No 1106 of Living Life Series 1
Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the near can be far and the far near. What has this to do with the message of Ji Gong? What is the message of Ji Gong 济公?
酒肉穿肠过，
佛祖心中留，
世人若学我，
如同进魔道。
– 道济禅师 (济公)
酒肉穿肠过，
佛祖心中留，
世人若学我，
如同进魔道。
– 道济禅师 (济公)
Wine and meat through the intestines pass,
[while] Lord Buddha within my heart remains,
[but] common people, if they imitate me,
is similar to entering the path of demons.
– Chan Master Daoji (Jigong 济公)
Below is the paraphrased explanation and discussion.
Below is the paraphrased explanation and discussion.
What matters is not what goes through the gut or what one does but what goes through the heart. If the heart is not in it and the spirit is not pure, of what use is not eating meat or drinking wine. A person can be intoxicated even without a drop of wine.
By doing what he did and saying so explicitly, Ji Gong济公 enlightens many on the need for the Buddha heart.
Thus imitating Ji Gong 济公 in drinking wine and eating meat will be bad as men may do so with impure heart. They are like demons wanting animals to be killed and harmed so that they have meat. They may not be at peace and may be intoxicated by life even without wine. With wine, how more intoxicated they will be.
The enigmatic show by Ji Gong 济公 highlights the emphasis on a pure heart and sincerity. The outward show is of no value without a pure heart.
But manifestly wrong action based on impure heart is worse and outright wrong - can be described in a sense as demonic.
They are not only impure at heart and not even trying to hide this through their actions. They do not even put up pretensions which are no better - yes no better but not worse.
They may even be monks and religious people trying to show they are good. These people are near to God and saints but yet far. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the near can be far and the far near.
Many people are like that and of all places they choose to show they are religious by going to house of God and saints and even be pastors, priests and leaders. They are near but yet far. But of course they are no better but not worse than those who don't go to house of God and don't even put up pretensions.
Ji Gong is one who does what society do. This is so people could identify with him and be close to him. Thus he is not alienated from society and he can better reach out to them. He never put on airs or put up a good show to impress. But yet despite his seemingly unsaintly ways, people realised he is a saint.
He helps many and performs miracles. He wins them over and make them learn how to be pure and good at heart. That is what matters. It is not what goes through the gut or what one does openly to impress others but not backed up by the heart.
When one is good at heart, goodness follows in deeds and in speech. But to put up outward show but empty in goodness of heart is to be like a devil out to deceive others.
To sum up and to reiterate, Ji Gong 济公 is one who though a saint prefers to be with very ordinary people. He acts like them drinking, eating meat and making merry. But he is pure at heart.
His ordinary ways allow him to mix with people and he is not alienated from the crowd. He highlights the need to be pure at heart.
To put up pretensions but not pure at heart is to deceive others and to encourage more of the same. Isn't that going the way of the devil and festering the devil in men? That is what happening in the world of religion and is of concern.
Many in temples act holy and saintly but they may be like wolves in sheep's clothing. They turn temples from temples of God and saints to temples of the devils in men.
