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!.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The Four Happiness of Chinese New Year

No 811 of Living Life Series 1

The Lunar New Year is about happiness in life. It is time to celebrate life.

There are four types of happiness in life.

The first is hedonism - indulging in sensual pleasures. You may say that this is biological happiness. The sense of plenty to eat and drink on the Lunar New Year is the hall mark of the celebration.

The second type of happiness involves money, beauty and status. We do spend a much of our time in this type of happiness. This has to do with culture and social trappings of the world.

For Lunar New Year celebrations, money changes hands through red packets and gambling among Chinese. Young and old are dressed in new and bright colored clothes so as to look their best and project their social standing. Those who gamble either proper themselves or prosper others. After all this is the spirit of Chinese New Year.

The third and more important type of happiness has to do with friendships and relationships. This has to do with fellowship and kinship. This is renewed and reinforced on Chinese New Year.

Family members come form afar to have reunion and this truly reflects that the far are near and the near far as what the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) comments on life.

The new generation welcome the new year at churches and temples temples after reunion with family on the eve of the new year.

The fourth type of happiness involves knowing our calling in life - a higher calling that we often come to know at a later stage in life.

It has to do with excellence, what life wants out of us and not what we want out of life. Chinese New Year is about how to be excellent at least for the period of celebration. For once a year, all even the less well off try to live to the nines during the new year celebration.

They have plenty and abundance to give even to charity. The spirit of Spring is in the air with bountiful abundance.

This is the life all would like to have for every day of their life. Let there always be the liveliness of Spring in life when flowers bloom. This fourth type has to do with fulfillment and meaning in life.

What are we here for in life, beyond the first three types of happiness? Chinese New Year is the time to reflect and make resolutions for excellence.

The first three are the lower callings and the fourth is the higher calling.

Do we need all four to be complete in happiness? Readers should know better what they need and want in life. Some are contented with less. Others want more.

The wise follow what the Buddha said. Health is the highest gain. Contentment the greatest wealth. Self confidence the greatest friend. Enlightenment is the greatest bliss.'

A timely reflection is however due. Everyone wants happiness but there is no rainbow without a little rain. Even preparing for Chinese New Year requires effort before the celebration can happen.

Chinese New Year is the time to seek the blessings of God and saints so that all our issues of life for the year will be no issues. Even for big issues, they will at least end up as small issues. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) want us to know.

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨)

Then presto, our life will be as excellent as during Chinese New Year. Our good fortunes will come loud and clear like the banging of fire crackers during Chinese New Year.

Let there be spring in life as Chinese New Year heralds in the Spring with cranes in season and depicting the yin and yang of life. Happiness is after all the interplay of yin and yang. When there is balance of yin and yang, there is peace and bliss. This was stressed by the good lord as well.

The four happiness of Chinese New Year is not confined to those of any specific religion or culture but open to all who believe in and embrace the celebration of life. This is as per the central message by Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) that all are one in God and saints. One is in all the ways of men though different they may seem.

Who says we are different just because we belong to different religions? We still go for the same four happiness in life, don't we? The four happiness is within reach by all regardless of race, religion or culture.

It is easier and in fact better that we can do so through our respective ethnic race, religion and culture than try to be in another race, religion and culture and be no where near to having any more of the happiness. We can adopt and adapt the good aspects of others and be better in our respective race, culture and culture.

This too did the representatives of the good lord say. Isn't this plain common sense which sometimes we fail to have when we are carried away and end up embarrassing ourselves and be worse off?

Have a Happy Lunar New Year year upon year. May every day be the beginning of a new year with more opportunities for the four happiness.

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.