LIVING LIFE SERIES 1

A BO TIEN (武天) MISSION INITIATIVE LAUNCHED ON 28TH SEPT 2010 BY INNER TRUTH NETIZEN 2. THE MISSION IS TO SHOW THE WAY TO HOPE, INNER PEACE AND ULTIMATELY SALVATION FOR ALL BEINGS. THE PURPOSE IS TO SAVE SOULS. IT IS WAY BEYOND NORMAL GOOD WORK LIKE CHARITY AND WELFARE ACTIVITIES. NO ONE SHALL BE SAVED BY GOOD WORKS ALONE BUT BY MORE THAN GOOD WORK. THERE IS NEED TO BE IMBUED WITH THE BASIC DOCTRINE COMMON TO AND BEHIND ALL RELIGIONS AND SECTS. LIVE IN DOCTRINE. DOCTRINE IN LIFE IS PARAMOUNT.

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The Living Life Series is dedicated to Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). The doctrine is in His image. The image is the doctrine. He who sees, understands and effects the doctrine sees and knows Him. He who does not see, know and effect the doctrine sees not and knows not the saint even if the saint or His image is beside him. The far may be near and the near may be far. Let the doctrine and the saint be part of our life. The lord saint in your life can be any heavenly saint of any religion, sect or school. The doctrine of truth is behind all and this is the Inner Truth that leads all (regardless of their religious affiliation or even if none) to inner peace and heaven on earth here and now and not just in the after life. The ideal worship and devotion is to know and effect the doctrine of God and the saints. The best gospel is the gospel of life. We learn from our life and the lives of others. The true temple is the world we live in. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions and sects are the pillars of the temple. All under Heaven are in the temple. Needless to say that all the saints we know are in this temple. Ji Gong Posat too is no exception. The whole wide world and web is the temple and must be regarded as a sacred place --- a temple for living and learning. It is more important that everyone that counts plays a role in this universal temple if due focus is to be given to the Mission of Heaven. Men must not be distracted by the agenda of men and end up serving the mission of man. That would be a far cry from the Mission of Heaven. We worship God and saints, not man however good that man may be. There should be no hero worshiping or idolizing of man whether he is a charismatic pastor, priest, monk, medium or lay leader. We don't even idol worship the image of any saint but reflect on what the image stands for. - the doctrine in the image. Omitofo 阿弥陀佛!.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

On means and ends and on teachings and saints

No 728 of Living Life Series 1

The strength of a religion lies in the people. It has all to do with how the values of that religion have changed their lives and are changing even more lives.

The central figure may be the sage but even if the story of the sage is too far fetched, this should not detract people from the strong values of the teachings. It is the teachings that count and not the personality of the sage.

Thus if one day, the world comes to know that the life story of Gautama is not what we know, this should not detract from the reality that his teachings are profound and worth knowing. One incident that baffles reality is that he walked on seven lotuses upon birth. Perhaps it was just a vision and not a reality. That it might perhaps be a vision does not in any way affect the stature of the Buddha and dent the magnificence of his teachings - the Dharma.

Thus whether saints like Buddha Amitabha and Goddess Kuanyin are historical realities are not as important as their teachings of love for all beings. They are the faces of divine love and evoke inner peace even for those with mere simple understanding of divine love. But there are stories spun of them but such stories should not take center-stage or precedence over their message of love.

The same applies to any other sage. Adherents tend to distort the life history so that people will find the sage ever more that awesome. Miracles will be told that may overshadow even the wonderful teachings of the sages. Men will simply find it more attractive to behold the sage than the teachings. Is this what should be?

For example, consider the event on the cross, and whether Jesus did not die but escape death on the cross is evidence of resurrection or not the case. This is not as significant as his message of boundless love of God and saints for all mankind.

The teachings of love and the need to love others as well as oneself is central and the pivot of the call of God in all religions.

The message of the event of the cross is that even unto death and beyond, Jesus is the flag carrier of divine love. He carries the burden of the cross so that men can appreciate and embrace the love of God. Even the advent of death will not cast any shadow on this divine and all encompassing love. He indeed merit to be the Son of God.

Since the Word is all important, we must focus on the Word. Sages want us to focus on the Word and not on who the sages are and how awesome they are. The latter would be easily blown out of proportion.

No wonder, in many scriptures, the Word is God and God is the Word. Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) adds that he who knows the Word knows the lord and he who does not knows not the lord.

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨)

Focus on the teachings and not the sage. But it is necessary to put a face to the teachings and make the teachings more appealing. This perhaps is the means and not the end.

No sage or saint would want people to be crazy over him and idolize him.? We should not even be idolizing the Word but to put the Word into practice. We should live in the Word and make it come to life.

Lest you forget

Do not make the mistake of idolizing any man who tells you about the Word. He is in the same boat as you even if religion refers to him as a religious leader. Mere mention of a religious leader is as good as encouraging idolising of that man. Why must there be hierarchy in religion? Hierarchy is conventional but may end up as liability rather than a necessity or asset. There should be no caste or hierarchy system in religion. No one is to be considered above another in religion. A religious leader or follower is a servant to serve you and not a leader to be idolised. Do not put him on the pedestal and make a monster out of him.

MAY ALL BE WELL AND HAPPY

May all be well and happy. May they have peace. May our departed friends and kins be well, happy and have divine peace. The main writer wishes the best for all for those near and far. Our kins may be far when they had passed on to better lives but they are near though far. He remembers and wishes his parents Mr Siow Soo Koh and Mdm Tay Hung Siang, his uncles and aunties like Mr Tay Koon Huay, his cousins like Mr Tay Chong Sim and his friends like Mr Philip Png well and have abundance of life. May they be rich in spirit for without such ancestors, there will be no posterity - no us and no you and me. They have blessed us and we must blessed them in return forever and ever.