The teaching and not the saint is what matters

Learning  Point No 307

Whilst it is true that Lord Bo Tien reveals little of himself and is no historical figure, we only know that he is a heavenly being or spirit. He is not here to start a new religion or to endorse any sect or religion. 

He had to choose a Chinese temple culture to descend and make himself known because he wants to show that the same basic teaching of God and the cultivation of the God nature in us through balance of the soft and hard aspects in life, the yin and yang can be found too in such Chinese temple. This basic teaching is the inner truth behind all religions and sects. 

What is perhaps even more interesting is that he said that though his image portrays him as a general in armour, he is no general. The image is just a portrayal of this inner truth of the balancing of yin and yang to grow the divine peace so as to enable us to grow the God nature in us. This is represented by his feet atop and balancing yin and yang. 

Lord Bo Tien

The multiplicity and richness of color represent the richness of races and cultures in this world. His left hand bids us to be steadfast and go forward and right hand bids us to hold on to the doctrine as represented by the scepter  

The understanding of this doctrine as universal to all religions is more important than who the lord saint is. We should not hero worship or idolise him. 

Doing so will result in men living in fantasy of who he is. Men will build up many fantasies about him. Thus he prefers that we know nothing of who he is or his past life. 

The problem with religion is that men tend to create many beliefs and stories around a saint or founder  and this can be at expense of the teachings and the cultivation of the way that the saint or founder preaches. 

History bears evidence that some, if not, many of the facts we know of the founders remain to be verified though they are indeed historical figures. This is because men hold in high esteem the founders and this is praise worthy. They will naturally heap praises and make legends out of the founders, perhaps much to the founders liking

But what is more important is that men must treasure and know the doctrine the founders preach. Even if the founders or saints do not exist or if history could not validate in part or whole of their life histories, their teachings  should hold water and the faith of the adherents be still rock steady. 

The teaching and not the saint is what matters. No wonder the lord saint Lord Bo Tien says that those who know the teachings know him. Those who do not do not know him even if he is beside or in front of them. 

The teaching and not the saint is what matters in any religion. Separate the saint from the religion and the religion will still stand on its own. This is true of all religions.

Ji Gong is one saint that does not wish us to idolise him. His image can be at floor level whilst men stand above him. When he descends through a human intermediary, he sits on the dirty floor, wears patchy robes, carries a tattered fan and speaks like a man of no status but still awes with his compassion and teachings. 

He is Ji Gong after all. Omitofo

He does not want us to idolise him. It matters not so long as you are won over by his teachings. One such teaching is that what matters is the heart and not what goes through the gut. This includes what one does as well.