Mission is by Heaven and not by Man

No 383 of Living Life Series 1

The creation or product of nature however good is still imperfect with downsides. This the lord saint did say. Thus the mission to save souls and for the matter, the mission of any church or any temple cannot depend on and be shouldered by man though man can take part. Man is of nature, can do some good for mission for a divine mission but still not good enough.

 

In the case of the Mission of God for which Lord Bo Tien is the messenger, mission is by Heaven for beings and man. It is, in more than one way, a mission of God and saints, never a mission of Man though man has to play his part.

But men being man are still men. So expect the unavoidable imperfections of men. Never be upset with men and do what you can and leave the mission proper in the good hands of the lord.

But you can change your fellow men if you strongly feel they have erred. Correct them if you can and if you will. But know your place. You are no god and God is not you. Do not come to blows with them. You may wonder 'Why?'  

 

If man is to take over from God in the mission of a temple or church, all hell may break loose, for men are weak and have self centred self righteousness, always thinking their views and ways are right and others not so. Man becomes more god than God.

 

The very instruments for spirituality may well become weapons of war and terrorism. Words that would otherwise heal become incisive and hurtful. A brother may turn against another brother and that is a problem. Pastor or elder of old may be considered obsolete and not even fit to be revered in museum and archives of time.

 

Such otherwise inconceivable outcome may not speak well of the men who act as though they are of God and think they know God better than others. They think they can speak and act for God but the good lord knows best that men must learn if they cannot be taught.

Time is the best teacher. God keeps His silence but men don't and become more embroiled in problems, more loud and loathsome. Small issues become big issues and disasters. The ridiculous  would then take place.

Religions wage war and terrorism in the name of God. A member of a church or temple does not hesitate to take another to task or excommunicate him from the religion or church. This may be necessary to enable a mission but will other men see eye to eye with him.

Heaven forbids but do tolerate though not condone men from taking matters into their own hands.  But in the first place, are they taking matters into their own hands or are they carrying out the will of God? God knows even if men don't.

So long as men do not take matters into their own hands but do their little part, be it welfare / charity and revising traditions and practices so as to be in keeping with the times, they are contributing to the mission of God in some way, but the mission proper to save souls is by Heaven and not by men.

Men can do their small parts through any religion, church or sect and as long as they do not usurp the role of Heaven and leave to the Mission proper to Heaven, things will turn out better in the long run. Their roles should ever be complementary and contribute in some ways to the mission by Heaven.

But they should not get carried away and be swollen headed and think they can do better than Heaven. They must not think that without them, Heaven cannot make it. Mission is by Heaven and not by men. Mission to save souls is the responsibility of Heaven and not that of men. Men of course can play supporting roles or add value to mission.

Any temple, church or its respective mission is like the flower. This is said by Lord Bo Tien. He said that a flower cannot be blamed for insects coming to it in droves. Insects will dominate and displace admirers who must  often stay at a distance.

Religion is like a flower and religion must welcome even the lesser of the lot amongst men to come to it and helm the running of religion. This may be disgusting to the wise. But do think more broadly and not be narrow-minded. They may be lost sheep  or prodigal sons but they are the very ones who most needed to be shepherded into the flock of religion. Hopefully one day, they will be better than what they are now. God will be most pleased then.

 

 

 

 

Namo Omitofo

No 382 of Living Life Series 1

There are many ways to have the peace of mind and they can be found in any religion or sect. Amitabha recitation is one such way.

Amitabha is one Buddha or Saint who helps those who seek divine peace. We invoke his name and plug into his peace but before we can do so, we must know the doctrine or values and cultivate our mind to be at peace. Invoking his name will help to enhance or magnify the peace of spirit.

 

We need to be mindful that before the recitation can work, there must be the understanding, the mindfulness and the insight of how we can be with God and saints.

 

There is need to avoid denial of worldly life and at the same time overindulgence.

 

We must not  run away from life and we must not be at the mercy of life contingencies, the ups and downs.

 

Buddhists refer to this as the Middle Way. Taoists refer to this as the Tao - balancing the yin and yang, the soft and hard aspects of life. All religions have similar forms of recitation, call it singing of hymns, chanting, meditation or prayer. The end result is still the same - the peace and heaven here and now. We need to pacify and bring peace to our inner spirit - our soul.

For example, by calling on the name of Amitabha, we plug in to peace and energy  of Amitabha and saints like Ji Gong and Lord Bo Tien but we still need to practise moment to moment mindfulness and clarity - for every moment and not use the recitation as an escape from the reality that is life. This way we can have the peace even when not in recitation or prayer.  

 

Do practise the Amitabha Buddha recitation and we will find peace that will bring us to heaven here and now and in the afterlife. Sometimes it is even necessary to recite or sing though not aloud the following while simultaneously going about work or life especially when we are stressed out and not at peace

 

NA MO O MI TO FO


Do visit the following videos at you tube for the many styles to do so or we can do it our own way, preferably the sing song way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuRVXLzRurg&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyXqJuBqJwc&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jHks4kHTjI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkZG00y-9G8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtOlT-VvmsI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cRo4ijY0dM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiqtzmhad9w&NR=1   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnn1ibCvgIY&feature=related      
             
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCsYJqVDpk8&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gax28wPRiX8&feature=related    
 
  




   

The sound of silence can be deafening

No 381 of Living Life Series 1

God seems to be silent when men in church or temple argue till kingdom come on what is right and what is not. God seems to stand one side and keep His silence when one religion or sect makes unkind remarks of another.

This silence fans the guts of men to speak out what they believe and just because God keeps His silence, they think they are right. But the irony is that many of contradictory views think they are speaking for God and others must therefore have erred if they fail to see eye to eye with them.

Men tend to take matters into their own hands instead of leaving to God. They cannot see from different angles and perspectives. They are bigotted and even portray God as wrathful, jealous and ego-centric. These are negative attributes we see in men and not in God and saints.

This is perhaps one reason why Jesus said that self-righteousness is the downfall of many a man.

When the saint or prophet is around, many still do not value what the saint or prophet said. When the saint has said his fill and there is no more need for him to be around, the Word of the saint is there but many do not see or hear the Word.

They have eyes but do not see. They have ears but don't seem to hear. They think that they know the saint but actually knew not.

This happens to any temple, church or religion and even in a temple of Lord Bo Tien. Saint like Lord Bo Tien knows that and it is best that men must learn and if they don't want to learn, even if the Word is there, even if the image of the lord saint is there, even if God is there, men will be blind to God and saints though they claim and profess to know God and saints.

But what they know is their inflated ego and self-righteousness. They hold on to these as their God and saint. They end up worshipping ego and Man instead of God and saints.

That is why founders of religions or sects are there in the beginning, but having seeded the Word, they leave men alone. But if men are wayward and value not the Word, they will feel the silence and the void. The sound of silence can be deafening and they will be lost.

But if they surround themselves with the Word (the doctrine), the silence is the beautiful peace that comes from knowing the Word, instead of the silence that is deafening to those not knowing the Word.

The sound of silence can be deafening to the ignorant but it is the peace that comes from knowing the Word for those who are wise. The wise may be alone and away from the crowd in a temple of church but he is not lonely but has a fulfilling life as he is in the universal temple with the sky or Heaven as the roof and religions as the pillars.

 

But the crowd at a concrete temple or church will feel the void or meaninglessness even with the crowd as they are worshipping God and saints in vane. Without the Word, they will feel the void and silence which is deafening. They are lost with the many others while the wise one though seemingly alone is secure with the Word of God and saint.

Go for the Word of God and not the word by man in the name of God when the name of  God is being used  in vain, like a puppet to satisfy the whims and fancies of the egos of men.

You cannot confine God and saints in a temple or church

No 380 of Living Life Series 1

We should go for the universal temple with religions as pillars and Heaven as the roof. This the messenger of God in Lord Bo Tien reiterated not once but on many occasions.

 

Going for a concrete building may often be futile as such a concrete building can end up as the tombstone of many a man.

 

Go for the universal temple which is made of doctrine. Unlike concrete, it will not confine and entomb man but liberate man.

 

At best, a concrete temple can serve as gateway to the universal temple and doctrine. There are however many doors to problems at a concrete temple but only one door to liberation via doctrine.

 

That is why many men risk being lost in a concrete temple or church. Men tend to open doors of personal and societal agenda instead of the divine truth - doctrine common as the original basis of all religions, the truth of God and saints. There is the need to balance the hard and soft attributes of life and nature, to balance the yin and yang, so as to have the ultimate peace and be seated with God and saints.  

 

The yin and yang are like the twin dragons supporting the pearl of divine peace. Sometimes they are depicted as dragon and phoenix or goat and dragon by the sages of Tao (Way).

 

No wonder saints like Ji Gong the living Buddha like to roam free to reach to many a being or man. He will never like to be emplaced in a lofty shrine but prefer the floor and the wide open space under Heaven.

 

Men like to enshrine a saint in a temple or church but can men really do so? How absurd can this be but then again, saints never said that it is not right or wrong but tell us to probe and look beyond a concrete temple and shrine - to look at doctrine instead.

 

If men want to be with saints they must know the doctrine and then they will know God and saints. The doctrine is everywhere. God and saints are everywhere. They are omnipresent and men must not have the narrowness of mind to think they can enshrine them in a concrete building like the majestic mission related temples of Lord Bo Tien.

 

The true temple or church is everywhere and is in us as well. Doctrine like God is everywhere.

This is very true of Ji Gong Posat. He is everywhere. If you have the heart, he can be in you and with you.  

You cannot confine God and saints in a temple or church. A saint like Lord Bo Tien and his messages do not belong to and are not the monopoly of a select few, are not to be edited by a select few and cannot be confined to a concrete building. He or his tou-li (doctrine) is everywhere and for everyone under Heaven.  For he is in the universal temple and cannot be confined solely to the shrine of a concrete temple.

No man can outlaw another from his temple even if that man to be outlawed is a criminal. That would not do justice to a saint like Lord Bo Tien.

You cannot confine God to a religion. God is in all religions and for all religions. God is not the monopoly of any religion or sect. God is present also for those without a religion. This is the essence of the Four Pillar Doctrine extolled by Lord Bo Tien with 'four' signifying the religions in the four cardinal directions

 

 

Ba gua is not harmful to people

No 379 of Living Life Series 1

In the second last paragraph of the Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien Chor Choo at Philip's residence, the lord saint refers to the Bagua as not harmful to people though it is a common Chinese superstition that if a neighbour faces a Bagua mirror at your house, he is pushing away bad luck to you. Lord Bo Tien said that this is not true

"He then points at the Octagon (Ba gua) which shows two fish-like symbols - The Yin and the Yang - and says it (octagon) signifies harmony and is not harmful to people. Both the Yin and the Yang should exist but if there is only one , then there is no harmony."

Ba gua

Yin and Yang must balance one another for harmony. The point of balance can be more yin or more yang.

The Ba Gua is ageless and summarises the essence of the wisdom of the sages. There is always cyclical ups and downs. But despite this we can have peace by balancing our inner self and have inner peace amidst the yin (passivity) and yang (activity) in nature and in life from birth to our last breath. Life will then be more whole, smooth and round like the Taiji. 

 Taiji

Events in life and nature come in eight possible triplet sets of yin and yang the sages of old did want us to know. They are the trigrams. Let this be the all pervading focus in meditation and mindfulness for us to have more inner peace that is divine. We will then be one with God and saints.

The eight triplets of yin and yang surround the Taiji in the Bagua. The Bagua beckons peace in the one who practises the Way or Tao and it can harness harmony in the environment. Thus it is placed at the entrance of the door facing outwards to bring harmony of the flow of energy to a house.

The Bagua is not harmful to people. It promotes peace and harmony to those who know the meaning behind the Bagua and beckons peace and harmony to a household.








 

Be what you are and yet make it

No 378 of Living Life Series 1

The picture below shows Ji Gong the Living Buddha sitting on a dragon. Legend has it that in one of his previous lives, he was the Dragon Taming Arahat, one of the eighteen legendary arahants.

The legendary dragon blows fire and whirls around  but once tamed is restful and serene. It signifies the life of men and the realities of nature. Life is full of whirls of ups and downs and to the sages of Tao in ancient China, life is about the yin and yang. If we are not at peace with life and are not in control, we will be swept and tossed around by life. The dragon symbolises life and nature. Man must be atop the ups and downs in life, the dualities in life and nature, such as gain-loss, honour-dishonour, life death, joy-sorrow, floods and drought etc.

To do so, some may think that they must leave society and family and be in a temple, seminary or better still be a recluse in the forest. But however, one tries to run away from so-called the throes and woes, one will still be with nature and life. There is no escape.

At the other end, some may say that if that is so, we might as well live for now, indulge and be sinful to the letter but whatever gains we have only create more issues and will not last. For that which is of nature like the flower even if beautiful as whole will not last and not as beautiful if taken apart. This was the gist of the flower parable that Lord Bo Tien talked in depth in one of his latter messages. (Historical version of the 1983 message of Lord Bo Tien ...)

So there is need not to run  away or deny life and nature and not to cling to nature and life. For many, this would mean we have to follow the norms and rules of religions and sects. Many of the rules and norms were put in place many years and generations after the passing away of the prophets or founders. They become dogmas and the tenets of religions. Not many are comfortable with them and they can be restrictive and restraining. The means can become the ends and the real ends then are not met. (Do refer to The Inaugural Message of Lord Bo Tien)

Ji Gong had to leave his monastery in his lifetime for he was not adhering to rules and norms. He is jovial, fun loving and ate meat and drank wine. Not able to change his ways, he was asked to leave the monastery. But he was kind at heart and cultivated the Way or Tao but felt that what is important in life is not outward show but must be genuine and comes from the heart. He succeeded and became enlightened.

He left the monastery with rags for his clothes and wore a torn hat. He was more like a vagrant but he did not run away from life but lived the life, even eating meat and drinking. But he was pure and neither intoxicated by life nor did he run from life. He was able to tame the yin and yang of life and the sages said that he was able to tame the dragon of life.

His image above with him atop the dragon taming it, not running away from it shows the way to handle life. Do not run from life but be atop life and not be swept around by the whirls and swirls of life. The dragon depicts life and is capable of whirls and swirls if not tamed.

His gourd in left hand depicts that even if one lives the worldly ways, one needs not be affected if one is steady and pure at heart. That we drink and eat meat do not imply we are not good.

His right hand fanning away with a torn fan to keep him amply comfortable from heat and dust tells us that we need not have better requisites or conditions, before we could walk the Way. The torn fan which others would discard is good enough for him. It serves its purpose and likewise whatever little we have will enable us to fan away the issues and nitty gritty of life. We need not have a big monastery,be learned in history and  comb the many voluminous scriptures before we can lead the holy life. We need not have air conditioner or more than simple luxuries to be comfortable enough to be great in life spiritually and otherwise.

We can stay what we are or even be poor and of little means and yet we can make it spiritually. We can know only that little and have that little and not more, yet we can make it. Ji Gong's life in question is a good example. One would have thought that having been condemned and not fit to be a monk in a temple and cast away to the slums and dumps outside the temple, he would be lost spiritually. On the contrary, he succeeded when many in the temple or monastery did not.

The image of him above depicts him taming the dragon of life and nature whist still garbed in modest beggar-like robes and torn hat, whilst still drinking and fanning away. In Chinese mythology, "Double dragons supporting pearl" is actually the pictoral presentation of harnessing and balancing the yin and yang dragons to have the pearl of divine wisdom. Thus taming the dragon means mastery of yin and yang balance  that is later depicted as the Bagua.

Ba gua

He even had a jar of  wine beside him while drinking from a gourd. We should be like him. We can be what we are and not try to be what we are not. But at the same time, we can still make it spiritually. No need to give up life or to have more in life but simple make do. In the case of Ji Gong, even wine and meat are no hindrances. What is important is not what goes through the gut but what goes through the heart. 

The Ji Gong way is for you to be what you are, stay with life and yet make it spiritually. All depends on the heart and not the gut or what you do or show.

When will men wake up and learn?

No 377 of Living Life Series 1

This post is based on the understanding of the writer with regards to The Inaugural Message  of Lord Bo Tien and numerous instances of the mention of the parable of the flower and insects come from Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien Chor Choo at Philip's residence

In the beginning, the sages of Tao (Chinese word for Way)  say that there was primordial energy. From the pureness of primordial energy arose the First Pure One and his supra Heaven and then the second and the third with their respective supra Heavens. The three supra-heavens form the supra-universe.

Then the First Pure One created the universe of realms which include earth, heavens and hells that we know of. He sent The Pure August Jade Emperor to be the God Almighty of the universe. The universe arose as such and is in constant change.

God oversees the universe with his saints, buddhas included. There is constant flux and with the material world, this is called Nature. Nature is beautiful yet not perfect. There is impermanence. God set out to help beings to be good and to be  better than nature. He continues to do so. He is the Creator yet not all things are due to Him.  

 

God knows that beings in the universe must change for the better or be changed for the worse. Man is one of the better beings and man needs to change to enhance their life force or spirit so that they can reach the apex and be pure in spirit or soul so as to be with God and saints.

 

To do so, men must contend with the passive and active aspects of life forces in them and in the world around them. These, the sages of Tao refer to as the yin and the yang. They have to balance them and be at peace, not run away or deny nor indulge and be swept away by the whirlpool of life. Buddhas are saints who are experts on this and the so-called Middle Way though not exactly middle is the practice of balancing the yin and yang or what some refer to as life contingencies such as gain - loss, honour -dishonour, denial - indulgence etc.

 

God has the eternal problem of how to help more men to evolve and have this peace but few if any could understand. All they want are blessings to have better worldly lives and blessings God and saints will unreservedly give these to men. They did not insist that men must make good and have less strife before they will bless them. In short, what Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given. Seek and ye shall find." is very true. No bargain and no strings attached.

 

When men get their blessings, they will hopefully grow in faith in God and saints and be wise. They must know how to think and have correct outlook. They must know the simple principles or values of truth - of how to be closer to God and saints. This is the problem or issue.

 

God set no bargain or pre-conditions, otherwise He is no God. He and his saints bless and it is because of the divine nectar of blessings that men like insects attracted to a flower will be attracted to God through the flowers of God which are the religions, sects, temples and churches of the world.

 

Majority flock to them because of divine nectar and few are those who go to them because they know the truth (Word) and want to save their souls to be fit to be with God and saints. If God and saints insist that men must know the Word (Doctrine) and be qualified before men can be with the flowers of God, then no one will be saved.

 

If God and saints insist that men account for their weaknesses before they can come to them for blessings, all will be ostracised. Indeed many so-called men of God will do what God won't do and they readily condemn fellow men to hell for whatever weaknesses these men have.  God is not like that. He will bless unreservedly and without pre-conditions even if men have weaknesses so that men may know God and saints and  be attracted to divinity and want to be with divinity.

 

The only way to be with divinity after being attracted by the nectar of divinity is to improve themselves and balance the yin and yang. How to do so can take different forms depending on the context of life and the individual. Thus we have many religions and sects.

 

Religions, sects, temples and churches are flowers of divinity to attract otherwise less spiritually attuned men or otherwise wayward men to God as there is the divine nectar - the divine promise of blessings. Blessings many will get but what next is dependent on the making of men and not of God and saints.

 

If churches and temples can only be for men who are already goody two shoes, then how to  attract the lot of the many who are not. Thus we may say that man is not saved by self-righteousness but by the glory and graciousness of God. God and saints are ever benevolent and will help even criminals and wrong doers so that they hopefully will one day bend and mend their ways to be straight.

 

God and saints never condemn men to hell though all men have erred in some way or other. It is the arrogance of fellow men who act in the name of God and saints who do so. They threaten and condemn men to hell if they see not eye to eye with them, if they do not belong to the same religion or sect with them. This is the way of ignorant and conceited men but not the way of God and saints.

 

God is kind, compassionate and benevolent. Surely He knows one church or temple is far from adequate to reach out to all. Surely, He knows one religion  or sect is not enough but there must be many. That is why there are many and indeed many more in time to come.

 

But dear friends, having said that, do know that God did not send down religions, He sent down the prophets or saints. The prophets or saints spoke the doctrine or Word and they did not say that it is their doctrine for the Word or Doctrine is there even before them.

 

With time, dogmas and traditions were added by men and this formed the basis of religions. With time, culture of the day must be woven into religion or otherwise men would and will not identify with religion. The culture of religions changes like the chameleon to merge with the social environment. That is one reason why religions appear so different now than before and with one another. Even churches of same sect differ from one another.

 

The differences are meant to attract men of different inclinations to God,  like the varied insects to varied flowers. They are never meant to divide men. But, alas, men go to extremes in name of God. There are wars and terrorism. There have been mass murders in the name of God and saints. When will such inhuman ways stop? When will men wake up and learn? All men are brethren in God irrespective of their religious or sectarian affiliation or even if none.

Religions and sects will always be different from one another in some or more ways. They are complementary and their existence is in the will of God and saints. So long as men are different and yet the same, so too are religions and sects. They are different and yet one in God and saints. Prophets and saints will always consider the times and the context and tailor their messages to meet the prevailing circumstances.

So too will religious leaders of a church or temple, they will change at times in surprising and non-conformist ways to better attract and inject some semblance of spirituality to society even if society has deviated far from suitability for spirituality. The congregation too may change and appear lackadaisical to accept leaders who deviate and at times run foul of the regulations of the land.

This however is the seemingly unavoidable, natural, adaptive and evolving way of men and not the wish of God. Attribute (give) to man what is due to man and to God what is due to God. Jesus or the Bible did say this, didn't he?

Obey the laws of the land and the laws of Heaven. This is the saying of Lord Bo Tien. There is no margin for contradiction. Where there is seeming contradiction, walk the way of the sages of Tao and find the balance that brings the best outcome.

Keep religion out of politics and politics out of religion. God and saints never ask men to rise up against other men, let alone the government of the land they reside in.

"As with Heaven, so also on Earth" is a Tao principle of the sages of old in history of ancient ethnic Chinese. This means if we obey God and saints above, we too must do the same for the government of the land. If men somehow still cannot do this, when will men wake up and learn? There will be chaos and strife in the land if men fail to learn that God is God and man is man.

A mission related temple of Lord Bo Tien is no exception as men will somehow fail to learn that man is no God and God is no man. When will men wake up and learn? Lord Bo Tien said that a strong wind will not be there for long.

Many are the men who come to a temple with cloak of spirituality. They actually come primarily for worldly motive (nectar). They are driven by strong wind of self gain to a temple and be like insects coming to a flower for nectar. They will not do so forever and will wake up one day. Lord Bo Tien said that the wind will die down one day and goodness or rather Godliness will prevail. Men will wake up one day and learn to grow the saint in them....Cheers (Last 5th paragraph of Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien Chor Choo at Philip's residence...)

 

 

Related posts in Series 2

Men and not God and saints create religions
The divine nectar is not just for the goody two shoes...
The Divine Nectar is the Panacea of Life
 



 

The inner truth that men have to grasp

No 376 of Living Life Series 1

 

 

 

Many tend to view another person from one side of the coin and fail to see the other side. There is the tendency to go for first impressions of that person and then many will either like that person or dislike him. This is the weakness of man.

We tend to judge a book by the cover and many would not go into comprehensive coverage of the pages of the book other than at most a quick run through. This is the way many do things today be it with regards to a book or to any other matter.

We tend to judge a religion or sect by the way it carries out its activities, whether we feel refreshed by the services and activities a church or temple provides. The motive of a temple or church nowadays may often be to pander to the whims and fancies of society instead of addressing the issue of upgrading the spiritual resilience of society.

Thus society will put charismatic men at the pulpit and many a pastor or monk will be a reflection of the worldly ways of man. Only then can they be good crowd pullers , otherwise they may be seen as standing out as sore thumbs and not with the crowd.  
 

But this is just flowing with the tide of society and going with the crowd does not mean there is wrong doing but may not be in keeping with the purpose or divine calling of a religion, sect or temple to change society for the better so as to bring men closer to God and to grow the God nature in men. To do so would entail the need to go against the flow and not to follow the crowd though there is need to be with the crowd.

Lord Bo Tien knows full well why religions sects and temples have tendency to fail to meet the aspirations of their founders and pioneers. He said that water from the upper source of a stream is pure but dogmas and teachings added over centuries make a religion so different from what it was during the days of the founders. This is because, men want to popularise religion and to be popular, the easiest way is to go with the crowd, never mind if spiritual values are compromised, diluted or put aside.

(Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien Chor Choo at Philip's residence "He ...says that water from the upper source of a stream is pure and clear. When it reaches mid-way of its course , the water will be polluted by many users. If we want pure and clear water, then we have to go to the upper source of the stream to get it.")

There is need to adhere to the fundamentals of the pioneers and prophets and at the same time, there is need to popularise a religion otherwise the religion will not be able to reach out to the many and to go with the times. The question is how to achieve this balance and be effective. This again has to do with yin and yang - how to have balance and bring out the good yin and yang. There is need to adjust so as to have the balance.

The fundamentals of course  have to do with the inner truth that there is God and that God reaches out to beings in varied ways to meet the sectoral needs of society and the beings in all realms. Thus amongst humanity, we have religions, sects and temples and churches. 

But the wholesome divine wisdom of God and saints  in allowing for a plethora of religions, sects and institutions is often reversed and at times voided by the shortcomings of men who see themselves as right and others wrong. Each wants to be the only correct one and all others wrong when all are correct but differ as they need to be tailored to meet the local characteristics of society they serve.

This is the inner truth that men must grasp - to see oneness and complementary roles of the various religions, sects and plethora of spiritual institutions.  

In his inaugural message,  The Inaugural Message ,  Lord Bo Tien said,

 

"The prophets lay down certain rules and regulations to help the masses lead better lives and to incline them towards GOD. Gradually, these rules become the tenets of an organised religion, but the idealistic spirit and motive, which prevail during the founder's lifetime, disappear gradually after his death. That is why an organisation cannot bring spiritual truth nearer and why religion is a personal concern. Religious organisations become archaeological departments trying to discover the past. Therefore I shall not attempt to establish any new religion, cult or organisation But, I shall rejuvenate the religious thought of all peoples and instill a higher understanding of life into them. Dogmas laid centuries after the founder's death, frequently differ startlingly, but the fundamentals of all religions are really the same, because all originate from the same source - GOD.

 

Therefore when I appear publicly, I shall run down no existing religion, but I shall not uphold any special one. I want to turn man's mind away from sectarian differences, so that they will agree on essential truths.

 

Remember though that every prophet considers the times, the circumstances and the prevailing mentality of the people before his public sermons. he therefore preaches doctrines that are best suited to such conditions."

The Ji Gong I know

No 375 of Living Life Series 1

Often man thinks that for a heavenly saint to help beings like man with his many issues and problems, he must be made known as a saint, deity or a buddha. This is not necessary so but man expects that and wants to be awed by the majesty and heavenly radiance of the heavenly ones. In fact a good man himself can if he wants to be of great help to others even if he is no saint and history has no shortage of examples of such men.

Ji Gong was such a man and in his lifetime as man, he was sent out of the monastery as he could not keep to the norms and rules of man for monastic life. He continued his life as beggar and wanderer outside the temple he was sent out off. He did not even had the robes of a monk but continued in his own way the life of a monk wearing patchy beggar's clothes which came to be known as his holy robes.

Because he was pure and good at heart though he might had given the impression of someone who was eccentric, eating meat and drinking wine, frolicking with children and monkeys alike, he became better than lot of monks in monasteries.

His ability to solve problems and issues of men spread far and wide and he became an institution based on his own merits. His way or solution for those he helped is often simple and down to earth, often nothing miraculous or contradictory though history accredited him with many miracles.

Such miracles did happen but the greatest miracle was and is that he was able to help others through often simple and down to earth ways. No one today would doubt he is a saint and depending on where you come from, he is well accepted as a deity, buddha or a saint of God Almighty.

His axiom that what goes through the gut is not as important as that goes through the heart. Sincerity and modesty count more than heavenly majesty and divine might. His divine level is with the buddhas and the gods but he dons a tethered patchy robe, old worn out cloth shoes and a cloth hat and holds a tethered straw fan and  carries a gourd. He has a rosary of 108 beads with him and this is usually made of wood.

 

 

 

 

 

His miracle which he repeats over and over again is that he helps the many earthly issues of man which may be considered not important or perhaps frivolous. He does so in very simple and down to earth ways. He has no qualms in helping even the criminals and those who did wrong so long as they could after his help change to be good and better. That is the miracle of Ji Gong. No wonder some say that the miracle of Ji Gong is no miracle but yet truly more than any of the miracles in the history of man at least in China, if not the world.

You don't have to be a Chinese, a Buddhist or a Taoist to deserve his blessing and help. You don't have to be his follower and you don't even need to be a human being to deserve his help. He treats you as his equal and in any place of worship, his image is often at the floor or not far from the floor. His image or shrine need not be in a temple, house or shop and can be in the open, under a tree and what you can have for him.

This is the Ji Gong I know. He cannot be confined, not even to his seat in Heaven with God and the Buddhas. He is a free spirit and he often prefers the floor to be with spirits, men and all beings. The sky or heaven is his roof. The whole wide dispensation and not just the world of man is his temple. This dear readers is the Ji Gong I know.

Namo omitofo. 

It depends on the heart

No 374 of Living Life Series 1

The far may be near and the near may be far. This did Lord Bo Tien say.



Lord Bo Tien

 

Pioneers of any mission or spiritual organisation, elders included may think they are near  to their prophet or saint. But do not be surprised that those in subsequent generations who know not the early days may in fact at times too be near even if they knew less of the doctrine and the history.
 

Often, they are the ones who want to be different and will not buy the thinking and ways of the pioneers or elders in their respective temple or church. This does not mean they are lost or in the wrong. On the contrary, the reverse may be true.

 

It really boils down to simplicity and pureness. For religion has to be simple and spirituality is not the purview of the know-allot. Generally speaking, the elders and pioneers of any temple or church are the ones who know allot but they are not representatives of God and any saint. They too are humans.

 

It depends on the heart and if there is the heart and the commitment, knowing little is no disadvantage. In fact, the little we know if we know it well and practise it well is better than knowing allot and being muddle headed, conceited and with eyes looking at the clouds. But do not misconceive that those more into doctrine will be conceited and muddle headed. This may not necessarily be so for many well versed in doctrine.

God and saints must address the needs and feelings of the whole range of human society and beings. The doors of Heaven will never be closed to those who cannot cope with more or simply who are not ready for more doctrine.

Often, for the majority of men and beings, only simplicity will open them to God and saints. There must always be simplicity and openness to new ways and ideas.  Most of these ways must be simple and down to earth to be fathomable and meaningful to the many. Religion  will only put people off if it is complex and daunting to the many

 

Men of any religion or of a temple or church should want to be with society and close to society and do things that may on surface seem to be driven by society agenda rather than spiritual. For sometimes and often, divinity must be peddled out in small doses with sugar coating to make it that more palatable and easy to assimilate.  Societal agenda is the sugar coating. Only then will a temple or church be acceptable to the many and be  able to reach out to more and not frighten away the masses.

Pioneers and elders being fundamentalists and obviously usually and more likely more into doctrine may press the wrong buttons and undo the very good work they have put in. They must however not lose heart. There will be some who in time will want to go the mile for doctrine. But religion must be simple to be accepted and doctrine must not be forced down the throats of people. Religion has to be like society and not appear to be something out of this world of society. Religion has to be simple if it is to reach out to the masses.

 

This reality, like it or not, can be very true for any mission, any temple and any church. There is need to be simple, to be humble and to be accommodating and to present religion in the way that society can identify with. There is need to make a temple plain and down to earth something akin to what men in society is accustomed with. Only then will a temple be welcoming and not frighten away the folks in the streets.

 

Do not be upset if others do not see eye to eye with you, even if they are elders and more in the know. Respect them for their contributions and there is no need to be subservient and to think that you must believe in what they say. But there must still be that respect of sorts. They are rich in resources spiritually.

 

You may disagree with their ways but let them be what they want to be but you should ever be what you want to be and what you want to do. Never be in the clouds and think you can be a priest, monk or a saint today when you cannot even be a civil man of society with less wants and more peace with society. Many of the pioneers and elders may give this impression of high pedestal approach. Hardly a decimal few could be a monk, or priest, let alone end up as saint though all can be on the path to salvation and to better their souls in some way.

 

The far may be near and the near may be far. Be ordinary and be with society and be at ease and peace with society and its ways. Do not try to change society over night and think that you can do better than society. Learn from life and you will not regret and be confused.

Have the heart for life and for society. Have the heart for God and saints. The lord saint Lord Bo Tien stress on love and for all to take heart. Love life and take heart that those who go to the saint wholeheartedly, the saint doth know. Those who seek his blessings, the saint will come to them and facilitate the needful though there is element of fate and self effort will ever always remain the main cornerstone  for spiritual enhancement. But however low down in spirituality or even if none for the present,  there is always hope and the way forward.

Doctrine is in life and we learn from life - the events and experiences in life.  Spiritual cultivation must be in steps, one step at a time. Do not try to leap frog and do not bite off more than you can chew by combing the books and written scriptures.

Go for what you can be comfortable with and even a little is adequate. Be simple and be what you are and can be.  A temple too is the same and must be more like the society it serves  and not be unlike the society for which it is set up.

It is always the heart (commitment) that counts, not how clever and how capable one is, be it for mundane life or spiritual life. All depend on the heart. When there is the heart, there is sincerity, fellowship and brotherhood of men. Then there will be no or less hypocrisy and less camouflage of social agenda under cover of the cloak of spirituality.

Remember that no one is a saint at least for now and for many life times to come. Everyone has erred and has done right  but what is important is to try to be better by commiting his heart to goodness. Even with imperfections, such a person with a good heart will find more peace amidst the trials and tribulations of the yin yang world even if he cannot be atop and balance the duality of life - the yin and yang as symbolised in the ba gua

 The Ba gua

In whatever man sets out to do, be it spiritual or otherwise, man must have heart and love for life.  It is the heart that makes the difference. That is so and so be it.

 

 




Bo Tien Temple
at Woodlands Singapore in the old days
a simple temple
the people could identify with
and be inspired.
Those were the good old days.
when even the less literate and
limited in resources and status
can be spiritual
and leaders of sorts.
This did set the stage
for better days
now and in the future
for the Mission.