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!.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

There are two sets of R.I.P. in life

No 472 of Living Life Series 1

In life from cradle to grave, we need to make do with finite life span to carry out three aspects - responsibilities, initiatives and priorities. We can refer them in short as R.I.P.

We need to handle them before we can be at rest and be at peace. Some may rest by avoiding work and needs. They are not in peace.

We need to handle all responsibilities, have initiatives and prioritise them well before we can be at rest and rest in such a way we are still able to live life and be at peace even before "thy kingdom come."

We need to balance the yin and yang of the moment and be at rest while still continuing to balance the yin and yang in the next moment.

Then we can have peace from moment to moment. We are at rest while still handling the life continuum. We are stationary while still moving on in life. If we can have more of this, we are approaching sainthood or enlightenment.

But at each stage of life, we must face life and not run away. This is an adage of life.

A child has responsibilities, need to learn to have initiatives and how to prioritise. all these with the guidance of parents, school, and society. The same applies as he grows up but the priorities may be different.

We do not expect the child or young person to give up on life and be "holier than thou" mentality. There must be shift of priorities with change of life stations and social milieu.

What is right for grown man matured in years may not be for the young and those starting out in life. A young adult must concentrate on studies, job and support of family. He cannot give up on worldly life for that would be running away and not making it in life.

His spirituality lies in how he can be man and fulfill his life as man and yet contend with how to do so. If he cannot make it to be man and be good as man, how can he make it in life with God and saints. This adage is not just of Confucian school but one of the basic value of life common to all of mankind and God and saints are all for this.

Lord Bo Tien too has reminded that the principles of spiritual if applied to worldly life can bring fruits not only of peace of heart but worldly progress in his life. Then obviously worldly progress will reinforce spiritual. Think and reflect on this.

In essence, there must be balance and apportioning of time and resources on different aspects of life - family, parents, friend society, work, personal time and spiritual. But let the non-spiritual aspects be based mainly on spiritual values.

Then non-spiritual life becomes avenues for practice of spiritual values. The apportioning must vary from person to person and from life station to life station, for the individual to be atop life and be at peace of spirit.

Life is like the bird in flight.
It must be coordinated
otherwise life or flight
cannot be graceful

Life must be coordinated like the flight of the bird. The different relationships in life must be coordinated for life to be that more effective, more peaceful and graceful.

We must have well balanced coordination of responsibilities, initiatives and prioritization in order to have restful life of peace - the two sets of RIP this article or post is all about.

There is no need to leave life but one must ever be with life, for God is life and life is God. But the meaning and context of how to be with life changes and must evolve with life stations as one moves on in time and in life.

There is the need to be atop life and not be swept around by life, the yin and yang, the ups and downs, the worldly contingencies and polarities. This is as depicted by the image of Lord Bo Tien with feet on elements. The image he says is the doctrine. If we see and live in Doctrine, we see and live in God and saints like Lord Bo Tien.

The scepter in right hand is the doctrine..
Let there be no mistake. We must be steadfast
in living life of man in Doctrine
as depicted by left hand in salutation

We need to balance the yin and yang like fire and water which though opposite and antagonistic can indeed complement and be synergistic. This reference to fire and water was mentioned by Lord Bo Tien in his messages. Life would not be whole and wholesome without either.

When things don't seem alright and life is not peaceful and pleasant, we have to go back to the roots or basics --- the upper source for clear water as taught by saints like Lord Bo Tien.

The upper source is the oneness and values of God and saints in Heaven. We must be with life but live life based on the values of God and saints common to and basic to all religions. Omitofo

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.