Operationalizing the 49 Day Purity Observance

No 1026 of Living Life Series 1

Those who observe the 49 Day Purity Observance before Bo Tien Day or Mission Day on 13th day of the ninth lunar month would normally reaffirm their pure intent on the first day which is 49 days before the Mission Day. To those at ground zero at a temple or to those outside a temple, they can do so by saying thus the universal prayer:

"To all heavenly saints, we greatly adore. We believe in your existence and thy glory is in the thought of men. We seek for thy protection and guidance so as to live better for the time to come." 

Then, we remind ourselves to want to be pure. We must do good, avoid bad and purify the mind. Effectively, we must speak no evil hear no evil and talk no evil.

Though the intent is ultimately to purify the mind, this is not as easy as it seems as thoughts both pleasant and unpleasant do crop up. We must not feel bad about this. There must be no guilt. We just do what we can as a little step forward and just that little more purity does add up. It is a matter of culturing the mind. 

But as we try to do so, we become mindful that as we think we may act according. There is need for restrain if we still have not so good thoughts - like ill-will towards others, greed (going for more and more) and false views that makes us have ill-will and greed. 

It is thus recommended that we try to have certain bodily observances. 

We keep our mouth shut and don't talk unnecessary less we cannot have kind and loving words for others. This is the first step towards having pure thoughts free from ill-will and greed. Incidentally, guilt and denial of life is ill-will towards self. Over indulgence in senses is also creating problems for ourselves and lead us to suffer in want of more. More is never enough and often less is more. 

It is easier to curb what we speak and this means to shut the gap if we cannot be sure that what comes out will not be kind and loving. Of course, this does not mean we will not have loose thoughts that are unkind both to self and to others. The most important thing is to try to be better and not to feel guilty when we cannot stop the thoughts we want to avoid. We must accept ourselves for what we are, both the goods and not so good. We must not reject ourselves. 

Some will observe total silence before noon but really the individual has the choice. Others stay in a temple before or after work as this will be easier to shut the gap.

As there is need to have love for beings, there is effort put in during the 49 Day Purity Observance to avoid eating meat. Some consider this untenable and go for fasting before noon. The idea is to promote less wants and feel good. So it is not a compulsion. Do what we can. Guilt is not good as stressed by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. 

Don't forget to be mindful of your thoughts but not feel guilt. Be mindful to have loving thoughts for all incuding self. But be wise. This is mental cultivation or insight meditation. 

Another kind of meditation is to focus on an object such as the Buddha image or the image or icon of any saint. This is to try to have less of the loose thoughts but if other thoughts intrude into the mind be aware of this and then return to the focus of meditation. This is concentration meditation.

We must try to practice both types. Be mindful of the moment and that will help towards a more pure life. Often there is need to have balance and this is depicted in the image of the good lord with feet atop and balancing the elements. Meditate on this. 

Remember to at least keep to the precepts of the religion you are in and be better at the religion you are in. But to be pure, we need to go beyond just precepts. Precepts provide the out of bound markers. 

The mission of the good lord Lord Bo Tien is to enable all to be better and pure through the religion they are in. 

The precepts for the mission of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien are universal precepts, similar to the precepts in many religions or sects. They are by no means exclusive. They are: 

1. I must believe in One God 

2. I must believe in what all the Saints preach in words, thoughts, deeds and all that are written. 

3. I must not kill. 

4. I must not steal and do what is extremely bad to harm my neighbors or their belongings. 

5. I must not covet my neighbors wife. 

6. I must respect my parents and all those elder than me. 

7. I must not bear false witnesses against my neighbors

Be mindful that if one breaks any precept such as no 5, that same person is likely to break precept no 6. Perhaps the reverse is also true. Such individuals are likely to break precept no 7 and 4. They are also likely to pay lip service to precepts no 2 and 1. They are not sincere in upholding the first two precepts. Among them, they are likely to kill animals as sacrifice at a altar of a temple where animal sacrifice is taboo.