Freewill but not Freewheel

No 334 of Living Life Series 1




The greatest gift we have from God is freewill, without which we will be slaves to instructions or be robots under command. Without freewill, we will not be responsible for our actions. As the Taoist axiom puts it, "as in Heaven so also on Earth". We know that this freewill is the freedom to live but must take into consideration others' freewill to live as well. When extended to animals, this is referred to as animal rights. Perhaps this extends to all beings as well.


God gives us this freewill to allow us to choose and learn to be more like Him and His saints or at least to be a bit like Him. We can choose the long road or the short road or even to go in circles. God provides guidance but not dictate. The guidance comes as precepts and commandments at the mico level and as religions and sects at the macro level. 


There is freewill and variety in Heaven with saints galore and heavenly domains aplenty. But there is harmony and complementary synergy as per the will of God. This too must be mirrored on Earth as in Heaven.


But men being men will at times not agree that others can go their own separate ways. They will want others to be like them even if this means they need to instill fear and inject coercion to point of being near authoritarian or dictatorial. This is one extreme of the spectrum when men insist that they have the right to interfere and restrict others lives. They threaten others with fear, death, pain and hell fire if others do not see eye to eye with them.

This is not the way of God and saints but the way of demons and ignorant men driven and intoxicated by pride, bigotry and ego under the cloak of religious fervour or crusades. This as a trend may go awry to give rise to terrorism or bring about such in those at the receiving end.


Freewill is good but must have boundaries. We cannot have freewill to manage the lives of others and to force our beliefs down others throats even in the name of religions. That would be sheer bigotry. Thus the universal precepts introduced by Lord Bo Tien has as the second precept the need to respect what all saints preach in words, thoughts and deeds and all that are written. This refers to the teachings of the various religions and sects. We must respect the principles and values of the various religions and sects even if some of these may be very different and at odds with our own.

Lord Bo Tien reminded us that God reaches out to different beings and sectors of men and need various ways to help them in difficulties, bring them to God and ultimately to save their souls. Thus God allows for not one religion or way but many religions and sects. Dogmas and values may differ but the prophets are given the leeway to do what were best for the context of the times and situations.


For any religion, with the passing of time, the original teachings too may evolve or devolve to extent that will erode the pioneering zest and originality. This is however an issue though changes can at times be good to tailor to the changing times.


But if changes were misdirected to meet the worldly agenda of men rather than the mission of God and saints, then there is need for concern and to look back. There is need to rekindle the original fervour and spirit. This is what is referred to as going back to the basics or the inner truth.


But do note that men of faith can differ in how to present them and to hold on to the people in their fold so long as they not go for the agenda of men but the mission of Heaven. That is men of religions and sects can do more so long as they know and stick to basics


There is freewill to do what is necessary in the context of the times and the people but this must be in keepimg with the basics common to all religions and sects. The basic is to help all beings as beings have difficulties all the time. Over the long haul, it is to bring beings to God and saints and to save their souls from unending issues in life and from cycle of rebirths.


Freewill is in the will of God and His saints but freewheeling is a different matter and can end up adding to the difficulties and issues of men. The issues of men are many and plentiful. Saints like Lord Bo Tien often remind us that they are the very reason why there is need for the mission to help all beings men included.


There is need to provide not just one way but many through the various religions and sects so that every being has choices aplenty. A being can nearly always find one that is quite tailor fitted for him. He has the freewill to do so but he must be focussed. He must not freewheel and lost focus. He must be able to converge on the basics as he diverges and converges along the way and from life to life.




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In depth discussion on Messages before 1974

No 333 of Living Life Series 1

The messages are in black and commentaries and discussions are in blue. This 2nd revisit or rather indepth discussion is necessary as the pre-1974 messages are the basis of all the other messages.

There is tendency for each successive generation of any spiritual group to rewrite history and the awe inspiring perspectives and experiences of the pioneers are often forgotten or buried by time. This happens all the time due to human weaknesses and are to be expected but can be corrected. Read on and understand why Lord Bo Tien's mission is to correct this and bring out the inner truth

Below are the paraphrased and elaborated versions with opinions and views by inner truth netizen. The records of the first few messages are limited.

In his inaugural message a good half a century ago, Lord Bo Tien said: " From time to time in history, saints arose amongst men to lay down certain rules and regulations to help the masses lead better lives and to incline them towards GOD. "

"Over time, these rules become the tenets of an organised religion, but the idealistic spirit and motive, which prevailed during the founding saint's life time, changed gradually after his passing with arising of sects and differing sectarian styles."

"This is why often an organisation cannot bring out spiritual truth more effectively and closer to true nature of life unique to each individual in society. Life is an individual concern. Religion is always centred on life and a personal concern. Religious organisations often may end up over time as archaeological departments trying to discover the past."

"Therefore, I shall not attempt to establish any new religion, cult or organisation. But I shall rekindle and re-invigorate the religious thought* of all people and instill a higher understanding of life in them."

"Dogmas evolved over centuries after the founder's death frequently differ startlingly, unexpectedly, inadvertently and at times even uncannily in emphasis from the preliminary teachings for each faith and between faiths and sects."

"But the fundamentals of all religions and sects remain the same and enduring, because all originate from the same source -- GOD. Thus, when I deliver the GOD knowledge (Jade Emperor's teachings tau-li or tou-li), I shall neither comment (e.g. critique, judge) on existing religion nor commend (e.g. favor, prefer, highlight, be selective, be bias) any as the special one. All are unique and serve the divine plan in their own way."

"I want to turn man's mind away from being clouded by sectarian differences, so that man sees with clarity the truth in life. Man must cultivate insight on inner truth aspects that are common to and the basis of all faiths." 

"Be insightful though of this aspect. Every saint and prophet considered the times, the circumstances and the prevailing mentality of the people before delivering appropriate sermon. Every saint or prophet would deliver doctrines in the format and style best suited to the prevailing times, people and needs"

Many ways to life and bliss.

Many adherents of faiths are keen to share the passions of their beliefs with others. This is out of love and should be praiseworthy but at times can go overboard and unpleasant, more so when the practitioners of the beliefs are not rooted correctly in their practices and principles.

Simply doing good or charity is good enough for some but may be considered not good enough by others  who are more discerning and insightful. and who are at different levels of spiritual awakening. 

We may say  that in many ways, one man's meat is another man's poison. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder is one other saying. Some are more shallow and short sighted or even color blind. For many knowing a little is better than knowing more if that little helps them go the mile. For others, knowing more is of little use if they can only go by inches.

Some say believe and you will be on your way. This is good for many and allow for convergent thinking rather than be lost in divergent thinking. Others may say, test what they tell you as gold is put to test by fire and do not believe in mere heresay but this is alright and wholesome only if you know when to diverge and when to converge in your approach to life both spiritual and otherwise.

All ways have their merits and useful to different people and during different stations of their lives. Charity for example is always good and may be the only thing most should do. But many may be carried away by the wind, and drift away by mundane worldly agenda of men rather than that of God. Do remember that the mission of religion is beyond the short sighted agenda of societal men. The mission is to save souls from incessant rebirths due to lack of insight and divine focus.  But even for divine focus, there too are many ways to save souls and that's why we have many religions and sects.

There too are many ways to have spiritual reflection in the same one sect or temple. Simple prayer and spending quiet time is one way. Group prayer and adorations via hymns and even incantations are other ways.

There is also meditation either alone or in groups. Objects of meditation can differ. Techniques may involve concentration or one pointedness on one hand and mindfulness cultivation on the other hand. Some even employ both in varying combinations.

Be it worldly or spiritual life, there are many ways of going about them. This is the reality and will always be. We have been told through Snr Bro Philip that the kingdom of Heaven is not built solely for man. Nature has for each and every kind a deity and a kingdom of their own.

Likewise, Nature or Divinity too has for each and every being a plan for him alone. The simple reason is that the realisation of divine peace is not via only one path or way for all. Nature has for each and every being a guiding saint and an individualised path of his own (specifically tailor made for him). There are many ways to life and bliss. The path is somewhat different for various persons. It is individualised and unique for each being. You may say it is tailor made for him and will even vary for changing situations and focus in his life. Copy-cat path that works for John will not be as effective for Adam. The balance point for what brings inner peace to John cannot be identical for Adam. This way we can be at peace with life and tap into the bliss of nature.  

The precepts and doctrines need not be different but approach can be 

The precepts and doctrines in a temple or spiritual organisation may not be new and different from that of others. However, any new temple or church can have approaches which can appear to be very different and contrasting. This can give rise to concerns and opinions simply because that temple or church may not be readily understood and accepted

Yin and yang and the seated image

Brethren, decades have passed since the first descent of Lord Bo Tien. He has emphasised that He is not here to start a new religion or to display His glory. He came down as one of the Chinese Deities in keeping with the cultural background of the beings He has to work on. He is here to further Heaven’s will.

His is the Mission of Heaven. We regard Him as the Heavenly Saint. To Him, all religions are good. They are the pillars of the House of Truth. The Lord Saint discourages us from knowing more about Him, but He has portrayed Himself in Chinese general’s armour with sceptre in one hand. He rests His feet on two beings that represent the positive and negative in life------the yin and yang in life. His sceptre signifies His mission, which is the will of Heaven.

The control and the balance of the  active and passive previously referred to as active and negative pave the way to true peace and happiness. We should not be mentally affected by worldly contingencies such as praise and blame, gain and loss, honour and dishonour, wealth and poverty, as well as worldly happiness and sorrow. This will foster a balanced approach to life, which requires us to renounce self-centredness without denial of the self. We need to be in tune with Heaven but not be out of this world. We need to live in this world and stay connected with both heaven and earth, the yang and the yin elements in life.

We cannot be ego-centric but neither can we deny the self. Ego or self-centredness tosses us from the clutches of one extreme of worldly contingencies to the other. However, being selfless in approach to life does not mean that there is no self. We should not end up not valuing even our own being and self worth. That would lead to self deprecation and self denial or self-cruelty of sorts

According to Lord Bo Tien, we have to lead a balanced life by not being affected by the yin and yang of life but at the same time we cannot run away from the yin and yang of life. This means we have to carry on being what we are and with what we are in, but knowing full well that we are in the mundane world of yin and yang. We must live with the vissicitudes of life but not be affected by them. We must be at peace by being with life and not run away from life. We must be at peace with our being and with the yin and yang of life by balancing and being atop of the elements of life as depicted by the seated image of the lord saint with the feet of the lord saint balancing the elements.

The image of Lord Bo Tien speaks volumes of His Teachings. Those who know and practise His Teachings know Him. Those who do not will never know Him.

To seek the Inner Truth

Religions are the pillars of the House of God. The Heavens and divinity comprising God, the Pure Ones and the Saints are roof to shelter the beings under the heavens.

The pillars guide beings to the huge mansion and are the markers for the mansion, otherwise beings will not be able to know that they are in the vicinity or in the House of God as this house is omnipresent and yet many may not see or be able to know and be in the house.

The various religions shall spell out their own guidelines in the form of precepts, commandments or tenets. These will be formalised and be evolved as dogmas.

Each religion has it own representative of Divinity what some may call prophets, arahats or saints.

These saints will then have their own disciples, doctrines and regulations.

Each religion will manage and govern its own affairs, its own way of preaching and dissemination and will have own way of reaching out to the masses and how to keep the followers within their circles. Thus the various religions can fan out and reach out to beings in all corners. They can complement and at times compete for the good and welfare of the many. They are pillars for mankind and beings to lean on and to guide them to God and enlightenment.

The primary motive is to save souls (purification or enlightenment) and assist those in difficulties (compassion and love for beings)

Beings go through rebirths so as to improve themselves and progress from ignorance to enlightenment, from wrong to right and from darkness to light and from light to more light. Beings go from impediments and hindrances (nirvarana) to the ultimate rightness in divine purity and inner peace (eternalism or nirvana - enlightenment)

Rebirth is in the will of God and can take many forms and at all levels and dimensions. (Rebirth is part of evolution and is the expression of yin and yang of the universes here and beyond)

The classical axis of rebirth is the axis with animals and creatures on one side and mankind on the other side. (Of course, the reality is not that simplistic.)



The Precepts

The precepts adopted for the following of the lord saint are not new and are similar to most religious organisations. But for the lord saint, they serve to be basic moral markers for his following to comply with and one of the ways to hold them to the fold of the organisation. They are neither exclusive nor inclusive and do not supersede or are less than that of other organisations. They do not mean that they are the markers of a new religion. They make us stay away from gross deviations from the divine goal. They provide out of bound markers to ensure we do not fall out and be lost.

Many are saved from gross bad done in the name of God and saints just by observing such out of bound markers. The precepts ensure yin and yang factions in a religious group from denouncing one anothers' perspectives and enable them to co-exist even though they may not see eye-to eye on issues. Without observing the sanctity of precepts, coups in a religious institution could occur and new management may keep out other factions and write off the good works of predecessors. They may even re-write spiritual directions and replace them with human agenda to please men of societal standing rather than to be in harmony with God and saints.

Precepts in a way prevent men from worshipping man instead of God and saints. Men must not end up acting for God and saints. Precepts serve as markers to shepherd men to go along the right track.

Precepts no 2 and 6 deserve special mention. We need to believe what saints preach and we need to respect elders even if we do not agree or understand their ways. Sages have emphasized the need to respect elders. Elders include our ancestors and no civil man will run down and belittle them even if the elders are not right at times. Only nimwits and bigots may do so. Nimwits risk breaking the precept no 7 of NOT bearing false witnesses not just against neighbours but against all people - the elders included. They are in a way less savvy versions of the Pharisees in the Old Testament

They are listed below

1. I must believe in One God
2. I must believe in what all the Saints preach in words, thoughts, deeds and all that are written.
3. I must not kill.
4. I must not steal and do what is extremely bad to harm my neighbours or their belongings.
5. I must not covet my neighbour’s wife.
6. I must respect my parents and all those elder than me.
7. I must not bear false witnesses against my neighbours

Reminder on ' Who is Lord Bo Tien? '

No 332 of Living Life Series 1

For full article, go to  Who is Lord Bo Tien?

LORD BO TIEN

A heavenly saint from up high
The messenger of Heaven
For the divine Inner Truth
behind all faiths, sects and ways
Not here to start a new religion
But to rejuvenate religious thought
His temple is not limited to a building
The whole wide world be one temple
for the Mission of Heaven on earth
To spread the message of Inner Truth
The Sky and Heaven is the temple roof
Religions and sects are the pillars
of this one vast universal temple
His Mission is not Mission of Man
But the Mission of Heaven above
Men may not be ready and can wait
But heavenly ones are and cannot wait
To move on with the Mission for www
The whole wide world and web
All can come for the divine nectar
Even ants and insects amongst men
So blame not the flower and saint
when access open to one and all
Thus worship heaven and not man
In this open house of the lords
See neither the saint in man
nor the man in lord saints
Man is man and saint is saint





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Judge not lest ye be judged

No 331 of Living Life Series 1

God has divine wisdom to let men have differing ways each to do what he is comfortable and to take it from there. If only men can be like God and saints the world will be more peaceful

This post is yet another dedicated for Christmas

Men tend to judge and be opinionated but not God and saints. That is why it is said in the Bible that one must not judge others. Judge not lest ye be judged.

God has divine wisdom to let men have differing ways each to do what he is comfortable and to take it from there. If only men can be like God and saints the world will be more peaceful. 

Men always want others to be with them and if others are not with them, then they are considered as not for them. Thus there will always be bigots amongst men of religions who think that other religions are not of God and only their religion is of God.

Even with the same religion, there are various ways of approach. Thus when men extolled the virtues of their approach and run down others even if they are of the same religion, there will arise a new sect. Soon there will be proliferation of sects and deviation from the mean.

The mean is the religion centred on God through the founder prophet of the specific religion. The need for sects within a religion and within the same one sect, for different schools is testimony to the micro approach of men with disregard to the macro or helicopter approach. Each champions its own vision as the more correct or chosen one.

This is the same as in the story of the blind men and the elephant. One said the elephant is a snake when he holds on to the tail. Another who feels the body said the elephant is flat like the wall. All the blind men are wrong but yet right in their own ways. But if one blind man says the others are wrong, then he is a bigot but if he says that all are right and that they should value and integrate one another's  views, then a more wholesome understanding will arise.

Men of religions and sects should not be bigots but come together and share their experiences of God. That way a more wholesome understanding will arise.

Members of a temple or church should accommodate others within the church or temple who hold differing views and be more accepting of their differing views. By coming together, sharing and integrating their various views, there will be no bigotry and the combined picture of various views may even be more wholesome without need to discard or denigrate one another's views. Better not to judge one another but to accept one anothers' views. That is testimony to the wisdom of the saying attributed to Lord Jesus - Judge not lest ye be judged

As said earlier, God has divine wisdom to let men have differing ways each to do what he is comfortable and to take it from there. If only men can be like God and saints the world will be more peaceful. That is why the lord saint Lord Bo Tien said that the major religions and sects of the world can differ in ways of helping men and beings and to bring them closer to God through the respective saints. They need to have their own ways to appeal and to hold on to their followers. Lord Bo Tien said.

Lord Bo Tien

This is summed up as the Four Pillar Doctrine that stipulates that God has compassion for men and sends down his saints to start the various religions and sects in the four cardinal directions. Religions are the pillars in the House of God. The sky of Heaven is the roof of this temple or church of God. All pillars in the four directions are necessary for the House of God.

Likewise in a temple of a lord saint, all factions are like pillars and all are required to be pillars of the temple of that lord saint. Let not any faction dominate and say that others have no place. That would be bigotry in full bloom.

God has divine wisdom to let men have differing ways, each sub-group to do what that sub-group is comfortable and to take it from there. If only men can be like God and saints the world will be more peaceful and a temple of a lord saint would be more wholesome.

"Judge not lest ye be judged" is Lord Jesus's biblical gift of wisdom to the world -- a gift to light up our lives not just for Christmas but for every day as well. That way we will not be bigots but be loving to all even those who hold different perspectives of the same one God or of any of the heavenly saints. We need to love others and only then will we not judge others and only then will others not judge us. Love lights up the tree of life

The unbecoming judgement transgression we need to be wary off is to judge our elders and parents and to conclude they are wrong. Whilst we may not agree with their ways, we do not at all cost take punitive and detrimental actions against them for that would be disrespectful. 

We have to respect them as elders and find a way to let them know we cannot go along with them. This is in keeping with the precept in most religions that we respect parents and elders. Passing judgement and meting out actions against parents and elders is a breach of of the precept and breach of love and respect for elders - a breach of faith in God and saints.

To be judgemental is unkind to those who are at the receiving end and to be judgemental towards elders and parents is the limit of inhumane behaviour.

Certainly, do be mindful not to judge lest ye be judged. Above all, be humble and be mindful not to see the dust in others' eyes, when we cannot see the dust in our own. This too is another wise saying of Lord Jesus who taught men to love fellow men in the way God loves men.

Judge not lest ye be judged. See not the dust in others' eyes when ye cannot see the dust in your own. Then without being judgemental and self-righteous, it is easier to love and be loved, to give and to receive. This is the spirit of saints. Call this the spirit of Christmas if you like.  Let this spirit of Christmas be for all in every day of life and not just for Christmas Day. 

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Mission Statement Revisited

No 330 of Living Life Series 1

The lord saint's mission is not just charity. If this was so, then there is no need for the mission, for charity already exists in society and in many a temple or church. Charity is always right and necessary but is only one aspect to make the mission more whole like the Taiji with yin and yang.

Taiji The Great Ultimate

 

The mission is to save souls through the Inner Truth also referred to as the Four Pillar Doctrine. The doctrine is to bring a reawakening in the basic truth behind and common to all religions that their pioneers championed.

There is need to recognise that religions, temples and churches may be different but the inner truth behind is one and the same though this might have been buried by the passage of time

The mission is not about human and worldly agenda but about the wish and direction of GOD and Heaven to save souls NOT just through a new saint, a new religion or a new sect but through the existing saints, religions and sects including any new ones. (Do note that the lord saint did not initiate any new religion or sect)

God and saints and their religions

The lord saint is like a vast ocean that reaches out to many a land. The far may thus be near and the near may be far..... The lord saint said also that the mission is the Mission of Heaven and not that of man.

The decisive marker of whether the mission is that of Heaven or that of man lies in whether the doctrine is in the man. When there is doctrine, there is inner peace and love for all views and all men. Only then will there be the Mission of Heaven.

With the Mission of Heaven, there is peace and love for all even for those who hold differing views and faiths. With the mission of man, there is no infectious peace but only dis-ease due to exclusivity and partisan approach that will naturally add on to the many issues of men.

The issues and problems of men are many and plentiful. This did the lord saint said. With inner peace from balancing and harmonising the yin and yang to achieve the Great Ultimate, the Taiji, the issues even if present no longer perturb and ruffle the mind of the wise.

Why? Simply because with putting into practice the doctrine via the balancing of yin and yang like the feet of the lord saint atop and balancing the elements, there is peace like the calm lake. Big issues do become small issues even if they cannot be no issue, and small issues become no issue.

This is even more the case  and there is even more serenity and peace when we seek the shelter of saints as told to us by the lord saint. This is the inner peace that all must have in life. The candle flame of life sheltered by the saints will grow and glow ever more steadily and calmly.

Lord Bo Tien,
the messenger of God
for the Mission of Heaven

The doctrine is in His image and His image is the doctrine

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Let the spirit of the Four Pillar Doctrine govern our lives

No 329 of Living Life Series 1

If loving kindness is the basis of the mission of a heavenly saint of a temple or church, then after several decades of the temple or church's existence, there must be that spirit of love amongst the members both past and present even if the spiritual values and insight may differ from person to person or between groups that form within the social fabric of the institution.

The members or following of the saint of that temple or church would have ingrained in them that love or bond that would not be shaken even if they do differ in approaches and views on issues.  The ability to be one and to love despite differing ways is wholesome and reflective of true endearing loving kindness.

Lord Bo Tien

The advice by Lord Bo Tien to any organisation, temple or church is to cherish and extend love not just to the society at large but also this loving kindness must begin within a temple or church and extend outwards. Also ,if brethren somehow differ in understanding, there should be no need to be upset for any doubt exists because some could not understand or somehow understand differently to result in doubt and disbelief. Let questions and queries be raised and if there is no resolution, pray to Heaven to open the way. But always have that love and respect not only for one's own views but also for the views of others.

This process is good for both those who are more right or otherwise so long as love exists for fellow men. For through doubt and disagreement in atmosphere of loving kindness, there will arise more insight of the truth especially the doctrine of inner truth of God and saints behind all religions and sects.

The Four Pillar Doctrine states that all religions in the four cardinal directions can differ in dogmas and approaches but still have the same inner truth.  That inner truth is that there is need to help all beings in their issues and problems and ultimately to save their souls and bring them to God. This is the same as saying that there is one Rome but there are many roads that lead to Rome.

We do not expect religions to be the same. The prophets of religions have their own separate ways to hold their followers and bring them to God. Followers of one religion must be matured and insightful to know that and agree to disagree and to respect differences and styles.

There must be that underlying divine love that will enable them to do so and this is the loving kindness that will endear them to God and saints. There must be love even if there are differences. This is characteristic of true love.

Love for example between husband and wife means the ability to love spouse even if both husband and wife do not see eye to eye in many issues. We set our spouses free and let go if we truly love them. We do not hold on to them and chain them.

The same applies to family love. Love within family means family members can hold differing views and yet have family bond.

If we love someone, we allow them to disagree. If we disagree, we can still like one another. That is true and sustainable fellowship.

A temple or church of any saint must uphold the Four Pillar Doctrine. Followers and adherents of such a temple or church must live by example. Charity begins at home ground. Followers must love one another before they can love others in society and help the needy and destitutes out there. 

Followers who accept the obvious differences of religions and yet know their oneness in God too must accept oneness despite differences amongst those who are followers and adherents of their own. There is need to agree to disagree and to love others like members of the same family where family members still gel and love as a family whilst still having periodic scuffles and holding differing views on issues.

Love begins at home and true love means we accept others for what they are even if they hold differing views from us. This is the spirit of the Four Pillar Doctrine that followers of various religions must accept they are different and yet love one another because they must know that they belong to the same God and are family after all. Let the spirit of the Four Pillar Doctrine govern our lives.

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The Great Ultimate

No 328 of Living Life Series 1

The Taoist symbol below is the taiji and can be translated at best as the ‘Great Ultimate'. It depicts the forces of yin (passive) and yang (active).

The Taiji or Great Ultimate

The dark or black portion depicts the forces of yin such as femininity, night, introversion, coldness, darkness and the earth.

The bright or red portion portion depicts the forces of yang, such as masculinity, day, extroversion, brightness and heaven..

The forces function with the characteristics of one or more of the five basic elements: water, fire, wood, metal and earth. 

The movement and transformation of yin and yang produce cycles of changes. They occur on their own and are lways there. 

The balance and integration (merger) of yin and yang give rise to the perfect stage of Tao practice -- the Taiji or Great Ultimate.

Lord Bo Tien in 1984 message pointed out to the Taoist Octagon or Pakua in the centre of which is the Taiji, which showed two fish-like symbols the yin and the yang. Both must exist and come together as a whole. Revisit of 1984 message of Lord Bo Tien

If there was only one, then there will be no balance and peace. Man must seek the inner peace through balance of yin and yang.

The balance and mastery of handling yin and yang will bring calm, serenity and peace of spirit in an individual. Even if there is bad fate, the mastery by merging and balancing good and bad will moderate the bad and sort of even things out for peace in life, come what may. It is not through the change of yin and yang but through change in the ability to better handle them.

A temple or organisation likewise must find balance in the yin and yang elements of people that constitute the temple. Only then will there be peace and harmony.

This adds further significance to the advice by the lord saint in the same 1984 message on the flower and the ants. A flower will attract ants as it has nectar. This is not the fault of the flower. The flower cannot turn away ants or insects that come to the flower for nectar. A temple or church too cannot be selective and turn away the ants amongst men.

To be realistic, without ants amongst men there would be no need for a temple and its mission. It is for the wrong and wayward tendencies of men that temples and religions are set up to attract them and hopefully to change them for the better. They are not for the goody amongst men but more so for the baddy amongst men, the so-called ants or insects amongst men.

So what if a lord saint like Lord Bo Tien chooses to train them. A saint has the prerogative to decide that a criminal or thief take on leadership. The saint may well decide to train such a man or many such men. So we should not be surprised if we find that those who make up the management in a temple or church are not up to the mark or not doing what need to be done.

A temple or spiritual organisation needs to attract both yin and yang and this is as the case with all nature. Only when there is merger of the yin and yang of the different shades and color of people will the mission be complete and be able to move on and reach out far and wide, like the great ocean to many a land.

The lord saint and his mission to save souls by teaching the practice of Tao to achieve the Taiji or Great Ultimate is like the great ocean that reaches out to many a land. No yin and yang can stop that for the lord saint is master of yin and yang. Moreover the mission is the Mission of Heaven and not the mission of man.

In conclusion, let us remember that the image of the lord saint with feet atop and balancing the yin and yang to bring them together and harmonise also depicts the Tao Way to attain the Great Ultimate - the Taiji

The Taiji in centre of the Ba gua

Do cross reference by reading The cement for concrete pillar for any mission is love...

Also read Make or break is up to us and know why Taiji or Great Ultimate is so named

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The true meaning and practice of loving kindness

No 327 of Living Life Series 1.

God and saints

The true meaning and practice of loving kindness is best exemplified by Gautama Buddha. His cousin Devadata was envious of him, tried to be his rival by cultivating psychic, having up his own following and  even set out to harm him by rolling a boulder to harm the Buddha. But of course this did not work and in Mahayana text, the Yellow Jambhala averted the potential harm. But what is most noteworthy is that the Buddha never harbour negative thoughts and even think lovingly of his cousin Devadata predicting that in lifetimes to come, his cousin will be a buddha as well. This is loving kindness or Metta which we must all aspire to.

Members of a spiritual organisation must always take cognisance of why they are in the organisation. The purpose is to be spiritual and to be closer to God and saints. There is need to love and to be loved by God and men.

The greatness of the members lies not only in what they can do for wider society but  also in what they can do for fellow men in their immediate family and institution like in a temple or church. That is probably more important.

The charity and good works for the wider society should be just one manifestation of true love for life what we may refer to as loving kindness for life. There should be that same sense of love not just for the needy and destitute in wider society but more substantially  love to be shown for life  more closer to them example love of the fellow brethren and followers of the one same saint in that temple or organisation.

There should not be any self-righteousness that only they are right and others who differ are wrong. Instead, there should be more of that divine-like unconditional love for men in their institution who may have erred or those who may hold distinct differing views. For such people too have done good in their own ways and are capable of more good. In the first place perhaps, these men may not have been wrong.What if they are also right in another perspective which the self righteous fail to grasp.

There must also not be guilt or hatred even for oneself even if one has done wrong such as thinking others are wrong. For guilt effectively means little or even no iota of love for oneself. Hatred or dislike has no place in a spiritual organisation. Hatred even if a little for brethren in mission is sad and unbecoming. How can we have loving kindness when we cannot show the same to our own brethren in the mission to save the needy and the lost souls?  

Loving kindness means we accept others for what they are and not expect others to be what we want them to be. We too must accept ourselves for what we are and we must not chastise ourselves for our own shortcomings for that will mean lack of love for ourselves and for certainly be sure meanness to ourselves. We will end up having low self esteem. (Do refer to the 1975 message of Lord Bo Tien. Revisit of 1975 message of Lord Bo Tien )

The same applies to spouses. If we love our spouses, we should set them free to even do us wrong at times. Do not be possessive and worse still let our anger have free rein to ruin our marriages. We should not want our spouses to be under our clutches and to see eye to eye with us in every issue. That will spell the end of individuality and spontaneity as well as a lively relationship built on love. 

The same goes with the spiritual organisation we belong to. We should never expect others to hold the same views as us and 'kow tow' (worship) us.  We should show love to them as brethren in mission even if they do not see eye to eye with us. We want them to be frank and open --- never mind even if they may appear hurtful.

We should likewise accept that all religions and sects however different are doing their part for God to save souls and those in difficulties. Each has its own way to hold on to their followers as what Lord Bo Tien said to us in the Inner Truth message.

This is alternatively referred to as the Four Pillar Doctrine of the oneness of God and the separateness or distinctiveness of religions and faiths to appeal to diverse sectors of society to save souls and bring them to God. We should love others religions as much as we love our own, just like we must love and believe in what we hold true and at same time respect that others need not agree with us.

We should not let our tongues loose and belittle or pour scorn on others or on other religions and sects. That will not at all be loving kindness and make mockery of all the great works of compassion. That will not do justice to the good names of our divine father the Lord God and His saints.

Lord Bo Tien in 1984 reminded us that we must not expect one shade and color amongst men in society but go for plurality of shades and explosion of colors. We must accept the yin and the yang even in His temple and that differences are good  and are learning points in the gospel of life. They allow us to better practise loving kindness. Revisit of 1984 message of Lord Bo Tien

Loving kindness will fly out of the window the moment we have dagger eyes for those who see not eye to eye with us in the work of God - the Mission of Heaven of which saints like Lord Bo Tien are divine messengers

We must first learn to love our fellow men and our kins before we can love the world --- however wanting and less deserving they may be. Charity or love begins at home ground more so for the followers of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien. Loving kindness means we show love and concern for our fellow men even if they see not eye to eye with us. A temple that promotes love and compassion for wider society must live by example by promoting love amongst members of the temple

To be able to do so and have love for others, you must not even hate yourself by having guilt if you have done wrong. You must love yourself even if you have done wrong by moving on and doing better. Only by loving yourself can you love others as yourself. If you have little or no love for yourself and blame yourself, then you will do the same to others as well. How much we love others depends on how much we can love ourselves. This is what Lord Bo Tien said in his 1975 message on the danger of guilt. Likewise, you must not dislike let alone hate and excommunicate others who scold us, did us wrong or do not see eye to eye with you.  That will not be loving kindness and it would make mockery of whatever great works of charity you can help do in the name of your temple or church. 

Loving kindness is more than great charity works but  means we accept and love our fellow men even if they see not eye to eye with us. We should let them free to even disagree with us. Mind you they are not even our enemies. God even wants us to love our enemies. Let us harmonise with others who hold differing views and be wholesome like the yin and yang fish-like symbols of the pakua.

Temples and churches like any religious body are generally able to practise as close as possible to the true meaning of loving kindness and have close fellowship and bonding of love amongst members and followers. Only then can they be true in practice of loving kindness in depth and not just pander to superficial societal ways, inclinations and weaknesses. We need more of such wholesome loving kindness that will bring men and religions together as a whole despite the yin and yang differences and distinctiveness

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Your choice of God or Man

No 326 of Living Life Series 1

Go by the way of God and saints, and we will have to cater to the interests of all men even those who see not eye to eye with us. God is benevolent and so must we be likewise if we want to have God and saints in us and we in God and saints.

Go by the way of men, and we will end up attending to our own sectoral interests and alienating others who see not eye to eye  with us. Men is not like God and saints and the devil in men will rear its ugly head. Men then will go an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth

Go for God's mission and all will have place in the sun of God and saints. Even the far will be near for easy is it please God and saints for there is no bargain with God and saints

Go for Man's mission and only a handful have that chance to be in the sun of not God but of man. Even the near to Man will be far for sure for it is not easy to please man for Man will bargain and exact a pound of flesh for every pound plundered

Go by the way of God and saints and even those in Hell will not be damned for they too can mend and be whole as well.

Go by the way of men and even those who could be in Heaven may be damned for the shortcomings and be in Hell even on earth and ever so unwholesome, ever so fettered and in chains.

Go for God today and you will lap in God's benevolence even if you wrong God ever so often. God is ever forgiving and ever giving.

Go for mens' whims and fancies and you may be at their mercy if you do them the slightest wrong or merely because you do not see eye to eye with them and have really done no wrong other than not pleasing them

Who would you choose? Who is easier to please?  Go for God and saints but not for men if you can and if you are wise my dear friends.

As for men there are the better ones though not perfect. Associate with the wise in men. This the Lord Gautama said in the Blessing Sutra (Mangala Sutra)

Let not men sit in judgment of men if you have the way but let God judge men. If God be the judge, more peace and leeway you can have.

In an assembly of men for God and saints, let the leaders be servants to all men and not the men be servants to the leaders. Lord Jesus be praised for His call for servant leaders in a spiritual assembly of men. This is why the second of seven precepts of God introduced by Lord Bo Tien for his followers is to believe in what saints preaches. (Refer to The Precepts  and Revisit of Messages by lord saint before 1974)

What is your choice? God or Man. If you choose God, you have all of these three - free will, God's love even when you do wrong and you still have men. But if you choose Man, God is still there waiting for you the poor souls of a man enslaved by fellow men

Take refuge in God and saints. Be a free spirit and soar in life. Choose the leadership of God and saints and be like the dove to fly free.

Take refuge in Man and you will often be in the clutches and chains of Man.

Why? Dear friends, there is the yin and yang in men. Be with GOD and learn to be atop and to balance the whims and fancies of Man and be at peace as you are with God and saints even amongst men.

Let the image of Lord Bo Tien show you how with his feet atop the elements of yin and yang of men.

 

Or be like the divine pearl of the pakua encompassing the fish-like symbols of yin and yang to make life wholesome, round and complete, perhaps not only for the individual but for catering to the diverse needs of society in a temple or church.

A temple or church must cater to the needs of all sectors and its management committee must be representative of the yin and the yang as well. They must serve the congregation and welcome all not only those who see eye to eye with them but also those who somehow do not.  (Refer to Revisit of 1984 message of Lord Bo Tien)

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The cement for concrete pillar for any mission is love

No 325 of Living Life Series 1

Reference Revisit of Messages by lord saint before 1974

Lord Bo Tien way before 1974 passed down seven basic precepts which would be found in one form or other in various religions. The second precept advises us to believe in the teachings of saints (post No 153 - Nov 6th 2010 The Precepts). Lord Jesus is no exception. He has many wise teachings that even non Christians can value

Many fail to realise the significance of Lord Jesus saying that we must love our enemies and offer the left cheek if they slapped our right cheek. We should not go for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth as in the old testament of the Bible.

What is meant by the Messiah Lord Jesus is that after his coming, the more divine way is to love without reservations and if you love someone say your son and if he slapped you, would it help the situation if you slapped him back?

Of course, you would be disappointed by your son that he had slapped you even if you as the father had wronged him. You should explain and regret what you did wrong if indeed you were wrong in a way, but if he was still angry and you  needed to show your unreserved love. how could you do so? If you chose to run away but after that, the next day he was still sizzling with anger, what next? Surely, you did not want to break up with him and make matters worse. As what Lord Jesus said, you might offer him the other cheek to show your love and this might save the situation.

This is the same as what Buddhists and Taoists as well as Hindus refer to as loving kindness in their own respective ways.

This is the extent that God and saints would love us. Even if we are wrong, and blame God, God will harbour no bad feelings and will not run away from us. He will stay with us and don't mind our bad mouthing Him, figuratively slapping him on the other cheek and on both cheeks over and over again. This way we know He loves us and harbour no bad feeling of us and we could depend on him.

If ever we fail in life, it is not because He fails us but  that we fail ourselves. But please don't blame God for goodness sake. What we need is to imbibe that divine love God has for us and be a little bit of God ourselves by not blaming others or be angry with others even if they did us wrong or don't toe our line. 

Brethren, for example, if members of a temple or church are sadly enough unhappy with one another, they should still show love for one another and not forsake and excommunicate one another.

The mission of a temple or church is big enough for everyone and each must do their part. They don't have to do the same part for there are more parts than there are members. The work for God is that much more and requires the commitment by all members and even non-members.

Why go for the limit and go for an eye for eye and a tooth for tooth? Worse still is to deny a place in the sun for fellow brethren they don't like.

Love lights up the tree of life and is the cement for the concrete pillar for any mission. Lord Jesus led the way by showing how to love and what is the extent of love - especially how to live and love those who do not see eye to eye with us.

Lord Bo Tien said in 1984 that the members of an organisation must live and let live. The yin and yang must make one whole and yet are different.

Some are more yin and others less yang. If we expect only one approach and one narrow interpretation or one clique culture, all others would effectively be denied places in a mission where the brotherhood of diversity of yin and yang is of critical importance. This lack of wholeness of yin and yang will spell the downside of the mission for that organisation. (Read article 315 dated 28th Oct 2011 - Revisit of 1984 message of Lord Bo Tien)

Luckily in the Mission of Heaven, undertaken and led by Lord Bo Tien, this song of human weakness is not replayed time and again. Otherwise, how can mission members expect all religions and sects to be different in their respective ways and still work as one for the same inner truth of God and for the universal ecumenical need to help beings in difficulties and ultimately to save souls of beings.

The mission to save souls calls for more than one way and more than one view to bring more to God. In fact, there is need for as many ways and views as possible.

This requires those who want to take part in the inner truth mission to likewise come from diverse factions, persuasions and capabilities. Otherwise, there will be no mission as the mission followers would not be setting good example of having diversity and not abiding by the inner truth mission to show the oneness of religions - oneness in diversity.

Diversity does not need to be divisive but can be complementary. The composite of diverse approaches and interpretations can harmonise like the yin and yang making up the wholeness of the divine pearl of the pakua, namely the Taiji, the Great Ultimate. (Do cross reference by reading The Great Ultimate)

Bagua or pakua

Taiji - The Great Ultimate

If there be no love for the diverse persuasions and approaches in society or a mission, there will be no mission. We must even love our foes. Members of a mission or society certainly are no foes even if they hold opposing views. Lord Jesus is right and He is better able to project the need for love amongst men, more so if they belong to the same cause or mission.

Love is the cement to bring all to be a concrete pillar for God's work - the Mission of Heaven. The cement for concrete pillar for mission is love and that makes the mission divine, otherwise how can it be Mission of God. 

Without  diversity of yin and yang in members of a mission,  and without unfettered love amongst men of that mission, the mission will end up not as mission of God but selfish mission of myopic men with one clique or faction taking over and casting out other factions. 

Lord Bo Tien reminds us that members of a mission are like the sand particles and if not cemented into a concrete pillar will be blown away by the wind. Praise God once again for heavenly saints and we must believe in the teachings of saints --- as per the second precept of seven basic precepts told to us by Lord Bo Tien, the messenger of God. (Read The Precepts and Revisit of Messages by lord saint before 1974)

Lord Bo Tien

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