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!.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Mindful to celebrate life by going for peace

No 858 of Living Life Series 1

Mindfulness has caught up as the in-thing in life. People are practicing mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness simply put is about being aware of the moment and of the present. It is about being aware that the past is history, the present is a present and the future is yet to be and perhaps even a mystery.

So this being the case, the reality is that religion is about the here and now and not about life beyond this life - life after death. But the mortal and insubstantial nature of life bites hard into our very spirit in life and we want and expect immortality after death. We want eternal life...

We sing about the promise of immortality in life after death. Isn't this lamenting about the mortality of life we have here and now?

There must be more focus on life that we have now. Life certainly is not substantial in that there is no immortality but like it or not, it is the only substantial life we can have for now though of course, limited and yes very finite.

We have to be mindful of life here and now and that life is precious. We must make do with life and be mindful to make the best of it. This is what mindfulness has to be and should be. This is how we value the blessings of God and saints and of our elders and ancestors.

Religion is about life and mindfulness of life. Religious practices to be meaningful should deal with life here and now more than life of the here after, otherwise doomsday cults may not be a rarity

If a heavenly saint in a temple deals only with life hereafter, no one will be at the temple. If the saint takes care of the life of devotees here and now, there will be the crowd and vibrancy of life at the temple.

In a church, many go there not to wait for life after death but to celebrate life here and now. They sing and they pray. They have fellowship and joy of togetherness. They go for outings after church services. Life is a joy and a celebration.

But many temples end up being temples for life after death and they house the ashes of the lives gone. Instead of congregations of the living, there are the congregations of the lives who have passed over to the other world. The gates are even closed at sunset. This is not the original intention but is an example of how culture requires men to respect the elders and ancestors.

But the greatest respect we can accord to the ancestors and elders is to show that temples are where the living can celebrate life - that they value their lives and mindful to want to value life, more so when it is not lasting. Let temples be where people can celebrate life and this is the way to go more so if we want to respect ancestors.

Our ancestors surely would not want us to wait for death but to be happy with life - to inject a celebratory vibrancy to life and what better place than in a temple. This must extend to beyond the temple, that is at home and in the world of life beyond the temple.

Well this must extend to the world we live in. After all, the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the world is the universal temple. The sky or Heaven is the roof of the temple. All under Heaven is in this temple. Religions of men are the pillars of this universal temple.

Let there be celebration of life in this temple but do so wisely - no living in the future or in the past and no denying or indulging but be mindful, purposeful and wise. Do not repeat the follies of the past and do not live as though we are no longer in the present or that the future matters not.

Live and celebrate life with what we can have. Go for the peace in life. We should neither live in the illusive dreams and promises for the future nor live in gloom and doom though all will surely pass on one day.

Be mindful to go for the peace of the here and now in our daily life. This is what matters if we want to have the peace of God and saints one day. This of course is distant and a daydream for now.

Be mindful to celebrate and value life. Peace is what we need and let us celebrate whatever peace we can have. Do not mourn, moan and groan. Do not be ecstatic and be in the clouds.

Just be level-headed and be mindful to be at peace. This is the way to celebrate life. This is the Way or Tao the good lord refers to. This is the way to live life - just be at peace to celebrate 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.