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 18, 2015

The Buddha on the future Buddha

No 877 of Living Life Series 1

Yet another Wesak related article

Let us know what The Buddha said on the future Buddha - on none other than on the day of his accent. You can consider that as the event that gave rise to Wesak.

Below is from What Buddhists Believe by the late Ven Dr K. Sri Dhamananda.

'I am not the first Buddha to come upon this earth; nor shall I be the last. Previously, there were many Buddhas who appeared in this world. In due time, another Buddha will arise in this world, within this world cycle.'

When the Buddha was about to pass away, Ven. Ananda and many other disciples wept. The Buddha said, 'Enough, Ananda. Do not allow yourself to be troubled. Do not weep. Have I not already told you that it is in the very nature of things that they must pass away. We must be separated from all that is near and dear to us. The foolish man conceives his idea of Self; the wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the Self. Thus the wise man has a right conception of the world. He will conclude that all component things will be dissolved again; but the Truth will always remain.'

The Buddha continued:' Why should I preserve this body when the body of the excellent law will endure? I am resolved. I have accomplished my purpose and have attended to the work set upon me. Ananda, for a long time you have been very near to me in thoughts, words and acts of much love beyond all measure. You have done well, Ananda. Be earnest in effort and you too will soon be free from bondages! You will be free from sensuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.'

Suppressing his tears, Ananda said to the Buddha, 'Who shall teach us when You are gone?' And the Buddha advised him to regard His Teaching as the Master.

The Buddha continued again:' I am not the first Buddha to come upon earth; nor shall I be the last. In due time, another Buddha will arise in this world, a Holy One, a Supremely Enlightened One, endowed with wisdom, in conduct auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of devas and men. He will reveal to you the same Eternal Truths which I have taught you. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and pure; such as I now proclaim.'

'How shall we know him?' asked Ananda. The Buddha replied, 'He will be known as Maitreya which means kindness or friendliness.'

Buddhists believe that those people who at present are doing meritorious deeds by leading a religious life will have a chance to be reborn as human beings in the time of Maitreya Buddha and will obtain Nirvana identical with that of Gautama Buddha. In this way they will find salvation through the guidance of His Teaching. His Teaching will become a hope of the remote future for everybody.

However, according to the Buddha, devout religious people can gain this Nirvanic bliss at any time if they really work for it irrespective of whether a Buddha appears or not.

'As long as my disciples lead a pure religious life, so long the world will never become empty of (saints) Arahantas.' - (Maha Parinibbana Sutta)

Discussion

There is great delivery and clarity by the late Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhamananda. In fact, it is a reality that anyone can be enlightened and even be saints or Buddhas to help others to salvation.

To be enlightened, they need not be Buddhists or to belong to any culture, religion or sect.

Sages of the various different religious cultures too may well be on the same path but at different levels of cultivation. People will want to see them as different.

It is as the late Venerable said a question if people really work for it - Nirvana. They don't even need to depend on a Buddha or to do so only when a Buddha appears.

So why wait for a Buddha to do so? But do be graceful, to feel blessed by what The Buddha has put in place for us. But you do not necessarily need to idolize him or any sage but go for The Word for the Word is the Buddha and well, the Buddha is the Word.

He has given us the legacy - the Word (doctrine); so will many other saviors in their respective ways big and small. The blessings of the aura of all Buddhas and saints will fly with us in life.

Put the Word into life - liven up the Word and be on the way. Buddha will be so pleased with you even if you don't know him. Otherwise why did the Buddha summed up the Doctrine or Word as this stanza below?

Avoid evil
Do good
Purify the mind.
This is the teachings of the Buddhas
and indeed all saints

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 echoes the same sentiments when he said that he is the Word and the Word is him. There is doctrine in the image and the image is the doctrine - telling us on the need to moderate and balance life - denial and indulgence as depicted by feet on two extremes or elements.

In fact, the Word represents or stands for all saints and all saints stand by the Word. The Word is introduced differently and in differing contexts by sages or saints of all religions and cultures. A rose by any name, color and size is still a rose.

The future Buddha too can perhaps be in any culture. One cannot know for sure. The culture the historical Gautama Buddha got himself inserted into may well not be the same though similar in some ways as for the future Buddha as in the texts.

The teachings of all Buddhas transcend barriers. They are just integrated into and enrich existing culture. The teachings do not change culture or make people jump band wagon but they make people even better than what they are in their existing prevailing culture and belief-systems.

People can stay what they are and though different in culture, they can be one at heart for the goodness of all beings and their liberation from woes of life. That goes without saying as one of the emphases of the future Buddha of the future in an ever more globalized future world.

Let the world be more blessed by more sages and Buddhas as well as by more cultures. Cultures and religious institutions reach out to the far and together contribute to bring more to be near to the Word or Buddha nature.

May we be blessed by more Buddhas and saints.

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.