What is the point in having more of the same?

No 467 of Living Life Series 1

Ji Gong The Living Buddha roams the world of men to do things differently so as to reach out and bless more beings and men.

What has Ji Gong to do with this post, Do read on and find out.

The old anytime better than the new

Many take pride in having a new temple but is this what they need? Yes, it would certainly be. But there is a catch. 

Is the temple providing services that other temples have yet to provide or is it providing more of the same provided by other temples? 

Well, many do have pride and pride calls the tune. They want to show they can do what others are doing and even better than that. 

Is that a problem? No, but they can do better and do what others are not doing or could not do more. They should not emulate others and the temple they run should not end up as carbon copies of other temples but serve as beacon of new endeavors for other temples to model after. 

Certainly, a temple of a lord saint has a mission. Each saint has something special to do. This would be based on the overall doctrine of heaven to save souls. The saints do work separately but yet as one. This is just as religions and sects work likewise but yet are one. 

The mission of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien is to show the oneness of religions and sects and that the same basic teachings and practices are present in all despite their being separate and each unique in its own way. 

Thus a temple of the lord saint is not meant to be one of the many but one for the many to know all are same in God and saints. It may start off like one but is meant to flower out to be different enough to show that all are one in the inner truth that is common to all temples and religions. 

But has the temple of the lord saint arrived as such or is it just being one of the many and doing more of the same such as observing rituals, traditions and performing communal services like the many other temples that were and are around? The answer is obvious. 

Do we need more of the same or more of something new that will make the difference for others to learn and follow. A temple of Lord Bo Tien must showcase the basics behind all religions and sects. It must be able to provide crystal clear water like from the upper source of a river. This the lord saint Lord Bo Tien say. 

It may appear different and far from the ways of other temples but it can be near to all if it can showcase the doctrine that is always behind and common to all religions and temples. Though far in being so different, it is near to all temples. The lord saint did say that the far may be near and the near far. 

The men at his temple should know best but they may not do as much what they are supposed to do as much, all because they are men and the lord knows that. The temple of the lord like the flower should not be blamed for insects coming to it. 

Lord Bo Tien says that a flower will always attract insects and ants coming to it for nectar. Blame not the flower for insects coming to it. A temple is like the flower. Men have weaknesses and a temple exists to help men learn. The lord saint says that men must learn from one another and this is life. Life is the true gospel and not the gospel written by men for God and saints.  

But on the wider perspective, the true temple is the universe with sky as the roof and religions and sects the pillars. All under the sky is in this temple. This too Lord Bo Tien did say. The temple at Singapore models after this concept.

Even Ji Gong the Living Buddha has little inclination for the temple of brick or concrete. He prefers to roam the world and be in the alleys and backyards as well as in the mountains and byways.  

It is really the heart that matters and not the building, the actions or men or what go through their guts. What is the point of having more of the same when the world will do? 

Omitofo.