We belong to the world but the world does not belong to us. We come to this world at birth as additions or new versions of ourselves but in the end we will have to return to the world all that come from this world. This is a sobering thought but still many would not entertain it. They live as though there is no issue and sometimes even no tomorrow.
The representative of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say to any one who came his way and had affinity to be with him thus, "Look at this world, go and have look at the cemetery. How many are there who were notables and nobles when alive? Even the previous President lay there and his rest place is overgrown by grass and forgotten over time."
We are replaced by each successive generation like waves that run aground at the beach only to be replaced by successive waves. We don't seem to see that unless there is the collapsing of time and we cultivate the third eye - the eye of Tao or Way.
We are replaced by each successive generation like waves that run aground at the beach only to be replaced by successive waves. We don't seem to see that unless there is the collapsing of time and we cultivate the third eye - the eye of Tao or Way.
Well, that is life and that is why saints in Heaven feel sorry for us if we just let time go bye and one day wake up to see it gone. By then, this life will be over and we will have rude shock and awakening.
What have we done? Why didn't we do better? Why did not Heaven be kind and make us live life in earnest and not waste it away? Why go for the world as though there is no life tomorrow and no life beyond this life? Questions there will be and many at that.
What have we done? Why didn't we do better? Why did not Heaven be kind and make us live life in earnest and not waste it away? Why go for the world as though there is no life tomorrow and no life beyond this life? Questions there will be and many at that.
The past is history. Today is a present and the future is a mystery and yet to be. There is no certainty and the only certainty is uncertainty. How unappealing can this be?
Even in the temple of the good saint Lord Bo Tien, the days of the descent in the body of man to connect with the lucky few who made up the early temple were short-lived and over for good. But what were over will be over but what matters will be how we value the teachings and make good life with the pearls of wisdom that the good lord shared with us.
These are the few who are indeed the ones with affinity with the saint due perhaps to past lives or whatever connection. There will be many who do not have such good fortune or affinity. Call this karma or fate if you like.
Gone are those days but life is far from over. Life still carries on ad-infinitum. Do not suffer ad-infinitum.
Live the good life. Live in virtue and in peace. This is what we must do and this is what Heaven expects of us. But men tend to daydream and go for the sky.
Men have lofty ideals and are carried away by the clouds only to fall down one day and be in pain, or at best wake up to face the day. Do not face the rude awakening but sober up to the realities behind life.
Live the good life. Live in virtue and in peace. This is what we must do and this is what Heaven expects of us. But men tend to daydream and go for the sky.
Men have lofty ideals and are carried away by the clouds only to fall down one day and be in pain, or at best wake up to face the day. Do not face the rude awakening but sober up to the realities behind life.
Be at peace with life. Know the options and decide to have peace and goodness, not just join the crowd to go for the polarities and contingencies that would often slam us hard and toss us left and right, up and down, leaving us shacked and forlorn. Such is the way of life.
Life vicissitudes take many forms like gain loss, honor dishonor and what have we. The vicissitudes of life are many and plentiful. This is simply because men are men and not yet saints.
Men have difficulty to have peace of spirit. They always court problems and create problems by seemingly solving problems.
Life vicissitudes take many forms like gain loss, honor dishonor and what have we. The vicissitudes of life are many and plentiful. This is simply because men are men and not yet saints.
Men have difficulty to have peace of spirit. They always court problems and create problems by seemingly solving problems.
The issues of men are many and plentiful. This did the good lord Lord Bo Tien say. There is no need to worry and no time to waste.
Do know that there is the good lord. Pray to Heaven. Big issues will be small issues even if they cannot be no issue. Small issues will be no issue.
But do try to take control of life and not be victim or pawn of life. Be atop the vicissitudes of life, the yin and yang and balance them like as depicted by the feet of the good lord Lord Bo Tien on the elements.
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| Lord Bo Tien |
Let there be rapt rapport and synergy of yin and yang in life like as depicted by the Taiji of the Bagua.
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| Taiji of Ba gua |
Oh, this must be but make sure we are not daydreaming about this. Live it and make it work for us. The sages of old in ancient China call this Tao or Way.
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| Ba gua |
Do not just leave matters to Heaven or expect paradise overnight. Tao will surely bring peace but this must take time and must be at incremental pace. The results of course will be immediate though not immediately, fully and exactly wholesome for now. We will for now still taste somewhat the peace of the saints.
Meanwhile, do not be disheartened if there is no immediate paradise. Have faith in saints and in Tao. Hold on to hope and realisation that Tao will work.
Additionally, there is the third dimension for blessing. In addition to self help or cultivation and in addition to shelter by Heaven so that the flame of our life will grow and glow, the good lord Lord Bo Tien did remind that often we must help one another.
There will be those among us who are good in one way or another. Pull resources and help one another as well. There will be more good that way and more peace as well.
Be ever mindful though that if we do not walk the path of Tao and peace, no amount of effort and promise by God and saints will work. No effort or inputs by fellow men will make any impact. No doubt, self effort and fellowship of wayfarers do go a long way but as we all know too well, we need to help ourselves. Even God could only help those who help themselves.
Of course, help for others and by others are always good. It must come at opportune time and be valued.
There is need to stress on helping thy neighbor. Do not just fold arms and watch him suffer, worse still laugh at him and pass snide remarks. Even almighty God and saints will not do that.
To rile or snide is one kind and not kind. That is not loving kindness but outright ill-will. There will be no peace that way but more problems and issues.
That unfortunately is what many in religion do. They pass snide remarks not only on those of other religious persuasions but also on fellow brethren in the same religion.
They may be of same temple or of the same saint but mind you, they can end up coming to blows and bringing one another to court of law in the name of God and saint. What Tao is this, we may ask.... God knows.
But there is more than meet the eyes. Judge not lest we be judged. Whatever be the case, do live life at peace and wisely if we can. However all of us are learners and somewhat novices of sorts till the day we make it to sainthood through years of Tao.
Be like Lao Tse and renounce problems of men to have less of them so as to live life of peace with the world, not leave the world but go for the true and wider world. Often this requires simplicity and insight not complexity and entanglement.
There will be those among us who are good in one way or another. Pull resources and help one another as well. There will be more good that way and more peace as well.
Be ever mindful though that if we do not walk the path of Tao and peace, no amount of effort and promise by God and saints will work. No effort or inputs by fellow men will make any impact. No doubt, self effort and fellowship of wayfarers do go a long way but as we all know too well, we need to help ourselves. Even God could only help those who help themselves.
Of course, help for others and by others are always good. It must come at opportune time and be valued.
There is need to stress on helping thy neighbor. Do not just fold arms and watch him suffer, worse still laugh at him and pass snide remarks. Even almighty God and saints will not do that.
To rile or snide is one kind and not kind. That is not loving kindness but outright ill-will. There will be no peace that way but more problems and issues.
That unfortunately is what many in religion do. They pass snide remarks not only on those of other religious persuasions but also on fellow brethren in the same religion.
They may be of same temple or of the same saint but mind you, they can end up coming to blows and bringing one another to court of law in the name of God and saint. What Tao is this, we may ask.... God knows.
But there is more than meet the eyes. Judge not lest we be judged. Whatever be the case, do live life at peace and wisely if we can. However all of us are learners and somewhat novices of sorts till the day we make it to sainthood through years of Tao.
Be like Lao Tse and renounce problems of men to have less of them so as to live life of peace with the world, not leave the world but go for the true and wider world. Often this requires simplicity and insight not complexity and entanglement.
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| Lao Tse leaving the frontier for the wider world |
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| A buffalo will do and not a horse carriage Is this the simplicity of the sage ? |
