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?
No comments:
Post a Comment