Extract from Prayers, Devotion and the Spiritual life
Love makes the world go round. So do we know. But, worldly love, as above, is
always motivated by self or group ego. Love is but the means to an end – the end
being the gratification of the self or ego.
Spiritual love is different and should be different. It requires us to love everyone equally. “Love thy neighbour.” No one in his right mind will reject this. But how many can truly epitomise the ideal behind this. Taken to the ultimate, it means that all must live together as brothers. Adherents of one religion must love those of another religion. Individual group ego or self-centredness is out. Oneness is in. This is the true basis for inter-religious harmony.
Lord Bo Tien exhorts us to do so. Religions are pillars of Truth. He is not amongst us to promulgate a new religion or a new interpretation of a religion. There is no need to. He would certainly not encourage any entity that will generate individual group-ego or self-centredness. He is here to help us and to foster oneness in diversity.
Divine kindness or spiritual love is not confined to the likes of oneself, but to one and all alike. Truth and salvation, after all, are not meant for a select few but for all. Spiritual kindness such as exhorted by saints like Lord Bo Tien is boundless, selfless, and makes no distinction or preference for any groups or individuals. Even the wayward is entitled to the love of Heaven.
Spiritual love is different and should be different. It requires us to love everyone equally. “Love thy neighbour.” No one in his right mind will reject this. But how many can truly epitomise the ideal behind this. Taken to the ultimate, it means that all must live together as brothers. Adherents of one religion must love those of another religion. Individual group ego or self-centredness is out. Oneness is in. This is the true basis for inter-religious harmony.
Lord Bo Tien exhorts us to do so. Religions are pillars of Truth. He is not amongst us to promulgate a new religion or a new interpretation of a religion. There is no need to. He would certainly not encourage any entity that will generate individual group-ego or self-centredness. He is here to help us and to foster oneness in diversity.
Divine kindness or spiritual love is not confined to the likes of oneself, but to one and all alike. Truth and salvation, after all, are not meant for a select few but for all. Spiritual kindness such as exhorted by saints like Lord Bo Tien is boundless, selfless, and makes no distinction or preference for any groups or individuals. Even the wayward is entitled to the love of Heaven.
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