existence and thy glory is in the thought of men. I seek for thy protection and guidance so as to live better for the time to come."

The respect for others must mirror the respect for oneself. Likewise the respect for the saints in other religions or temples must mirror that for the saint/s in one's own religion or temple. 

It is more important to know what a saint or a group of saints stand for. It is the values the saint or saints mirror that count. Thus the three images at any Bo Tien mission-related mirror the three phases of the Mission - the devotional / belief / commitment phase as mirrored by Lord Bo Tien, the welfare or charity phase as mirrored by Goddess Kuanyin, and the doctrine proper phase as aptly mirrored by Buddha. 

The three divine images
of Lord Bo Tien, Goddess Kuanyin and Amitabha
mirror the three phases of the Mission.
The three aspects of the Mission
must go hand in hand into the future
way beyond 45 years

Thus the three images mirror the Mission. In time to come, there may be no need for images of saints in a temple and any Bo Tien mission-related temple is no different. This is so long as adherents know the doctrine and the mission or divine goal in that temple and there is no longer any need for the image or images to serve as constant reminder. 

There is also no need to identify with traditions of bygone era of Chinese culture such as the five flags and the guardian angels. 

Otherwise, how would those with totally no Chinese cultural bias  or background be convinced of the earnestness of the mission and that the mission is same and one for people of all walks of life - people from diverse cultural or religious background. 

They only need to know the underlying values of truth, that these do apply and are behind their culture, sect, race or religion. At no time do they need to forgo their existing culture, sect, race or religion. 

The mission is for the world and not for one sect, race or religion. That is exactly why the facade of the mission-related center in Singapore does not even look like a temple, let alone a Chinese temple.

That the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did portray himself as a Chinese deity in a Chinese style temple in Singapore is not an enigma or contradiction but to show that even in the seemingly superstitious and mixed-up world of Chinese culture, there is still the same God and the same basic spiritual values of life. 

The mission beyond 45 years is for real and will forge ahead. It is not about images, jos sticks, five flags  and five guardian angels. It is about God and the universal values of spirituality behind and common to all religions, cultures and races. It does not primarily promote or favor any religion, culture or race. It shouldn't. This was emphasized by Lord Bo Tien in his inaugural message on first descent to kick off the Mission. 

But if a mission-related temple chose to do otherwise and stick to culture and traditions and go more for agenda outside the mission, this is not surprising and is consistent with the nature of men. This will lend weight to why the mission is necessary to invigorate the fervor and spirit of pioneers of religions. 

Men always somehow will be distracted from the fundamentals and the purity and simplicity of spirituality. That is why they are men but they can be saints one day if God and saints like Lord Bo Tien have their way. Thus there must be the Mission and it must forge ahead into the future beyond 45 years. 

The lord saint had said that to be less likely for men to be distracted and to pursue agenda beyond the mission proper, the management of the mission must be in the hands of the pioneer batch who have undergone spiritual induction of the first phase and at least have been orientated to the annual messages by the lord saint and the many exhortations by his representatives during the first phase. 

This was said umpteen times but so long as there were one or two   Judas style pioneers who chose to think they know better and open the doors for non-pioneers to run the mission when the pioneers are still around, the mission may go awry. 

But this the lord saint said will be no issue if Elder Ling Diung Kwong is there to see that Mission does not falter and is put right even if it falters. Elder Ling cannot be alone and in the closing months of the life of the medium, the representatives had indicated that a council of elders be formed. 

Elder Ling Diung Kwong

That this council will be there is a matter of time. This will ensure many more years of the mission beyond 45 and beyond lifetimes of the pioneers like Elder Ling. 

But what if things go awry? The Mission will carry on for it is the Mission of Heaven. Men can wait but Heaven cannot. Men who have failed the mission will come back in one way or other. 

The lord saint did say that though the Mission is by Heaven, the lord saint may need to have new men (subcontractors and their workers) at the ground to effect the mission. Some men are already saying they are the ones and that is why they are doing things differently and not toeing the way of the pioneers. 

God bless them. They may well be right. Then, they do have to win over the others who do not see eye to eye with them. They need to explain and be accountable for their approach and ways. They should not ostracize or segregate the others and consider them as pain in the neck. 

It is good that men have doubts and are skeptical. But as the lord saint did say that once the doubts of such men are cleared, these men will join up with them as one whole like particles in a concrete pillar and shine forth the light of God like the amassing of candle flames. 

Yin and yang though different must be one for the mission to forge ahead beyond 45 years. This is the will of Heaven. No man can put aside the will of Heaven. The issues and problems of men are many and plentiful but with shelter of the lord saint, these will be no issues, or at most be small issues. 

(PS: No one has strayed from the mission and perhaps they just differ in perception and are in transit at different points of the mission. The different parties involved would look at one another strangely and ask, "Why are you not with us?". 

This is because they are at different points of mission and are in transit. Each may think the other is wrong when all are both right and wrong. Eventually, if the mission matures, in time to come, perhaps many years from now, all will meet and work as one.) 

Omitofo

Amitabha takes center stage
and is the embodiment of doctrine like all Buddhas

Kuanyin is closely associated with The Mission
and is the embodiment of love for all beings

Tai Seng The Great Sage paved the way
for Lord Bo Tien on many occasions
and will continue to do so

Skanda Bodhisattva (Wei Tuo)
The Guardian of Doctrine
Is he related to Lord Bo Tien?
Both uphold the Doctrine
of Buddhas and Saints.  

What has Ji Gong to do with the Mission?
He is one of the Heavenly Saints
and all Heavenly Saints are part of the Mission
Omitofo

The Altar of the Three Pure Ones,
The Deity Trainers with Tai Seng
deputising for the First Pure One

*The representative of Lord Bo Tien in 1975 Mission Day Message said, "Brethren, is it not true that sunshine is essential to life, so also is water? They may be different but together they are essential components of nature on which life depends. The same may be said of religions which may seem different and at times even at odds. Bear in mind that differences are not detrimental but as in the case of nature, differences are beneficial for they serve life in their own respective ways and complement one another. As with nature, elements like sunshine and rainfall (fire and water) are indispensable though apparent opposites or seemingly at times to be at odds. All have important roles."

Poly-marble image of Lord Bo Tien
evokes the basic pureness of his doctrine

Knowing Ji Gong through pictures

No 412 of Living Life Series 1

In commemorating his anniversary day, this post is launched. His day falls before or near Vesak 

Looking after the world of men

He has eyes for the wide open world

He is for the world
and for all religions
He belongs to none
but is accepted by all 
who come to him

Image at writer's place
In arahat pose
Serious and purposeful
Wine is issue to others 
but not to him
He says,
"What matters is the heart
and not what goes through the gut"

Dressed like a beggar
but still a buddha
His robes unlike other monks
Also dons a cap
With rosary of 108
and a golden fan
that has life of its own.

Outgoing and jolly
Always on the go
Behaves like man 
rather than a saint

In jovial mood
Problems big or small
are no issue to him
He will always have 
simple solution
to any problem

In serious mood
and don't try to be 
cheeky with him
He can size you up 
and put you in place
but still help you
even if you have erred

He prefers the open space
than a temple or shrine

Don't worry,
he will come to you
You don't have to wait
for he is ever prompt
Seek and he shall come
He will be there for you
He is your friend
and not your lord
though Lord Ji
or Ji Gong he is for sure.

By the famous well
where chopped tree trunks flew out.
When others slogged it out 
chopping trees for temple building,
he just wished and out of the well, 
the logs came thick and fast.
They thought he was lazy and useless
 But a saint he was and is.
They never knew till then.
He is the living buddha
they later named as 
Ji Gong Huo Fo or Lord Ji

Always there is time to unwind
but don't perceive him 
as having sloth and torpor
He wastes no time to bless others
and that will always be him for sure

Prefers the floor
than seat of saint
You can stand above him
and that is OK to him
even though he is the lord
no less Lord Ji -
Ji Gong the Living Buddha

He does not look like a saint but is one.
 What matters is he has heart of a saint
though he does not act or look like one

Crickets his pastime 
and also the way to sainthood
No need to meditate in a shrine
in front of a Buddha image
Just meditate on crickets instead
You won't but he did.

Two crickets in bowl
never failed to intrique him
Kindled his insight
on yin and yang
the balance of which
is the path of Tao
to peace in life
and sainthood as well

Reflecting on crickets
- yin yang reflection
Many knew not
that this is his way
to cultivate Tao

Drinking wine and eating meat.
Not hindrances at all to Tao
Floor is OK for saint like him
What matters is the heart
How saintly can one be at heart.
But please remember
never did he say 
that you too can drink.
Do cultivate the Way
but be what you are
Be yourself
and have heart on Tao

Parable of the tumor - 
how he helped the trampled poor 
and educated the rich bully
For the full story, do go to
Boss Qian and the tumor 
- a Ji Gong Parable

He is shabbily dressed
but still radiates
saintly demeanor
Unique to Ji Gong
and none other

In deep meditation 
and mind you still lying on the floor
He prefers floor than bed or chair 

Portrayed as God of Wealth 
in Taiwan. Is this his preference?
But men want to see him as such
Not his wish though 

This is him 
No doubt at all

This too is him
the way men want him to be

Has radiance of a saint
Ever benevolent to those who erred
and champion of the trampled

All dirt and soot
but don't judge by appearance
He is clean and pure at heart
A saint - no less a living buddha 

He gives you a listening ear 
and asks what you need
No request is too trivial
for him to entertain
but at times, he asks if this is
what you want.

A dancing saint in beggars robes
but golden hue of sainthood
Ever eccentric like none other
Despite hue, cry and pleas, 
we were told that he did burn
the wooden Buddha image 
to keep warm his freezing comrades
in desolate winter 
That is compassion too
but not the expected kind
Never out to impress
or to follow norms
he is ever eccentric 
but always and ever more
 the saint at heart and at core

Riding yin yang dragon
The universe is his temple 
with sky as roof 
He cannot be confined
to a temple building
He is a free divine spirit
and roams the world 
to help men so long 
if there be some affinity
of men with him
You can always create
the affinity if you want.. 

Drinking wine and eating meat, 
he was sent out of monastery
 but remained every bit a saint
You may not like a drunken vagrant
but you simply cannot help 
liking Ji Gong the drinking saint. 
He has a saintly heart.
What matters is the heart 
and not what goes through the gut

Peak flying from afar - 
famous story in his life as man
He saved a village from being crushed
by stealing the bride so that 
the whole village ran after him
away from the path of the peak
He saved them and was  and still is
a messiah in his own right

Rock of Ji Gong grew 
in his homeland in China
Even nature remembers him

Men cannot help seeing him
in all divine majesty and magnificence
riding the yin and yang dragon
that is the way for all to have more of 
the divine peace in day to day life 
even if they are not yet saints