No 763 of Living Life Series 1
Go for the upper source for clear water. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says.
The religions and sects of the day start off from the upper source. If we do want to know the basic truth, we must go for the upper source.
The basic truth is simple but may not catch our attention and the danger of not going for the upper source is that what catches our attention and fancy may not be the basic truth but something else.
Yet religion needs to catch the fancy of men. Religions ironically have to be far from religious to do so. But not all will see it this way.
Striking a lottery through lucky numbers certainly catch the fancy of men. Bribing the other world notables with wine and meat becomes the in-thing. But then, some will argue till kingdom come that this is the practice from days of old. The ancestors did that as well.
Loud music and merry making in a house of God or temple will bring in those who want to be merry for the moment. There after they adjourn to entertainment outlets for more food and fun. They vouch that this is good and increases devotion, fellowship and faith.
They do not view this as desecrating a house of God. After all, these are done in the name of fellowship and devotion. These they say may even consecrate the temple. They are nonetheless entitled to their views
They do not view this as desecrating a house of God. After all, these are done in the name of fellowship and devotion. These they say may even consecrate the temple. They are nonetheless entitled to their views
To have connections and to be associated and to get acquainted with the notables and well-off who patronize the house of God are also what would catch the fancy of men. To rub shoulders with God and saints is one thing but to do so with notables and well-off among men is another.
How many go for the basic which is to know God and saints and to be able to do so through purity of mind so as to be at peace of spirit? The answer is that there are not many.
How many go for the simplicity that a spiritual life stresses on? They don't even try to do so while in a temple. How would we expect them to do so outside a temple.
Search our hearts and souls. Then we will know that many of us don't.
We might inadvertently even somehow make a temple complicated with various paraphernalia of devotion and tradition to woo the crowd. We insist that the ancestors did that and so we should as well. This too may be the fate of a temple.
Instead of leading by example, we end up led by the practices of old that may not be in keeping with the times and making a temple more consecrated and keeping it ever more a pure simple and sacred place.
Simplicity and not complexity is the way to go. Elder Ling Diung Kwong of Bo Tien Mission will make every effort that this is the way it should be for Bo Tien Temple.
We often want worldly gains and benefits, even favors for worldly advancement which God and saints would not deny us. They will try to accede. They will give us the nectar. Insects and ants are attracted to a flower for nectar. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) reminds us.
We might inadvertently even somehow make a temple complicated with various paraphernalia of devotion and tradition to woo the crowd. We insist that the ancestors did that and so we should as well. This too may be the fate of a temple.
Instead of leading by example, we end up led by the practices of old that may not be in keeping with the times and making a temple more consecrated and keeping it ever more a pure simple and sacred place.
Simplicity and not complexity is the way to go. Elder Ling Diung Kwong of Bo Tien Mission will make every effort that this is the way it should be for Bo Tien Temple.
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| A temple destined to be exemplary |
Even the doing of good deeds like old aged homes in a temple may be propelled by the nectar of fame. Men want to get the credit of being at the helm of charity. How many really have the purity of heart?
A few even hope to be given titles such as knighthood by the authority of the land. Instead of going away from name and fame to be more basic, pure and simple and thereby more spiritual, men end up being more complex, complicated and more distant from the clear water of the upper source - of true basic spirituality.
They may even compete for titles and end up severing close kinship ties and of all places in the very house of God and saints. Where is the purity and the simplicity of honesty, integrity and loving kindness that should characterize a house of God?
Search our hearts. Should this happen in a temple or house of God? What should we want to see in a temple will always be a wish list. The reality is that often a temple is not what it should ideally be. This state of affairs is not the making of God or saint but the making of men. Even religion is an institution of men, not of God and saints.
Isn't this due to the fact that man will somehow still be man as he is not yet saint and far from being one? But let not this be an excuse, so will the likes of Elder Ling say ...
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Search our hearts. Should this happen in a temple or house of God? What should we want to see in a temple will always be a wish list. The reality is that often a temple is not what it should ideally be. This state of affairs is not the making of God or saint but the making of men. Even religion is an institution of men, not of God and saints.
Isn't this due to the fact that man will somehow still be man as he is not yet saint and far from being one? But let not this be an excuse, so will the likes of Elder Ling say ...
Omitofo (Amitabha 阿弥陀佛)!
