Time certainly waits for no man. Year after year, there is the mission day when we take stock of the Mission of Heaven to save souls led by the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨).
Who is really the good lord whose honorific name literally means the martial of heaven? He would rather we know what is the mission and what is the truth behind and common to all religions than for us to know who he is and be head over heels over him.
Not only that, he is not here to start any new religion or sect but in 1969, he had to descend and he chose a Chinese style traditional temple set-up for good measure. He wanted to show that the same truth of God or Divinity and the same way to divine peace are present even in such a temple and this too is like any house of God.
 |
| 武天菩萨 Lord Bo Tien |
He was quick to remind that the true temple is the universal temple with the sky or heaven as the roof and religions and sects the pillars in the four cardinal directions. All under heaven are in this temple. Temples are made of people and people who run them are by and large worldly attuned and want worldly glory - riches and wealth on earth than in heaven. They go for nectar like ants and insects to the flower.
They go for the flesh even if the flesh will perish. They go for fame even if life as man is fleeting. As such men of temples even of a temple in the name of the good lord goes for what they can gain as individuals and as a group.
Sometimes they peddle their own sub-group agenda though they may do good with welfare and grassroots activities. This the good lord says will somehow still be good and will also reap blessings or merits. He has no objection to men going for nectar of the flower of divinity for their personal gains.
But his mission is to save souls not just to tend to the worldly needs of the destitute and bring good repute to the men at the helm. It is to save souls. It is not just to make popular a Chinese temple, a Buddhist temple or a Taoist temple.
Least of all, it is never to make popular his good name. He is not here to impress men with his divine prowess and majesty. There is no need for him to descend in 1969, no need for him to make good his physical temple on Earth and have many more.
There is need for making all understand the oneness of religions and sects in God and Divinity and the way to inner peace that is achievable through any religion or sect.
Each religion or sect will have its own rules or dogmas, own style of holding on to people but ultimately men who seek spirituality must be at peace with God and with life - their own lives and the lives of others.
Thus the starting points may be different but all paths or roads lead to salvation - the saving of souls. But men being men may end up glorifying and pandering to their own agenda than the agenda of saving souls. They may end up idolising men when they are not even encouraged to idolise God and saints.
The Mission Observance Day falls on the thirteenth Day of the Ninth Lunar Month and it is a day for reflection of how far we have gone with regards to saving souls not only ours but others as well.
Saving of souls is best done by reawakening the inner truth in men through their respective religions and sects and not through change of religion or sects.
It is best done through strengthening the bond between men of religions and their respective prophets or saints. The bond is in the Inner Truth common to all religions.
It has to do with purity of spirit, the purity of the heart than of the body. It is helped by devotion to God and saints but this is only the means and not the ends. It is the Way to inner peace come what may that matters. This is what sages of old refer to as balance of yin and yang. It is more specifically synergy of yin and yang - the passive and active.
It is simply put the working together of seeming polarities and not the elimination or conflicts of opposites. This applies both to the individuals and to society.
At society level, there is need to see the synergy of religions that seem different like fire and water but yet one in diversity but all are there to offer men the way to inner peace and divinity.
Fire and water Lord Bo Tien pointed out can be energized in complementary manner to yield synergy of benefits much more than the total sum of benefits that would be expected if each work alone.
Religions too can be synchronized in like manner to meet the diverse needs of men - by offering buffet of choices. That opens up vast potential to save souls. The mission of the good lord Lord Bo Tien is to facilitate this ideal on Earth among its diverse individuals and religions.
Lord Bo Tien adds that the mission to save souls is like the great ocean that reaches out far and wide to many a shore. No amount of human mud will affect and sully the great ocean.
As in the great ocean, there is but one taste the taste of salt, so also with enlightenment, there is but one taste the taste of deliverance. So said Lord Buddha.
We should love men and love life more so in the name of religion. Religions offer choices and diversity, not to divide men but to save more souls than could be achieved by any one religion or sect. It is because of the love of God and saints that we have many and not just one religion; that in any one religion, we have many and not just one sect. Religions should amplify the love of God and saints but working as one in diversity.
Thus every year when we approach Mission Observance Day on the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month, we should reflect and take stock of how far we have arrived in life and in Mission. God bless.
Saving of souls is best done by reawakening the inner truth in men through their respective religions and sects and not through change of religion or sects.
It is best done through strengthening the bond between men of religions and their respective prophets or saints. The bond is in the Inner Truth common to all religions.
It has to do with purity of spirit, the purity of the heart than of the body. It is helped by devotion to God and saints but this is only the means and not the ends. It is the Way to inner peace come what may that matters. This is what sages of old refer to as balance of yin and yang. It is more specifically synergy of yin and yang - the passive and active.
It is simply put the working together of seeming polarities and not the elimination or conflicts of opposites. This applies both to the individuals and to society.
At society level, there is need to see the synergy of religions that seem different like fire and water but yet one in diversity but all are there to offer men the way to inner peace and divinity.
Fire and water Lord Bo Tien pointed out can be energized in complementary manner to yield synergy of benefits much more than the total sum of benefits that would be expected if each work alone.
Religions too can be synchronized in like manner to meet the diverse needs of men - by offering buffet of choices. That opens up vast potential to save souls. The mission of the good lord Lord Bo Tien is to facilitate this ideal on Earth among its diverse individuals and religions.
Lord Bo Tien adds that the mission to save souls is like the great ocean that reaches out far and wide to many a shore. No amount of human mud will affect and sully the great ocean.
As in the great ocean, there is but one taste the taste of salt, so also with enlightenment, there is but one taste the taste of deliverance. So said Lord Buddha.
We should love men and love life more so in the name of religion. Religions offer choices and diversity, not to divide men but to save more souls than could be achieved by any one religion or sect. It is because of the love of God and saints that we have many and not just one religion; that in any one religion, we have many and not just one sect. Religions should amplify the love of God and saints but working as one in diversity.
Thus every year when we approach Mission Observance Day on the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month, we should reflect and take stock of how far we have arrived in life and in Mission. God bless.
