No to the animal in men. No pack behaviour please

Learning Point No 145

Don't be opinionated and fight for what you think is right, be it spiritual ideology  or societal views. Men must rise above tribal or animal pack mind set. But however hard we try, often nature seems to have upper hand. Pack mentality will prevail somehow.

 

A more civil way is to say that men tend to have groupings based on shared agenda. Birds of a feather flock together. Monkeys roam in packs and are territorial.

 

But as humans, more so if we are followers of a heavenly saint, we must try to be more than man and the last thing we want is to monkey around.

 

Let us be more focused on being as right as we can be but not opinionated and petty. Many animals, monkeys included, are at times more worthy and exemplary. They may be better than men even with much less blessings, endowment and resources. (There are many narrations in the Jataka stories by Gautama Buddha of animals with the buddha or bodhi-citta heart.)

Lord Bo Tien said that we have to learn from the strengths and shortfalls of our kind and of the other fellow beings, be they animals or otherwise. The gospel is in life around us and life is the living gospel. Life is the Word of God Almighty.

 

Thus the Buddha Gautama had stressed that phenomna in life is Dhamma (Truth or Teaching) and they enable us to know the true nature of life and existence, of often baneful (destructive) or vile (unpleasant) behaviour of men. Understanding life and phenomena in life, we could realise the need for the animal in man to give way to the saint in man. Be wary of the animal in man --- that is in everyone of us.

 

The tendency as result of the pack behaviour of men would cause discord amongst religions and sects. This is due to the animalistic trait inherent in being the animal we call man. Men must rise and be counted as amongst the saints and be fit to be seated with the saints. No pack behaviour please. Do try not to back pack behaviour. Otherwise, we will be no different from many wild animals

 

 

 

Are you fortunate or unfortunate?

Learning Point No 144

"Am I fortunate? " you may often ask time and time again. The answer is there is no one who is totally fortunate or unfortunate.

 

What is important is to address expectations and to know that in the overall context of life, there will be pluses and minuses. Are we able to address, solve or at least reconcile with the downs or minuses of life?

 

We should but even if we could not, at least we must be able to mitigate the downs with the ups in life. Are we able to make use of the good things in our life to mitigate, solve or minimise the downs so that in the balance of things, we are at peace with life and able to move on positively in life?

 

This is what the ancient sages of Tao in China refer to as the yin yang balance for most people. But the refine art of balance would take us further. We need to be on top pf life and on top of ups and downs. We cannot be carried away by the "ups" for the "ups" cannot keep on going up and will one day be "downs". That would be the ultimate in yin and yang balance.

 

But the initial path would be to mitigate the "downs" with the "ups" and let the "ups" facilitate you to handle, solve or at least negate the effects of the "downs". All of us should try to do so but if we have difficulty, pray to God and saints for strength, resilience and resourcefulness. But we must help ourselves before God can help us.

 

This is the elaboration and elucidation of  the yin yang (passivity and activity teaching) chapter of the Inner Truth doctrine which Lord Bo Tien referred to in the last messages of the initial thirteen years of His Mission through late Senior Brother P. Philip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The truth is and yet is not in the written word

Learning Point No 143

What really is gospel truth is not the written word for the word may be of God and saint but still written, recorded, translated and revised by men of faith. But how good are these men?

 

They are certainly good and are the faithful and devoted but they are still a far cry from the prophets and saints.

 

That is why there is no new appointment of appostles, no second or subsequent generation prophets or successors. So what next?

 

Do we cast doubts or do we believe the written word of man? Let us go for the values, the ethos, the teachings and not the personality.

 

Let us worship God and saints for what they stand for and not blindly in adoration. Otherwise where is the wisdom and the insight? Where is the rapture to open the door of spirituality?  

 

What really is gospel truth is not the written word of men but the grasp of truth behind the teachings they transmit. Even if the historical facts are not correct to the details or if the saint or prophet was not as portrayed, it doesn't matter if we go for the substance they stand for that is, truth and values.

 

These same truth and values will also be reflected in the life we lead and that is why the gospel is more in life more than in the written word. The gospel pervades every aspect of life. The written word has to do with one man or at best a few men while life has to do with all men. Thus the gospel is better reflected in life than in the written word.

 

Know the gospel or truth and that is better than knowing the saint or prophet through the passed down and portrayed word of men. 
 

Knowing truth will bring to life the saint or prophet who facilitated the gospel or truth. Not knowing but adoring the historical image of the prophet or saint may be good as  a starter but will lead us to dead-end road and bring us to where we begin. We will be lost in the wilderness though physically in the church or temple of a saint or prophet.

 

Lord Bo Tien said that those who know and grasp the truth know him and those who do not will not know or be near to him even though next to him or his image. The near may be far and the far may be near.

 

Let us ever go for the truth in God and saints. The truth is not in the written word but the written word helps though may mislead or we may misconstrue it due to blind adherence to the written word of men. You may say that truth is and yet is not in the written word of man. 

Truth by any name or form is just as sweet

Learning Point No 142

A rose by any name or color is just as sweet. We can be enlightened by the truth that is presented to us in any form -- any sect or religion or even if none. Who says we can't?

 

Religion is about life. If we fathom the truth of life, we can know the truth of life and be true to life. Life is God and God is life.

 

Gautama Buddha went beyond the practices and religions of his day to become enlightened and then he taught the truth which he said is beyond religion but isn't God beyond religions of man as well?

 

Gautama Buddha the historical Buddha would never refer to his followers as Buddhists or the religion that grew from his teachings Buddhism. Men did and not Gautama. But what difference does it make?

Tao in China is just The Way. Taoism is an English word and there is no one father of Tao though Lao Tze is historically accredited with Tao. There is in Chinese language what in English would be 'The teachings of Tao (Way)'.

 

Even Christianity as a name did not exist during the time of Jesus. Yet, there is no doubt that Christianity exists and is centred on Jesus. It is in the forefront to win the hearts of men for God.

 

Amen. It is so and so be it.

Isn't the above an ample validification of the inner truth that underlies the religions of the world that Lord Bo Tien refers to? The truth is in religions and also outside the religions of men.

God does not need institutions of religion to reach out to men. Men need and not God.

Take it off-line and move on

Learning Point No 141

Often we have problem that upsets us and holds our peace and happiness to ransom. We keep thinking about and be preoccupied by the problem, be it an illness or a grudge.

We keep wanting to solve it but what if it could not be solved or take a long time to solve?  It may be better to revisit it latter.

The tendency however is to think that all else can wait and say, "What the hell? This problem must be solved or resolved." Often this would gravitate us into more anguish if the problem cannot be wished away just like that.

Why not keep it at back burner and move on in life. There are many other things in life waiting for us and these too cannot wait.

In short, take the problem off-line and move on. Come back to it and contemplate on options.

Perhaps and best that you do so, take your problem to God and saint. Pray for the calmness, resilience, resourcefulness and insight. Have your heart and trust in God and saints.

God and his saints will know and with whole hearted devotion to Divinity, God and his saints like Ji Gong will heed your call and be with you.

Ji Gong Posat said that issues big or small will be no issue to those who are enlightened. Big issue if cannot be solved will at least be small issue, and issue if small will be no issue. Lord Bo Tien too said this in one of his few landmark messages in the first 13 years of the Mission of Heaven. This too has been echoed over the centuries by many other saints.

But alas, often the problems and issues of men are many and plentiful. Lord Bo Tien reflected to us on this aspect of life. There will be no end of issues and problems but to the enlightened they will be no issue if we have the correct perspective of life. Problems are, after all, characteristic of life in mundane world.

However, don't be stuck in an issue. Do not let your life be derailed just by one problem or issue. Move on with life. There are many things in life waiting for us and these too cannot wait. Any issue that seems insurmountable or upsetting, it is sometimes wiser to take it off-line. Take it off-line and move on.

Don't wish the thought of the problem to go away but let it be in your mind. Leave it in back burner. Move on with the many other things and events in life. Life cannot wait but problem can. Take it off-line and move on. Then you will find life more acceptable and have more of the peace and ease sages talked about. This is so and so be it. Amen.

 

 

God knows and will

Learning Point No 140

God knows even if man doesn't. God will even if men will not. Don't give up when men give up on you. Lord Bo Tien reminds us thus. The ways of men are not necessarily that of God. Even insects can come to a flower. Even the worst amongst us are worthy of God. Truly then that at times, as the lord saint (Lord Bo Tien) said, the far may be near to God and saint when at times also, the near may be far. Remember that man is man and God is God. Know who is man and who is God and saint. It is so and so be it - Amen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just be your better self and not act like a saint

Learning Point No 139

We must not only cultivate our best in church on a Sunday but should have at least a bit of this best as a habit on the other days of the week. To put on the best everyday would be a strain and end up feeling unnatural and stress out. There will be no peace but more dis-ease or unease. How then can we be at peace and be with God or saint?

Similarly, when one cultivates mindfulness for a few minutes of the day, we may feel refresh but mindfulness or meditation is not just for that special time of the day when we want to recharge the peace of our spirit, but we hope that by doing a concentrated effort once a day, we can have in the other times of the day and night, a better mental predisposition to be a bit more peaceful and collected -- a wee bit more connected with spiritual bliss.

But to try to have full meditation or mindfulness 24 hours a day is to be what we have yet to be. We can only do so in concerted effort for that special allotted time of the day but to do so all the time will tire us out as we are yet far from being a saint or buddha.

We need to ensure that by having special session per day, part of the experience will be ingrained habit during the whole day outside the session.

The session is a training in as ample or as optimal an environment to enable us to cultivate a little more of peace for the rest of the day.

Surely, we can try to be a saint on the special occasion of the day but not throughout the day.

We have to be ourselves but hopefully the meditation or prayer session be the training ground for imbuing or inculcating more peace as sort of force of habit in our day-to-day life outside the session.

So do be yourself and don't try to be a saint or buddha the whole day when you can at best only be a bit more a buddha or saint only during prayer or allotted meditation session.

Sometimes, we cannot even have that special session in the day or go to church on a Sunday. That should be alright so long as you can have a little bit more mindfulness and peace coming naturally throughout your day and life.

It is this which is more important than that special session. It is this improvement that the special session or weekly church attendance hopes to nurture in your day-to-day life

Know thyself and improve incrementally in small steps so you will be less likely to back track. Just be your better self and not act like a saint when are not one as yet. Otherwise, you risk being burnt-out and keel over. Better to be only a wee bit more saintly outside church, meditation or prayer. That would be more sustainable and manageable. That would be within comfort zone of your good self.

Take small steps in spirituality. Little drops of water will in time make a mighty ocean.

Do not be gullible or risk being abused

Learning Point No 138

Do not be gullible and blame Heaven when men in religions mislead you. Insects (of men) will ever always be where there is flower (of divinity).

 

Be it the pastor who abuses the confidence of the congregation in a church or the Taoistic diviner who abuses the trust of those seeking divine help through him, the problem in would not be there if men knows who is man and who is God or saint.

 

Otherwise, men will be gullible due to bowing before  man (worshipping man) instead of God or saint.

 

Do go for the flower and not the insect but blame not the flower for the insect. Lord Bo Tien thus advised us.

 

Do not be gullible or risk being abused by the pastor, priest or diviner. Any abuse is not the fault of God or saint but due to lack of insight and grasp of how we should relate to God and saints.

We have choice and free will to live and to think. God or saint cannot dictate. God cannot live life for us but we have to live  our own life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amen - so be it

Learning Point No 137

Whilst we may aspire for goals in life, how should we handle matters if we cannot attain them. Do we live in anguish or do we accept and try again? Perhaps we should be at peace while trying again but also be prepared to be at peace even if we no longer want to try or could not make it with repeat tries. We should also accept matters if even after getting what we want, we cannot have them for long or we are still dissapointed. We should tell ourselves thus. "So be it" and this in Hebrew is "Amen"

 

This is the same doctrine of the inner truth - the need to be at peace with the ups and downs of life and death. So do try to be better but do accept whatever the outcome. Not trying is to deny life and give up and is contrary to the spirit of life which is to live and to accept life, not reject life. 

 

Surely we must make do with what we can have and move on telling ourselves --- "so be it"

 

This means we must make life work and not work for life. Meditate on this and you will end up saying "so be it." Amen

 

 

 

 

The divine assurance

Learning Point No 136

Lord Bo Tien on 1983 mission day event gave the divine assurance. The lord saint's presence that evening was to give confidence that He "will always be around for all and understands the life situations of all. He will assist to make life more meaningful and fulfilling so that it would be less onerous and easier for all to walk down the road of life."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Fault not Heaven for the faults of leaders in a church

Learning Point No 135

Thus have we been told by Lord Bo Tien in 1984. The pure and beautiful flower is the creation of nature. Ants and insects are attracted to the flower and all should not blame the flower for attracting ants and insects. A heavenly saint is like the flower and the least expected amongst men will be attracted to the saint like ants and insects to the flower. This is not the wrong doing of the flower but nature's way of survival and existence. That the least expected should be at the helm or in the following of a temple is not the folly of a heavenly saint and Heaven but Heaven's way to reach out to all more so the more lost in society. But the folly of men should not be regarded as Heaven's folly.

 

This was said in 1984 by the lord saint as the parting pointer to the followers in the last message of the first 13 years of the mission. Now in 2012 we know why he said so and the message will hold true for men in the temples and churches of the various religions for many more years to come.

 

Controversies have arisen. The integrity of monks, priests and pastors of churches and temples have been called to question and the law of the land have caught up with them.

But God and saints still have place for them as they are the lost sheep though men may regard them as wolves in sheep's clothings. They may even have started out right but along the way go wrong somehow and become like insects to a flower.

 

Know more by knowing Ji Gong

Learning Point No 134

JI GONG did not abide by any sect, faith, rules, tenets or written texts. He was therefore asked to leave a traditional ancient orthodox chinese temple. Though disowned, he already had good heart, good grasp of truth of life. He was steadfast in Inner Truth behind and beyond religions and sects. He understood the truth in life and devoted his wandering life on effecting the practice of truth. Life was his gospel and teacher. He was able to be enlightened and eventually recognised by various Taoist and Buddhist sects as part of their respective pantheons. Though he appeared* 'far' spiritually to the clergy of holy monks and priests then and had to leave a temple and its order, he was NO eye sore. He proved himself to be exemplary, near* and dear to gods, buddhas and men. He embodied and personified every bit of the Inner Truth Lord Bo Tien speaks about. He continues to do so. Know him and you will know how to be near to Divine Heaven even if what you ascribed to are not accepted by ways of majority.



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

 

God has not changed but man has

Learning Point No 133

The chameleon changes its color to camouflage and blend into the environment. It appears to be new and yet is the same old chameleon.

 

The religion of God does not change but the religion of man in the name of God changes.

 

The same Taoist pantheon of saints may be there with some new ones. Divinity has remained more or less relatively the same.   

 

But the institutions or religions that are woven around the saints change like the chameleon.

 

For Chinese religious practices, there is less emphasis on jos sticks, jos papers and food offerings.

 

There is no change in Heaven and no change in spiritual truths and values but yet the religion of man changes like the chameleon even if there is no change in the religion of God for men.

 

The emphasis of fear and that the wages of sin is death are no longer there for such emphasis is distasteful with guilt holding sway.

 

In its place, we find emphasis on love of God without strings attached. God loves us even before we love God. There is compassion and love by God for even the worst of us. God loves us even when we may have not done justice to his good name. This is divine benevolence and speaks well of our understanding of the true nature of God.

 

We no longer hear of sin, wrath and jealousy in God. We instead hear of loving kindness, benevolence for whatever wrong or imperfections of men and the ever pervasive tolerance of God. No longer the no nonsense God but the kind loving God who does not take our imperfections and transgressions to heart. Instead of prayer, there is shift to meditation on love of God.

 

God has not changed but certainly man has and will continue to change like the chameleon. Let us hope the change is for the better and not directed to fish for the hearts of men. God has no need to do so but men of religions may need to do so.

 

Thus concepts of meditation, mindfulness and loving kindness have become the catch words even in the whole wide world when previously they are confined to the wisdom of the East. God has never changed but man  and his religions have changed like the color of the chameleon.

Lord Bo Tien is the messenger of God who hopes to bring about change in the thinking of men so that religions of men will change and realign to better reflect the religions of God and saints. 

There is need to reflect the oneness of God and the inner truth common to all religions and sects.

Since his descent some half century ago, religions have changed and seem to be talking and focusing more on the loving kindness and benevolence of God. This is one measure of the success of the Mission of Heaven through Bo Tien Posat.

Namo Bo Tien Posat.

But there is no need to believe in that Lord Bo Tien is there so long as men believe in the values of the inner truth for which he is the messenger.

What is important is the post sent by the postman but not the postman. Hope this is not blasphemous and stepping on the toes of those followers of Lord Bo Tien.

Lord Bo Tien reminds us that he who knows and sees the truth sees and knows him. He who is in his temple and next to his magnificent image sees and knows him not even if he is beside the image 365 days a year and year after year.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Affinity (缘分 yuan fen) is a factor in life

Learning Point No 132

It is often said that we must bear with certain ill fated events that are not explainable as due to what are attributable to present life. Many ask, "Why me?" Some said it is due to bad karma or what happened in past lives.

 

Is this pure speculation or some excuse to explain away the lack of fair playing field? Why the good seem to suffer and the bad seem to have the better of life?

 

To shut us up, just so many could just go on with life, the ancients say, "The secrets of Heaven cannot be revealed"

 

But one saint at least begs to differ. He is Ji Gong the Living Buddha. He would reveal to the select individual the past to explain why a he had the problem coming to him and why he has to face it.

 

By so doing that is revealing the secrets of Heaven, it would be easier to understand and to handle the present life issue that is rooted in the past life. No unnecessary lament on unfairness and the question, "Why me and why not him or they?"

 

Of course, it doesn't always work that way and best that the secrets of Heaven be not revealed. 

One risk of revealing the root event in past life that gives rise to the present event or problem in this life is that the individual may not believe the fact as the truth.

Also, more often than not, the pain of knowing the mistake or failure in past life can be duanting, shocking and difficult to reconcile and accept. Knowing can often at times bring on catastrophic emotions and be devastating. It is better off not to know then.

 

But is ignorance bliss? It is not. So what should be the right approach? What is right and what is wrong? God knows. This is often the standard blanket answer.

 

One of God's many saints and perhaps even more saints may have affinity with you from past lives and may be able to help.

 

Ji Gong is one such saint. If he is your saint and if there is affinity, then he will be in your life. A saint cannot reach out to all but only to the finite number whom he has affinity with.

That is why Lord Bo Tien reminds that God has many saints and many sects and religions for us. Surely, everyone will have affinity with one or more of them. 

Affinity (缘分 yuan fen)  is a factor in life but this can be cultivated, can't it and don't you agree? Meditate on this and look up to Heaven for insight of sorts.

Cheers. Omitofo!

Do try to be a buddha in life

Learning Point No 131

The emissary of Lord Bo Tien in 1983 mission day message said that what human beings can have cannot be the same as what are in Heaven. Take for example the flower. As a whole and when in full bloom, the flower is a beauty to behold. But the various parts of the flower are not. From external appearance, it is beautiful but the internal parts never will be beautiful. (Extract from Revisit of 1983 message of Lord Bo Tien)

Life is beautiful yet ugly and this is the very nature of life. The circle is complete and yet it is nothing. The circle is whole and yet it is empty. Do not be perturbed by this duality but be mindful to achieve heaven on earth by cultivating more enduring pervasive inner peace come what may and in every situation and context of life.

No one is spared of yin and yang, the life polarities or contingencies that we live with from birth to death and from life to life. Are we going to be at the mercy of yin and yang or do we want to be atop and balance the yin and yang, like achieved by the buddhas and as embodied by the pose of Lord Bo Tien with feet atop and balancing  the elements?

Do try to be a buddha in life and at least have many more moments of peace of heaven on earth here and now, long before you are a buddha in a future lifetime to come.

To each his own

Learning Point No 130

"To each his own" is at times better not to forget. This short-sightedness is perhaps the very reason why many judge that others have erred when in fact at times, these others are actually not wrong but  may be "right" in their own  specific ways. They are right at their level and preference of spiritual approach.

Everyone must find his unique comfort zone in worship of Divinity. There is no fixed approach and no one size fits all or one size fits you a lifetime. There is no quick fix. There is no magic potion.

What is proper and suitable depends on the individual and his station in life and the yardstick changes with time. What are of value at point in time may no longer be of value subsequently. This is especially true for spiritual practices. What are of value for higher spiritual will not work for the many who have not taken more than the initial steps.

To each his own and very station in life requires specific spiritual applications. This is true but some may disagree and their bigoted thinking may make them think their way is the only way or approach and others must listen to them.

Try asking an infant to skip milk and take meat. Meat may be good for adults but fatal for infants. Try asking adults to live on milk. This will not be correct either....

"To each his own." 'Each' refers to not only the specific person or group but the changing context of a group or person's life.

Let us appreciate and learn from Ji Gong

Learning Point No 129

One cannot stop being fascinated by Ji Gong Posat the Living Buddha. Unlike other posats or saints, he appears different even today and will be so in the future.

Whilst others no longer live in the human world, he chooses to be with humans and live in the human realm though a pure one and his rightful abode is in the heavens. Thus he is living though enlightened and for centuries no longer of flesh and blood. He is the living buddha.

He lives the simple life and prefers not to have the typical temple shrine in his name. Just a corner tucked away in a building or under a tree near a building will do.

His image can be low down and at floor level, sending the clear message that he wants to live at human level to be like men and like anyone of us. This is him and no mistake about that.

You can stand tall above his image and even when he comes down in a human intermediary, he will be seated on the floor, at times rolling on the floor while men who come to him sit on chair or stand.

Yet he has saintly demeanour. When he speaks, it is though he is an ordinary man talking to other men. When he offers divine help and advice, it is often simple and so simple that often we wonder why we did not know in the first place.

It is due to our being caught in the web of life that we go round in circles, create more problems around the problem at hand and get lost in the process.

He likes to drink but he is not only always clear in mind but remains ever divine and enlightened. He eats meat but he is compassionate and saves lives. He is lofty being a saint but he is down to earth in his ways. In fact, he sits and lies on floor.

At times he appears to be in jest while keeping an attentive listening ear to your problems and ever so concerned. That is unmistakeably him.

He likes to be amongst ordinary men and even while a human centuries ago, he would frolic with monkeys. It won't be surprising that he is with Monkey God the Great Sage.

Unlike other gods or saints, he counts earth god Tua Pek Kong as a member of his inner circle and invites the latter to be with men so as to bless them.

He is the role model of the principle that what is important is not what goes through the gut but what goes through the heart. Purity and perfection is not for outward display but must permeate even to our core and come from the heart.

Trueness, humility and sincerity matter most. Can we be a wee bit more a human like Ji Gong and yet be saintly like him as well? Be an ordinary man and we can still make it big in the divine way like Ji Gong. Let us be ordinary man and yet be saintly.

The best tribute to this great man is to be like him. Be an ordinary man, be modest and simple in life. Then you can have peace and plenty though of modest means. Why sit on high pedestal when you can be down to earth and ironically be better off? The whole wide world will be yours as your feet are planted solidly on the ground. No need to walk on clouds and be lost.

No need to fantasize about the afterlife and what you want to be in the afterlife. Go for what you can have and what you can be in this life. Then you will be better prepared not only for the days and years ahead and better poised for what to come not only in this life but beyond.

In short, be a man but be sure to be a good man. That would suffice for the present. That would be enough. One day, we will be like Ji Gong even if we are not one now.

Everything starts from the here and now, from this very moment. Have no inertia, no sloth and torpor and no going round in circles, no procrastination and regrets please. Be positive. Do want to be happy and at peace. Make life simple and pleasant. Don't  make matters worse or complicated. Don't for goodness sake make life a string of regrets and be hard on yourself and others. 

Simplicity is the way to go. All the big things start with the simple things in life. Live for today simply but positively, not carelessly and ever so recklessly.  Be carefree but be responsible and positive. Do live today for a better tomorrow. Don't live for the many tomorrows and worst of all for the afterlife and risk giving up and having no today.

Be mindful to be simple and pure. You would be better off for now and better off in the end. This refreshing and apparently contrasting perspective of life is consistent with the inner truth teaching common to and underpinning the diverse doctrines and teachings of all religions and sects.

(PS The inner truth and its grasp is the focus of the Mission of Heaven of which the lord saint Lord Bo Tien is the messenger of God. His purpose is not to start a new sect or religion but to let all understand that there is oneness of the basic inner truth of God behind the diverse religions and sects. That same truth is even present even in a temple with Chinese cultural religious practices, like in any Bo Tien Temple. He let any temple in his name be set up as such a Chinese cultural temple and demonstrated that the substance of inner truth is there as well. There are a few such Bo Tien mission related temples in South East Asia especially at Singapore and Malaysia but they are currently developing on their own steam and interpretation, based on the initiatives or what you may refer to as free will of their own self-styled managment committees. Elder Ling would have wished that they be stereotyped and guided by pioneers but when we love or feel for others, we must learn to set them free to learn and and grow on their own.)

You are not wrong if you find a temple or church is not for you

Learning Point No 128

You are not wrong if you find that you don't seem to think the way many in your temple or church think. The point to realise is that any institution is based on popularity and that hinges on popular or mass support.

If the majority are not deep into spirituality as would invariably be so, but the majority scratches on the surface of spiritual grasp and understanding of the doctrine, that institution will likely upset you. You would wonder how on earth that institution could be a place of worship and that the focus is not religion but far from the religious focus of the prophet or saint.

That temple or church is less God-centric but more man-centric, pandering to the potentiation and exacerbation of sensual and worldly needs rather than awakening of spiritual insight or the third eye for divine awakening.

Only a few are like you in a temple or church and because you are the rare few who could discern more of the doctrine, you are very different from the rest and feel ostracised and separate from them.

If insects are attracted to the flower as what Lord Bo Tien said, and if these insects are unpleasant, would you still want to go to the flower but instead you would keep your distance from time to time even if not most of the time.  

Truly God-centric people may often be not be congregated in temples or churches of people and that is not surprising when it is the majority who decides who amongst them should lead. They would choose those whom they could identify with and who are more like them.

Only a handful could understand the truth what Buddha refer to as doctrine or Dharma. He was reluctant to teach the Dharma at first but Lord Sakra, the king of one of the heavens persuaded him to do so as there will still be that few who could have much better grasp.

Likewise, the majority who congregate to a temple or constitute a temple or church would not be able to see the light in depth and often loose focus. They often go like fellow insects to a flower and they will scare off the real admirers of the flower.

But it is because of the plight of ignorance of the majority that religions exist and as such temples and churches will always orbit to pander to the interests and social needs of the majority so that more will come to God and his saints.

Hopefully there will be a few or  a good number who would be more substantive in grasp and be more God-centric rather than man-centric. God facilitates diverse and numerous religions and sects for the majority, hoping to attract more to divinity even if initially they are attracted like insects to the flower.

Some perhaps a good number will understand and grasp. They will come not just primarily to partake in the nectar of societal gains but ultimately in the peace and purity of divine greatness of God and saints.

They will come more for fellowship of like minded men rather than the fellowship of God and saints. But God and saints do not mind for at least they are there and they will have the chance to make good to be with God and saints.

You are not wrong if you find a temple or church is not for you but you are not exactly right in helicopter perspective either. Think and meditate on this duality if you can time and time again.

Love others the way God and saints love us

Learning Point No 127

If you love your kith and kin, take care of them by all means but at the same time, do not let your love for them get the better of you.

When they have issues in life which need your support, do help and intervene but  be as helpful as possible and not dictate and take over their lives. They have to live life. This is the way God and his saints would do the same for us when we have issues in life.

God  and saints help those who help themselves. You too have to help your kith and kin to help themselves and not take over their lives.

Do not go overboard and try to live life for a love one. For by the wrong measure of possessiveness, clinging and dominance, you may be upset when their problems are over after you have helped them and they no longer heed your attention to extent of making you upset.

You may feel cheated and upset. That is perfectly understandable but do reflect thus. How can you harbor ill-will and dissatisfaction on a love one or a friend? That will not be in keeping with love which should be limitless and unconditional.

Dear reader, if you love someone, hold on not to him and how can you hold any grudge to him if he fails you. You must allow him to have a choice in every station of life.

You should let him free to live. This is just like God and saints who love us and let us have free will.

Even if we make wrong choice, they will give us gentle nudge and in the worst of eventuality come to our side.

Likewise, you should not be possessive and get angry when a friend or love one, after getting your help and support to overcome issues in life, decides to act contrary to your concerns for him.

You love him and so, how can you hold a grudge or ill will for him when he don't listen to you. Be like God and let him live his life and learn from life. How can you bear hatred to one you helped just because he decides to act contrary to your advise.

He has his life to live and you do not live his life. Let him have free-will but if he stumbles and turns to you again, do help him. If he does not stumble, do let him know that, should the need arise, he can count on you for you will be by his side and will help him.  

Hold a candle to light up his life and let him know you are still with him. This way you will be a saint or god to a one you love. 

Be a saint or god to one you love. Love should not result in hatred just because the loved one go it alone even after you helped him.

Love should be unconditional, with no strings attached. This is the way God and saints love us.

We should do the same for those we love. If you love someone, be prepared to set him free and yet be with him and behind him in life and neither push him aside nor go ahead of him when he decides to live life his way at times.

Love others the way God and saints love us. Any saint e.g. Lord Bo Tien would love even those who take over a temple or church in the name of that saint and decide to run it to further their own agenda and mission instead of the prime and proper mission the pioneers had been told.

The few better ones may bemoan  that there will arise wolves in sheep's clothing of pastors and leaders.

But, alas, they are after all, like the the prodigal son in the parable of the prodigal son in the Bible inspired by Lord Jesus. Lord Bo Tien refers to them as insects coming to the flower and that you cannot blame the flower for that.

The wise go neither for nothing nor everything but for peace

Learning Point No 126

There is one thing we have to know for sure. We came alone and we will leave alone.

The more we want to have, the more we have to work for them. What we do in past lives will determine what we can have in present. How we can have them and even more is up to us.

But the more we have, the more we need to give up in the end. Everything is up to us to work for but in the end, we have to learn to give up. Isn't this the truth of life? 

We must be comfortable for what we can have and what we will have to give up in the end. If not, going for what we can have, will be a pain for sure, and unwinding from what we have too will be a pain as well.

Everything is nothing and nothing is everything. This is painful, nonsensical and rubbish talk to many but a comforting and awakening thought to the wise.

The wise are not living under illusions. The wise neither go for nothing nor go for everything. The wise go for the peace in life in every situation and are not affected by all life events, exigencies and contingencies.

A wise man is like the lotus standing out amidst the mud and swirl around. The wise go neither for nothing nor everything but for peace amidst the unease of emptiness and plenty.

Even a temple of the lord saint  Lord Bo Tien is not spared from duality of emptiness and plenty but a temple of the lord must be whole and divine in peace amidst emptiness and plenty.

Do not judge an individual or temple by appearance and worldly endowments but by the abiding divine peace the individual or temple holds for you.

The individual or temple must be like a candle to light up your lives.  A collection of such persons or temples would do even better like a collection of candles. Lord Bo Tien reminds us on these perspectives with the 1975 mission day sermon. Lord Bo Tien's 1975 Anniversary Message

God and saints are not judgemental

Learning Point No 125

Men think that God and saints judge the actions and lives of men. God and saints are not at all judgemental as wrongly portrayed by men who are very judgemental. They God and saints let us have free will and a free rein to learn. But they provide guidance and even then, this is so only upon request. They do no intrude or impose and do not pronounce judgement.

Men and beings are given the laxity to learn and to decide how they want to live life, to realise the truths in life, that the learning points in life events are more important then the events themselves.

Life is full of events and experiences, the ups and downs and the trials and tribulations. What do they hold for us? However wondrous, they do not last. Life of flesh and blood too is the same. However bad or catastrophic, they do not last or at least there will be a silver lining in every dark cloud. Calm will come after a storm.

With the system in place, is there a need for God and saints to judge?

God is all love and magnanimous. No one is ever condemned but we should not be lackadaisical and take things for granted. We need to make good. 

If ever others tell you to fear God, this is wrong. The fear if any is that of wrong views and the mortal ways of men to judge and to condemn, sometimes even in the name of God. This wrong approach or emphasis was dwelt in detail by Lord Bo Tien in 1975 mission day message. (For the full message and reference, do go to Lord Bo Tien's 1975 Anniversary Message)

Even those who land up in Hell are in Hell all because of themselves and not because of the wrath God and saints. God and saints are loving and have no anger let alone wrath.

Sages of the East will tell you, that King Yama the Lord of Hell and saint in his own right will spare no effort to enable netizens of Hell to think of some good thoughts to invoke some saintly acts in their past lives, so that they can leave Hell and be reborn.

The period in Hell is the time for re-education and contemplation. No one in Hell wants to be there. Hell is no paradise. 

God and saints are not judgemental. If God can have his way, men and beings would not have committed grave wrong to deserve life in hell, be it hell on earth or Hell below.

Man decides how he lives and that is both a problem and a blessing. Man is fallible but he can learn. If God and saints are judgemental, man will be damned and have no second chance.

We can learn and have endless tries at making good, to have  a wee bit of the God in us for a start. Let us do try and not give up. Cheers.

.

Life is like the Journey to The West

Learning Point No 124





Life is like the legend of The Journey to The West. In the legend, the monk sent by the Tang dynasty emperor set out to get the scriptures from India. What is obvious is that by the time, the monk and his assistants reached their destination, they have already learnt the spiritual lessons from the trials and tribulations they underwent along the journey.

Life too is a journey to the afterlife, hopefully Heaven. But we do not wait till the afterlife to learn the lessons of life. Otherwise, we will not be there but may even end up far from Heaven.

We have to learn from the trials and tribulations we have as we journey through life. These are referred to as the overcoming of mountains, seas, scorching heat of the sun and drought by the representatives of Lord Bo Tien.

The lessons are within life vis-a-vis the journey to Heaven. If we cannot overcome the obstacles of yin and yang in life (the polarities of life contingencies of honour dishonour, gain and loss, sorrow and happiness etc) , we will not be able to reach the West what sages refer to as Heavenly Paradise.

Life is like the Journey to The West. We learn from the strengths and weaknesses of our own self and of our companions as we undergo the journey of life, irrespective of who we are in life, be it Pigsy, Sandy or Sun Wu Kong or the Tang dynasty monk.

Each and in fact everyone has his own strengths and weaknesses but all can attain enlightenment, more so if they cooperate, just like the disciples of the Tang monk in the Journey to the West. All can learn from one anothers' strengths and weaknesses

Lord Bo Tien says that we can learn from life, our own as well as that of others. Life is gospel we set out to obtain. Life is indeed like the Journey to The West. The gospel is within life itself.

We need to learn along the way to arrive at the destination. We do not wait till then to learn, otherwise we will have to go along another new journey of life. The choice is ours.

Do we want to have more journeys or rebirths? The answer is obvious. We must make it right the first time if we can. Let the first be the last.

But we may have to be patient and to be resilient and resourceful, like the disciples of the Tang monk in the Journey to the West. Cheers and have a good journey in life.

Namo Omitofo...

Who say that demon cannot be present in a temple or church?

Learning Point No 123

In the story of The Journey to the West, the disciples of the Tang monk were divided on the presence if any of demon in a temple they came upon enroute to the West for scriptures. The journey itself is a learning process and spiritual lessons are never lacking along the way.

All are sceptical when Sun Wu Kong, the monkey disciple said that demons can be present in a temple. But he was not proven wrong though all would think that in a temple of Buddha, there can be no demons. This is near equivalent of saying there be no possibilty of wrong doing in a temple.

Even Gautama Buddha see the danger of appointing a successor when he passed on to supreme enlightenment. He said that the Dharma, his teachings will be the successor and men must be led by the Dharma and not by a man however good that man may be.

Extrapolating this, we would see the wisdom that a man is never free from demonic thoughts and inclination. When put on the pedestal, the attention of fellow men may fan up the demonic thoughts in him.

The management committee or pastoral board of a modern church or temple should not be idolised as the representatives of God and saints. Otherwise, lo and behold, demons in men will arise.

But if the teachings of God and saints be the leader, then men in such a temple or church will be constantly shepherded to toe the line of the teachings. The inclination to fall to temptation of being hero-worshipped by other men and become wayward will be less likely to be.

So do let the teachings be the leader so that it is less likely for demon to be nurtured in a temple or church. Demon can be present even in a temple or church if man and not doctrine takes the lead.

The author of the epic story of the Journey to the West must be appreciated for being able to put across good doctrinal values via portrayal of the frailties of leading men in religious mission. The story aptly reminds that men in mission can fall to temptations and the mission be derailed. In the story of the Journey to the West, it takes a strong-headed Sun Wu Kong to expose and to put things right and on track. 

Even in any temple of Lord Bo Tien, there was difficulty in having a human successor or leader, not even a religious council of elders. The answer is obvious. The inner truth doctrine the lord saint taught must take precedence and lead the men to understand life and the oneness of sects and religions to save all beings. They must stay on track by being doctrine focused.  

But if men want to lead and somehow put aside the teachings, then lo and behold, you would not have a temple of the lord saint or of God, but the temple of man. At times and often the case, the demonic inclination of man will effectively culminate in the temple becoming a temple with deviated mission. Then there must be someone like Sun Wu Kong to put things right

Who say that demon cannot be present in a temple or church?

A little perfection amidst imperfection makes the difference

Learning Point No 122

A little perfection in an imperfect world makes the difference to life.

To have this, as the first step, there is no need to change the world but to change oneself.

To have peace, there is no dire need to change society and community but to change oneself so that there is that more bit of peace within oneself to better handle and balance the imperfection of the world.

To have calm amidst storms, there is need to still the mind and have calm within oneself.  There is need to know and be in control of one's own mind to get what we want in life.

There is need to realise that what one wants is not the best of the mundane world but the peace and calm in life --- to have a wee bit more perfection in oneself. Then, however wanting and imperfect this world may be, life would be more pleasant.

There will be calm amidst storms. There will be peace amidst the battles of life. There will be contentment amidst discontent. There will be containment amidst chaos and strife. There will be a bit of the peace of God and saint within us.

Balance the yin and yang and this must start with one's own mind and body and even go to the spirit of one's soul

Completeness and emptiness are vexations in life

Learning Point No 121

Know ye that life comes to a full circle and that we start with nothing or little and end up more only to have little or nothing towards the end. The process goes on again and again.

But that is alright if we are mindful that the purpose of life is to learn and improve our lot not in the worldly sense but in spirit as well. What we improve in the material sense must go to dust but that which we gain in spirit stays on, so as to make us stronger, perhaps more robust and resilient.

Emptiness and sense of completeness are just experiential aspects of phenomena. What is better is to substantiate our life more so in spirit than in flesh and blood. That which are of flesh and blood will have to return to where they came. But that which are of spirit evolves from life to life.

The circle '0' is nothing but yet depicts the wholeness of life. When life returns to nothing but dust, life becomes more whole in spirit for the one who grows in spirit.

If you realise that nothing and everything are one and yet not one, then you are on the road of insight and the beginning of realisation.

With a little or hardly any insight, you are on the way to wholeness of realisation, which will bring you to more of completeness and emptiness in every life experience.

You will be richer in spirit even if not necessarily so in flesh and blood. That which is of spirit stays on with you from life to life. But the one who grows in spirit is better than the one who grows in flesh and blood for flesh and blood do not last.

Do take care of the body of flesh and blood but treasure more the spirit of life that is you and not the dust which your body will end up as. But you can neither neglect the body of flesh and blood nor be deluded that only the spirit matters.

There must be balance and moderation for you to be at peace with life. Then you can have peace of life both mundane and spiritual.

No wonder Lord Bo Tien said that spiritual values or principles if applied to spiritual life enriches the spirit and ensure reasonable mundane life that enables more spiritual life.

But the ways of the world may not work well for long even for the mundane life and are often impediments for growth of the spirit.

Many think they are near fulfilment when they reach the apex of mundane wealth and status but life comes a full circle and the near in fulfilment may end up far from fulfilment if they are not rich in spirit.

The one who is rich in spirit though far from perceived worldly attainments with only very humble life and means may be near in fulfilment spiritually if he cultivates the way or Tao. He is spiritually richer and nearer to God though far in fulfilment worldly-wise.

The far (in worldly fulfilment) may be near (to true fulfilment of the spirit) and the near (in worldly fulfilment) may be far and end up with nothing. Those whom others think have nothing may end up having more though of spirit than of flesh. The far may be near and the near may be far. This did Lord Bo Tien reiterate.

Completeness and emptiness are vexations in life in the mundane world. True fulfilment is of the spirit

Men and not God and saints need our money

Learning Point No 120

In any temple or church, do be mindful ever to concretise and give life to the mission and vision of God and saints, and not the building, the wealth and the agenda of men.

Otherwise, there will be wolves in sheeps' clothing, what Lord Bo Tien refers to as insects coming to a flower for nectar. He also wants us to reflect that the near may be far and the far may be near.

Priest, monks and pastors are  invariably poised or positioned to be near to God and saints. But they may be weak and are often victims of their own undoing. They move the masses in the name of God and stir up the hearts of men to give all they can.

But what men give should be more of their hearts and not their money. Money will end up in the pockets of men and not with God and saints. To say that God  and saints need our money is belittling them.

But men in a church or temple do need money and that is real and true not only for their own needs but also for running a temple or church.

It is, of course, God-worthy to contribute money to a church or temple so that men can do the work of God. But do not for a moment assume that you are giving money to God. God does not need our blessings.

But the devout may not agree. That is their right to do so. God knows but men may not. They do so out of love for God but love can be blind and when this happens, wisdom takes a back seat or is often lacking. May God bless them and guide them.

Men and not God and saints need our money. All saints will tell you that. Ji Gong Posat is one of them.

Ji Gong Posat