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!.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

49 days of purity observance before Mission Day

No 1012 of Living Life Series 1

Why is there the need for religion? One answer is that most are not religious enough. Why is there need for laws and rules? Well, people just don't get things right otherwise and create problems for others. But why are there still problems?

Well, what do we expect. Even the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that men are like that. The problems and issues of men are many and plentiful.

At least the laws and rules as well as the dogmas make things better for all but are not enough. Having religion too is not enough. Many are not religious enough even with religion.

They in fact come to a temple like insects to a flower for nectar. They come to God and saints for more of the world and this is the nectar they come for though they put up a front of coming for spiritual.

Do we blame the flower for insects coming to it for nectar? Surely the answer is obvious. The problem is not with God and saints. The problem is not with religion.

We want to blame men for the problem. But can blaming men undo the problems of men. Finger pointing does not help in the long run and may create guilt, anger and more problems.

The problem of problems or rather the mother of all problems is that men are men and not God and saints. Men pride themselves of being made in the image of God but this only make no difference and men are ever the more problematic.

But without religions, and without rules, laws and dogmas, men will be worse off. Some say that men will go to the dogs, But this is unkind to men and dogs. Some dogs are simply wonderful though they may be dogs.

Admit it that we are still men. Feel not guilt or remorse for being so. We do err ever so often. But what matters is that we learn from life - our own as well as from others both the good and the not-so-good. Life is the living gospel. This too is echoed by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨.

It is alright to be not pure in spirit and in life so long as we try to improve day by day and a little at a time. We cannot be like God and saints overnight.

There is no such things as belief and you will be pure overnight. God and saints cannot take over our lives, our wrongs, our shortcomings.

God and saints are not hurt by what we do. We only affect ourselves and others. God and saints feel sorry for us and would want to help us and take over our shortcomings. But there is no such thing as believe and be saved unless we act to improve our lot.

Yes, we are far from perfect, far from pure. But we can try to be better, couldn't we? This is all that matters. Try be pure though far from being pure.

The worse injustice to life is to wallow in misery and thinking that we are a disgrace to self, to others and to God and saints.

Try to be pure even if still far from pure. That is why there is the practice of 49 days of purity observance before the yearly anniversary of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 on 13th day of the ninth lunar month.

Purity is more than the purity of actions, more than the purity of the body and flesh but also the purity of the mind and spirit. Don't just do good to please others and to boost ego. Be sincere. Don't just be vegetarian but yet still want to harm and kill. Even harsh words can harm and may kill.

The 49 days of purity observance is like a retreat or if you like, a yearly course to train us to be better at being pure for the rest of the year and the rest of life. The yearly observance is to enhance that habit and be somehow a bit more blessed not only for self and for others. We will also be blessed by God and all heavenly saints.

It is like a short sojourn in Heaven - a rehabilitation so that we will be better placed for the life of man. It is not a guarantee that we be perfect but we will be better at being pure... That is why in certain years, members get away to a hill or to the seaside away from society and dead in the quiet of the night to meditate and to pray together - to do something that is not part of the run of the mill of worldly life.

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.