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, May 16, 2015

Wesak and freedom from the Three Hallmarks of Life

No 875 of Living Life Series 1

Wesak will always bring to mind the teachings of the Buddha. The joy of Wesak has to do with the Word of the Buddha. The Word is in the image and the image is the Word. This is what Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 said, didn't he?

Buddha advised all to grasp more on the three hallmarks of existence namely imperfection, impermanence and illusion of ego - dukkha, anicca and anatta in Pali.

Impermanence is universal of existence be it on earth, hell or in the heavens.

Imperfection is suffering. Birth, disease, old age and death are direct suffering. Worldly blessings do not last, add to the imperfection and suffering. What we are made of - the five aggregates are changing and not lasting. This too is imperfect.

Illusion of ego does not mean non existence or no self in every sense of the word but that we do not have ego or clinging. To put it bluntly, we need to cultivate a no-ego self and not be deluded into thinking we destroy ourselves nor mistake our five aggregates that make us sentient beings as the self or soul.

Instead, we save ourselves by neither clinging on to the five aggregates as permanent entity nor thinking that we are no more if there are no five aggregates.

The five aggregates that constitute a sentient being are matter, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness.

We want to go beyond delusional clinging to aggregates and annihilation so that we no longer be at wits end. We need to end rebirths in all dimensions- in heaven, earth and in hell. We need to be free and be liberated to be enlightened beyond rebirths - to attain the non-caused, non-conditioned and non-created.

We ourselves create the problems. We can put an end to these but this does not mean we finish ourselves. We liberate ourselves.

It is simple but not instant. We simply avoid evil, do good and purify the mind. We avoid negative mental roots of false views, ill-will (e.g. aversion, anger) and clinging (greed). We cultivate the opposite three positive roots of right views, goodwill and non-clinging. That is how we avoid evil, do good and purify the mind.

Isn't this common sense? If so, then it is universal to all beings and all religious cultures? But with bad habit of attachment, we are blinded and see not the true nature and reality of life. This is the inner truth that the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 wants us to know so that we can be better at what we are and at where we are as well as in whatever culture we are in.

Belief in God and saints is good but will not do if there is no common sense in going for what is real and necessary. The reality is we need to save ourselves by being good, avoid evil and purify the mind.

Mere faith will not let us go the mile though we need faith and guidance. But let not our faith blind us and be our stumbling block. Remember the Word is in the image of God or saint and God or any saint is the Word. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says not so that we believe only in him but so that we will believe and learn from all saints.

Well, Wesak is about the Word and the Word is behind all religious cultures. Freedom from the Three Hallmarks of existence is what the Word is all about in any religious culture but the approach and presentation may vary and differ.

There is no reason or excuse to split hairs at all. Humans often do but not God and saints. Humans may misrepresent God and saints but divinity don't seem to mind.

God and saints are all about love. They are free from the three hallmarks... They will not take offence, let alone condemn. They love us ever the more and will help us - not spoil us and worsen our lot. All beings are brothers in God and saints.

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨

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.