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!.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Awareness of the two broad levels of spirituality

No 883 of Living Life Series 1

Let us light up our life with the understanding of spirituality, more so on Wesak Day and may every day be Wesak. We do not wait till Wesak or on any religious anniversary of any saint or sage to be spiritual minded.

There are broadly speaking two levels of spiritual practice in any institutional religion. This understanding would explain why the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says the far may be near.

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨

The first and predominant level is of devotion and faith where belief in God and saints is what matters. We are saved by grace over and above good works.

Amitabha 阿弥陀佛 and saints save beings by grace

The other is for those who see beyond good works, belief and grace. We learn to have deeper spirituality and to grow the divine essence in us or what otherwise many would refer as the God or Buddha essence.

We not only do good, avoid evil but we purify the spirit. We go beyond the need of pleasures of the senses though we do not deny the senses.

Senses provide the pleasures of the flesh and the mundane. There are the five sense organs and they take on the corresponding objects. In addition, there is the additional sense with the mind as the sense organ and it takes on mental objects.

Body works through five senses
Mind through the mind sense
Spirituality needs more than both
We need to go beyond the five sense doors
If this you understand
then you are some way ahead

If we live to have pleasures of the senses, we cannot go beyond the first spiritual level. In fact the first spiritual level is propelled by the need for pleasures of the senses.

The second or higher level requires one to go beyond the needs of the senses.

But there is need to facilitate the needs of the body through the senses but not make pleasures of the senses as the priority - only as means to the end. Hope this is not too much to eschew.

Anyway the first level of spirituality is better suited for the majority but one day all will outgrow this level. But all have to go through the first level before any chance to go to the second.

In Buddhist culture, the grace of Bodhisattva allows rebirth at Pure Land to learn and cultivate so as to be better positioned to go to the second level. There are of course saints (Bodhisattva) in all religious institutions.

Ji Gong 济公 is one but he is of all religions or you may say not of any. Like Bo Tien 武天菩萨 he is for all and favors none in particular.

JI GONG 济公

The two level approaches to spirituality is not unique to Buddhism but to all religions. So what is Buddhism actually antedates what Buddha taught. But the term Buddhism is used out of convenience and respect for the Buddha.

You can actually cultivate what the Buddha taught without believe in the Buddha. It would not be wrong but may appear odd. You will end up better at whatever you already are and the Buddha will be glad for you. You are near to him though far from him. The far may be near. Didn't the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 say that?

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.