Who would ever believe that someone who looked like a beggar and in beggar's clothes would be every inch a holy man? Nobody in their right mind would. On top of that, would anyone believe in such a person more so if he had been asked to leave a monastery for not following the rules of monkhood? Can such a person be believable? Surely not and we will not expect you to do so, unless you know better.
A spiritual leader must look the part and be believable on first impression. Many such leaders are impressive looking, looked every inch solidly spiritual, carries themselves well as priests, pastors, monks or church ministers. They generally should be, more so if they can speak well at the pulpit or altar, more so if they are charismatic have infectious personality and awesome, and more so if they can give rousing sermons and lift the hearts of their congregation many notches in worship and in praise of God and saints. They can even helm many a mission or crusade and they are desirable and every inch wholesome.
But appearances can be deceptive and that is the problem. Many still think that the beggarly looking monk Ji Gong is an aberration of what a monk should be.
How on earth many could wonder is he regarded a saint or posat? But he is and has vast following around the world over the centuries. He has a good heart one that is divine and that of an enlightened one. He was able to help beings in effective ways both in simple solutions that the recipients never even thought of as well as through other unexpected ways that work magic in the lives of men.
He is Ji Gong the Living Buddha but someone who never wear yellow robes or glittering ceremonial robes but grey beggars clothes torn and tethered. He even breaks the norms, eats meat and drank wine, rolling and lying on the floor of streets and byways. He appeared not impressive when he was a man some 1000 plus years ago in Hangzhou China. He was and is not out to impress and to awe, but what he did and does wholeheartedly from the bottom of his heart win the hearts of many a man and beings.
How on earth many could wonder is he regarded a saint or posat? But he is and has vast following around the world over the centuries. He has a good heart one that is divine and that of an enlightened one. He was able to help beings in effective ways both in simple solutions that the recipients never even thought of as well as through other unexpected ways that work magic in the lives of men.
He is Ji Gong the Living Buddha but someone who never wear yellow robes or glittering ceremonial robes but grey beggars clothes torn and tethered. He even breaks the norms, eats meat and drank wine, rolling and lying on the floor of streets and byways. He appeared not impressive when he was a man some 1000 plus years ago in Hangzhou China. He was and is not out to impress and to awe, but what he did and does wholeheartedly from the bottom of his heart win the hearts of many a man and beings.
Who do you like to be associated with? - a personality like Ji Gong or someone who is like a pop star or idol, someone whom other men scream and yell when he comes on the scene. You see this at pop concerts as well as at mega spiritual gatherings with trappings of media and the latest of what have you in a concert.
Obviously you know the answer but when men are impressed they swoon over and idolise the one who can project and impress. Would ever prophets and notables like Jesus, Buddha Gautama, Lord Bo Tien and Lao Tze want such reception from their followers, but some of their followers who are priests, monks or pastors did just that - what they would not do and expect to be done in their name.
But times have changed as many would want us to know. Appearances need not be deceptive and this is true as well.
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| Ji Gong a uniqueness unparalleled in history beggars robes? or monk robes? Both a Tao deity and a Buddha as well |
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| A more saintly portrayal of Ji Gong |
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| A saintly pose befitting an Arahat |
