The Mission and the Three-fold Way

No 300 of Living Life Series 1

When there is a difficulty in life, this needs to be mitigated if it cannot be resolved. This effects resolution via what we can refer to as the process.

To be able to do so there must be the cultivation of discipline or resilience so that we could be focused and goal directed. This is the potential.

Thirdly but perhaps most critical is to have the wisdom to know how to approach the difficulty. This is the planning.

There are three plans which can be resorted to either singly or in combination. One is to try to go alone in overcoming difficulties based on lessons from past experiences. Two is to solicit the help and cooperation of others. Three is to seek blessings of Heaven so that small issues can be no issue and big issues can be small issues even if they cannot be no issue.

Resolution of issues be it mundane or spiritual involves three aspects - (i) discipline, training and organisation, (ii) addressing the issue and (iii) wisdom reflecting respectively the three 'P's  - potential, the process and the planning.

The shrine hall at Bo Tien Temple portrays this three aspects.

The image of Lord Bo Tien on the left of the three images at the altar reminds us to be disciplined, to train and to be organised not only in temple, spiritual or mission matters but in our personal life as well.

The image of Goddess Kuanyin reflects the process of overcoming difficulties and ultimately to save souls out of compassion and love for oneself and for others.

The image of Amitabha Buddha in the centre reflects cultivation of holistic wisdom so as to know how to effect the process of compassion.

The Mission of Heaven is to overcome difficulties and ultimately to save souls. The shrine hall with the altar of the three pure ones personifies the three aspects of the way to overcome difficulties and save souls.

This three aspects are to be found in any religion and sect but presented in their unique respective ways

The Mission of Life is one with the Mission of Heaven. Men and beings lead mundane life that are plentiful with issues. "The problems and issues of men are many and plentiful." This did Lord Bo Tien say.

Man must take care of the candle flame of his life. By seeking the shelter of the lord saints and heaven, the candle flame will grow and glow and not flicker. A collection of candle flames will light up the lives of the individuals in the group better than the solitary candle flame. This the lord said in 1975.

Lord Bo Tien through his emissary said in 1977, "Everyone is like a tree. Compare thus two trees. A tree with abundant leaves but has shallow roots looks good but can easily be uprooted when beset by storms. A tree with poor crown of leaves and foliage but are deeply and well rooted could withstand storms and drought. Which would you prefer? The grasp and practice of the doctrine will enable you to be rooted to face big problems and issues." 

Obviously, we must be like the tree which is well rooted. We must be rooted in the three fold way to fare well in the Mission of Life.

The methodology of this way brings forth fruits not only in spiritual life but in worldly life as well. This too the kind lord Lord Bo Tien did stress. By cultivating the spiritual values, we reap spiritual success and the same principles if applied to mundane worldly life ensure ample but not excessive worldly comforts to promote more spiritual life.

We cannot go without meals and amenities for basic health. That will be stifling life, denial and destruction of life, which is the direct opposite of overindulgence which too is killing life both physically and spiritually. We need to be balanced by having just ample comforts and with that we are better poised to overcome difficulties of sentient life via cultivation of peace of spirit amidst the yin and yang of life.

In short, to put it succinctly, we cannot do without meeting some basic biological and material needs but our lives must not be driven by flesh and passion (overindulgence) but by quest for peace in both mundane and spiritual aspects of life

To surmise, the Mission of Life is for the individual to overcome difficulties  and to be saved. This if at helicopter level of Divinity is referred to as the Mission of Heaven which is to save beings in difficulties and ultimately to save souls from incessant wandering from birth to birth.

At the more basic mundane level, it is to have three square meals a day and to have an abode. Some have difficulties to meet this let alone go for the lofty supra-mundane of heavenly bliss.

To others, this may be how to have health and reconcile with handicaps be it mental, physical or social. There again issue is how to overcome difficulties. If cannot overcome, at least we must be able to get over and move on.

We can by own effort, with help of fellow men and with blessings of saints, be able to do so, so that big issues be small issues even if they cannot be no issue.

At the holistic or spiritual level, we must overcome or minimise the difficulties of wandering from life to life and from birth to more rebirths. Ultimately there is need to save souls.

Beyond the human realm, saving souls takes on added dimensions for the Chinese who transfer merits and offerings for wandering spirits once a year during the lunar 7th month.

It is said in Buddhist texts that posats or saints do try to save those in hells so that they will ascend to levels above hell. King Yama the lord of Hell even encouraged newly dead in his court of Hell to recall any good they have done to help them energise their fate for the better in order to leave Hell and have better rebirths.

The mission of helping those in difficulties and ultimately saving souls is the Mission of Heaven. The lord saint Lord Bo Tien is the representative of Heaven to re-energise this through whatever religions or sects we may or may not be in.

Let us join hands with the heavenly saints to be messiahs for ourselves and for others in this Mission of Heaven via the  three-fold way of discipline, compassion, and wisdom as represented respectively by the three images of Lord Bo Tien, Goddess Kuanyin and Amitabha Buddha at the shrine of Bo Tien Temple. 

Bo Tien Temple Singapore is the one and only temple of Lord Bo Tien  that exists and flourishes to this day to serve as the catalyst for the Mission of Heaven.

Bo Tien Temple yesterday

Bo Tien Temple today
29th Sept 2011
at No. 6 Fourth Chin Bee Road,
Singapore 619708
Tel: 65 62626021

Pakua Shrine floor

One of Four Pillars at Shrine Hall

Sky dome of Shrine Hall

Garden of The Great Sage Tai Seng 

Envy not if you want inner peace

No 299 of Living Life Series 1

Live not life of envy or no peace you will have.

With envy the more, you would clamour for more than what you could earn or afford, for you would not want less.

In this world of wants, we pay for the more using our future pay that is yet to come. That will be living beyond means of solid cash and Lord Buddha Gautama would have reminded us that this borders on overindulgence

When countries do that they go into budget deficits and when men do that, debts will mount with interests galore.

How sad can this be just to keep up with the Joneses. Many would end up going from un-earned luxury to living hell to pay debts beyond their lives and incur miseries for generations to come.

Live humbly dear friends and live within means and make ends meet. Then life will be meatier and more substantial indeed. 

But when consumerism takes hold of the better of man, man is weak in flesh and yield to sin of temptation to have that he could not yet afford except to say that he would pay with the earnings of the future decades.

How vain can men be to do things in vain? Far from peace such men will be and a prisoner of his wants beyond the here and now. Isn't that not prudent? Isn't that unwise and pitiful indeed? 

Much anguish will be his and he is far from peace. He will be near to bankruptcy both in worldly and spiritual realms as well.

Poor soul, why must he pawn away his future life and hopes. Isn't that what the West would say that he will be sold to misery of Satan's fold or what Buddhists refer to as Mara's fold.

Envy not therefore and keep your cool. Don't try to ape what Jones do and have. Don't go the mile to be in depths of hell of debts.  Surely it is better to be contented vagrants of sorts and live from hand to mouth than to be buried by mountains of debts.

So if you ever want to have peace, keep your cool and make sure your head is on your shoulders, lest you will you decapitate yourself by wants and be delivered to tomb of stress and debts.

Envy not if you want peace. Balance the left and the right and keep cool and steady with right hand holding on to the scepter of spiritual truth, the inner truth that all are one in God above and the other hand to be steady and focus on the true nature of life, grasp of which paves the way to peace that comes from the spirit of life within and not from life and world beyond the individual self.

This, dear all, is reflected by lord saint Lord Bo Tien in his peaceful seated image with feet atop and balancing the yin and yang of denial and wants galore.

The image is the doctrine and the doctrine is the image

Dear friends, envy not and that is the way to peace and real life.

This way of the balance of yin and yang in Tao is alluded to by all religions.

For example, classical Buddhist thinking would refer to the avoidance of life (denial of basic and optimal necessities ) and over living life (overindulgence). The balance of the two is the Middle Way.

Christians too are told not to deny the gift of God which is the gift of life and not to over live the life of flesh and sinful ways which equate to overindulgence. They have to live in God through Christ via the balance way between denying life and God on one end and living the life of incessant greed and sinful ways at the other end.

Isn't it true that we must see the oneness of inner truth underlying the world religions?  Lord Bo Tien refer to this as the Inner Truth. The practice of this truth through the vehicle of any religion or sect yields inner peace and for inner peace to be, envy we must not have or at least we must minimise.

This is the wholesome way to make life whole. Cheers. Om, amen and sadhu to all.

Let us live the wholesome life by avoiding envy and be rooted in the principles of the Inner Truth so that inner peace we may have and storms of life will not affect us adversely.

Lord Bo Tien through his emissary said in 1977, "Everyone is like a tree. Compare thus two trees. A tree with abundant leaves but has shallow roots looks good but can easily be uprooted when beset by storms. A tree with poor crown of leaves and foliage but are deeply and well rooted could withstand storms and drought. Which would you prefer? The grasp and practice of the doctrine will enable you to be rooted to face big problems and issues." 






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Peace be, peace be to all men

No 298 of Living Life Series1

The historical Lord Gautama Buddha did say. Long and arduous is the night to him who is wakeful and long and arduous is samsara (worldly life) to him who is attached and sees not the true nature of life to want to be at peace. He goes after life one after another for every thing and for every whim and fancy that comes his way. When will he stop as there is no end in sight? When will he call it a day? Perhaps he will reel in defeat and give up in life. But this is as bad as going for all and sundry. Dear friends, what then must a man like him do?

Do remember to be at peace with life and this does not mean we must have this or that before we can have peace in life. What is needed is to have insight of why we are here, of why we still want to have more and why we cannot afford to deny what we have and what come our way.

We cannot let the crops of life go to waste but we cannot yearn and suffer for more that we have yet to plant and yet to have. But we should harvest what we can cope and need and share with others if we can.

That is how to have peace, not giving up and not suffering for more but just living life of content with what we have and what we can have.

We will be rich though poor and we will have plenty though we have less. The rich if poor in peace and contentment with life will be poor and have living hell with no peace even if he is in heaven, be it heaven on earth or in the heaven above.

If you find life a dread and a chore, stop and think on why you are what you are and feel. Look not beyond you but within you and see the storm that rages on within you. How frightful can this be?

You do not need more to have more of peace but you need to want less for the more in life --- to have that more of peace in life. Then life will no longer be long and dreadful for you when you were sleepless and restless due to not having peace and restful life like when we get with pleasant sleep.

Long and dreaded is the night for him who is sleepless. Long and dreaded is life for him who is at war with himself and his life, for he is not peaceful with himself and with his life.

Be at peace now and not wait. Do so without giving up and denying the here and now. Do so without asking for the sky and going for the birds in the bush when one already you have in your hand.

Be content and work for life with diligence. But be real, be kind and true to yourself by not making things difficult for you to be happy with life. Balance the two extremes of giving up and going for ever more and then you will have peace here and now as portrayed by the feet of the image of Lord Bo Tien balancing the elements of polarities of life.

But fret not if you still have your suffering ways and clinging. For you cannot change over night but you can improve moment by moment and day by day. Do toil at the soil of life, working on it bit by bit, at a comfortable and steady pace to reach the water table for the water of life, the inner peace within us that is and ever divine.

Fret not if you are yet to have peace but do shoulder on to seek more of the inner peace in life by balancing the polarities of denial on one hand and extreme incessant wants on the other.

Find solace and shelter in heavenly saints like Lord Bo Tien. Pray to them for shelter and they will be with you. The candle flame of your life will glow and grow and not flicker in the wind. Big issues will be small issues even if they cannot be no issue. Small issues will be no issue. 

Fret not if you find that you seem to create more issues and problems in life for you cannot be a saint overnight. After all, you or rather we are ordinary folks or ordinary men whom Heaven at times refer to as problematic men. "The issues of men are many and plentiful." This did the lord saint Lord Bo Tien say.  Amen and Sadhu to all men. Peace be. peace be to all men. 

In conclusion let us refer to what the emissary of Lord Bo Tien said in 1977. "The lordship has elucidated the doctrine of the inner truth behind religions and life. But somehow, many will fall short of understanding and grasp even for the more astute and conversant. This is not the fault of individuals. The reality is that individuals are not perfect. They do have concerns but this could be addressed by praying to heavenly saints like the lordship for guidance. The lordship like any saint will open one or more ways for them through their individual life. Life is the gospel of truth. Similarly, for difficulties in life, do not lament in helplessness but pray to the saints like His grace to intervene. Do pray earnestly and wholeheartedly to the saints and the saints will know. Seek their blessings in earnest and they will come to your side. Big issue will be small issues even if they cannot be no issue and small issues will be no issue."

The emissary added in 1977. "In life, you are like a ship sailing in the sea. When you are caught in a storm, the ship of your life will be tossed about mercilessly. It would be difficult to steer ship to reach destination. There appears to be no certainty. But the one who is more equipped, who is more steady, who has more back-up and who has a bigger and steadier ship can fare better. You too must be a big ship of doctrine with backup by heaven. You will be sturdier and can better withstand the storms of life and be able to resume life's journey after any storm."

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A revisit of the 1977 message of Lord Bo Tien

No 297 of Living life Series 1





Old temple premise at Woodlands

The emissary of Lord Bo Tien descended at the old temple premise through the late Senior Brother Philip on the 13th day of the 9th lunar month of 1977 (the 9th message since his first descent in 1969)

 

Lord Bo Tien

 

"Lord Bo Tien is heartened to note the presence of some founder members who had undergone and withstood a period of trials and tribulations with perseverance, tolerance and steadfastness. The occasion marks the end of an era and heralds a new beginning."

(Inner truth netizen understands that every spiritual organisation or being in life, existence and evolution goes through various phases. The first phase is the phase of traversing treacherous mountainous terrain, uncharted seas and harsh sun of life - SUA HAI JIT KOR in Hokkien. This is the phase of learning and development and involves coping with and overcoming growth or developmental issues that can be described as one or more of the following: (i) as big as the mountains, (ii) as wide and deep as the sea and (iii) as scorching as the hot sun Other phases include (a)' phase of traversing deep into the mountain forest terrain to enter the gateway to the city of splendour' and (b) ' phase of twin divine dragons supporting wisdom pearl of fulfilment'. The former (a) refers to the phase where at long last the wayfarer or organisation has reached civilisation or centre for cultivation and splendour after passing the growth or developmental phase. The latter (b) refers to having arrived and it is the phase of refinement for the higher calling.This nurtures the pure and divine attributes of life beyond what are mundane, that is, enriching the spirit beyond the flesh and material world. Then life or existence will be pure and untainted by worldly issues such as gain loss, happiness sorrow, birth death, honour dishonour etc. There will be the unmistakable inner peace amidst the ups and downs of life. This inner peace merges with and is augmented by the peace of the holy spirit. Existence or life will be like the precious pearl supported by the holy spirit of divinity personified as the double dragons. Inner truth netizen understands that the phases may be successive, overlapping or concurrent but with one phase upfront and more predominant if concurrent or overlapping. This is the truth of life which we need to be aware, mindful and to take cognisance. Otherwise, life events will propel us into endless emotional roller coaster ride. We will be restless and not be at peace with the world and with our self)

The emissary had this to say "In His previous anniversary message, the lord compared a religious body (like the temple here or any other temple for the matter) to mother earth. Adherents have been working on it, sweating out, digging it with hoe and spade in search of water of truth. This truth will quench thirst and quell the fires or passions of wants and torment in life. For any spiritual group anywhere, this would take time span of many long and arduous years of effort, perseverance and effort before results can be obvious. In the instance of the temple here, a good long nine years have passed bye before visible water springs forth. Members' understanding, confidence and conviction see them through to the day when water is reached. They can finally quench their thirst. They have traversed myriad difficulties and obstacles. Sages refer to this period of difficulties and obstacles in four-worded phrase of Sua Hai Jit Kor -- that is ' hills, seas and harsh sun of life'. Members are rewarded for their efforts with the advent of water of truth (the inner truth). They will be able to quench their thirst from then on. This will enable them to go all the way to quell the fire of yin and yang storms so as to have more of inner peace and calm in life"

New concrete temple premise is awe inspiring
at No. 6 Fourth Chin Bee Road,Singapore 619708 Tel: 65 62626021
The temple however is the people and organisation - not the building.

 

 

The emissary declared. "The temple members here have gone through Sua Hai Jit Kor successfully. The temple is the people and organisation - not the building. It is henceforth a full fledged temple even if its physical building is a simple awning shed with four pillars. Members should show respect to God and Divinity by dedicating temple shrine (place where members gather in worship) wholly for praying and worship and nothing else. For other activities such as social activities and cleansing rituals and rites for individuals involving nature forces, spirits and elements, these should be carried out elsewhere in designated altar rooms away from common space. They should not be conducted at a holy shrine dedicated to God and the saints." (Inner truth netizen adds. Certainly this is more discreet and prudent for any place for common or general use, don't you agree? )

Temple shrine should be reserved for devotion and worship

 

 

"A temple shrine anywhere should have its sanctity preserved. The members of the organisation should observe this zealously. The temple proper should be commissioned and dedicated solely for prayer and worship." The emissary reiterated.

He then expressed thus. "The lordship has elucidated the doctrine of the inner truth behind religions and life. But somehow, many will fall short of understanding and grasp even for the more astute and conversant. This is not the fault of individuals. The reality is that individuals are not perfect. They do have concerns but this could be addressed by praying to heavenly saints like the lordship for guidance. The lordship like any saint will open one or more ways for them through their individual life. Life is the gospel of truth. Similarly, for difficulties in life, do not lament in helplessness but pray to the saints like His grace to intervene. Do pray earnestly and wholeheartedly to the saints and the saints will know. Seek their blessings in earnest and they will come to your side. Big issue will be small issues even if they cannot be no issue and small issues will be no issue."

Lord Bo Tien's majestic image at new temple

"The images of the saints like His grace are only to show the way. Devotees should not lose heart when they are daunted by hardships in their endeavours be it spiritual or otherwise. Members of the temple had tried to carry out the directions set in the last nine years. The outcome may not meet expectations. This is not surprising as everyone is not perfect even if the doctrine is. All need to know what they want and the issues they face. Only then can they crystallise their thoughts. Their prayers will then be more concrete and focused. "


"Everyone is like a tree. Compare thus two trees. A tree with abundant leaves but has shallow roots looks good but can easily be uprooted when beset by storms. A tree with poor crown of leaves and foliage but are deeply and well rooted could withstand storms and drought. Which would you prefer? The grasp and practice of the doctrine will enable you to be rooted to face big problems and issues." The emissary said.


"In life, you are like a ship sailing in the sea. When you are caught in a storm, the ship of your life will be tossed about mercilessly. It would be difficult to steer ship to reach destination. There appears to be no certainty. But the one who is more equipped, who is more steady, who has more back-up and who has a bigger and steadier ship can fare better. You too must be a big ship of doctrine with backup by heaven. You will be sturdier and can better withstand the storms of life and be able to resume life's journey after any storm."


"At times, in the case of a spiritual organisation like the temple, the temple is like a ship and can be beset by forces of storms. Be strong in practice and doctrine and have confidence. Do not lose heart if no immediate or obvious results. Good efforts will bear good outcome somehow but the outcome may not be obvious now but later (e.g. next life). Do be steady, confident and be at peace. Be strong in doctrine of truth and have faith."




Message rephrased
and re-scoped
in English
by inner truth netizen


PS This blog posting like all other blog postings dwells on the inner truth behind life as re-elucidated 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.