No 283 of Living Life Series 1
'Today (13th day of the 9th lunar month 1974) marks once again the Saint's Anniversary descent. Over the last year you the members would have noticed many events and incidents.
A temple being new has to face many challenges as it grows and evolves.
The precepts and doctrines may not be new and different from that of others. However, a new temple like this temple can have approaches which can appear to be very different and contrasting. This can give rise to concerns and opinions simply because they may not be readily understood and accepted.
There will be disquiet. It is alright to object or to differ. Some just cannot understand at the current point in time. This is beneficial for all and members must convey this clearly to them. Moreover, concerns and objections arise because of inability to understand and grasp. They do not indicate lack of faith in the saint. Once elucidated and clarified, they will have no more doubts and be within the folds of the fraternity even more steadfastly and with confidence and commitment.
Amongst the members of any fraternity will be persons with varied interests, skills and persuasions. There will be many in various levels of training, trials, cultivation and learning. Do understand that not all endeavours will meet expectations and result in some form of good outcome. There will be shortfalls, disappointments and surprises. Do learn to accept, to tolerate, to be not troubled but to be calm and steady.
Followers and well wishers of a temple or organisation must learn to accept that not all the wishes and aspirations, be it personal or otherwise, be granted or supported when they pray to their saint. There are some who come with troubled and heavy hearts while others may not have this heaviness of heart. However, like those who come to this Temple, they come to seek for something from the saint.
Do understand that there is the element of fate, which, in some instances, any heavenly saint might not be able to alter significantly. This fact, if accepted earlier would be better for all. In addition, do not forget that it is the characteristic of (transient) life to have feelings of happiness and sadness. This is the very nature of life. Every being or man will experience the ups and downs in life. Heaven can often and otherwise do something. Saints can be of assistance and blessings but men must accept fate and the hallmarks of life with its ups and downs.
There is, however, a simpler method in which prayers can be realised and met. As there will be large gathering in a temple or fraternity, there is bound to be someone amongst the group who could be able to contribute his services to fellow brethren. To this end, members of the gathering or group should network, have fellowship and be supportive to one another. They should help one another and be blessing to one another.
A temple too will attract people of various characteristics, some good and some not so good. These will be contrasted for all in the group and be noticeable. Learn and absorb as much of the good points of others. Do also learn from the weaknesses and mistakes, so that these will not be repeated in their own life.
The anniversary message of the principal saint Lord Bo Tien should be heeded for the good of the present and for the future. The pointers apply to all organisations and temples . The message is universal and timeless."
Message re-phrased
'Today (13th day of the 9th lunar month 1974) marks once again the Saint's Anniversary descent. Over the last year you the members would have noticed many events and incidents.
A temple being new has to face many challenges as it grows and evolves.
The precepts and doctrines may not be new and different from that of others. However, a new temple like this temple can have approaches which can appear to be very different and contrasting. This can give rise to concerns and opinions simply because they may not be readily understood and accepted.
There will be disquiet. It is alright to object or to differ. Some just cannot understand at the current point in time. This is beneficial for all and members must convey this clearly to them. Moreover, concerns and objections arise because of inability to understand and grasp. They do not indicate lack of faith in the saint. Once elucidated and clarified, they will have no more doubts and be within the folds of the fraternity even more steadfastly and with confidence and commitment.
Amongst the members of any fraternity will be persons with varied interests, skills and persuasions. There will be many in various levels of training, trials, cultivation and learning. Do understand that not all endeavours will meet expectations and result in some form of good outcome. There will be shortfalls, disappointments and surprises. Do learn to accept, to tolerate, to be not troubled but to be calm and steady.
Followers and well wishers of a temple or organisation must learn to accept that not all the wishes and aspirations, be it personal or otherwise, be granted or supported when they pray to their saint. There are some who come with troubled and heavy hearts while others may not have this heaviness of heart. However, like those who come to this Temple, they come to seek for something from the saint.
Do understand that there is the element of fate, which, in some instances, any heavenly saint might not be able to alter significantly. This fact, if accepted earlier would be better for all. In addition, do not forget that it is the characteristic of (transient) life to have feelings of happiness and sadness. This is the very nature of life. Every being or man will experience the ups and downs in life. Heaven can often and otherwise do something. Saints can be of assistance and blessings but men must accept fate and the hallmarks of life with its ups and downs.
There is, however, a simpler method in which prayers can be realised and met. As there will be large gathering in a temple or fraternity, there is bound to be someone amongst the group who could be able to contribute his services to fellow brethren. To this end, members of the gathering or group should network, have fellowship and be supportive to one another. They should help one another and be blessing to one another.
A temple too will attract people of various characteristics, some good and some not so good. These will be contrasted for all in the group and be noticeable. Learn and absorb as much of the good points of others. Do also learn from the weaknesses and mistakes, so that these will not be repeated in their own life.
The anniversary message of the principal saint Lord Bo Tien should be heeded for the good of the present and for the future. The pointers apply to all organisations and temples . The message is universal and timeless."
Message re-phrased
and re-scoped in English
for relevancy for all
by inner truth netizen
from Singapore
for relevancy for all
by inner truth netizen
from Singapore
PS This blog posting like all other blog postings dwells on the inner truth behind life as re-expounded by the lord saint Lord Bo Tien. They do not represent and reflect the official views of any organisation or sub-group but the perspectives of inner truth netizen, Singapore based on the inner truth concept. The perspectives though may overlap significantly with that of one or more of many organisations or sub-groups. In addition, they are also not primarily meant to focus on or be portrayal of doctrines and teachings of any one or more of the various specific religions or sects
THINKING ALOUD
There will always be issues or obstacles in life. This is only human but we must be on top of issues. How to do so? There are three ways. We can handle issues on our own as individuals. We can seek the help of the divine so that big issues will become small issues even if they cannot be no issue. We can get the fellowship and assistance from others, that is, our fellow brethren.
The above will go the mile for us to be on top of issues but as long as we are in the world of humans, we will continue to have issues to contend with. The three ways of blessings are (1) bless with own endeavour, (2) blessing from saints and (3) blessings from our fellow brethren. There are, in addition, many more added ways to further help us to manage issues and obstacles in life.
MERIT WAY
We need luck or providence to be on our side. We must have merit store to tap on. We can enhance the store by seeking the benevolence from the divine. They can bless us via tranfer of merits. But we must be mindful not to be harnessing demerits by living in frustrations for frustrations only forment more frustrations. We dig into our misery and create more hell for our own life. We must create heaven on earth and not hell on earth. We must fill the cup of our life with water of good merits and not pollute the water of the cup with sediments or mud of woes.
MANAGING FATE
All of us have both good and bad in life. There will always be happiness and sorrow, gains and loss, win and defeat, health and ill-health etc. The list goes on. We must not dwell helplessly into our ill fate but try to resolve, ameliorate or at least contain and come to terms with it. We should not amplify it but focus on our good fate and ensure more of the good to come. We have to create wealth, both worldly and spiritually. We too have to deplete or miminise our bad fate. This concept may be foreign to many and controversial somewhat but nevertheless worth mention. We can do so by fasting, observing austerity of life on certain days, give up comfortable life for a day or two to attend to the unfortunate, give up our meals occasionally and save the money for the destitute. The two fold advantages are obvious. We voluntarily allow our bad fate to take fruition in small bites and in a managed and controlled way. At the same time, we create good fate by doing good acts for mankind and hopefully all beings. (Good deeds include donating coffin, becoming a monk or priest will bring good fate for the doer and the family lineage as well.) Both thoughts and actions count. Sincerity and commitment are determinants of extent of good fate. But in doing austerities, self --affliction, penances or self discipline to attempt to somewhat deplete the bad fate elements, we must not go overboard to extreme of self-injury, self -depreciation and destruction. We must not injure or harm our body and soul (spirit, if you like). We must strike a comfortable and easy balance and be at peace with the two extremes of indulgence and denial of self as aptly depicted by the image of lord saint Lord Bo Tien balancing the two elements with his feet. So in short, there are two ways to manage fate, deplete the bad fate in managed way in small bites or instalments and creating more of the good fate so that the bad has less chance to manifest.
GOD AND SAINTS DO OPEN UP NOT JUST ONE WAY BUT MORE WAYS
"Heaven opens the ways for us but we need to choose and walk the one way of our choice."
Often, we forget that our mortal capabilities are finite and are watered down versions of our potiential due to duress during crisis and lack of spiritual cultivation of inner peace. On our own, we may not be able to significantly modulate fate and overcome crisis. True, we need to help ourselves before Heaven can help us or before Heaven's help or blessings can be effective. Divinity will help but issue is whether we are so engrossed with and burried under our life and issues that we become blind or not receptive to the divine helping hand. We must nurture the Divinity in us and let it grow. We must seek divine providence to open more ways for us to move on when beset with life obstacles that seem daunting. Heaven will provide us with saints to open ways out for us. But we do need to be aware of this divine grace but often we fail to do so. We need to gather the pieces of our shattered life to be one whole and move on. We need to live our own life and make the choice of which way to tread on. The worst is to ignore all the life events which show to us the possible ways open up and set out for us by Divinity. We need to make the choice and tread the way we choose. We cannot resign our inner core to indecision and wallow in misery and let all hell break loose. We need to pick our self up when we fall and move on to live our own life. Only by doing so can our big issues become small issues with the blessings of Heaven. Heaven can usually open more ways for us. We must thank Heaven that we are given choices. Otherwise we will be more like puppets and not have free will.
Often, we forget that our mortal capabilities are finite and are watered down versions of our potiential due to duress during crisis and lack of spiritual cultivation of inner peace. On our own, we may not be able to significantly modulate fate and overcome crisis. True, we need to help ourselves before Heaven can help us or before Heaven's help or blessings can be effective. Divinity will help but issue is whether we are so engrossed with and burried under our life and issues that we become blind or not receptive to the divine helping hand. We must nurture the Divinity in us and let it grow. We must seek divine providence to open more ways for us to move on when beset with life obstacles that seem daunting. Heaven will provide us with saints to open ways out for us. But we do need to be aware of this divine grace but often we fail to do so. We need to gather the pieces of our shattered life to be one whole and move on. We need to live our own life and make the choice of which way to tread on. The worst is to ignore all the life events which show to us the possible ways open up and set out for us by Divinity. We need to make the choice and tread the way we choose. We cannot resign our inner core to indecision and wallow in misery and let all hell break loose. We need to pick our self up when we fall and move on to live our own life. Only by doing so can our big issues become small issues with the blessings of Heaven. Heaven can usually open more ways for us. We must thank Heaven that we are given choices. Otherwise we will be more like puppets and not have free will.
MIND SET CHANGE
We must purify our mind so that we are less attached and crave less or, if possible, no more. We must not create actions that will bring reactions especially bad ones. This does not mean not living the life of this world but means we live wisely in this world and be at peace with our self and the world. We must not leave life but live life in peaceful and balanced way as depicted by the lord saint's image. When we can do so, our rebirths get less frequent and we will be in heavens with longer and longer near eternal life spans and eventually enlightened like the saints, buddhas and arahats.
MANAGING OUR TOTAL ENVIRONMENT - SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL
Sometimes, our past lives result in the tendency for us to live in certain social and physical environment. We live in country where war or strife is unavoidable. We live in terrain where there will be volcanos, floods, tornados and earthquakes. Can we manage these? Can we not be in such situations or places? The answer begs more questions. But, generally, we should be able to choose and place ourselves in more favorable environment. We can change , can' t we? You the reader know the answer. Your answer is as good as mine or anyone else. Do have confidence and be on your way to inner peace and heaven on earth. [PS Fengshui is about managing the social and physical environment. But do not be carried too far into the practice though.]
PROPER MENTAL DISPOSITION FOR ACCESS TO DIVINITY
Saints up high are all embracing and nurturing. They are not judgemental as many humans would be. We must see this truth. We should neither see the man in saint nor the saint in man. God and saints are above man. This reality is comforting for we know they will bless us if we pray whole-heartedly to them even if we have our dark side. They do not exclude us just because of our human weaknesses. They nurture the spontaneity in us to be good so that we increase the length, breadth and depth of goodness. Thus it is to be expected that they look after the welfare of all.
We should not feel guilt and preclude ourselves from the blessings of Heaven just because we have human flaws or dark side. Often, this erroneous mental stance distances us from divinity and divine blessings in our life. Saints see the good in us and not condemn us for the bad. That is why all of us have every chance to be good and to be with saints. Even those in hell and even those who, in eyes of fellow men are far from spiritually correct, may still be embraced by saints to be assigned spiritual roles or to be blessed.
Often we wonder why heaven is blind, why the bad seems to be rewarded but the reality is that we do not have helicopter vision of the saints. We are not far sighted and do not have 360 degree vision to know the past, present and future of these men. We tend to view them as rotten, simply because what are most obvious are the rotten aspects of them here and now.
Do be mindful that the saints up high are not men and we should not see men in saints nor expect saints in men. Thus we must have the correct mental disposition in order to be able to access divinity. We must narrow the gap that distances us from the heavenly saints.
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| Lord Bo Tien and The Inner Truth |
THE INNER TRUTH
Oneness of world religions. One truth behind many approaches, hence inner truth. Simple yet difficult to perceive. Diversity effects outreach for good of many. One heavenly saint's* role as messenger to stress oneness of faiths. Faiths and sects are pillars of Divinity. Differences enrich, add color, liveliness and spirit. Not divisive but complementary. Blogger honours the saint's divine mission. Truth realisation yields tranquility in life.
Universal prayer sumises essence in nutshell. "To all heavenly saints I greatly adore. I believe in your existence and thy glory is on the thought of men. I seek for thy protection and guidance so as to live better for the time to come."
Oneness of world religions. One truth behind many approaches, hence inner truth. Simple yet difficult to perceive. Diversity effects outreach for good of many. One heavenly saint's* role as messenger to stress oneness of faiths. Faiths and sects are pillars of Divinity. Differences enrich, add color, liveliness and spirit. Not divisive but complementary. Blogger honours the saint's divine mission. Truth realisation yields tranquility in life.
Universal prayer sumises essence in nutshell. "To all heavenly saints I greatly adore. I believe in your existence and thy glory is on the thought of men. I seek for thy protection and guidance so as to live better for the time to come."
