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!.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Trees do relate with joy to the world

No 541 of Living Life Series 1

Yassa mule nisinno va
sabbari vijayam aka
patto sabbannutam Sattha
Vande tam bodhipadapam.

Ime ete mahabodhi
lokanathena pujita
ahampi te namassami
bodhi raja namatthu te.

"I revere this Bodhi-tree seated under which the Teacher attained omniscience by overcoming all enemical forces (both subjective and objective). I too worship this great Bodhi-tree which was honoured by the Leader of the World. My homage to thee, O King (Great) Bodhi."

The role of trees in temples of the East is well known. Yes Gotama sat under the tree but the tree was by no means magical though it has become extra-ordinary.

But in any case, he became the Buddha under the tree, not because of the tree but because he was destined to be Buddha. Beings visible and invisible were waiting for the moment. This is understandably the work of the magic and fantasy of the minds of men not just then but even now. Who knows the devas or 'gods' of Heaven came to the tree to witness the great event that was to unfold? Men with love for life extend the greatness to the notable tree for the help it seemed to render to Gotama so that he could be Buddha.

The other was of course none other than lady Sujata offered rice milk to nourish Gotama at the great tree. For this the tree and the lady were both fondly remembered by men over the centuries. Credit must be given to the wondrous fantasy of men - a fantasy child-like, innocent and that knows no bounds. This is evident of true unselfish love for life - the love that has strong component of kindness or compassion rolled as one and is called loving kindness or Metta.

In culture of the church, the focus on the day of celebration of Jesus as Christ and saviour is also around a tree the Christmas Tree which bears the gifts of men in the name of Christ for the benefit of men. Children the world over believe that it is Santa, the Father Christmas who comes down through the chimney to bring joy to all in the name of Christ the lord. This stirs up the fantasy in the child and brings out the joy of Christmas - the joy in Christ.

Pomelo tree

The lovely pomelo tree is to be found in many Chinese temples and has been instrumental to belief in cleansing to ward off the untoward and bring good into life after visit to a temple.

The pomelo tree

Men need visual aid to enhance belief or conviction. This is to inject fantasy and of course to make the belief more than fantasy, more real and true to life by adding a ritual of washing hands with pomelo leaf soaked water - the same practice as washing with pomegranate leaf soaked water.

Goddess Kuanyin

Goddess Kuanyin sprinkles water of blessings with a twig with leaves and this twig is from the pomegranate tree. The pomeganate tree has red flowers and red is an auspicious color.

Dwarf pomegranate tree

After all, isn't fantasy a necessity to augment spiritual fervor, be it on Christmas or on Vesak Day or for that matter on any other day to bring confidence, cheer and wonder to one and all?

Chinese New Year tree too is central to joy of the new year of the Chinese and the celebration is part of any religion professed by Chinese all over the world. It adds visual aid, clarity and reality to the hot vibrant joy of the occasion.

Any religion will no doubt absorb Chinese New Year as an occasion for its religious calender so long as there are Chinese that count in their crowd. There must always be fantasy and wonder in any religion if it is to beckon more men into its fold.

Chinese New Year Tree

For those deep into cultivation of mindfulness and the need to live with the muddy water of life and to thrive in the contingencies of life without being tainted, the peace and beauty of the lotus rising above the pond is awe-inspiring , isn't it? It is however not a tree ....

Though not a tree it's beauty can surpass that of a tree but in life as in nature, there is goodness in every entity if we are out to find peace and want life to be beautiful come what may.

To the wise, there is beauty even in
the winter of life with carpet of snow all round.
No need to lament that summer has past.
But cyclical winter and summer
though trying and tiresome to some
can be worthy of meditation
to those who want to be saints
like the Buddha we have in Gotama
or like Ji Gong the Living Buddha.

Only the fir trees thrive in winter
Can we like fir trees thrive in winter of life
to liven up the harsh winter of life
and bring cheer like Christmas trees
to all regardless of faith or even if none.
Isn't this the commonality of faiths
which Lord Bo Tien wants all to know
This we must know and share with all
and not who he is and where he comes from
No religion and no sect in his name he did say.
Know the Word and know him and more
The Word is God, didn't all sages say?
Know your faith well by knowing the Word
and this will suffice for one and all.
Know why one faith mirrors another
because God and saints are one in the Word
Only men see the one as two or three and more
At most they differ in levels of the Word
but definitely not in the Word.

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.