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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!.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Be even better at one religion by knowing other religions

No 1207 of Living Life Series 1



A person in the West born into Christian culture even if he adopts Buddhist thinking will always have a Christian orientated approach to Buddha's teachings. 

Likewise a person born into Chinese culture with Buddhist influences even if he adopts Christian thinking will always have a Chinese Buddhist approach to Christ's teachings. 

When people practise the religion of their adoption, they do so somewhat differently from those who introduced the religion to them. 

That is to be expected and comes as no surprise. Thus in the temple of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨, the emphasis is on the basic teachings common to all religions and cultures. He refers to this as the Inner Truth. 

Knowing this does not mean there is need to switch religion or culture. But knowing this should instead enable people to be better in whatever religion or culture they may be in. 

It is better to be a good Christian than to be a poor Buddhist or Taoist. Just go for the grasp of the inner truth and this grasp is better achieved in the culture and religion men are born into. 

There is then no risk of putting one foot in the religion or culture one is born into and brought up with and another foot in another religion or culture that catches our fancy. 

It is best that we be what we are but be better at what we are. So said the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨

It is thus logical that we can be better Buddhists by knowing Christianity and better Christians by knowing Buddhism. Do be better at one religion by knowing other religions. Isn't this a wonderful idea and an awesome one at that?