No 172 of Living Life Series 1
Brethren how true is it that blessed are the poor for they are more likely have more in heaven. On the contrary, empathise with the rich for they would less likely as richly endowed in spiritual after life.
Live a life of simplicity and care for oneself as well as for others, for such a person being not self- indulgence beyond optimum self welfare is rich in pureness of selfless devotion to others.
Such a person even if rich and well endowed lives in poverty and scantiness of simplicity
The wealthy who leads a self imposed life of simplicity devoid of worldly trappings and self indulgence is far more able to be like the pure lotus flowering above the abundance of swirling waters of worldliness.
He is an example of calmness and stillness in equanimity unaffected by worldly contingencies of love and hatred, gain and loss, honour and dishonour, wealth and poverty, life and death.
Praiseworthy are those who give and help a temple. They are near to the temple and well regarded.
But pity them however if they are rich in self-indulgence of self-glorification, and need to seek praise, credit and acknowledgement. Such a person is rich in ego and poor in purity, rich in worldly trappings but poor in merits and purity. Though physically close or near to a temple and heavenly saint like Lord Bo Tien, they are far.
Thus have our Lord Bo Tien said time and again. We may be near but yet far from Him.
Brethren we may be near and yet far. Sometimes the far may be near. You may say we are near. You may also say we are far, we are both far and near, or even say we are neither far nor near.
We may be rich. Yet we can be poor. We are both rich and poor. We are neither rich nor poor
We can be near. Yet we can be far. We can be both near and far. We can be neither far or near. Such is our relationship with God, and his representatives like Lord Bo Tien.
.
